EVERYONE DID AS THEY SAW FIT

Passage: Judges 17:1-13

Key verse: 6

NIV

Micah’s Idols

17 Now a man named Micah(A) from the hill country of Ephraim 2 said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels[a] of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have that silver with me; I took it.”

Then his mother said, “The Lord bless you,(B) my son!”

3 When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make an image overlaid with silver.(C) I will give it back to you.”

4 So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels[b] of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol.(D) And it was put in Micah’s house.

5 Now this man Micah had a shrine,(E) and he made an ephod(F) and some household gods(G) and installed(H) one of his sons as his priest.(I) 6 In those days Israel had no king;(J) everyone did as they saw fit.(K)

7 A young Levite(L) from Bethlehem in Judah,(M) who had been living within the clan of Judah, 8 left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way[c] he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.

9 Micah asked him, “Where are you from?”

“I’m a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,(N)” he said, “and I’m looking for a place to stay.”

10 Then Micah said to him, “Live with me and be my father(O) and priest,(P) and I’ll give you ten shekels[d] of silver a year, your clothes and your food.” 11 So the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man became like one of his sons to him. 12 Then Micah installed(Q) the Levite, and the young man became his priest(R) and lived in his house. 13 And Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest.”(S)

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Footnotes
  1. Judges 17:2 That is, about 28 pounds or about 13 kilograms
  2. Judges 17:4 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
  3. Judges 17:8 Or To carry on his profession
  4. Judges 17:10 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Micah and the Levite

17 There was a man of (A)the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 2 And he said to his mother, “The 1,100 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.” And his mother said, (B)“Blessed be my son by the Lord.” 3 And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, “I dedicate the silver to the Lord from my hand for my son, to make (C)a carved image and (D)a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.” 4 So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother (E)took 200 pieces of silver and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a carved image and a metal image. And it was in the house of Micah. 5 And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made (F)an ephod and (G)household gods, and (H)ordained[a] one of his sons, who became his priest. 6 (I)In those days there was no king in Israel. (J)Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

7 Now there was a young man of (K)Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. 8 And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to sojourn where he could find a place. And as he journeyed, he came to (L)the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah. 9 And Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn where I may find a place.” 10 And Micah said to him, “Stay with me, and be to me (M)a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year and a suit of clothes and your living.” And the Levite went in. 11 And the Levite (N)was content to dwell with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons. 12 And Micah (O)ordained the Levite, and the young man (P)became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. 13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest.”

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Footnotes
  1. Judges 17:5 Hebrew filled the hand of; also verse 12
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Micah's idol and shrine (1-6) This story interestingly begins with Micah of Ephraim stealing a large amount of silver from his mother, who then put a curse on the silver, and thus, he decides to return the silver rather than to risk the curse. His mother, in turn, blesses him and gives the silver to a silversmith to cast an idol which they put in Micah's home. He adds a shrine, an ephod, and a priesthood -- and starts his own religion. Without God, people succumb to greed, superstition, and idol worship. Without knowing the Bible or having a spiritual leader, everyone did as they saw fit (6). It was spiritual chaos. 2. Micah's priest (7-13) When a Levite passed through Ephraim looking for a room, Micah invited him to live with him and hired him as his priest. This implies that Micah was not satisfied with his idolatry and false religion. He was looking for a shepherd to lead him to the true way of being blessed by the Lord (13).

Prayer: Lord, I repent my greed that leads me to idolatry. Help me to follow your words and grant spiritual leaders who guide us into your truth.

One Word: A dire need for the truth and shepherds