Judges 17:8-13

8 This man left Bethlehem in Judah to live wherever he could find [a place]. He came to Micah's house in the mountains of Ephraim to carry on his work.

9 Micah asked him, "Where do you come from?" The man told him, "I'm a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I'm going to live wherever I can find [a place]."

10 Micah told him, "Stay with me! Be a father and a priest to me. I'll give you ten pieces of silver a year, a set of clothes, and your room and board." The Levite accepted the offer

11 and agreed to live with Micah. The young man became like one of Micah's sons.

12 Micah ordained the Levite. So the young man became his priest and a part of his family.

13 Then Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will be good to me. I have a Levite for my priest."

Judges 17:8-13 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.