Judges 17:7-13

7 A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had been living within the clan of Judah,

8 left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way^[a] he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.

9 Micah asked him, “Where are you from?” “I’m a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he said, “and I’m looking for a place to stay.”

10 Then Micah said to him, “Live with me and be my father and priest, and I’ll give you ten shekels^[b] of silver a year, your clothes and your food.”

11 So the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man became like one of his sons to him.

12 Then Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house.

13 And Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest.”

Judges 17:7-13 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References

• 1. Judges 18:3
• 2. S Genesis 35:19; Judges 19:1; Ruth 1:1-2; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1
• 3. Ruth 1:1
• 4. S Genesis 45:8
• 5. Judges 18:19
• 6. S Numbers 16:10
• 7. Judges 18:4
• 8. Numbers 18:7

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "To carry on his profession"
• [b]. That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams