BSB
Judges 17
1Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
2said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”
3And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”
4So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.
5Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
6In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
7And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.
8This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.
9“Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.”
10“Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in
11and agreed to stay with him, and the young man became like a son to Micah.
12Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house.
13Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.”
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Arts of The: Founder Judges 17:4
So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.
Bethlehem: A City Southwest of Jerusalem Judges 17:7
And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.
Bethlehem: A City Southwest of Jerusalem: And Beth-Lehem-Judah Judges 17:7–9
And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah. / This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim. / “Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.”
Christian Minister: Jonathan Judges 17:7–13
And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah. / This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim. / “Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.”
Conscience Money: General Scriptures Concerning Judges 17:2
said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”
Conscience of Micah, After Stealing Judges 17:2
said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”
Dishonesty: Micah Steals One-Thousand One-Hundred Pieces of Silver Judges 17:2
said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”
Ephod: A Sacred Vestment Worn by the High Priest: Made by Gideon, Became an Idolatrous Snare to Israel Judges 17:5
Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
Ephraim: Mount of Residence of Micah Judges 17:8
This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.
Extraordinary Judges: Not Without Intermission Judges 17:6
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Father: An Idolatrous Title of Priests Judges 17:10
“Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in
Idolatry: Micah Judges 17:4, 5
So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah. / Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
Idolatry: Objects of, Worshipped in Private Houses Judges 17:4, 5
So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah. / Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
Jonathan: A Levite of Bethlehem, Who Becomes a Priest for Micah Judges 17:7–13
And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah. / This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim. / “Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.”
Liberty: Political Judges 17:6
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Metals: Cast in Mould Judges 17:4
So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.
Micah: An Ephraimite: His Robbery and Idolatry Judges 17:1
Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
Money: Conscience Judges 17:2
said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”
Money: Pieces of Mentioned: Shekel of Silver Judges 17:10
“Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in
Money: Silver Used As Judges 17:4
So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.
Parents: Bad - Exemplified: Mother of Micah Judges 17:3
And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”
Polytheism: General Scriptures Concerning Judges 17:5
Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
Shekel used to Weigh Silver Judges 17:2, 3
said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!” / And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”
Teraphim used by Micah, Stolen by the Danites Judges 17:5
Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
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Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
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Judges 17:1-6 Verses 1-6
What is related in this, and the rest of the chapters to the end of this book, was done soon after the death of Joshua: see chap. Jud 20:28. That it might appear how happy the nation was under the Judges, here is showed how unhappy they were when there was no Judge. The love of money made Micah so undutiful to his mother as to rob her, and made her so unkind to her son, as to curse him. Outward losses drive good people to their prayers, but bad people to their curses. This woman's silver was her god, before it was made into a graven or a molten image. Micah and his mother agreed to turn their money into a god, and set up idol worship in their family. See the cause of this corruption. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes, and then they soon did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.
Judges 17:7-13 Verses 7-13
Micah thought it was a sign of God's favour to him and his images, that a Levite should come to his door. Thus those who please themselves with their own delusions, if Providence unexpectedly bring any thing to their hands that further them in their evil way, are apt from thence to think that God is pleased with them.