Judges 17 Summary

Judges 17 opens with a story of the questionable nature of Micah’s ethics as the author immediately introduces Micah as the one whom stole his mother’s silver. For that matter, all characters in the story have morality issues. “The narrator presents only undesirable characters, whose words and deeds complement each other.” Micah steals the silver, his mother allows the returned silver to be formed into an idol, and the Levite accepts Micah’s worship practices of the LORD and idols. The initial amount of silver taken was eleven hundred. Upon its return Micah’s mother consecrates the silver to the LORD. This would lead readers to believe all pieces would be turned over to the LORD, yet in next verse only two hundred pieces are turned over …show more content…
However, Micah’s understanding of curses, and the fear of them does show some level of morality on his part. There may have been a certain amount of fear and need of acceptance from the LORD by Micah. One who either did not believe in the LORD or did not fear curses may have not been bothered by the curse issued by Micah’s mother and would have kept the silver. This leads to a belief or struggle where Micah appears to have sought out the wisdom of others to help him lead a life with a better moral standard, therefore setting the stage for the later part of the story with Micah calling the Levite as his priest. The irony in the situation is Micah’s desire to serve multiple gods as he appears to fear the LORD, yet in the same turn creates an idol from the silver. Micah’s mother also plays a role in the apostasy by in a single sentence she renounces the curse on her son by consecrating the silver to the LORD, and then allows him to use the silver to make an idol. “I consecrate the silver to the Lord from my hand for my son, to make an idol of cast metal.” (NRSV Judges 17:3) This illustrates an underlying issue where Micah always looks to people or false idols instead of directing his worship …show more content…
“It may be that Micah worshipped the Lord in and through the images, or it may be that these were lesser and subservient deities associated with his family and his agricultural environment.” It is through Micah’s seeing the LORD through his worship of idols he desired to have a priest within his household to organize his worship patterns. Since the young Levite was in search of work, he may have been able to push his own ethics and values a side, as he knew he would have financial security working in Micah’s