Keraia
Judges 17

Judges 17:3

Micah’s Idolatry · Judges 17:1–13
Read Judges 17

Translations

Modern
And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”
Traditional
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.
Literal
And he returned the thousand and a hundred shekels of silver to his mother, and his mother said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to YHWH from my hand for my son to make a carved image and a molten image. And now I will return it to you.”
Latin
Reddidit ergo eos matri suæ, quæ dixerat ei: Consecravi et vovi hoc argentum Domino, ut de manu mea suscipiat filius meus, et faciat sculptile atque conflatile: et nunc trado illud tibi.

Original

Hebrew
English
And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”

Notes

Judges 17:2–3

  • Micah’s mother was indulgent and worshipped idols, yet she used the Lord’s name in both cursing and blessing.

  • I heard you place a curse: People believed words in curses and blessings had power, especially if the speaker had authority (compare Genesis 27; Isaiah 55:11).

  • eleven hundred shekels: This large amount was also given to Delilah (Judges 16:5). It was likely Micah’s mother’s life savings or dowry.

  • Blessed be my son by the LORD!: Micah’s mother hoped the blessing would cancel out her earlier curse.

Judges 17:1–21:25

These two epilogues (Judges 17–18 and 19–21) show that inspired but unstructured leadership cannot last. As society moved toward chaos and civil war, the phrase, In those days there was no king in Israel appears four times. The phrase, everyone did what was right in his own eyes is added twice (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The era of inspired leadership declined and ended in disorder. Something important was missing.

Theme notes and profiles

Social Chaos in Judges

Glossary

Idols, Idolatry Judges, Book of Micah (Person) Priests and Levites

Topics

Parents: Bad - Exemplified: Mother of Micah Shekel used to Weigh Silver Vows of the Mother of Micah, in the Dedication of Silver for the Making of an Idol