1 Of the money that Micah first stole, then restored, his mother makes images
5 And he ornaments for them
7 He hires a Levite to be his priest

A.M. 2585. B.C. 1419. An.Ex.Is.72. there was. It is extremely difficult to fix the chronology of this and the following transactions. Some think them to be here in their natural order; others that they happened in the time of Joshua, or immediately after the ancients who outlived him. All that can be said with certainly is, that they happened when there was no king in Israel; that is, about the time of the judges, or in some time of the anarchy. mount Jud 17:6 10:1 Jos 15:9 17:14-18

2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.

about, etc. Houbigant renders this, 'and for which you put me to my oath.' cursedst Jud 5:23 De 27:16 1Sa 14:24,28 26:19 Ne 13:25 Jer 48:10 Mt 26:74 Ro 9:3 1Co 16:22

I took it Pr 28:24

blessed Ge 14:19 24:30,31 Ex 20:7 Ru 3:10 1Sa 23:21 Ne 13:25 Ps 10:3 2Jo 1:11

3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.

I had wholly Jud 17:13 18:5 Isa 66:3

a graven images Ex 20:4,23 Le 19:4 De 12:3 Ps 115:4-8 Isa 40:18-25 44:9-20 Jer 10:3-5,8 Hab 2:18,19 Joh 16:2

4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

two hundred Isa 46:6,7 Jer 10:9,10

5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

an house of gods, or as baith Elohim may also signify, 'a house of God.' Jud 18:24 Ge 31:30 Ezr 1:7 Ho 8:14

ephod Jud 8:27 18:14 Ex 28:4,15 1Sa 23:6

teraphim Ge 31:19,30 Ho 3:4

consecrated. Heb. filled the hand Ex 29:9 1Ki 12:31 13:33,34 Heb 5:4

his sons Ex 24:5

6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

no king Jud 18:1 19:1 21:3,25 Ge 36:31 De 33:5

right De 12:8 Ps 12:4 Pr 12:15 14:12 16:2 Ec 11:9 Jer 44:16,17

7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

Beth-lehem-judah Jud 19:1,2 Ge 35:19 Jos 19:15 Ru 1:1,2 Mic 5:2 Mt 2:1,5,6

of the family. That is, of the tribe of Judah by his mother; and of that of Levi by his father

8 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

departed Jud 17:11 Ne 13:10,11

as he journeyed. Heb. in making his way

9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.

10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.

a father Jud 17:11 18:19 Ge 45:8 2Ki 6:21 8:8,9 13:14 Job 29:16 Isa 22:21

I will give Jud 18:20 1Sa 2:36 Eze 13:19 Mt 26:15 Joh 12:6 1Ti 6:10 1Pe 5:2

a suit of apparel. or a double suit. Heb. an order of garments

11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.

12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

consecrated Jud 17:5

his priest Jud 18:30 Nu 16:5,8-10 1Ki 12:31 13:33,34

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

Pr 14:12 Isa 44:20 6:3,4 Mt 15:9,13 Joh 16:2 Ac 26:9 Ro 10:2,3