Judges 17:10

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,)

Judges 17:10 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 17:10

And Micah said unto him, dwell with me
Hearing that he was a Levite, he thought him a fit man for his purpose, and would give some credit to, and put a better face upon his new form of worship, and therefore, without further inquiry after him and his character, invites him to make his abode with him:

and be unto me a father and a priest;
a father to instruct him in the knowledge of divine things; so prophets were called fathers, and their disciples their sons; and a priest to offer sacrifices for him, and to consult before him by his teraphim upon occasion:

and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year;
or yearly, which was but a small sum, a poor salary for a priest, at most amounting but to twenty five shillings, and scarce so much:

and a suit of apparel;
or "an order of apparel" ^F13; such as was fit for one of his rank and order as a priest to wear, so Jarchi and Abarbinel; or a couple of garments, as the Targum and Septuagint, a double suit of apparel, according to the order of the season, one for summer and another for winter, as Kimchi and Ben Melech:

and thy victuals;
his meat and drink:

so thy Levite went in;
into his house, and it looks as if the parley was made, and the bargain struck at the door, Micah being at it as the Levite passed by, or came to it upon his knocking at it; he went after his counsel and advice, as Jarchi, or to do his business, as Kimchi.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (Mydgb Kre) "irdinem vestimentorum", Pagninus, Montanus, Muuster, Vatablus; "demensum vestimentorum", Tigurine version.

Judges 17:10 In-Context

8 And he went out of the city of Bethlehem, and would be a pilgrim, wherever he found (it) profitable to himself. And when he made journey, and had come into the hill of Ephraim, and had bowed [down] a little into the house of Micah, (And he went out of the city of Bethlehem, and would be a visitor, wherever he found it profitable for himself. And when he had made a journey, and had come to the hill country of Ephraim, and had rested a little at Micah's house,)

9 Micah asked him, From whence comest thou? Which answered, I am a deacon of Bethlehem of Judah, and I go, that I dwell where I may, and where I see that it is profitable to me. (Micah asked him, Where comest thou from? And he answered, I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I go, so that I can live where I may, and where I see that it is profitable for me.)

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,