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Judges Chapter
Seventeen
Judges 17
Chapter Contents
The beginning of idolatry in Israel
Micah and his
mother. (1-6) Micah hires a Levite to be his priest. (7-13)
Commentary on Judges 17:1-6
(Read Judges 17:1-6)
What is related in this
and the rest of the chapters to
the end of this book
was done soon after the death of Joshua: see Judges 20:28. That it might appear how happy the
nation was under the Judges
here is showed how unhappy they were when there
was no Judge. The love of money made Micah so undutiful to his mother as to rob
her
and made her so unkind to her son
as to curse him. Outward losses drive
good people to their prayers
but bad people to their curses. This woman's
silver was her god
before it was made into a graven or a molten image. Micah
and his mother agreed to turn their money into a god
and set up idol worship
in their family. See the cause of this corruption. Every man did that which was
right in his own eyes
and then they soon did that which was evil in the sight
of the Lord.
Commentary on Judges 17:7-13
(Read Judges 17:7-13)
Micah thought it was a sign of God's favour to him and
his images
that a Levite should come to his door. Thus those who please
themselves with their own delusions
if Providence unexpectedly bring any thing
to their hands that further them in their evil way
are apt from thence to
think that God is pleased with them.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Judges》
Judges 17
Verse 1
[1] And
there was a man of mount Ephraim
whose name was Micah.
There was
… —
The things mentioned here
and in the following chapters
did not happen in the
order in which they are put; but much sooner
even presently after the death of
the elders that over-lived Joshua
as appears
because Phinehas the son of
Eleazar was priest at this time
chap. 20:28
who must have been about 350 years old
if this had been done after Samson's death.
Verse 2
[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.
Cursedst —
That is
didst curse the person who had taken them away.
I took it —
The fear of thy curse makes me acknowledge mine offence
and beg thy pardon.
Blessed — I
willingly consent to
and beg from God the removal of the curse
and a blessing
instead of it. Be thou free from my curse
because thou hast so honestly
restored it.
Verse 3
[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.
The Lord — In
the Hebrew it is
Jehovah
the incommunicable name of God. Whereby it is
apparent
that neither she
nor her son
intended to forsake the true God; as
appears from his rejoicing when he had got a priest of the Lord's appointment
but only to worship God by an image; which also both the Israelites
Exodus 32:1
etc. and Jeroboam afterwards
designed to do.
For my son —
For the benefit of thyself and family; that you need not be continually going
to Shiloh to worship
but may do it at home.
To thee — To
dispose of
as I say.
Verse 4
[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.
Restored —
Though his mother allowed him to keep it
yet he persisted in his resolution to
restore it
that she might dispose of it as she pleased.
Two hundred —
Reserving nine hundred shekels
either for the ephod or teraphim
or for other
things relating to this worship.
Verse 5
[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.
Of gods —
That is
an house consecrated for the service of God in this manner.
Teraphim — A
sort of images so called.
One of his sons —
Because the Levites in that corrupt estate of the church
neglected the
exercise of their office
and therefore they were neglected by the people
and
others put into their employment.
Verse 6
[6] In
those days there was no king in Israel
but every man did that which was right
in his own eyes.
No king — No
judge to govern and control them. The word king being used largely for a
supreme magistrate. God raised up judges to rule and deliver the people
when
he saw fit; and at other times for their sins he suffered them to be without
them
and such a time this was; and therefore they ran into that idolatry
from
which the judges usually kept them; as appears by that solemn and oft-repeated
passage in this book
that after the death of such or such a judge
the people
forsook the Lord
and turned to idols.
His own eyes —
That is
not what pleased God
but what best suited his own fancy.
Verse 7
[7] And
there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah
who was a
Levite
and he sojourned there.
Bethlehem-judah — So
called here
as Matthew 2:1
5
to difference it from Bethlehem
in Zebulun. There he was born and bred.
Of Judah —
That is
of or belonging to the tribe of Judah; not by birth
for he was a
Levite; but by his habitation and ministration. For the Levites were dispersed
among all the tribes; and this man's lot fell into the tribe of Judah.
Sojourned — So
he expresseth it
because this was not the proper place of his abode
this
being no Levitical city.
Verse 8
[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.
To sojourn —
For employment and a livelihood; for the tithes and offerings
which were their
maintenance
not being brought into the house of God
the Levites and priests
were reduced to straights.
Verse 10
[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 —
That is
a priest
a spiritual father
a teacher or instructor. He pretends
reverence and submission to him; and what is wanting in his wages
he pays him in
titles.
Verse 11
[11] And
the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as
one of his sons.
Content —
Being infected with the common superstition and idolatry of the times.
His sons —
That is
treated with the same degree of kindness and affection.
Verse 12
[12] And
Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest
and was in
the house of Micah.
Consecrated — To
be a priest
for which he thought a consecration necessary
as knowing the
Levites were no less excluded from the priest's office than the people.
The young man —
Instead of his son
whom he had consecrated
but now seems to restrain him from
the exercise of that office
and to devolve it wholly upon the Levite
who was
nearer akin to it.
Verse 13
[13] Then
said Micah
Now know I that the LORD will do me good
seeing I have a Levite to
my priest.
Do me good — I
am assured God will bless me. So blind and grossly partial he was in his
judgment
to think that one right circumstance would answer for all his
substantial errors
in making and worshipping images against God's express
command
in worshipping God in a forbidden place
by a priest illegally
appointed.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Judges》
17 Chapter 17
Verses 1-13
Micah.
Micah’s mother
In the second verse of this chapter Micah makes a clean confession
of a great wrong which he had done to his mother. “It seems
” says Matthew
Henry
“that this old woman
with long scraping and saving
had hoarded a
considerable sum of money--eleven hundred pieces of silver. It is likely she
intended
when she died
to leave it to this son. In the meantime
it did her
good to count it over and call it her own.” On discovering that she had been
relieved of her treasure
Micah’s mother became justly indignant. She scolded
and called down curses on the one who had robbed her. This she did in her son’s
presence
and though she made no direct charge of the offence upon him
her
conduct greatly disturbed his conscience. Some time later he made an open
acknowledgment to his mother of the whole matter
and restored the stolen
treasure. The reappearance of the lost shekels had a remarkably soothing effect
on her disposition. She forgot all about the wrong done to her
and all about
her own distemper. “Blessed be thou of the Lord
my son
” said this forgiving
mother. Is it not wonderful what a difference a little money makes in one’s
disposition and feelings? She who could curse at its loss now as readily
blesses with its return. One can imagine a very different state of things had
Micah come to her with his confession
but without the eleven hundred pieces of
silver. Note now another incident in this transaction. After this money had
been stolen Micah’s mother gave as one reason for feeling so badly that “she
had dedicated it wholly to the Lord.” When she had it in her possession she had
not the heart to do this
but as soon as it was gone she made known her good
intentions. For some reason Micah was moved to restore to his mother the money
which belonged to her. What did she do with it? Did she give it to the Lord;
according to her reported oath of dedication? The record shows she gave to Him
but the veriest part of it. Nine hundred shekels she kept for herself. The
remaining two hundred she devoted to religious uses. What a picture in this
conduct of Micah and his mother of poor
weak
vacillating
human nature
sinning and confessing
cursing and blessing
as circumstances determine! “What
wonder
” says Matthew Henry
“that such a mother had such a son! She paved the
way for his theft
by her probable stinginess.” In her poverty she professed
generous feeling towards the Lord’s cause. When her money came back
she gave
to it less than one-fifth of the all she had promised. (W. H. Allbright.)
There was no king in
Israel
but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Anarchy
At the first
one would think that it were a merry world if every
man might do what he listed. But yet sure those days were evil. This
a
complaint. To let you see
then
what a monster lurketh under these smooth
terms
“doing that which is right in our eyes.” Two parts there be
the eye
and the hand. To begin with the eye
and that which is right in the eye. There
began all evil in the first temptation--even from this persuasion
they should
need no direction from God
or from any; their own eye should be their director
to what was right. Three evils are in it. It is not safe to commit the judgment
of what is right to the eye; and yet it is our surest sense
as that which
apprehendeth greatest variety of differences. But I know withal
the optics
(the masters of that faculty) reckon up twenty several ways
all which it may
be and is deceived. The object full of deceit; things are not as they seem. The
medium is not evenly disposed. Take but one: that of the oar in the water.
Though the oar be straight
yet
if the eye be judge
it seemeth bowed. And if
that which is right may seem crooked
that which is crooked may seem right.. So
the eye is no competent judge. But admit we will make the eye judge
yet not
every man’s eye; that were too much. Many weak and dim eyes there be
many
goggle and mis-set; many little better than blind; shall all and every of these
be allowed to define what is right? Some
it may be (perhaps the eagle)
but
shall the owl and all? I trow not. Many mis-shapen kinds of right shall we have
if that may be suffered. We all know self-love
what a thing it is
how it
dazzleth the sight; how everything appeareth right and good that appeareth
through those spectacles. Therefore
not right by the eye. At least
not every
man’s eye. Nay
not any man is right by his own eye. I now pass to the next
point. Here is a hand
too. For here at this breaketh in the whole sea of
confusion
when the hand followeth the eye
and men proceed to do as lewdly as
they see perversely. And sure the hand will follow the eye
and men do as
seemeth right to them
be it never so absurd.
1. Micah liked an idol well; Micah had a good purse; he told out two
hundred shekels
and so up went the idol.
2. The men of Dan liked well of spoiling; they were well appointed
their swords were sharp; they did it.
3. They of Gibeah
to their lust
rape seemed a small matter; they
were a multitude
no resisting them; and so they committed that abominable
villainy. But what
shall this be suffered and no remedy sought? God forbid.
First
the eye
error in the eye
is harm enough; and order must be taken even
for that. For men do not err in judgment but with hazard of their souls; very
requisite
therefore
that men be travailed with
that they may see their own
blindness. But
if they be strongly conceited of their own sight
and will not
endure any to come near their eyes: if we cannot cure their eyes
what
shall
we not hold their hands neither? Yes
in any wise. We see
then
the malady;
more than time we sought out a remedy for it. That shall we best do if we know
the cause. The cause is here set down. If the cause be there is no king
let
there be one: that is the remedy. A good king will help all
if it be of
absolute necessity that neither Micah
for all his wealth
nor Dan
for all
their forces
nor Gibeah
for all their multitude
do what they list. This is
then God’s means. We cannot say His only means
in that there are states that
subsist without them
but this we may say
His best means--the best for order
peace
strength
steadiness. The next point is
no king in Israel. That this is
not noted as a defect in gross
or at large
but even in Israel
God’s own chosen
people. It is a want
not in Edom or Canaan
but even in Israel. Truly Israel
being God’s own peculiar people
might seem to claim a prerogative above other
nations
in this
that they had the knowledge of His laws
whereby their eyes
were lightened and their hands taught. Of which there needeth no reason but
this: that a king is a good means to keep them God’s Israel. Here
for want of
a king
Israel began
and was fair onward
to be no longer Israel
but even
Babel. I come to the third part: and to what end a king? What will a king do
unto us? He will in his general care look to both parts
the eye and the
hand--the eye
that men sin not blindly for want of direction; the hand
that
men sin not with a high hand for want of correction. But this is not all; the
text carrieth us yet further--that it is not only the charge of the king
but
the very first article in his charge. (Bp. Andrewes.)
Anarchy
I. The tragical
antecedent: In those days there was no king in Israel.
II. The terrible
consequent: Every
one did that which was right in their own eyes.
III. The infallible
connection between that cause and this effect. (Thos. Cartwright
D. D.)
The evil of unbridled liberty
To live as we please would be the ready way to lose our liberty
and undo ourselves. Tyranny itself were infinitely more tolerable than such an
unbridled liberty. For that
like a tempest
might throw down here and there a
fruitful tree
but this
like a deluge
would sweep away all before it. Many
men
many minds
and each strongly addicted to his own. If
therefore
every
man should be his own judge
so as to take upon him to determine his own right
and according to such determination to proceed in the maintenance of it
not
only the government
but the kingdom itself would quickly come to ruin; and yet
admit of the former
and you cannot exclude the latter. Diseases in the eye
errors in the judgment
are dangerous; and there being not one reason in us
there is the more need of one power over us. Yet they who see amiss
hurt none
they say
but themselves; but how if their unquiet opinions will not be kept at
home? but prove as thorns in their sides
and will not suffer them to take any
rest
till from liberty of thinking
they come to liberty of acting! Nor is
there any reason we should be lawless
to do what we please
for we cannot
fathom the depth and deceitfulness of our own hearts
much less of the hearts
of other men. Only this we know
we are all the worse for that which we mistake
for liberty (mistake
I say)
for to live as we please is indeed to lose our
liberty
of which the law is so far from being an abridgement that it is the
only firm foundation upon which it must be built. (Thos. Cartwright
D. D.)
The Levite was content.--
The young Levite; or
rich content
His morals were bad
but his spirit of general contentedness was
good. Can it be said of men now that they are content? How much unrest is there
all around us! The discontented spirit is easily discovered. The merchant
in
his office or on the market
makes certain profits
but frets himself that he
has not made more. The tradesman bitterly complains of the badness of trade
and the artisan of slackness of work. When he has succeeded in finding
employment he will be found quarrelling with the rate of payment. Nor is the
discontented spirit confined to the town; it is found in rural districts too.
Speak with the occupier
and what a string of complaints he has about home or
weather; speak with the wife
and she complains of her wayward family; with the
son
and you find that he is weary of country life
and longs for the
excitement of a city; with the daughter
and she is annoyed that school life
has to be followed by what she terms “home drudgery.” You may go away from such
a place of beauty in complete disgust. The appearances have completely belied
the reality. Even the Indian
for whom a blanket and weapon would appear to
suffice
is ofttimes discontented because game is scarce or his maize plot
unproductive. It is difficult to find any person who is without some reason for
discontent
or any position which places a man beyond its reach. The joy of the
early Church (Acts 2:46) grew out of its contentedness. Its
first experience of the results of religion was so joyous that it was a
foretaste of millennial bliss. It lasted
unfortunately
too short a time
and
yet long enough to show what should be the ideal of life.
1. This “simplicity of heart
” this contentedness of mind
is not
always inherited
does not always come by nature
but may be obtained. It can
only come fully when the heart is at peace with God through Christ. The man is
“alive to God.” He gives all his affection to God
because he lives in the love
which God has to him. His greatest desire is to have his whole nature subdued
to Christ
and serve Him in “singleness of heart.”
2. Again
this state is not one which comes to all suddenly. Indeed
it comes to most gradually. Paul
the apostle
only attained it by degrees.
3. There is a temporary advantage in discontent. But for
dissatisfaction with our spiritual state and progress
we should not strive to
make any advance.
4. Look at some of the results which follow the attaimnent of the
contented spirit.
Micah consecrated the
Levite.--
An unauthorised ordination; or
a pastor-elect’s recognition
services
I. The pastor.
1. A recognised minister.
2. Without a charge.
3. Very poor.
4. In search of a ministry.
5. Of a good character.
6. A young pastor.
II. The call.
1. Its nature.
2. Its condition.
III. The acceptance
of the call.
1. Immediate.
2. Without a scruple.
IV. The recognition
service.
1. An unauthorised ordination.
2. Without any ceremony.
3. With a good purpose.
V. The great
satisfaction of the church in their choice. (M. Jones.)
Now know I that the Lord
will do me good.--
The great religious want and mistake of humanity
I. The great
religious want of humanity.
1. A friendly relation with the Eternal.
2. Some mediator to procure this friendship.
II. The great
religious mistake of humanity. This man concludes that he shall obtain the
Divine favour simply because he has a priest in his house. He may have drawn
this false and dangerous conclusion from one of the following popular
assumptions:
1. That there was something morally meritorious in merely supporting
a minister of the Lord.
2. That the priest would have some special power with Heaven to
obtain “good.”
3. That by his formally attending to the religious ordinances which
this Levite prescribed “the Lord would do him good.” (Homilist.)
Micah and the Levite
I. Selfishness in
religion. This lies at the foundation of Micah’s trouble. The institution of
Micah’s new form of worship had its root in this vice. He did not break away
from the old form of things because he was dissatisfied with it
but because it
caused self-denial and money to support the established order of worship at
Shiloh. It took time to go up there
and means to convey himself and family.
Why could he not manage the matter more economically and just as satisfactorily
at home
and thus avoid the annoyance and expense? Many a man has made this
mistake of Micah
in think- ing he could worship God as acceptably in his own
way as in any other--in thinking there is no difference between a man-made and
a Divinely-appointed religion. In Micah’s case selfishness defeated itself
as
it does invariably. In departing from the true religion he soon came to have no
religion at all. And is not this the inevitable course of religious declension?
If I could paint a picture that would preach a sermon
it would be Micah
running after his gods and his renegade priest
and crying: “Ye have taken away
my gods and my priest
and what have I more?“
II. Imitation in
religion. Micah’s worship was a cross between Judaism and heathenism. He had
the priest and the ephod on one side
and the molten and graven images on the
other. Either he did not perceive the incongruity
or he thought it would make
no difference. Some form of worship he considered a necessity. He was not ready
to throw religion overboard. His difficulty was in thinking it made little
difference after all what kind of religion a man has so long as he has some
form of worship. Having no true idea as to the place of worship
he came soon
to have no true idea of worship itself. This is a natural order of declension.
Men nowadays break away from the sanctuary
not meaning to give up all
religion. Having no stated place of worship
they go here and there for a time
and then cease to go altogether. Breaking with the established order of
worship
Micah manufactured a worship of his own. He mistook the sign for the
thing signified. His religion was an imitation--a counterfeit--and a
counterfeit is more or less a copy of the genuine. Many a man has made this
mistake of Micah
in thinking that some religion was better than none--that a
poor thing was better than nothing at all. Counterfeits and shams abound in
religion. Imitations and incongruities are seen on every hand. One is forced to
inquire
“Is there anything real and genuine?” Is every man the maker of his
own idols? Is each and every one to be guided by his own ideas of worship? God
forbid! If it be so
then unity is impossible
and confusion and bitterness and
babble are the inevitable sequence.
III. Self-complacency.
With his young priest and his heathen gods Micah was satisfied. Because he was
he thought God would be. Hence his complacent utterance: “Now know I that the
Lord will do me good
seeing I have a Levite to my priest.” We have seen
even
in our day
instances not altogether dissimilar. Families depending on the
orthodoxy of the Church for the Divine approbation; Churches expecting all will
go well from the ecclesiastical standing or ordination vows of their ministers.
How often families and Churches and ministers have been disappointed! The truth
is
there can be but one way of securing God’s blessing
whether for the
individual
the family
or the Church. That one way is the way of loving and
faithful obedience to His requirements. Not what we think
but what He thinks;
not what we consider best
but what He commands
is our duty and happiness.
Religion is not a human invention
but a Divine obligation. It is not a matter
of mental caprice
but of joyful submission to the will of Heaven. (W. H.
Allbright.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》