Judges 17:12

12 And Micah filled his hand (And Micah consecrated, or dedicated, him), and he had the young man (become his) priest, (and abide) with him,

Judges 17:12 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 17:12

And Micah consecrated the Levite
Installed him into, and invested him with the priestly office; in like manner he had consecrated his son before, by filling his hand with sacrifices; see ( Judges 17:5 )

and the young man became his priest;
and did the work and office of one; this was a very daring piece of presumption in them both; in Micah, to take upon him to consecrate a priest, who was himself of the tribe of Ephraim; and in the young man, to suffer himself to be put into such an office, which did not belong to him, for though every priest was a Levite, or of the tribe of Levi, yet every Levite had not a right to be a priest, only those who were of the family of Aaron:

and was in the house of Micah;
and continued there.

Judges 17:12 In-Context

10 And Micah said, Dwell thou with me, and be thou to me a father and priest; and I shall give to thee by each year ten pieces of silver, and a double clothing, and those things that be necessary to lifelode. [And] He assented, (And Micah said, Stay thou with me, and be thou a father and a priest to me; and each year I shall give thee ten pieces of silver, and thy clothes, and thy food, or sustenance. And he agreed,)

11 and dwelled with that man; and he was to that man as one of his sons. (and lived with that man; and he was like one of his sons to that man.)

12 And Micah filled his hand (And Micah consecrated, or dedicated, him), and he had the young man (become his) priest, (and abide) with him,

13 and he said, Now I know, that God shall do well to me, having a priest of the kin of Levi. (and he said, Now I know that God shall make things go well for me, for I have my own priest of the tribe of Levi.)