1Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
2said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”
3And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”
4So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.
5Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
6In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
7And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.
8This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.
9“Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.”
10“Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in
11and agreed to stay with him, and the young man became like a son to Micah.
12Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house.
13Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.”
Judges 17 Section and Chapter Commentary
Judg 17:1-13
Micah's Private Temple and the Danites
Judges 17-18 describes Micah's private temple, complete with an ephod, teraphim, and a recruited Levite priest. This practice, while canonically irregular, reflects the historical reality of local shrines and priests before the centralization of Yahweh worship in Jerusalem. The story continues with the tribe of Dan, seeking territory, stealing Micah's priest and cultic objects, and establishing their own sanctuary in Laish (Judges 18:27-31), which contrasts with the Danite territory described in Joshua 19.
Summarized by AI · The Rise and Fall of Biblical Israel: The Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings · Lecture 3: The Judges | From Tradition to Text · watch the clip
The Problem of Kingship in Judges
The final chapters of Judges (17-21) describe internal conflicts among the Israelites, marked by the repeated phrase, 'In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did as he pleased.' This statement underscores the underlying issue of leadership and sets the stage for the eventual request for a king, leading into the book of Samuel.
Summarized by AI · The Rise and Fall of Biblical Israel: The Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings · Lecture 1: A Beginner's Guide to the History of Israel · watch the clip
The Problem of Kingship in Judges
The final chapters of Judges (17-21) highlight inner-Israelite conflicts, repeatedly stating, 'In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did as he pleased.' This phrase suggests that the absence of a central leader contributed to the chaos and infighting, setting the stage for the eventual request for a king in Samuel.
Summarized by AI · The Hebrew Bible: Exploring the Literature of Ancient Israel · Lecture 11: The History | From Joshua to Josiah · watch the clip
Judges 17 Verse Notes
Judg 17:5
Teraphim connected to priests and ephods
Judges 17:5 describes Micah creating a shrine with an ephod and teraphim, then installing one of his sons as a priest. The inclusion of teraphim alongside an ephod, a priestly garment often associated with divinatory practices, suggests that teraphim had a significant role in religious and divinatory functions within certain Israelite households.
Summarized by AI · Demons and Ghosts in the Bible · Lecture 23: Ghosts, Sheol, and "Teraphim" in the Hebrew Bible · watch the clip
Female Figurines and Household Worship
Archaeological findings of female figurines in domestic contexts suggest that worship practices in ancient Israel were not confined to official temples but also occurred within households. These figurines, often referred to as 'teraphim' or 'idols' in the Bible, indicate a more personal or familial dimension to religious life.
Summarized by AI · Everyday Life in Ancient Israel · Lecture 1: Cultural Context | What is Archaeology? · watch the clip
Judg 17:6
No King in Israel
The book of Judges concludes with the recurring phrase, 'In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes' (Judges 17:6, 18:1, 19:1, 21:25). This refrain serves as the Deuteronomistic historian's overarching commentary, framing the chaotic and morally depraved events of the period as a direct consequence of the lack of centralized leadership, setting the stage for the eventual establishment of the monarchy.
Summarized by AI · The Rise and Fall of Biblical Israel: The Books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings · Lecture 3: The Judges | From Tradition to Text · watch the clip
