Shofetim 17

1 7 And there was an ish from har Ephrayim, whose shem was Mikhay’hu.

2 And he said unto his em, The eleven hundred pieces of kesef that were taken from thee, about which thou did utter a curse, and spoke of also in mine ears, Hinei, the kesef is with me; I took it. And his em said, Baruch beni LaHashem.

3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred pieces of kesef to his em, his em said, I had wholly set apart as kodesh the kesef unto Hashem from my hand for beni (my son), to make a pesel (carved image, idol [See Ex 20:4]) and a masekhah (an image cast from a mold [See Ex 32:4]); now therefore I will return it unto thee.

4 So he restored the kesef unto his em; and his em took two hundred pieces of kesef and gave them to the tzoref (goldsmith), who made thereof a pesel and a masekhah; and they were in the bais Mikhay’hu.

5 And the ish Mikhay’hu had a bais elohim, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and ordained one of his banim, who became his kohen.

6 In those yamim there was no melech in Yisroel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

7 Meanwhile there was a na’ar from Beit-Lechem Yehudah of the mishpakhat Yehudah, who was a Levi, and he sojourned there.

8 And the ish departed out of the Ir from Beit-Lechem Yehudah to sojourn where he could find a place; and he came to har Ephrayim to the bais Mikhay’hu, as he made his derech.

9 And Mikhay’hu said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levi of Beit-Lechem Yehudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.

10 And Mikhay’hu said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me an av and a kohen, and I will give thee ten pieces of kesef a year, and a set of begadim, and mikhyah (maintenance, livelihood). So the Levi went in.

11 And the Levi agreed to dwell with the ish; and the na’ar was unto him as one of his banim.

12 And Mikhay’hu ordained (literally, filled the hands of, consecrated, appointed as his own priest) the Levi; and the na’ar became his kohen, and was in the bais Mikhay’hu.

13 Then said Mikhay’hu, Now I have da’as that Hashem will do me good, seeing I have a Levi as my kohen.

Shofetim 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.