Judges 17:3
1 Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
2 said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”
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.”
4 So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.
5 Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- 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.”
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, then his mother said, “I most certainly dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.”
- ASV
- And he restored the eleven hundred [pieces] of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I verily dedicate the silver unto Jehovah from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
- DARBY
- And he restored the eleven hundred silver-pieces to his mother; and his mother said, I had dedicated the silver to Jehovah from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image; and now I will restore it to thee.
- BLB
- 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.”
- ÅB
- Så gav han sin mor de elleve hundre sekel sølv tilbake; men hans mor sa: Disse penger vier jeg nå til Herren og overgir dem til min sønn, for at han kan gjøre et utskåret bilde med et støpt fotstykke til, og nå gir jeg deg dem tilbake.
- OTB
- Han ga de elleve hundre sølvstykkene tilbake til sin mor, og hun sa: «Jeg innvier høytidelig mitt sølv til Herren for min sønn for å lage et utskåret bilde og et metallbilde; jeg vil gi det tilbake til deg.»
- B1930
- Så gav han sin mor de elleve hundre sekel sølv tilbake; men hans mor sa: Disse penger vier jeg nu til Herren og overgir dem til min sønn, forat han kan gjøre et utskåret billede med et støpt fotstykke til, og nu gir jeg dig dem tilbake.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Exodus 20:4
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath.
Read in contextLeviticus 19:4
Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods. I am the LORD your God.
Read in contextExodus 20:23
You are not to make any gods alongside Me; you are not to make for yourselves gods of silver or gold.
Read in contextIsaiah 66:3
Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who slays a man; whoever sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering is like one who offers pig’s blood; whoever offers frankincense is like one who blesses an idol. Indeed, they have chosen their own ways and delighted in their abominations.
Read in contextIsaiah 44:9–20
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
Read in contextPsalms 115:4–8
Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.
Read in contextJudges 18:5
Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to determine whether we will have a successful journey.”
Read in contextExodus 34:17
You shall make no molten gods for yourselves.
Read in context