Judges Chapter 17 — Micah and the Levite
Micah builds a private shrine for idols in the hill country of Ephraim and eventually hires a traveling Levite to serve as his personal priest.
1There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
2He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears—behold, the silver is with me. I took it.”
3He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, then his mother said, “I most certainly dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.”
4When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to a silversmith, who made a carved image and a molten image out of it. It was in the house of Micah.
5The man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim,*teraphim were household idols that may have been associated with inheritance rights to the household property. and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
6In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.
7There was a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he lived there.
8The man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem Judah, to live where he could find a place, and he came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he traveled.
9Micah said to him, “Where did you come from?”
10Micah said to him, “Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, a suit of clothing, and your food.” So the Levite went in.
11The Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was to him as one of his sons.
12Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
13Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will do good to me, since I have a Levite as my priest.”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Judges 17:6
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.”
This verse serves as a recurring commentary on the moral and social climate during the time of the Judges.
Judges 17:13
“Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will do good to me, since I have a Levite as my priest.””
This highlights Micah's belief that religious rituals and the right pedigree could guarantee divine favor despite his irregular practices.
Chapter Summary
Judges 17 begins with a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim confessing to his mother that he stole eleven hundred pieces of silver from her. After he returns the money, his mother dedicates a portion of it to create a carved image and a molten image, which are placed in Micah's house. Micah establishes his own sanctuary, referred to as a house of gods, and creates an ephod and teraphim. He initially consecrates one of his own sons to serve as his priest. The text notes that at this time there was no king in Israel and people acted according to their own judgment. Later, a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah passes through the area while searching for a place to stay. Micah invites the Levite to live with him and serve as his priest in exchange for a yearly wage, clothing, and food. The Levite agrees, and Micah expresses his belief that the LORD will now bless him because he has a Levite serving in his household.
Frequently Asked Questions
Micah returned the eleven hundred pieces of silver he had stolen. His mother then took two hundred pieces of that silver and gave them to a silversmith to create a carved image and a molten image for their house.
The Levite was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah who was looking for a place to settle. He was traveling through the hill country of Ephraim when he encountered Micah, who offered him a job as a priest.
Under the Mosaic Law, the Levites were the designated tribe for religious service. Micah believed that by securing a Levite for his private shrine, he would receive special blessings from God, even though his worship included idols.
Study Note
The phrase 'no king in Israel' is a literary device used by the author to explain the period's lack of central authority and religious consistency.
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