Overview
Judges 17 shifts focus from the judges themselves to a story that illustrates the religious and moral decline in Israel during this period. This chapter tells the story of Micah, his creation of idols, and his hiring of a Levite priest, shedding light on the prevalent issues of personal idolatry and religious syncretism.
Micah and the Stolen Silver: The chapter begins with a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim, who confesses to his mother that he had stolen 1,100 shekels of silver from her. His mother blesses him and dedicates the silver to the LORD, to make a carved image and a metal image.
Creation of Idols: Micah has a silversmith make the idols, which he places in his house. This act represents a direct violation of the commandment against graven images.
Micah’s Shrine and Priest: Micah sets up a shrine in his house, makes an ephod and household gods, and ordains one of his sons as his priest, further establishing his own personal place of worship.
The Levite Becomes Micah’s Priest: A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, seeking a place to stay, comes to Micah’s house. Micah offers him to be his priest, giving him clothes, ten shekels of silver a year, and his upkeep. The Levite agrees, and Micah believes that the LORD will prosper him now that he has a Levite as his priest.
Judges 17 depicts a time of religious disorder in Israel, where people freely mixed idolatry with the worship of the LORD. The narrative of Micah and the Levite highlights how the absence of strong central leadership and the neglect of God’s laws lead to individualistic and syncretic religious practices. This chapter sets the stage for the following events in Judges, which continue to explore the theme of Israel's spiritual and moral decline.