And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.
And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.
And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
And there was a young man out of Beth–lehem–judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
And the man departed out of the city from Beth–lehem–judah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth–lehem–judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
Judges 17 marks a pivotal point in the book, shifting focus from the heroic deeds of individual judges to the daily lives and spiritual state of the Israelites. This chapter, along with the remaining ones, paints a sobering picture of a society adrift, highlighting the consequences of abandoning God's law and embracing self-determination. The well-known phrase in Judges 17:6, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes," encapsulates the spiritual anarchy that permeated the nation. This section serves as a crucial backdrop for understanding the subsequent narratives of moral decay and societal breakdown.
Micah's Misguided Devotion (Judges 17:1-6)
The chapter introduces us to Micah, an Ephraimite, whose story exemplifies the syncretism and moral compromise that characterized the era. The narrative begins with Micah confessing to stealing a significant sum of silver from his mother. The amount, 1,100 pieces of silver (Judges 17:1-2), was a considerable amount, roughly twenty-eight pounds! Interestingly, Micah's confession isn't motivated by genuine remorse but by fear of a curse his mother pronounced on the thief.
Micah's mother, upon recovering the stolen silver, declares that she is dedicating it to the LORD to make a carved image and a metal image (Judges 17:3). This act, while seemingly pious, is deeply flawed. It's a blatant violation of the second commandment, which prohibits the making of idols (Exodus 20:4). This highlights the dangers of blending true worship with pagan practices, a common theme throughout the book of Judges. Tony Evans points out the double-mindedness inherent in dedicating something to the Lord for the express purpose of creating an idol, emphasizing that God demands wholehearted devotion.
Further compounding the issue, the mother only uses a portion of the silver, about five pounds, for the idol (Judges 17:4). This detail suggests a lack of complete commitment and echoes the earlier act of theft, implying that Micah may have learned his deceitful tendencies from her.
Micah then establishes a shrine in his house, complete with idols, an ephod (a priestly garment used for seeking divine guidance), and teraphim (household idols often associated with divination) (Judges 17:5). He even ordains one of his sons as his personal priest, despite not being a Levite, further demonstrating his disregard for God's established order. The tribe of Levi was specifically chosen for priestly duties. This act was a further flagrant disregard for God’s commands.
This entire episode reveals a distorted understanding of worship. Micah and his mother attempt to manipulate God's blessing through their own contrived religious practices, showcasing a fundamental misunderstanding of God's character and requirements.
The Wandering Levite (Judges 17:7-13)
The next character introduced is a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, seeking a place to settle (Judges 17:7-8). The Levites, being a priestly tribe, were not allocated land of their own but were meant to live among the other tribes and serve in the tabernacle. This Levite's journey suggests a breakdown in the Levitical system and a sense of displacement within Israel.
Micah, recognizing the Levite's lineage, offers him a position as his personal priest, complete with a salary, room, and board (Judges 17:10). The Levite, seemingly unconcerned with the impropriety of serving in a private, idolatrous shrine, accepts the offer (Judges 17:11). This highlights the spiritual decline of the Levites themselves, who were meant to uphold God's law and guide the people in true worship. He accepted the role of personal priest for a price.
Micah, now with a "legitimate" Levite priest, feels confident in God's favor. "Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest" (Judges 17:13). This statement reveals a superstitious and transactional view of faith. Micah believes that simply possessing a Levite priest will guarantee God's blessing, regardless of his idolatrous practices and disregard for God's commands.
A Warning Against Half-Hearted Devotion
The story of Micah and the Levite serves as a cautionary tale against syncretism, self-determination, and a superficial understanding of faith. It demonstrates the dangers of mixing true worship with idolatry and the importance of adhering to God's established order. Tony Evans warns against attending church and half-heartedly worshiping the Lord, while continuing to rely on idols for satisfaction and deliverance. Such unholy mixtures undermine our faith and hinder our prayers. God demands our whole allegiance (Exodus 20:3).
The events in Judges 17 foreshadow the moral and spiritual decline that will plague Israel in the following chapters, ultimately leading to further chaos and suffering. It underscores the importance of having a divine standard, a "king" in our lives, to guide us and keep us from doing what is right in our own eyes, but wrong in God's sight. The chapter serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of abandoning God's law and embracing a self-centered approach to faith.
And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.
And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.
And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
And there was a young man out of Beth–lehem–judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
And the man departed out of the city from Beth–lehem–judah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth–lehem–judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
Judges 17 marks a pivotal point in the book, shifting focus from the heroic deeds of individual judges to the daily lives and spiritual state of the Israelites. This chapter, along with the remaining ones, paints a sobering picture of a society adrift, highlighting the consequences of abandoning God's law and embracing self-determination. The well-known phrase in Judges 17:6, "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes," encapsulates the spiritual anarchy that permeated the nation. This section serves as a crucial backdrop for understanding the subsequent narratives of moral decay and societal breakdown.
Micah's Misguided Devotion (Judges 17:1-6)
The chapter introduces us to Micah, an Ephraimite, whose story exemplifies the syncretism and moral compromise that characterized the era. The narrative begins with Micah confessing to stealing a significant sum of silver from his mother. The amount, 1,100 pieces of silver (Judges 17:1-2), was a considerable amount, roughly twenty-eight pounds! Interestingly, Micah's confession isn't motivated by genuine remorse but by fear of a curse his mother pronounced on the thief.
Micah's mother, upon recovering the stolen silver, declares that she is dedicating it to the LORD to make a carved image and a metal image (Judges 17:3). This act, while seemingly pious, is deeply flawed. It's a blatant violation of the second commandment, which prohibits the making of idols (Exodus 20:4). This highlights the dangers of blending true worship with pagan practices, a common theme throughout the book of Judges. Tony Evans points out the double-mindedness inherent in dedicating something to the Lord for the express purpose of creating an idol, emphasizing that God demands wholehearted devotion.
Further compounding the issue, the mother only uses a portion of the silver, about five pounds, for the idol (Judges 17:4). This detail suggests a lack of complete commitment and echoes the earlier act of theft, implying that Micah may have learned his deceitful tendencies from her.
Micah then establishes a shrine in his house, complete with idols, an ephod (a priestly garment used for seeking divine guidance), and teraphim (household idols often associated with divination) (Judges 17:5). He even ordains one of his sons as his personal priest, despite not being a Levite, further demonstrating his disregard for God's established order. The tribe of Levi was specifically chosen for priestly duties. This act was a further flagrant disregard for God’s commands.
This entire episode reveals a distorted understanding of worship. Micah and his mother attempt to manipulate God's blessing through their own contrived religious practices, showcasing a fundamental misunderstanding of God's character and requirements.
The Wandering Levite (Judges 17:7-13)
The next character introduced is a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, seeking a place to settle (Judges 17:7-8). The Levites, being a priestly tribe, were not allocated land of their own but were meant to live among the other tribes and serve in the tabernacle. This Levite's journey suggests a breakdown in the Levitical system and a sense of displacement within Israel.
Micah, recognizing the Levite's lineage, offers him a position as his personal priest, complete with a salary, room, and board (Judges 17:10). The Levite, seemingly unconcerned with the impropriety of serving in a private, idolatrous shrine, accepts the offer (Judges 17:11). This highlights the spiritual decline of the Levites themselves, who were meant to uphold God's law and guide the people in true worship. He accepted the role of personal priest for a price.
Micah, now with a "legitimate" Levite priest, feels confident in God's favor. "Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest" (Judges 17:13). This statement reveals a superstitious and transactional view of faith. Micah believes that simply possessing a Levite priest will guarantee God's blessing, regardless of his idolatrous practices and disregard for God's commands.
A Warning Against Half-Hearted Devotion
The story of Micah and the Levite serves as a cautionary tale against syncretism, self-determination, and a superficial understanding of faith. It demonstrates the dangers of mixing true worship with idolatry and the importance of adhering to God's established order. Tony Evans warns against attending church and half-heartedly worshiping the Lord, while continuing to rely on idols for satisfaction and deliverance. Such unholy mixtures undermine our faith and hinder our prayers. God demands our whole allegiance (Exodus 20:3).
The events in Judges 17 foreshadow the moral and spiritual decline that will plague Israel in the following chapters, ultimately leading to further chaos and suffering. It underscores the importance of having a divine standard, a "king" in our lives, to guide us and keep us from doing what is right in our own eyes, but wrong in God's sight. The chapter serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of abandoning God's law and embracing a self-centered approach to faith.