Shìshījì 17

1 Yǐfǎlián shān dì yǒu yī gèrén míng jiào Mǐjiā .

2 Tā duì mǔqin shuō , nǐ nà yī qiā yī bǎi Shĕkèlè yínzi beì rén ná qù , nǐ yīncǐ zhòuzǔ , bìngqiĕ gàosu le wǒ . kàn nǎ . zhè yínzi zaì wǒ zhèlǐ , shì wǒ ná qù le . tā mǔqin shuō , wǒ ér a , yuàn Yēhéhuá cì fú yǔ nǐ .

3 Mǐjiā jiù bǎ zhè yī qiā yī bǎi Shĕkèlè yínzi huán tā mǔqin . tā mǔqin shuō , wǒ fēn chū zhè yínzi lái wèi nǐ xiàn gĕi Yēhéhuá , hǎo diāokè yī gè xiàng , zhù chéng yī gè xiàng . xiànzaì wǒ háishì jiāo gĕi nǐ .

4 Mǐjiā jiāng yínzi huán tā mǔqin , tā mǔqin jiāng èr bǎi Shĕkèlè yínzi jiāo gĕi yín jiàng , diāokè yī gè xiàng , zhù chéng yī gè xiàng , ānzhì zaì Mǐjiā de wū neì .

5 Zhè Mǐjiā yǒu le shén táng , yòu zhìzào Yǐfúdé hé jiā zhōng de shénxiàng , fēn paì tā yī gè érzi zuò jìsī .

6 Nàshí Yǐsèliè zhōng méiyǒu wáng , gèrén rènyì ér xíng .

7 Yóudà de Bólìhéng yǒu yī gè shàonián rén , shì Yóudà zú de Lìwèi rén , tā zaì nàli jìjū .

8 Zhè rén líkāi Yóudà de Bólìhéng chéng , yào zhǎo yī gè kĕ zhù de dìfang . xíng lù de shíhou , dào le Yǐfǎlián shān dì , zǒu dào Mǐjiā de jiā .

9 Mǐjiā wèn tā shuō , nǐ cóng nǎli lái . tā huídá shuō , cóng Yóudà de Bólìhéng lái . wǒ shì Lìwèi rén , yào zhǎo yī gè kĕ zhù de dìfang .

10 Mǐjiā shuō , nǐ kĕyǐ zhù zaì wǒ zhèlǐ , wǒ yǐ nǐ wéi fù , wèi jìsī . wǒ mĕi nián gĕi nǐ shí Shĕkèlè yínzi , yī tào yīfu hé dù rì de shíwù . Lìwèi rén jiù jìn le tāde jiā .

11 Lìwèi rén qíngyuàn yǔ nà rén tóng zhù . nà rén kàn zhè shàonián rén rú zìjǐ de érzi yíyàng .

12 Mǐjiā fēn paì zhè shàonián de Lìwèi rén zuò jìsī , tā jiù zhù zaì Mǐjiā de jiā lǐ .

13 Mǐjiā shuō , xiànzaì wǒ zhīdào Yēhéhuá bì cì fú yǔ wǒ , yīn wǒ yǒu yī gè Lìwèi rén zuò jìsī .

Shìshījì 17 Commentary

Chapter 17

The beginning of idolatry in Israel, Micah and his mother. (1-6) Micah hires a Levite to be his priest. (7-13)

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. ( Judges 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.

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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 17

This chapter relates the first rise of idolatry in Israel after the death of Joshua, which began in Mount Ephraim, occasioned by a sum of money stolen by a man from his mother, which being restored, part was converted to an idolatrous use; two images were made of it, Jud 17:1-5 and there being no king in Israel to take cognizance of it, the idolatry took place and continued, and afterwards spread, Jud 17:6, and this idolater not only made one of his sons a priest, but took a Levite for another, whom he hired by the year to serve him, Jud 17:7-13.