Judges 17:5 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 17:1-6

Here we have, I. Micah and his mother quarrelling. 1. The son robs the mother. The old woman had hoarded, with long scraping and saving, a great sum of money, 1100 pieces of silver. It is likely she intended, when she died, to leave it to her son: in the mean time it did her good to look upon it, and to count it over. The young man had a family of children grown up, for he had one of age to be a priest, Jdg. 17:5. He knows where to find his mother's cash, thinks he has more need of it than she... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 17:5

And the man Micah had an house of gods ,.... Having two images in it, besides teraphim, which were a sort of idols; and the Targum is, an house of images, or idols; though it may be rendered "an house of God"; a temple, a place for religious worship: and made an ephod ; a priestly garment, a linen one very probably, not so rich an one with a breastplate to it as the high priest had, which was very costly. Ben Melech interprets it a girdle, and there was a curious girdle of the ephod,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 17:5

The man Micah had a house of gods - אלהים בית beith Elohim should, I think, be translated house or temple of God; for it is very likely that both the mother and the son intended no more than a private or domestic chapel, in which they proposed to set up the worship of the true God. Made an ephod - Perhaps the whole of this case may be stated thus: Micah built a house of God - a chapel in imitation of the sanctuary; he made a graven image representing the ark, a... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 17:5

Judges 17:5. The man Micah had a house of gods The Hebrew בית אלהים , Beth Elohim, may more properly be translated a house of God; that is, he had made, or at least intended to make, in his own dwelling, an imitation of the house of God in Shiloh. And teraphim A sort of images so called. And consecrated one of his sons Because the Levites, in that corrupt state of the church, neglected the exercise of their office, and therefore they were neglected by the people, and others put into... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 17:1-13

17:1-21:25 TRIBAL DISORDER WITHIN ISRAELThe writer of the book has now finished his account of the activity of the judges. To this he adds an appendix consisting of two stories (not necessarily placed in their correct chronological position in the book) that illustrate the disorder that existed in Israel during that period. The nation had no central government and people in the various tribes did as they pleased (see 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). The stories record important changes that occurred... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Judges 17:5

house of gods. The true house of God was neglected, and as hard to find as it is to-day (Judges 21:19 ); and, when found, dancing was the prominent feature, not sacrifice or worship (Judges 21:21-23 ). ephod. In imitation of Aaron's. Exodus 25:7 ; Exodus 28:4 . consecrated. See note on Exodus 28:41 .Leviticus 9:17 . his priest. Not Jehovah's, but "made with hands". read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 17:5

Judges 17:5. An house of gods— This might be rendered more properly, a temple or house of God; אלהים בית beith elohim: so the LXX and the Vulgate render it, as well as Houbigant, aedes deo sacra. Micah and his family were desirous to have a little tabernacle, a place consecrated to the elohim, at their own house, without the trouble of going up to Shiloh. Respecting the teraphim, see Genesis 31:17. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 17:5

5. the man Micah had an house of gods—Hebrew, "a house of God"—a domestic chapel, a private religious establishment of his own. an ephod—(see on :-). teraphim—tutelary gods of the household (see Genesis 31:19 and see on Genesis 31:19- :). consecrated one of his sons who became his priest—The assumption of the priestly office by any one out of the family of Aaron was a direct violation of the divine law (Numbers 3:10; Numbers 16:17; Deuteronomy 21:5; Hebrews 5:4). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 17:1-6

Micah’s unlawful worship 17:1-6The writer told us nothing about Micah’s background, except that he originally lived in the Hill Country of Ephraim, with or near his mother (Judges 17:1-2). Micah’s name means "Who is like Yahweh." As is true of so many details in this story, Micah’s name is ironic. He was anything but like Yahweh. The fact that Micah’s mother blessed him in the name of Yahweh creates a positive impression, but other features of the story demonstrate that her veneer of orthodox... read more