Jueces 17:5

5 Y tuvo este hombre Michâs casa de dioses, é hízose hacer ephod y teraphim, y consagró uno de sus hijos; y fuéle por sacerdote.

Jueces 17:5 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 17:5

And the man Micah had an house of gods
Having two images in it, besides teraphim, which were a sort of idols; and the Targum is, an house of images, or idols; though it may be rendered "an house of God"; a temple, a place for religious worship:

and made an ephod;
a priestly garment, a linen one very probably, not so rich an one with a breastplate to it as the high priest had, which was very costly. Ben Melech interprets it a girdle, and there was a curious girdle of the ephod, with which it was girt; this may be here put for the rest of the priestly garments which Micah provided:

and teraphim;
which were a sort of household gods, like the Lares and Penates of the Romans, and by which consultations were made; (See Gill on Hosea 3:3) (See Gill on Hosea 3:4) (See Gill on Zechariah 10:2) Micah proposed to have an oracle in his house, whereby he might consult the Lord about future things, and not be at the trouble of going to the tabernacle, and consult there by Urim and Thummim; and the same some take the teraphim to be:

and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest;
or, "filled the hand" ^F11 of one of them; that is, with offerings, as Ben Melech interprets it; in which way priests were initiated, and consecrated to their office; see ( Exodus 28:41 ) ( Exodus 29:9 Exodus 29:24 ) or, as Kimchi expresses it, he offered his offerings by the hand of one of his sons, and appointed him to be a priest, very probably his eldest son.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 (dy ta almyw) "et implevit manum", Montanus, V. L.

Jueces 17:5 In-Context

3 Y luego que él hubo vuelto á su madre los mil y cien siclos de plata, su madre dijo: Yo he dedicado este dinero á Jehová de mi mano para ti, hijo mío, para que hagas una imagen de talla y de fundición: ahora pues, yo te lo devuelvo.

4 Mas volviendo él á su madre los dineros, tomó su madre doscientos siclos de plata, y diólos al fundidor: y él le hizo de ellos una imagen de talla y de fundición, la cual fué puesta en casa de Michâs.

5 Y tuvo este hombre Michâs casa de dioses, é hízose hacer ephod y teraphim, y consagró uno de sus hijos; y fuéle por sacerdote.

6 En estos días no había rey en Israel: cada uno hacía como mejor le parecía.

7 Y había un joven de Beth-lehem de Judá, de la tribu de Judá, el cual era Levita; y peregrinaba allí.