20140309 Sunday, March 9 2014
Judges 17: Micah's Levite

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Every man did that which was right in his own eyes"

Micah (not to be confused with the prophet by the same name who wrote the Biblical book of Micah; see Micah: Swords Into Plowshares) was a man who lived in the lawless times of the Judges (see Judges 2: The Rise Of The Judges) when "17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6 KJV). It was a time of self "righteousness."

"17:1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim [see 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." (Judges 17:1-4 KJV)

As transliterated from the Hebrew (i.e. spoken and/or written in another language according to the way that it is pronounced in its actual language), Micah is an abbreviated form of Micaiah (the English form of the name is Michael) which means who is like the LORD, but this particular Micah most certainly did not live up to his name's calling - nor did the Levite who prostituted himself to be Micah's personal idol priest.

"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." (Judges 17:5-11 KJV)

Micah decided for himself that the LORD would be pleased with him (a religious fantasy that millions of people are deluded by today; see Who Can Be Saved? and Why Call Me, Lord, Lord, and Do Not The Things Which I Say?) because he had a religious harlot "Levite" serving the idols in his home.

"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." (Judges 17:12-13 KJV)"

Fact Finder: What were the Levites supposed to do? Why did the LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ - see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) create the Levite Priesthood?
See The Origin Of The Levite Priesthood and Leviticus 8: The Prophecy Of The Blood Upon The Anointed One