1Of the money that Micah had stolen, and afterward restored, his mother maketh images. 5Micah's idolatry. 7He hireth a Levite to be his priest.
1AND there was a man of amount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
a Jos. 15.9; 17.15,18; 24.33. v.8.
2And 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, bBlessed be thou of the LORD, my son.
b Ps. 10.3. Ex. 20.7. 1Sa. 15.13.
3And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, cI had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to dmake a graven image and a emolten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
c ch. 18.5,18. Is. 66.3. d Ex. 20.4. Le. 19.4; 26.1. De. 12.30. ch. 8.27. Is. 40.19; 41.7; 44.9-13. 46.6,7. Je. 10.3-5. Hab. 2.18,19. e Le. 19.4.
4Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to fthe *founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.
*founder-person who casts metal or glass in a mould.
f Is. 40.19; 46.6.
5And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made gan *ephod, and h*teraphim, iand 1consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
*ephod-embroidered cape worn by priest.
*teraphim-images.
1Heb. filled the hand.
g ch. 8.27; 18.14,17. Ge. 31.19. Ho. 3.4. h Ge. 31.19. i Ex. 24.5. 1Ki. 12.31; 13.33.
6jIn those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right kin his own eyes.
j ch. 10.1; 18.1; 21.25; 19.1. Ge. 36.31. Ps. 12.4. k De. 12.8. Pr. 3.5; 14.12. Je. 10.23; 44.17. Tit. 3.3.
7¶And there was a young man out of lBeth-lehem-judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
l ch. 12.8,10; 19.1,2,18. Mat. 2.6. Mi. 5.2. Ge. 35.19. Jos. 19.15.
8And the man mdeparted out of the city from Beth-lehem-judah to *sojourn where nhe could find a place : and he came to omount Ephraim to the house of Micah, 2as he journeyed.
*sojourn-dwell for a time.
2Heb. in making his way.
m Ne. 13.10,11. n v.11. Ro. 16.18. Phi. 2.21. o v.1. ch. 18.13.
9And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to *sojourn where I may find a place.
*sojourn-dwell for a time.
10And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me pa father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by qthe year, and 3a suit of *apparel, and thy *victuals. rSo the Levite went in.
3Or, a double suit. Heb. an order of garments.
*apparel-clothing, garments.
*victuals-food.
p ch. 18.19. 2Ki. 5.13; 6.21; 8.8,9; 13.14. Is. 22.21. Ge. 45.8. q ch. 11.40. r Eze. 13.19. 1Ti. 6.10. 2Ti. 4.19. Phi. 3.19; 2.21.
11And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
12And Micah sconsecrated the Levite; and the young man tbecame his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
s Ex. 24.5. 1Ki. 12.31; 13.33. v.5. 2Ch. 13.19. t ch. 18.30.
13Then said Micah, uNow know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
u Pr. 13.7; 14.12. Ps. 36.2; 52.7.