FocusCorrupted worship and communal violence
Connection to the wholeThe closing accounts expose religious and social disorder, repeatedly drawing attention to the absence of a king and self-directed conduct.
interpretation Judges 17:2
KJVAnd 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.
Read it in context
Micah’s Idolatry
Start reading at Judges 17:1 (Judges 17:1 to Judges 17:13).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
The closing accounts expose religious and social disorder, repeatedly drawing attention to the absence of a king and self-directed conduct.
- 17:1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
- 17:2 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.
- 17:3 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.
- 17:4 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.
- 17:5 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.
- 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
- 17:7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
- 17:8 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.
- 17:9 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.
- 17:10 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.
- 17:11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
- 17:12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
- 17:13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
Who
- Who wrote the book? Samuel is the traditional Jewish attribution. The final writer cannot be identified with certainty; Samuel's name should therefore be given as a traditional answer, not a verified signature. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
- Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Judges 17:1–18:31): Micah's household, the Levite, and the migrating Danites are involved in the shrine and migration narrative. stated in the text
- Who was the book written to? Israel, looking back on the period between Joshua and the monarchy. The repeated notice that Israel had no king addresses readers for whom that earlier situation needed explanation. Biblical references: Judges 17:6; Judges 21:25. book background
What
- What is the topic of this reading unit? Micah’s Idolatry. Read Judges 17:1 through Judges 17:13 as a connected unit. interpretation
- How does it contribute to the book? The closing accounts expose religious and social disorder, repeatedly drawing attention to the absence of a king and self-directed conduct. interpretation
When
- When are the events or message set? The opening follows Joshua's death. The accounts cover the period before kingship, but the book does not supply a single modern calendar date for every episode. book background
Where
- What is the book’s geographic setting? The episodes move among Israel's tribal territories and surrounding peoples. A location in one judge's account should not be assigned to another without textual support. book background
- Where does the context start? This passage sits in Micah’s Idolatry (Judges 17:1 to Judges 17:13). Start reading at Judges 17:1. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
- How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? Acts 13 recalls the judges as part of Israel's history before moving to David and the promised Saviour, Jesus. This historical connection does not make every judge's conduct exemplary. See Acts 13:20, Acts 13:22, Acts 13:23. interpretation
- How should this book guide our response? Recognize the danger of recurring unfaithfulness and self-directed conduct. Distinguish the LORD's deliverance from a deliverer's sins, and do not treat a vow or violent act as approved merely because it is narrated. interpretation
Cited: Judges 17:1, Judges 17:13, Acts 13:20, Acts 13:22, Acts 13:23
Who wrote it, and how we know
Samuel (traditional)
From early tradition
What Scripture saysThe book does not name its author.
Early traditionJewish tradition (Baba Bathra 14b) names Samuel.
What is debatedAuthorship is not stated in Scripture and cannot be confirmed. The repeated note that there was no king in Israel suggests a writer during the monarchy.
Related passages
- cursedst Judg 5:23 Deut 27:16 1 Sam 14:24,28 1 Sam 26:19 Neh 13:25 Jer 48:10 Matt 26:74 Rom 9:3
- I took it Prov 28:24
- Blessed Gen 14:19 Gen 24:30-31 Exod 20:7 Ruth 3:10 1 Sam 23:21 Neh 13:25 Ps 10:3 2 John 1:11
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Judges 17
Judges describes Israel after Joshua, including repeated apostasy and deliverance. It does not name its author. Narrated violence, vows, and misconduct are not endorsements merely because they appear in the account. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Judges 2:10 Judges 2:16 Judges 21:25
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Judges
Judges describes Israel after Joshua, including repeated apostasy and deliverance. It does not name its author. Narrated violence, vows, and misconduct are not endorsements merely because they appear in the account.
Judges 2:10 Judges 2:16 Judges 21:25
The situation after Joshua
Judges 1:1–3:6FocusIncomplete obedience and recurring apostasy
Connection to the wholeThe opening explains the conditions and recurring pattern that frame the accounts of the judges.
interpretation The judges and Israel's recurring distress
Judges 3:7–16:31FocusOppression and deliverance
Connection to the wholeThe deliverers' accounts develop the repeated cycle while also revealing failures among leaders and people.
interpretation FocusCorrupted worship and communal violence
Connection to the wholeThe closing accounts expose religious and social disorder, repeatedly drawing attention to the absence of a king and self-directed conduct.
interpretation Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.