Judges 17

Jud 17:1-4.

MICAH

RESTORING THE

STOLEN

MONEY TO

HIS

MOTHER,

SHE

MAKES

IMAGES.

1. a man of mount Ephraim--that is, the mountainous parts of Ephraim.

This and the other narratives that follow form a miscellaneous

collection, or appendix to the Book of Judges. It belongs to a period

when the Hebrew nation was in a greatly disordered and corrupt state.

This episode of Micah is connected with

Jud 1:34.

It relates to his foundation of a small sanctuary of his own--a

miniature representation of the Shiloh tabernacle--which he stocked

with images modelled probably in imitation of the ark and cherubim.

Micah and his mother were sincere in their intention to honor God. But

their faith was blended with a sad amount of ignorance and delusion.

The divisive course they pursued, as well as the will-worship they

practised, subjected the perpetrators to the penalty of death.

3. a graven image and a molten image--The one carved from a

block of wood or stone, to be plated over with silver; the other, a

figure formed of the solid metal cast into a mould. It is observable,

however, that only two hundred shekels were given to the founder.

Probably the expense of making two such figures of silver, with their

appurtenances (pedestals, bases, &c.), might easily cost, in those

days, two hundred shekels, which (at 2 shillings, 4 pence each, is

about 23 pounds) would be a sum not adequate to the formation of large

statues [TAYLOR, Fragments].

5. the man Micah had an house of gods--Hebrew, "a house of

God"--a domestic chapel, a private religious establishment of his own.

an ephod--(see on

Ex 28:6).

teraphim--tutelary gods of the household (see

Ge 31:19

and see on

Ge 31:26).

consecrated one of his sons who became his priest--The assumption of

the priestly office by any one out of the family of Aaron was a direct

violation of the divine law

(Nu 3:10; 16:17;

De 21:5;

Heb 5:4).

6. every man did that which was right in his own eyes--From want of a

settled government, there was no one to call him to account. No

punishment followed any crime.

7. Beth-lehem-judah--so called in contradistinction to a town of the

same name in Zebulun

(Jos 19:15).

of the family--that is, tribe.

of Judah--Men of the tribe of Levi might connect themselves, as Aaron

did

(Ex 6:23),

tribe of Judah, by his mother's side, which accounts for his being in

Beth-lehem, not one of the Levitical cities.

8. the man departed . . . to sojourn where he could find a place--A

competent provision being secured for every member of the Levitical

order, his wandering about showed him to have been a person of a roving

disposition or unsettled habits. In the course of his journeying he

came to the house of Micah, who, on learning what he was, engaged his

permanent services.

10. Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father--a

spiritual father, to conduct the religious services of my

establishment. He was to receive, in addition to his board, a salary of

ten shekels of silver, equal to 25 shillings a year.

a suit of apparel--not only dress for ordinary use, but vestments

suitable for the discharge of his priestly functions.

12. Micah consecrated the Levite--Hebrew, "filled his hand."

This act of consecration was not less unlawful for Micah to perform

than for this Levite to receive

(see on

Jud 18:30).

13. Now know I that the Lord will do me good--The removal of his son,

followed by the installation of this Levite into the priestly office,

seems to have satisfied his conscience, that by what he deemed the

orderly ministrations of religion he would prosper. This expression of

his hope evinces the united influence of ignorance and superstition.