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Judges 17

13 verses

TL;DR

Micah of Ephraim uses silver to build a personal house of idols and appoints a Levite from Judah as his priest, illustrating Israel’s lack of centralized worship during the Judges era.

Summary

Micah, a man of Mount Ephraim, first receives a thousand and a hundred shekels of silver from his mother, only to return it to her and then dedicate two hundred shekels to create a graven and molten image in his house. He establishes a house of gods, makes an ephod and teraphim, and consecrates his son as priest. During a period with no king, each man follows his own conscience. A wandering Levite from Bethlehem‑Judah arrives seeking lodging and is invited by Micah to serve as his priest, receiving yearly silver, clothing, and food. Micah is satisfied that having a Levite priest will bring divine favor. The chapter highlights the personal, idolatrous religious practices and the decentralization of worship that characterize the time of Judges.

Outline
  1. Micah acquires and redirects silver to construct a household of idols and consecrate his son as priest.
  2. The lack of central authority in Israel leads to personal religious establishments.
  3. A wandering Levite becomes Micah’s priest, illustrating the use of itinerant religious labor.
Themes
Idol worship and personal religious expressionAbsence of centralized political and religious authorityRole of priests and familial lineage in worship
Keywords
silverEphraimLeviteidolatrypriesthouse of godsephodteraphimJudges
People
MicahMicah’s motherMicah’s sonLevite from Bethlehem‑JudahFounder who crafted the images
Places
Mount EphraimBethlehem‑JudahMicah’s house
Things
Eleven hundred shekels of silverTwo hundred shekels of silverGraven imageMolten imageEphodTeraphimHouse of godsLevite priest
Key Verses
  • Judges 17:1-4: Shows Micah’s financial transaction with his mother and the creation of idolatrous images.
  • Judges 17:5: Establishes the house of gods and consecration of Micah’s son.
  • Judges 17:8-13: Introduces the Levite, his settlement, and role as Micah’s priest, highlighting itinerant priesthood.
Questions
  • What does Micah’s use of silver reveal about personal religious devotion in the period of Judges?
  • How does the lack of a central king influence the establishment of individual worship sites?
  • What does the Levite’s role as a priest for a private household suggest about priestly authority and mobility?
  • In what ways does Micah’s narrative foreshadow the later institutionalization of worship in Israel?
  • How does the text portray the tension between familial lineage and divine authority?
Sentiment

neutral
The passage records idolatrous actions without explicit judgment, reflecting the historical context of decentralized worship.