Judges · Chapter 17

V. 1. There was, &c.-The things mentioned here, and in the following chapters, did not happen in the order in which they are put; but much sooner, even presently after the death of the elders that over-lived Joshua, as appears, because Phinehas the son of Eleazar was priest at this time, Judges 20:28, who must have been about 350 years old, if this had been done after Samson’s death.

Verse 1. And there was a man of Mount Ephraim] It is extremely difficult to fix the chronology of this and the following transactions. Some think them to be here in their natural order; others, that they happened in the time of Joshua, or immediately after the ancients who outlived Joshua. All that can be said with certainty is this, that they happened when there was no king in Israel; i.e., about the time of the Judges, or in some time of the anarchy, Judges 17:6.

Verse 1. Here begins what may be called a supplement to the book of Judges; which gives an account of several memorable transactions, in or about the time of the judges: whose history the author would not interrupt, by intermixing these matters with it, but reserved them to be related apart by themselves, in the five following chapters. In these he first gives an account how idolatry came into the tribe of Ephraim; which he doth in this chapter: secondly, How it came to be introduced in the tribe of Dan, chap.

18. And then he relates, in chap. 19., a most barbarous and shameful act done by some Benjamites, and the entire destruction of that tribe, except six hundred men, for countenancing it, chap. 20. And lastly, in chap. 21., he relates how the tribe of Benjamin was kept from being extinguished. Whose name was Micah — When Micah lived, and did what is related in this chapter, we may with some certainty gather from verse 6, which tells us, there was no king in Israel at that time; that is, no supreme governor, with a power to keep the people to their duty; which is supposed by learned men to have been between the death of those elders who survived Joshua, and the first oppression of Israel by Cushan. In which space of time, it is manifest, the Israelites first fell from the worship of God, and polluted themselves with idolatry, Judges 2:13, and Judges 3:7. The beginning of which defection from God’s described briefly in this chapter.

Verse 1. A man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah. This was soon after the death of Joshua, says Josephus, and before the civil war with Benjamin.

MICAH AND THE LEVITE, 1-13.

1. Mount Ephraim — The exact limits of this mountain range are nowhere indicated in the Scriptures. It ran midway through the territory assigned to the tribe of this name, extending as far north as Shechem, (Joshua 20:7; 21:21,) and at least as far south as Ramah. Judges 4:5. It was the central portion of the great mountain range that forms the backbone of Palestine, and took this name from the early allotment of this section of the country to the tribe of Ephraim.

V. 2. Cursedst-That is, didst curse the person who had taken them away. I took it-The fear of thy curse makes me acknowledge mine offence, and beg thy pardon. Blessed-I willingly consent to, and beg from God the removal of the curse, and a blessing instead of it. Be thou free from my curse, because thou hast so honestly restored it.

Verse 2. About which thou cursedst] Houbigant and others understand this of putting the young man to his oath. It is likely that when the mother of Micah missed the money, she poured imprecations on the thief; and that Micah, who had secreted it, hearing this, was alarmed, and restored the money lest the curses should fall on him.

Verse 2. About which thou cursedst — That is, didst curse the person who had taken it away. The mother seems to have uttered this curse in the hearing of her son; who, being struck therewith, confessed that he had taken the money; upon which his mother wishes that her curses may be turned into blessings upon him.

Ver. 2. About which thou cursedst. See on Genesis 9:25.

2. About which thou cursedst — Having missed the money, she uttered imprecations against the thief. Also in my ears — She so uttered and kept repeating her curses that among others Micah also heard her. I took it — The son had been the thief, but his mother’s curses seem to have awed him, and led him to make restitution. This act of robbery, and the thief being allowed to go unpunished, show the lawlessness of the time. Blessed — Instead of reproof and penalty for his theft he receives a blessing. This blessing sprang from sudden joy at receiving again her lost silver.

V. 3. The Lord-In the Hebrew it is, Jehovah, the incommunicable name of God. Whereby it is apparent, that neither she, nor her son, intended to forsake the true God; as appears from his rejoicing when he had got a priest of the Lord’s appointment, but only to worship God by an image; which also both the Israelites, Exodus 32:1, &c. and Jeroboam afterwards, designed to do. For my son-For the benefit of thyself and family; that you need not be continually going to Shiloh to worship, but may do it at home. To thee-To dispose of, as I say.

Verse 3. I had wholly dedicated] From this it appears that Micah’s mother, though she made a superstitious use of the money, had no idolatrous design, for she expressly says she had dedicated it hwhyl layhovah, to Jehovah; and this appears to have been the reason why she poured imprecations on him who had taken it.

Verse 3. I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord — The meaning seems to be, that when she had lost the money, she vowed, that if she recovered it, she would dedicate it to the Lord, and her superstitious ignorance made her conceive that she could do this in no better way than in laying it out in images of some kind to be made use of in his worship. In the Hebrew here, the word for Lord is Jehovah, the incommunicable name of the true God, whereby it is apparent that neither she nor her son intended to forsake the true God, but only to worship him by an image, which also the Israelites designed to do when they made the calf in the wilderness, (Exodus 32:1,) and Jeroboam afterward. Hence this Micah rejoiced when he had got a priest of the Lord’s appointment. Their error lay in worshipping God according to their own fancies, and not as he had commanded. But this chapter and the following show that the Israelites were at this time fallen into a most deplorable and shameful ignorance of God and his law. For my son — For the benefit of thyself and family; that you need not be continually going to Shiloh to worship, but may do it at home. Therefore I will restore it unto thee — To dispose of it, as I say, in making an image.

3. I had wholly dedicated — Rather, I have wholly dedicated. Her purpose to sanctify the silver unto the Lord seems to have originated with the pleasure with which she received it from the hand of her son. Graven image and a molten image — The former was carved out of either metal or wood, the latter cast or poured; but the difference of form or make between the two is hard to determine. Keil conjectures that the graven image was an image of a bull, like the golden calf at Sinai. But these images were not meant for idols to be worshipped, though they naturally led to idolatry. They seem to have been looked upon as household or tutelary gods, not to be worshipped as gods, yet to be reverenced as talismans. This act of Micah and his mother was, however, a coming nearer to idolatry than the act of Gideon in setting up his famous ephod in Ophrah, and yet this home idolatry of Micah may have been a consequence of Gideon’s wrong example. Compare note on Judges 8:27. Now therefore I will restore — Rather, and now I restore it to thee, that is, for the purpose of making images to place in Micah’s house of gods. Verse 5.

V. 4. Restored-Though his mother allowed him to keep it, yet he persisted in his resolution to restore it, that she might dispose of it as she pleased. Two hundred-Reserving nine hundred shekels, either for the ephod or teraphim, or for other things relating to this worship.

Verse 4. A graven image and a molten image] What these images were, we cannot positively say; they were most probably some resemblance of matters belonging to the tabernacle. See below.

Verse 4. Yet he restored the money to his mother — Though she allowed him to keep it, he persisted in his resolution to restore it, that she might dispose of it as she pleased. His mother took two hundred shekels — Reserving nine hundred either for the ephod, or teraphim, or other things relating to this worship.

Ver. 4. Two hundred shekels. The little idol would weigh about a hundred and twenty ounces; small indeed, but pregnant with the most disastrous consequences. Satan could not draw Micah to gross idolatry all at once, but was obliged to mask it with the worship of Jehovah.

4. Two hundred shekels — Less than one fifth of the eleven hundred shekels. What was done with the remaining nine hundred? They were probably used for making the ephod and teraphim mentioned in verse 5, and paying the founder who made all the images; for, according to verse 3, the silver was to be in some way wholly dedicated to the Lord. This mention of the founder, or smelter, indicates the knowledge at this time in Israel of the art of metallurgy.

V. 5. Of gods-That is, an house consecrated for the service of God in this manner. Teraphim-A sort of images so called. One of his sons-Because the Levites in that corrupt estate of the church, neglected the exercise of their office, and therefore they were neglected by the people, and others put into their employment.

Verse 5. The man Micah had a house of gods] אלהים בית beith Elohim should, I think, be translated house or temple of God; for it is very likely that both the mother and the son intended no more than a private or domestic chapel, in which they proposed to set up the worship of the true God.

Made an ephod] Perhaps the whole of this case may be stated thus: Micah built a house of God-a chapel in imitation of the sanctuary; he made a graven image representing the ark, a molten image to represent the mercy-seat, teraphim to represent the cherubim above the mercy-seat, and an ephod in imitation of the sacerdotal garments; and he consecrated one of his sons to be priest. Thus gross idolatry was not the crime of Micah; he only set up in his own house an epitome of the Divine worship as performed at Shiloh. What the teraphim were, see Clarke’s note on “Genesis 31:19”; for the ephod, see Clarke’s note on “Exodus 25:7”; and for the sacerdotal vestments in general, see Clarke’s note on “Exodus 28:4”, &c.

Who became his priest.] כהנ cohen, which the Targum translates chumera. The word כהנ cohen is the common name in Hebrew for a priest of the true God; but sometimes it is applied to idolatrous priests. When it is to be understood in the former sense, the Targum renders it cahen; when in the latter, it uses the word armwk chumera, by which it always understands an idolatrous priest. But that this was not a case of idolatry, and that the true God was worshipped here, is evident from the word Jehovah being used, Judges 17:4, and oracular answers being given at this house, as we see from Judges 18:6 &c.

Verse 5. The man Micah had a house of gods — The Hebrew µyhla tyb, Beth Elohim, may more properly be translated a house of God; that is, he had made, or at least intended to make, in his own dwelling, an imitation of the house of God in Shiloh. And teraphim — A sort of images so called. And consecrated one of his sons — Because the Levites, in that corrupt state of the church, neglected the exercise of their office, and therefore they were neglected by the people, and others put into their employments.

Ver. 5. Ephod; in imitation of Aaron’s, or of Gideon’s. Teraphim; a human figure intended to resemble the angel of God. Michal, Saul’s daughter, put one of these into her bed, that it might be taken for David, in case Saul should send to kill him. 1 Samuel 19:13. To those idols the gentiles committed the care of their families, and consulted them on secret and future events; and vocal answers were sometimes returned. Zechariah 10:2. Ezekiel 21:21. So they joined the worship of God with that of devils; and they were not unfrequently deceived in the answers which Satan returned. Those penates or household gods, with other detestable consequences of idolatry, the good Josiah removed. 2 Kings 23:24. This Teraphim of Micah laid the foundation of Israel’s ruin. See Hosea 3:4.—Micah consecrated one of his sons to be a priest; his firstborn, no doubt. Here was a total recession from the Mosaic law, to the patriarchal rights of the firstborn.

5. House of gods — Or, a house of God, a sanctuary after the model of that at Shiloh. He would have a tabernacle of his own. An ephod — Probably after the fashion of Gideon’s. See on Judges 8. 27. Teraphim — Idolatrous images among the Syrians, but in Israel connected rather with corrupt notions of religion than with open idolatry. It does not appear that they were ever worshipped. But see on Genesis 31:19, and Joshua 24:14. Consecrated — Literally, filled the hand, in allusion to the sacred and solemn duties which filled the hands — required all the care — of those who occupied the priest’s office. One of his sons — This fact affords further evidence of the looseness of that age, and shows how completely some of the most solemn enactments of the law had become a dead letter. But Micah did not feel fully satisfied with this priest of his own household, and hence his subsequent consecration of the wandering Levite.

V. 6. No king-No judge to govern and control them. The word king being used largely for a supreme magistrate. God raised up judges to rule and deliver the people, when he saw fit; and at other times for their sins he suffered them to be without them, and such a time this was; and therefore they ran into that idolatry, from which the judges usually kept them; as appears by that solemn and oft-repeated passage in this book, that after the death of such or such a judge, the people forsook the Lord, and turned to idols. His own eyes-That is, not what pleased God, but what best suited his own fancy.

Verse 6. There was no king in Israel] The word Ëlm melech, which generally means king, is sometimes taken for a supreme governor, judge, magistrate, or ruler of any kind; (see Genesis 36:31, and Deuteronomy 33:5;) and it is likely it should be so understood here. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.] He was his own governor, and what he did he said was right; and, by his cunning and strength, defended his conduct. When a man’s own will, passions, and caprice, are to be made the rule of law, society is in a most perilous and ruinous state. Civil government is of God; and without it the earth must soon be desolated. There was a time when there was no king in England; and that was, in general, a time of scandal to religion, and oppression to men.

Verse 6. There was no king in Israel — No judge to govern and control them; the word king being used largely for a supreme magistrate. God raised up judges to rule and deliver the people when he saw fit; and at other times for their sins he suffered them to be without them, and such a time this was; and therefore they ran into that idolatry from which the judges usually kept them; as appears by that solemn and oft-repeated declaration in this book, that after the death of such or such a judge, the people forsook the Lord, and turned to idols. His own eyes — That is, not what pleased God, but what best suited his own fancy.

Ver. 6. No king in Israel; for they were all kings. This agrees best with an approximation to Samson’s times; or had it happened during the presidency of Othniel, he might have visited Micah’s house with a military force. The magistrate who is supine in the suppression of vice and irreligion betrays his country.

6. No king — This verse seems here, as everywhere, to explain the irregularities and evils of the age. It here explains how a man in central Palestine could establish such a semblance of idolatry, and profanely make a priest contrary to the requirements of the law. There was no central government to look after such irregularities, and bring the whole nation to uniform methods of worship, or counteract and destroy the growth of various evils.

V. 7. Bethlehem-judah-So called here, as Matthew 2:1,5, to difference it from Bethlehem in Zebulun. There he was born and bred. Of Judah-That is, of or belonging to the tribe of Judah; not by birth, for he was a Levite; but by his habitation and ministration. For the Levites were dispersed among all the tribes; and this man’s lot fell into the tribe of Judah. Sojourned-So he expresseth it, because this was not the proper place of his abode, this being no Levitical city.

Verse 7. Of the family of Judah] The word family may be taken here for tribe; or the young man might have been of the tribe of Judah by his mother, and of the tribe of Levi by his father, for he is called here a Levite; and it is probable that he might have officiated at Shiloh, in the Levitical office. A Levite might marry into any other tribe, providing the woman was not an heiress.

Verse 7. Beth-lehem-judah — So called here, as Matthew 2:1, 5, to distinguish it from Bethlehem in Zebulun. There he was born and bred. Of Judah — That is, of or belonging to the tribe of Judah; not by birth, for he was a Levite; but by his habitation and ministration. For the Levites were dispersed among all the tribes: and this man’s lot fell into the tribe of Judah. Sojourned — So he expresseth it, because this was not the proper place of his abode, this being no Levitical city.

7. Of the family of Judah — This does not mean that this young man was a descendant of Judah, for he is immediately called a Levite, but that he belonged to the Levites who occupied by divine appointment cities within the tribe-territory of Judah. Compare Joshua 21:8-16. In Judges 18:30, this Levite is called “Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh.” He seems from Judges 18:3, to have been a person of some distinction, known at least to leading persons in the tribe of Dan. See notes on those passages. Beth-lehem-judah was not one of those cities allotted to the Levites, and hence it is added that this young man had only sojourned there, that is, dwelt there for a time as a stranger; it was not his native city nor his permanent home.

V. 8. To sojourn-For employment and a livelihood; for the tithes and offerings, which were their maintenance, not being brought into the house of God, the Levites and priests were reduced to straights.

Verse 8. To sojourn where he could find] He went about the country seeking for some employment, for the Levites had no inheritance: besides, no secure residence could be found where there was no civil government.

Verse 8. To sojourn where he could find a place — For employment and a livelihood; for the tithes and offerings, which were their maintenance, not being brought unto the house of God, the Levites and priests were reduced to difficulties.

8. To sojourn where he could find a place — The irregularity and neglect of sanctuary worship, and of the several enactments of the law concerning the priests and Levites, probably left many of this tribe to wander idly through the land, seeking a residence wherever they might chance to find one.

MICAH AND THE LEVITE, 1-13.

1. Mount Ephraim — The exact limits of this mountain range are nowhere indicated in the Scriptures. It ran midway through the territory assigned to the tribe of this name, extending as far north as Shechem, (Joshua 20:7; 21:21,) and at least as far south as Ramah. Judges 4:5. It was the central portion of the great mountain range that forms the backbone of Palestine, and took this name from the early allotment of this section of the country to the tribe of Ephraim.

V. 10. A father-That is, a priest, a spiritual father, a teacher or instructor. He pretends reverence and submission to him; and what is wanting in his wages, he pays him in titles.

Verse 10. Be unto me a father and a priest] Thou shalt be master of my house, as if thou wert my father; and, as priest, thou shalt appear in the presence of God for me. The term father is often used to express honour and reverence.

Ten shekels of silver] About thirty shillings per annum, with board, lodging, and clothes. Very good wages in those early times.

Verse 10. Be unto me a father — That is, a priest, a spiritual father, a teacher or instructer. He pretends reverence and submission to him; and what is wanting in his wages, he pays him in titles.

10. A father and a priest — A spiritual counsellor as well as a priest. The word father is here a title of respect and reverence. Compare Genesis 45:8; 2 Kings 6:21. Ten shekels of silver by the year — A little more than six dollars. A small sum, indeed, but, with food and clothing, probably ample for his comfort in those simple times.

V. 11. Content-Being infected with the common superstition and idolatry of the times. His sons-That is, treated with the same degree of kindness and affection.

Verse 11. The Levite was content] He thought the place a good one, and the wages respectable.

Verses 11, 12. The Levite was content — Being infected with the common superstition and idolatry of the times. As one of his sons — That is, treated with the same degree of kindness and affection. Micah consecrated the Levite — To be a priest, for which he thought a consecration necessary, as knowing the Levites were no less excluded from the priest’s office than the people. The young man — Instead of his son, whom he had consecrated, but now it seems restrained from the exercise of that office, devolving it wholly upon the Levite, who was nearer akin to it.

MICAH AND THE LEVITE, 1-13.

1. Mount Ephraim — The exact limits of this mountain range are nowhere indicated in the Scriptures. It ran midway through the territory assigned to the tribe of this name, extending as far north as Shechem, (Joshua 20:7; 21:21,) and at least as far south as Ramah. Judges 4:5. It was the central portion of the great mountain range that forms the backbone of Palestine, and took this name from the early allotment of this section of the country to the tribe of Ephraim.

V. 12. Consecrated-To be a priest, for which he thought a consecration necessary, as knowing the Levites were no less excluded from the priest’s office than the people. The young man-Instead of his son, whom he had consecrated, but now seems to restrain him from the exercise of that office, and to devolve it wholly upon the Levite, who was nearer akin to it.

Verse 12. Micah consecrated the Levite] dy ta almyw vayemalle eth yad, he filled his hands, i.e., he gave him an offering to present before the Lord, that he might be accepted by him. He appointed him to be priest; God was to accept and consecrate him; and for this purpose he filled his hand; i.e., furnished him with the proper offering which he was to present on his inauguration.

Verses 11, 12. The Levite was content — Being infected with the common superstition and idolatry of the times. As one of his sons — That is, treated with the same degree of kindness and affection. Micah consecrated the Levite — To be a priest, for which he thought a consecration necessary, as knowing the Levites were no less excluded from the priest’s office than the people. The young man — Instead of his son, whom he had consecrated, but now it seems restrained from the exercise of that office, devolving it wholly upon the Levite, who was nearer akin to it.

MICAH AND THE LEVITE, 1-13.

1. Mount Ephraim — The exact limits of this mountain range are nowhere indicated in the Scriptures. It ran midway through the territory assigned to the tribe of this name, extending as far north as Shechem, (Joshua 20:7; 21:21,) and at least as far south as Ramah. Judges 4:5. It was the central portion of the great mountain range that forms the backbone of Palestine, and took this name from the early allotment of this section of the country to the tribe of Ephraim.

V. 13. Do me good-I am assured God will bless me. So blind and grossly partial he was in his judgment, to think that one right circumstance would answer for all his substantial errors, in making and worshipping images against God’s express command, in worshipping God in a forbidden place, by a priest illegally appointed.

Verse 13. Now know I that the Lord will do me good] As he had already provided an epitome of the tabernacle, a model of the ark, mercy-seat, and cherubim; and had got proper sacerdotal vestments, and a Levite to officiate; he took for granted that all was right, and that he should now have the benediction of God. Some think that he expected great gain from the concourse of the people to his temple; but of this there is no evidence in the text. Micah appears to have been perfectly sincere in all that he did. I HAVE already remarked that there is no positive evidence that Micah or his mother intended to establish any idolatrous worship. Though they acted without any Divine command in what they did; yet they appear, not only to have been perfectly sincere, but also perfectly disinterested. They put themselves to considerable expense to erect this place of worship, and to maintain, at their own proper charges, a priest to officiate there; and without this the place, in all probability, would have been destitute of the worship and knowledge of the true God. His sincerity, disinterestedness, and attachment to the worship of the God of his fathers, are farther seen in the joy which he expressed on finding a Levite who might legally officiate in his house. It is true, he had not a Divine warrant for what he did; but the state of the land, the profligacy of his countrymen, his distance from Shiloh, &c., considered, he appears to deserve more praise than blame, though of the latter he has received a most liberal share from every quarter. This proceeds from that often-noticed propensity in man to take every thing which concerns the character of another by the worst handle. It cannot be considered any particular crime, should these notes be found at any time leaning to the other side.

JUDGES

Verse 13. Do me good — I am assured God will bless me. So blind and grossly partial he was in his judgment, to think that one right circumstance would answer for all his substantial errors, in making and worshipping images against God’s express command, in worshipping God in a forbidden place, by a priest illegally appointed. “He persuades himself,” says Calmet, “that the people, seeing his chapel served by a man of the family of Levi, will come thither with greater confidence, and that this concourse, together with the offerings to be brought, will procure him considerable gain. It is evidently this gain which he here calls the blessing of God. How just a representation is this of those superstitiously covetous persons who would connect religion with the love of riches, and who, as St. Paul expresses it, fancy that piety should serve as a means of enriching themselves.”

13. Now know I — Micah had not felt easy and safe before. He seems to have feared that he had gone too far, and he evidently knew enough of the law to understand that the tribe of Levi had been set apart to the priesthood and ministry of the sanctuary. But now, having a priest from the divinely chosen tribe, he begins to feel sure of Jehovah’s favour.