Judg 17 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Judg 17:1-21:25: 17:1–21:25 These two epilogues (chs 17–18 and chs 19–21 ) attest that inspired but unstructured leadership cannot endure. During the relentless march toward social disintegration and civil war, the refrain, “In those days Israel had no king,” occurs four times, and “all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes” is added twice (17:6 ; 18:1 ; 19:1 ; 21:25 ). The era of inspired leadership spiraled downward and culminated in chaos. Something was clearly missing. 17:1 Micah is the short form of a name that means “Who is like the Lord ?” The name highlights the contrast between the Lord and a carved image or cast idol. • The hill country of Ephraim was a natural gathering place in central Israel (17:7-8 ; 18:2 , 13 ; 19:1 , 16 ).

Summary for Judg 17:1-21:25: 17:1–21:25 ^a These two epilogues (chs 17–18 ^b and chs 19–21 ^c) attest that inspired but unstructured leadership cannot endure. During the relentless march toward social disintegration and civil war, the refrain, “In those days Israel had no king,” occurs four times, and “all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes” is added twice (17:6 ^d; 18:1 ^e; 19:1 ^f; 21:25 ^g). The era of inspired leadership spiraled downward and culminated in chaos. Something was clearly missing. 17:1 ^h Micah is the short form of a name that means “Who is like the Lord?” The name highlights the contrast between the Lord and a carved image or cast idol.

• The hill country of Ephraim was a natural gathering place in central Israel (17:7-8 ⁱ; 18:2 ^j, 13 ^k; 19:1 ^l, 16 ^m).
Summary for Judg 17:2-3: 17:2-3 ⁿ Micah’s mother was indulgent and idolatrous, yet she invoked the Lord’s name in both cursing and blessing.

• I heard you place a curse: The words uttered in curses and blessings were understood to have power, particularly if the speaker had the authority to utter such pronouncements (cp. Gen 27 ^o; Isa 55:11 ^p).

• 1,100 pieces: This same large number was given to Delilah (Judg 16:5 ^q). It was probably Micah’s mother’s life savings or dowry.

• The Lord bless you: Micah’s mother was hoping that the blessing would effectively neutralize her earlier curse.
Summary for Judg 17:4-5: 17:4-5 ^r We are not told what Micah’s mother did with the other 900 shekels. Perhaps they went to pay for the shrine (literally house of gods).
17:5 ^s ephod: See study note on 8:27.

• household idols: Cp. Gen 31:19-32 ^t; 2 Kgs 23:24 ^u; Zech 10:2 ^v. The Bible mocks the inabilities of these personal deities. Micah’s installing one of his sons as his personal priest was triply irregular: The father was meant to be the religious head of the household (Deut 6:7 ^w; Job 1:5 ^x), only descendants of Aaron were to be priests (Exod 28:1–29:37 ^y; 30:30-33 ^z; 40:12-15 ^aa), and priests were for the whole community of Israel, not for individuals or families.
Summary for Judg 17:7-8: 17:7-8 ^ab Not much about this Levite fits into orthodox biblical categories. Some Levites were priests, while others were temple servants (cp. Num 3–4 ^ac). Levites were scattered throughout Israel (Gen 49:5-7 ^ad; Josh 21 ^ae). This young man, apparently a descendant of Gershom (Judg 18:30 ^af; cp. Exod 2:21-22 ^ag), was based in Judah, but not in a Levitical town, and was looking for another place to live.
17:13 ^ah The contract priest, in Micah’s view, conferred some additional legitimacy on the shrine, though his expectation that the Lord would bless him was based on superstition rather than obedience to the Lord. Micah’s abandonment of God’s covenant would bring a curse on him that no unemployed Levite could ward off. Micah was not the last Israelite to seek out a priest or Levite in an attempt to legitimize irregular religious practices (cp. 1 Kgs 12:28-31 ^ai; 2 Kgs 16:10-18 ^aj).