Judges Chapter 18 Part One (Verses 1-13)

MICAH'S IDOLATRY AND THE MIGRATION OF THE TRIBE OF DAN

A. Dan spies out Laish

1. (Judges 18:1-2) The tribe of Dan sends spies to look for land to take among the people of Israel
In those days there was no king of Israel; and in those days the tribe of the Danite was seeking an inheritance for themselves to live in, for until that day an inheritance had not been allotted to them as a possession among the tribes of Israel. So the sons of Dan sent from their family five men out of their whole number, valiant men from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to search it; and they said to them, "Go, search the land." And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.

In those days there was no king of Israel: As we begin chapter 18, here again are the same words, reminding us that Israel had no king. We should not just read these words at face value. This is not just an editor reminding his reader that from a purely factual standpoint, Israel did not have a king at this time. (This was common knowledge. Words in the Bible are precious. They need not be wasted here on trivial information.) Rather, the point is to explain WHY things were about to occur. It is to explain that without a king, without a person of strong authority over them, men will do as they please. Israel was in a state of spiritual anarchy and the only restraint they placed upon themselves since there was no strong or central human authority over them were mostly man-made philosophies. These were beliefs and behaviors in which most nations of that era considered "moral".

Time Frame
The time frame of this chapter is placed very early in Dan's migration from central Canaan to the north near the Lebanese border. Thus, this story occurred a couple hundred years before the days of Samson. And this continues to explain why Samson, who was from the tribe of Dan, did not live in his own tribal territory but rather inside the border of the territory of Judah, even though the village he lived in consisted of Danites.

Although the land of Israel was divided into twelve territories, one for each of the sons of Israel, not everyone in the territory of Judah were members of the tribe of Judah. The same thing was true for all territories. In the territory of Asher, there were people from various clans living in that region, not just the descendants of the tribe of Asher. Individuals, families and clans moved into various territories for all kinds of reasons. There was no law of God which prohibited this. Generally speaking, it was allowed and happened regularly as long as the family or clan was no bother to the tribal prince.

An inheritance had not been allotted to them for a possession among the tribes of Israel: In verse one we are told the reason Dan was on the move was that they had not been given any territory of their own among the tribes of Israel. That is a strange statement which is troubling and contradictory because the other tribes were in place. Before Israel even entered the Promised Land, each tribe was given a territory by Moses. Later, Joshua set the boundaries (the size) of each of these territorial allotments. We are now at a time in which Joshua had died.

However, it is one thing to be assigned a territory, and it is another thing to be able to wrestle it away from the Canaanites who held it. Recall that while on the surface this allotted territory seemed like a modern day lottery (we buy a ticket and if our number is selected we simply show up for the prize), that is not at all what was in store for Israel. The land lottery served two purposes. One was to divide up the land so that the tribes would not be constantly squabbling over who should live there. The second purpose was to give responsibility to each tribe to deal with the Canaanites residing within the assigned area. In other words, each tribe was given a portion of Canaan, and it was their duty to eject the Canaanites from it.

The consequence for NOT doing what they were supposed to do was the tribe lost some or all of their assigned territory. Dan was up against the Philistines, who proved to be the toughest enemy Israel would face over the course of time. Dan finally threw in te towel and moved away from their allotted territory. They decided to move to a territory whicch had not been assigned to any other Israelite tribe. Dan's view was that they "had not been given" territory. To the Danites, this probably meant from a spiritual viewpoint, God had not vanquished the Philistines ahead of Dan's army and thus the conclusion was that God had not given the territory over to the Danites. (This would have been a typical ancient thought pattern regardless of what culture was involved or god worshiped.)

So the sons of Dan sent from their family five men out of their whole number, valiant men from Zorah and Eshtaol: Five men were sent out as scouts to look over some territory to the north which the leaders of Dan thought might be a good place to settle. The five men were from Zorah and Eshtaol. These were the only two cities the tribe of Dan controlled at the time. And even then they were on the border lands of Judah and were most likely actually within Judah's tribal territory allotment. No doubt Judah, a very dominant and powerful tribe at the time, was gracious to allow the small and weak tribe of Dan a little room in their territory to call their own.

It seems as though the tribe of Dan was not satisfied with the current state of affairs and sought to find another place for their people to call their own. As the five scouts moved north, they arrived in the hill country of Ephraim where Micah lived. The spies sought out hospitality on their journey. This led to some longer term consequences.


2. (Judges 18:3-6) The Danites meet with Micah's Levite
When they were near the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young man, the Levite; and they turned aside there and said to him, "Who brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And what do you have here?" He said to them, "Thus and so has Micah done to me, and he has hired me and I have become his priest." They said to him, "Inquire of God, please, that we may know whether our way on which we are going will be prosperous." The priest said to them, "Go in peace; your way in which you are going has the LORD'S approval."  

When they were near the house of Micah: As the men from Dan were relaxing at Micah's house (with Micah's blessing of course), they met Micah's young private priest. They immediately noticed the priest has a different accent. It would have been a different accent from what Micah and the rest of the people living in Ephraim had. Immediately, they wondered what the priest was doing at Micah's house.

As we read this story, it is incredible to think that accents and dialects has already developed within Israel. The accents and dialects were very distinct for each tribe and region of Israel.

Most Rabbis think since it is not recorded, the Danite's already knew the name of the Levite because it is not recorded they asked for his name. This most likely was due to the priest having already stopped off in Eshtaol or Zorah before he traveled to Ephraim. (Remember this priest wanted to practice pagan religion. The Danites were very intertwined with the Philistines and freely practiced paganism.) The men from Dan probably knew the priest well enough for his voice to be recognizable.

Who brought you here, what are you doing in this place, what do you have here: The Danites were a little surprised to find the priest at Micah's house. So they ask him three questions. These are reasonable questions which would come up in normal conversation. The Levite obliges and answers the questions. He says Micah hired him and pays him a wage. The Levite acts as a priest to Micah.

They said to him, "Inquire of God": The Danites immediately revert to typical superstitions of the pagans and ask the Levite to divine the future. They want to know how their scouting expedition will turn out. The priest tells them what they want to hear--the LORD will be with them.

Everything was quite satisfactory and normal; they stayed (probably just overnight). They ate and then continued their northward journey until they arrived at a place called Laish.


3. (Judges 18:7-10) The Danites choose a city for expansion: Laish
Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were in it living in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no ruler humiliating them for anything in the land, and they were far from the Sidonians and has no dealings with anyone. When they came back to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, their brother said to them, "What do you report?" They said, "Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. And will you sit still? Do not delay to go, to enter, to possess the land. When you enter, you will come to a secure people with a spacious land; for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of anything that is on the earth."

Laish: Laish was a tranquil city full of content and peaceful people. The residents probably were originally citizens of Sidon, who moved for some unknown reason. But, they probably moved like the folks of the USA who moved west in covered wagons to find a better life and settle the wild outdoors.

For there was no ruler humiliating them for anything in the land: The comment about there was no one exercising authority over them meant there was not a king or other sovereign who would bring shame to the people and exact taxes from them. The citizens of Laish were fully independent, and no one was ruling over them.

Apparently, the citizens of Laish were from Sidon, but the people of Laish did not have an alliance with Sidon nor were they considered an official outpost of Sidon. Thus, even if the nation of Sidon had some sympathy and attachment to the people of Laish, they were too far away and would not be able to be rescued if they needed to be. This was the perfect situation for Dan. The location was well watered, fertile and substantial in size. It was far from anyone who might try to rule over the place. The place is simply ideal. It is at the headwaters of one of the sources of the Jordan River. It is rich in trees.  

The scouts from Dan must have thought they had found paradise. All they had to do is gather the people of Dan, attack and take it from an unsuspecting and unprepared people who seemed to have no allies to help them.

When they came back to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol: The scouts from Dan returned back to their land. They reported their great discovery and urged the leadership to move to Laish at once.

For God has given it into your hand: In verse 10, the Danite scouts assumed the God of Israel had given them Laish and arranged for its taking from a people who would offer little resistance. This seems to be the same mindset as when Micah asked the Levite to be his priest. They both assumed God was blessing their actions. However, both groups were acting on superstitions and not God. It was the oracle from the Levite telling the scouts that their mission would be blessed by God, and it would be successful. These were only empty words which helped confirm what the hearers wanted to hear.

4. (Judges 18:11-13) They assemble an army of 600 to take possession of Laish

Then from the family of the Danites, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, six hundred men armed with weapons of war set out. They went up and camped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. Therefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan to this day; behold, it is west of Kiriath-jearim. They passed from there to the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah. 

Six hundred men armed with weapons of war set out: Verse 11 describes the military force the tribe of Dan sent to Laish. It was a very small size, only 600 soldiers. This tells us how little regard Dan had for the military capability of Laish. This was not the total size of Dan. It was only the amount of men who would be used to protect the Danite migrants and attack the city of Laish. Accompanied by their own women and children, they set off for Laish.


Kiriath-jearim: They stopped at a place in the territory of Judah called Kiriath-Jearim, which was subsequently called Mahaneh-dan. This merely means "the camp of Dan". From here, they went along a path which took them into the hills of Ephraim and right passed Micah's house. But it was not his hospitality they were seeking this time.

Judges Chapter 17 Part Two (Verses 6-13)

B. Micah hires an unscrupulous Levite

1. (Judges 17:6-8) An opportunistic Levite looking for employment
In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes. Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levitie; and he was staying there. Then the man departed from the city, from Bethlehem in Judah, to stay wherever he might find a place; and as he made his journey, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah. 

In those days there was no king in Israel: These classic words signal to us the need Israel has for a king. As we see these words repeated throughout chapters 17 through 21, please be mindful of the words which immediately follow: Now there was a young man from Bethlehem. The text talks about a king and in the next phrase Bethlehem is mentioned. King David, a man after God's own heart, was from Bethlehem. Jesus, the ultimate king, was born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem is the city prophesized where the Messiah was arise from: "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity" (Micah 5:2).

Things were back to normal at Micah's house. His mother lifted the curse against her son, and their home sanctuary was operating with the new silver image of God at its center. 

Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah: A traveler shows up at Micah's house. He is a young man from the territory of Judah, but he is a Levite. While there may be some small doubts, it is very likely this man was a full Levite. He was probably only sojourning in Bethlehem in the territory of Judah. he was probably living with a family of Judahites.

He know from Scripture, the tribe of Levite was given 48 cities evenly distributed across the 12 territories as a place for them to live and carry out religious duties. However, Bethlehem was NOT one of those cities. The extended reference to the city as Bethlehem of Judah is necessary because there were several Bethlehem's scattered around the Promised land. This is the one we are most familiar with--the birthplace of David and Jesus.

Then the man departed from the city: This young Levite was but a temporary resident of Bethlehem. This indicates the sad state of the priestly tribe at this time. They were not being supported by the 12 tribes as they should have been and many of them left their designated cities and sought to make a living elsewhere. But the Levites were equally at fault because they were filled with apostasy and self-interest which trumped their calling and duty to serve on the God of Israel. While it cannot be stated with absolute certainty, there is really only one compelling reason for this one Levite to leave Bethlehem: this young man could not practice an idolatrous form of religion there, and he sought for a place where he could. Judah was perhaps the one territory and tribe who at least gave a concerted effort to stay near to the ways of the LORD. While by no means was it perfect, nor did every clan or family from Judah feel the same was about it, but we will see throughout the next several books of the Bible that of the 12 tribes, Judah was the least tempted into syncretism. Judah was the last to be conquered by foreigners as a consequence for their rebellion against God.

There was a division of loyalties between Judah and Ephraim. Both of them were the lead and dominant tribes. This began very early on, almost as soon as the territory was divided up and allotted. We do not see a final falling out between the two until shortly after King Solomon's death around 925 B.BC., which is about 400 years after Joshua's life. But it was always inevitable that this hostile separation would occur.

Thus we see this young Levite leaves Judah and goes to the hills of Ephraim, a place he knew was more receptive to his personal agenda and beliefs. This traveler would have stayed in several homes during his journey, and undoubtedly some family finally directed him to Micah's home. Staying in people's homes was a customary hospitality to travelers in those days. It was only in the largest cities that there would be rooms for rent.


2. (Judges 17:9-11) Micah hires the Levite
Micah said to him, "Where do you come from?" And he said to him, "I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to stay wherever I may find a place." Micah then said to him, "Dwell with me and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, a suit of clothes, and your maintenance." So the Levite went in. The Levite agreed to live with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons.

Micah said to him, "Where do you come from?": Upon arriving at Micah's residence, Micah discovers that this young man is a Levite. The young man says he is looking for a place to settle down.

Micah then said to him, "Dwell with me and be a father and a priest to me": Micah offers this young man employment. Micah tells the Levite to be a father and priest. The part about being a father has nothing to do with the young man taking on the role as an elder or parent. Rather, it is simply the term av or avva. This can mean a father in the sense we typically think of or it can be a term of respect for the wisdom of someone such as a spiritual advisor--this is the case here.

It seems Micah was looking to fire his sons and replace him with a priest of more statue.

There is absolutely nothing right about what Micah or this Levite was doing. Although all priest are Levites, not all Levites are priests. Only from the clan of Aaron (one of the three main sub-divisions of the tribe of Levi) could one rightfully be a priest. Thus we will see the use of the terms Levite and priest in the Bible, and they denote two different duties, lineages and status levels. This young man was NOT of the line of Aaron, but he was only a Levite. (This will become clear in chapter 18.)


3. (Judges 17:12-13) A false consecration and a false confidence
So Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in the house of Micah. Then Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, seeing I have a Levite as priest."

So Micah consecrated the Levite: Under some strange veil of authority, we are told in verse 12 that Micah consecrated the Levite to become a priest. Micah carried no such authority to consecrate priests.

One thing we need to remember, while in Egypt, Israel generally operated in the way we read about here concerning Micah. It was standard operating procedure for the father to more or less be the family priest, a duty that he passed along to his firstborn son. Before Mount Sinai during the exodus, Israel had no priesthood. But all religions of that day revolved around priests and rituals. So every Hebrew family had their own private family priest, and the rituals they performed took place in the home. They consisted of whatever the preferred within some hazy set of cultural traditions.

We also read from the end of the Book of Exodus onward that there was a real and ongoing power struggle within the Moses-led Hebrews to give up this standard family tradition and instead turn over all priestly duties over to one clan within one tribe, that is the clan of Aaron within the tribe of Levi. 

This was at the bottom of the rebellion part of teh rebellion which Korah led, when so many Israelites died as the leaders of the clans who did not like this new reality came to the Wilderness Tabernacle with their fire pans, only to be burned up by the anger of God. Then their families were killed as the earth opened up beneath them (Numbers 16). The Israelite fathers and firstborns generally did not like the requirement of the Torah to give up that position of honor (that of being the family priest). While apparently most complied, some did not. Thus once Moses and Joshua died, many Israelites simply turned back to the old ways, which were more closely aligned with their Canaanite neighbors. That is what we are seeing here with Micah and his private house of God, which is now to be officiated by a Levite.

Then Micah said, "Now I know the LORD will prosper me, seeing I have a Levite as a priest.": Verse 13 is not a divine reality. It is an ancient superstition that once Micah had a Levite to be a priest, God would bless him. Micah now thought God was obligated to grant special blessings on him and his household simple because he had hired a Levite to become his private priest for his family sanctuary. This belief was not biblical faith. It was a man-made doctrine. It was a well accepted and popular doctrine.

This is an example of false statements and lies made by men. We find many situations and characters in the Bible who tell lies, operate on false assumptions or rationalize their poor behavior. A classic one is the story of Balaam the sorcerer who says al kinds of things about how God must operate, but he is wrong. King David was infamous for rationalizing away some of his darkest moments. These words of Micah about how God would not especially bless him are another. God does not bless us for breaking His commandments or perverting His rituals and observances despite our sincerity.

The recorded scriptural word uttered by God or His designated prophets and messengers are factual and accurate and represent truth. But many of the words as spoken by ordinary men (although recorded accurately in the Bible) are words that do NOT reflect divine truth or Godly principle. Most of these cases are obvious, but some fly over our heads if we do not diligently study the Word of God to establish a firm foundation for out understanding. The Bible is 100% accurate, but it is full of statement and actions of men who are in error.

The Dire Straits are here!

The Three Weeks is an annual mourning period which happens during mid-summer. The event began on the 17th day of the month Tammuz (or at sunset on Wednesday, July 8) and ends on the 9th day of the month of Av (or at sunset on Wednesday, July 29). This event marks the day when both the first and second Temples were destroyed in Jerusalem alone with a host of other unfortunate events in Jewish history. Bein ha-Metzarim is the Hebrew phrase for this time of mourning. When it is translated into English, it means "between the straits" or "the dire straits". (The events is also often called "The Three Weeks" owing to the fact that the occasion lasts three weeks.)

17th of Tammuz
The 17th day of the month of Tammuz is a fast day, on which people refrain from eating and drinking from dawn until nightfall. The fast is known as Shivah Asar B'Tammuz.

The day commemorates five significant tragic events that occurred on this date:
1. Moses broke the stone tables when he saw the Israelites worshiping the Golden Calf.
2. During the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, the Israelites were forced to cease offering the daily sacrifices due to lack of sheep.
3. Apostomos burned the holy Torah.
4. An idol was placed in the Holy Temple.
5. The walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans in 69 AD, after a lengthy siege. (Three weeks later, after the Israelites put up a valiant struggle, the Romans destroyed the second Holy Temple on the 9th of Av.)
6. The Jerusalem Talmud also states this is the date when the Babylonians breached the walls of Jerusalem on their way to destroying the first Temple.

Observances
Fasting
Healthy Adults: People ages 13 and over are to abstain from eating or drinking between dawn and nightfall.
Pregnant and nursing women: They may not have to fast.
The elderly and ill: They should consult a Rabbi for instructions on how or if they should fast.

Even those exempt from fasting, such as those who are sick and children, should not indulge in delicacies or sweets.

It is permitted to wake up early before the fast begins to eat.

Abstaining from food and drink is the external element of a fast day. On a deeper level, a fast day is an auspicious day, a day when God is accessible, waiting for us to repent.

The sages explain: "Every generation for which the Temple is not rebuilt, it is as though the Temple was destroyed for that generation." A fast day is not only a sad day, but it is an opportune day. It is a day when we are empowered to fix the cause of that destruction, so that our long exile will be ended, and we will find ourselves living in Messianic times. May that time be very soon!

Synagogue
The Torah is read during the morning and afternoon prayers. The reading is the same for both sessions--Exodus 32:11-14 and 34:1-10. These passages discuss the aftermath of the Golden Calf incident, how Moses successfully interceded on the Israelites' behalf and how he attained forgiveness for their sin. After the afternoon Torah reading, Isaiah 55:6-56:8 is read.


17th of Tammuz-9th of Av Observances
For the entire three week time period there are a number of ordinances observed to commemorate this time of sorrow. These observances are meant to lessen one's joy and refrain from unnecessary danger during this time of mourning.

The following are not conducted unless absolutely necessary:
1. Weddings
2. Playing musical instruments or listening to music.
3. Wearing new clothing or eat fruit which has not been eaten yet this season. (Both of these events require the reciting of the Shehecheyanu blessing.)
4. Getting a haircut or shave.
5. Traveling on an airplane.


The Final Nine Days
Starting on the first of Av, the final nine days of the Three Weeks begins a time of intensified mourning. During this time, people refrain from eating meat and drinking wine and wearing freshly laundered clothes.


9th of Av
The ninth day of the month of Av is a more stringent fast that the 17th day of Tammuz. It begins at sunset when people gather in the synagogue to read the Book of Lamentations. Besides fasting, additional pleasures are abstained from such as washing, applying lotions or creams and wearing leather shoes. Until midday, people sit on the floor or on low stools.

Significant events which have happened on the 9th of Av
1. The report of the ten spies
In the year 1313 BC, the Israelites are in the desert, having recently experienced the miraculous Exodus from Egypt. They are now poised to enter the Promised Land. But first, they dispatch a reconnaissance mission consisting of 12 spies to assist in formulating a battle strategy. The spies return on the eighth day of the month of Av. Ten of the spies report that the land is unconquerable. That night (the 9th of Av) the people cry. They insist they would rather go back to Egypt than be slaughtered by the Canaanites. God is highly displeased by this public demonstration of distrust in His power. Consequently, that generation of Israelites never enters the Holy Land. Only their children have that privilege, after wandering in the desert for another 38 years.

2. Both Holy Temples are destroyed
The first Temple was destroyed on the 9th of Av (586 BC). Several centuries later in 70 AD, the second temple was destroyed by the Romans on the very same day the first Temple was destroyed (on the 9th of Av).

3. The Battle at Betar was lost
When the Israelites rebelled against Roman rule, they believed their leader, Simon bar Kochba, would fulfill their messianic longings. But, their hopes were dashed in 133 AD as the Israelites rebels were brutally butchered in the final battle at Betar. The date of the massacre was on the 9th of Av.

4. The Romans plowed the Ha-Mikdash
One year after their conquest of Betar, the Romans plowed over the Temple Mount, the nation's holiest site.

5. The Israelites were expelled from England
The Jews were expelled from England in 1290 AD on the 9th of Av.

6. The Israelites were banished from Spain
In 1492, the Golden Age of Spain came to a close when Queen Isabella and her husband Ferdinand ordered the Jews to be banished from the land. The edict of expulsion was signed on March 31, 1492. The Jews were given exactly four months to put their affairs in order and leave the country. The date on which no Jews were allowed to remain in Spain was the 9th of Av.

7. Both World Wars began
World War II and the Holocaust, most historians conclude, were the long drawn-out conclusion of World War I that began in 1914. Germany declared war on Russia, effectively catapulting the First World War into motion, on the 9th of Av.


Conclusion
There is more to the Three Weeks than fasting and lamentation. Hebrew sages tell us that those who mourn the destruction of Jerusalem will merit seeing it rebuilt with the coming of Messiah. May that day come soon. Then, all the mournful dates on the calendar will be transformed into days of tremendous joy and happiness!

"Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy." (Psalm 126:5)

Judges Chapter 17 Part One (Verses 1-5)

Introduction
Judges chapters 17 through 21 (the end of the book) are usually called "appendices" by biblical scholars, and there is good reason for this because these chapters do not deal with any of the Judges. Rather, there is some good general information in these chapters which is meant to add to our overall understanding of the era of the Judges.

As often happens in the Bible, these final chapters are not in chronological order. So even though Samson was the next to last Judge (Samuel being the final Judge although he was more of a transitory figure ushering Israel from the time of the Judges into the era of the Kings), what we read does not come after Samson. In fact, because of the last several chapters' subject matter (the tribe of Dan), this occurred at least 200 years BEFORE Samson. Generally speaking, most Jewish scholars and a fairly broad majority of Christian scholars put these events during the time of the FIRST Judge of Israel, Othniel.

As an aside, the Bible is often not concerned with chronological order. The Hebrews were less concerned with time and more concerned about presenting a story based on the order things happened. The ancient Hebrews had a greater concern to present a story based on connecting the major elements of the story, even if it took place in different eras. Thus, since Samson was from the tribe of Dan, these so-called appendices deal with the tribe of Dan, the history of the tribe of Dan, and how they had fallen so far away from the LORD. It also discusses what happened when the tribe of Dan abandoned their territorial allotment to move north to live in an area with few enemies.

Lastly, these chapters affirm something I spoke about in our very first lesson about the Book of Judges; that is the entire purpose and tone of the period of the Judges is to demonstrate that Israel (and all mankind in general) needed a king. This generally flies in the face of the most mainstream Christian commentators who say the opposite--they believe the Book of Judges demonstrates God did not want Israel to have a king, with the idea being God wanted to be their king. Thereby, for Israel to want an earthly king was sinful.

Yet, the very words of this book, the pattern God lays down from Genesis to Revelation shows mankind (and perhaps all beings, physical and spiritual) must have a king to guide them. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is called a king and a king forever which fulfills Old Testament prophecy. These prophecies continue to demonstrate that God wants man to have a king. The issue is which king, not whether there should be one.

We will find several places in the appendices the words, "At that time there was no king in Israel." These words are usually further amended with the words, "thus every man did what was right in his own eyes." In other words, one caused the other. The lack of a king led to each man choosing his own way. Israel's refusal to have a king caused a kind of spiritual anarchy to develop within the tribes. The reason the last few chapters are placed at the end of the book of Judges (instead of at the beginning where they would be in chronological order) is to focus on the decay inherent throughout Israel, and especially in the tribe of Dan. The entire premise for what goes on in the book of Judges and the deteriorating condition of the tribes of Israel can be summed up in the words, "At that time there was no king in Israel and every man did what was right in his own eyes."

Israel needed a king, and Israel is going to have a king (as will all mankind) in the form of Jesus for all eternity. And although Jesus is God, he also bore the form of a human. Thus, Jesus will be our ultimate earthly (and heavenly) king.


A. Micah makes a shrine for idols

1. (Judges 17:1-2) He returns a large amount of stolen silver to his mother
Now there was a man of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Micah. He said to his mother, "The eleven hundred pieces of silver which were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse in my hearing, behold, the silver is with me; I took it." And his mother said, "Blessed be my son by the LORD."

Now there was a man of the hill country of Ephraim: Verse one begins with a man named Mikhayahu in the area of the hills of Ephraim. We are given no other details of his exact location than this. It seems as though this man's given name at birth was Mikhayahu, which means "who is like God". This is a very honorable name; it imbues the hope of a great destiny. Interestingly, we will see that the name Mikhayahu is shortened in the following verses to Micah. Micah is NOT short for Mikhayahu nor is it a nickname. Micah simply means, "who is like" (the reference to God is dropped).

He said to his mother: The story begins with a startling admission from Micah. He stole from his own mother 1100 pieces of silver. He now wants to give it back. A question which should pop into our minds is this: why does Micah have this sudden bout of conscience? The reason is he overheard his mother speaking a curse on the thief. The Rabbis said it was no accident Micah's mother spoke this curse within his hearing because she knew her son was the thief. By Micah overhearing the curse, she hoped this would be an incentive for him to return the stolen funds.

And his mother said, "Blessed be my son by the LORD": Immediately, when the son confessed and offers to give back the silver, his mother blesses him. In biblical times, a curse was taken very seriously. We can call them superstitious, but to the people of that day, it was understood that being the subject of a properly worded curse from anyone put you under the darkest of dark clouds. In ancient times, a curse was not a mere sound on the lips, but it was an agent sent forth. It was an active agent which hurt people.

People went to great lengths to appease the issuer of a curse if they were fortunate enough to learn that such a curse had befallen them. Further, the curse of a parent was considered the most potent kind, second only to a curse issued by God. So by the mother making sure her son overheard the curse (rather than doing it privately as was the usual way to do it), it offered the son the possibility of a way out.

The son admits his crime to his mother, returns the ill-gotten gains and his mother responds by neutralizing her curse upon him with a blessing. All parties are relieved. But Micah's questionable character is now revealed to us. His honorable name Mikhayahu is removed, and he becomes merely Micah from here onward.

Eleven: The number eleven will be seen throughout the next several chapters. We saw it in chapter 16 in regards to Delilah and Samson. (Delilah was offered 1100 pieces of silver from each of the Philistine leaders if she could find out where Samson's great strength lie (Judges 16:5).)

Eleven often is represented as a symbol of imperfection, judgment and disorder. Eleven may symbolize a lack of organization and chaos. Sometimes it is even considered to be a symbol of sin and evil which exists among people. We can see all these themes are present in these chapters.


2. (Judges 17:3-4) Micah's mother directs that some of the money be used to make an image to be used in worship
He then returned the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, and his mother said, "I wholly dedicate the silver from my hand to the LORD for my son to make a graven image and a molten image; now therefore, I will returned them to you." So when he returned the silver to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver and gave them to the silversmith who made them into a graven image and a molten image, and they were in the house of Micah. 

His mother said, "I will wholly dedicate the silver from my hand to the LORD": After Micah returns the money, his mother promises she is going to dedicate the 1100 pieces of silver to the LORD. Micah's mother is going to make a graven image and a molten image for her son. But, then Micah's mom turns around and gives less than 20% of that dedicated money to a silversmith in order for Micah to have an idol for the household. It is presumed the mother kept the other 900 pieces of silver for herself. 

As we read these verses, we must keep in mind the time frame. This perverted thing has been repeatedly done over and over again in the tribes of Israel. This was not long after Joshua's death. Joshua's divine leadership ended with his death. The mother does what so many of us are even guilty of today: we wholly dedicate something to the LORD and then we give God only a fraction of the promised dedication. Micah's mother uses the money to make a Torah-forbidden image of God. And even that is selfish because she will use it only in her household. Nothing is actually given to God.

Brief Summary
There are three observations that we gained from the first four verses of Judges 17, which gives us insight into the spiritual climate of the times. First, you see how quickly religious and cultural syncretism overtook the tribes of Israel. Undoubtedly it was uneven. Some tribes easily abandoned the Torah of Moses while others made more of an effort to adhere to it. But all 12 tribes (and Levi) were heavily influenced by the many Canaanites who remained in the Promised Land. The Hebrews' propensity was to make allies and friends of them rather than driving them out or eradicating them (per God's instructions).

The syncretism seen here is one of mixing religious beliefs, in this case the God of Israel with the Canaanite Babylon Mystery Religions. It is amazing how quickly this happens, and how equally quickly a society adopts new ways and forgets where it came from. Invariably, there is a reason for this; it does not happen on its own. It can be for economic reasons, a desire to end conflict and have peace, or simply because the new ways look more attractive to the newest generation than the older ways practiced by their parents. It is natural to mix or dilute our religious beliefs with whatever seems expedient and popular. After a short time, this new platform of beliefs and behaviors becomes the standard and few even question it.

The second observation regarding the story of Micah is it is an example of the general condition of Israel in that era in that the Law of Moses was being violated on a regular basis. We can easily identify a number of direct trespasses against God in this story. Micah stole money from his mother, in doing so he failed to honor his parents, an image of God was made, etc.

The third observation is that Micah's mother showed the same ambivalence as her son towards God's commandments. She first vowed to donate the recovered 1100 pieces of silver to God, but instead, she kept the bulk of the money for herself. She used less than 20% of it to honor God, but even that was used in a perverted way by giving 200 pieces of silver to a silversmith to create a silver image of God. This idol would then be placed in an unauthorized manner by bowing down to it as an object of worship. It was placed in an unauthorized sanctuary which was serviced by one of Micah's sons whom he appointed as priest.

3. (Judges 17:5) Micah establishes an elaborate worship
And the man Micah had a shrine and he made an ephod and household idols and consecrates one of his sons, that he might become his priest.

And the man Micah had a shrine: It seems Micah owned a "house of God" or in Hebrew beit-elohim. In other words,  Micah's family had set apart an area of their house, or perhaps built a small sanctuary, where they could perform their own rituals and observations. The molten image of silver would have been the centerpiece. The image was in honor of God, the God of Israel. Even more, Micah had a priestly ephod (an apron worn by the Levitical high priests) manufactured to be used in the services and consecrated one of his ons to be the priest who officiated the services.

This is a horrible perversion of the Torah, which God gave his own people. This was no more than a few decades after Joshua's death. But were Micah, his mother and his household doing this for the purpose of committing evil? Did they go into this endeavor, thinking, "Let's go against God!" Were they wicked? Of course not. They thought they were being righteous. Their intention was to be seen by God and man as an especially pious people.

They had knowledge of the Torah of Moses because they created the ephod (a garment mentioned in the book of Leviticus to be worn by the high priest), and they dedicated everything to God by name. But what they did is what seems God's people like to do: they took parts of the Word of God and followed them, while ignoring the rest of the Scripture.

Christianity is guilty of this as were Micah and his mother. We have a tendency to only "listen" to Scripture which tickles our ears and ignore those words which seem harsh. Many in Christianity distort the words of the Bible by adding to them or subtracting from them. Many believe we only need to ask God for forgiveness and we neglect to forgive our neighbor. This goes against Jesus' words which state, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:14-15). It is hard and can be energy demanding and painful to forgiven others. So, many Christians will skip forgiving others and simply ask God for forgiveness. If we read this passage, we will find out if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us. This is quite unsavory to most folks; hence they will subtract these words from their lives.

How could something so clear, right from the mouth of Our Savior, be ignored? Because we prefer to do things our own way.

Judaism has also fallen into this same fault. Orthodox Judaism has established the principle that Rabbis are the ultimate religious authority for them. They have the right to add, change or subtract from the Torah as they see fit. This directly contradicts Scripture:  "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you" (Deuteronomy 4:2). "Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 12:32).

(This same command is given in the Book of Revelation: "I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which was written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, Godf will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book" (Revelation 22:18-19).)

We are commanded not to add and not to subtract from the commands of God, but it has been done regularly over the centuries with disastrous results.

Judges Chapter 16 Part Six (Verses 21-31)

2. (Judges 16:21-22) Samson's Philistine imprisonment
Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison. However, the hair of his head began to grow after it was shaved off.

Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes: Samson was captured and taken into custody. His eyes were gouged out, which is another irony in this story. Samson's eyes were the instruments of his unfaithfulness. His eyes were the portals of his lust. He always did what was right in his own eyes. And now, God's harsh justice demanded that those fleshly eyes were to be blinded to the things of the world in order for Samson to finally see the LORD.

 They brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains: The Philistines had a lot of experience with the inadequacy of ropes as a binding mechanism for capturing Samson. This time, they use bronze. Blinding Samson was a way to humiliate him and make him more docile. They also put him to working grinding grain.

He was a grinder in the prison: Usually, the scene which is illustrated in story books is one of Samson handcuffed to a huge industrial grain grinder which was normally powered by an ox or donkey. However, no such thing is implied by the test. All current archeological evidence is that thus type of grain mill was not even invented until at least 700 years after Samson's death. Samson merely sat at a standard stone grain mill and ground grain, a few handfuls at a time, from dawn to dusk.

Grinding grain was considered woman's work and for such a manly man as Samson to be reduced to such a thing after his notorious exploits made him utterly impotent and laughable to his enemies.

However, the hair of his head began to grow after it was shaved off: While Samson was languishing away in prison, something else was happening: his hair began to grow back. If one gives a little thought, a good question to ask would be: why would the writer of the Book of Judges record such an obvious and trivial thing as the very natural action of Samson's hair growing back? After all, this would happen to anyone under almost any circumstance. Of course, the answer is that the inspired writer has something more in mind here. It implies Samson re-examined his relationship with God, and Samson recognized his personal failings.

Samson was ready to acknowledge his sin and was going through the terribly painful process of true repentance. This repentance would lead to some kind of spiritual strengthening and some amount of restoration of his Nazirite status. 

This is a pattern for all of us to be aware of:
1. If we are unfaithful, our spiritual strength will deteriorate.
2. As out spiritual strength deteriorates, our usefulness to the Kingdom of God and His purposes for us begins to evaporate.
3. When we have become so unfaithful (we cross a line only known by God) as to cause God to react, God can chose to depart from us (at least in the sense of being an active protector or influence in our lives).
4. And when that happens, our fall/destruction is certain.

The good news is that even when we have finally come to destruction, if we recognize our sin, sincerely repent and confess it, then the LORD will return to us. However, that return may not be immediate or to the same degree or even for the same purpose as before our fall. Samson was in a glorious position for a long time. He was one of but a handful of Judges over Israel. Samson was feared and revered by friend and foe. The earth trembled wherever he walked. he was invincible.

But as we will soon see, even though he returned to God, and God returned to him, things were different. Samson's deteriorated condition bore little resemblance to his past glory. Sin has consequences, consequences which often are long lasting. Forgiveness does not mean those consequences will be averted. It merely means that the LORD will not cut us off from Him in eternity.


3. (Judges 16:23-25) Samson is mocked by his enemies
Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice, for they said, "Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands." When the people saw him, they praised their god, for they said, 'Our god has given our enemy into our hands, even the destroyer of our country, who has slain many of us." It so happened when they were in high spirits, that they said, "Call for Samson, that he may amuse us." So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them. And they made him stand between the pillars. 

Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon: As happened on regular occasions, the elite of the Philistines gathered at their temple to offer a sacrifice. The chief Philistine god was Dagon. While it was not for the express purpose of mocking Samson that they assembled, they did offer up thanks to Dagon for handing Samson over to them.

Dagon: Dagon is usually depicted in the form as a half-man and half-fish. (After all, the Philistines were called the Sea Peoples and their territory hugged the Mediterranean Sea.) However, Dagon's function was the god of grain and harvest. Fertility also played a role in Dagon's sphere of influence. This assembly was probably some sort of agricultural festival, which was underway in Philistia. Dagon is given credit for Samson's departure from God.

A very similar thing happens today. Whenever any Arab nation makes gains against Israel, Allah is given credit for it. This makes God seem weak and impotent to the unbelieving Muslims, thus it distorts God's true nature. Islam is growing at a much faster rate than Christianity, and that is not because of God. It is because of the unfaithfulness of His followers. This makes God seem weak, and God's enemies seem strong. Everyone likes to be a winner, so they will associate with whatever appears to be the perceived victor.

It so happened when they were in high spirits: Once the revelries of the festival were in full swing, and the people were drunk and feeling full of themselves, they decided it might be fun to bring Samson out so they could mock him,. But in prison, in the most unimaginable horror which were the prisons of old, Samson had changed, but not entirely. he had apparently come to terms with God such that God saw it as repentance. God returned some measure of strength and divine purpose to Samson.


4. (Judges 16:26-31) Samson's bittersweet death
Then Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them." Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there. And about 3,000 men and women were on the roof looking on while Samson was amusing them.

Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left. And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" And he bent with all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life. Then his brothers and all his father's household came down, took him, brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. Thus he had judged Israel twenty years.

Then Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, "Let me fell the pillars": In those days, the typical supporting pillars were not one large carved piece. Rather, they were some smaller cylindrical sections stacked up to form a pillar. So Samson was able to push one of those sections on each pillar far enough askew that the column's stones no longer lined up and thus crumbled. 

Many examples of that era of ancient temples in the Middle East have been found and catalogued. it was common for them to be quite large. It was also common that the roof was used for the regular folks to gather and watch the ceremonies below, which was conducted by priests and dignitaries.

In verse 23, we are told that the chiefs of the Philistines were there, meaning at least the kings of the five major Philistine cities were in attendance, the same one who hired Delilah to deceive Samson.

About 3,000 men and women were on the roof looking on while Samson was amusing them: The ground floor of the temple under the roof was full, and the roof was crowded. Undoubtedly the crowded condition of the roof made its total collapse easier, so that when Samson made the pillars that held it up unstable, the weight of 3,000 people on that roof contributed to its buckling. We are told upon Samson's death, he killed more of God's enemy (the Philistines) than he had in his many run-ins with them during his life.


The most powerful lesson we can learn: The LORD determined the last act of Samson, a redemptive act of sorts, after Samson had repented sufficiently, that the LORD decided to return to him. But this would also mean the end of his life. Unlike the earlier parts of his life, during a more faithful time, when the adoring women and children who followed Samson around and praised him after the many times he bruised the Philistines, this time the only songs that would be written for him would be as a memorial. The only honor he would get was to have his crushed body entombed with along with his father's. It did not have to be that way, but Samson could not see that before the LORD had departed from hum and his eyes were gouged out.

Samson died in a state of grace, but he died as a broken and shamed man. Samson could have been honored today as King David is honored. But instead, Samson chose the way of the flesh and preferred fellowship with God's enemies rather than with God's people. Samson ruined the unique gift the LORD had given him. All that was left was to lose his life in one final act of personal revenge--an act which at least served a purpose in God's Kingdom.

Just as in the past, it was always Samson's passions and lusts which led to the conflicts he caused, and then avenging and revenging that cycled back and forth between he and the Philistines. Even at his death, it was not God's instructions for him to kill all those Philistines, it was a person act of anger and payback for their treatment of him.

Then all his brothers and all his father's household came down: Verse 31 explains Samson's family came to the demolished temple to fetch Samson's body and bring it home for a proper burial. All know cultures of that era were greatly concerned with the corpse, and thus it was the norm for relatives of a fallen enemy to be given free passage to retrieve the body of a loved one. According to the Bible and all known records, Samson was an only child. The "brothers" spoken of here (those who claimed his body) are meant in a general sense and not in the sibling sense. These were members of Samson's clan, doing their duty as next of kin. Samson's judgeship ended after a 20 year run.

Judges Chapter 16 Part Five (Verse 20 Continued)

Did God's departure from Samson mean that Samson had lost his salvation?
Samson's hair loss as the chief symbol of his special relationship with God most likely did not mean Samson was spiritually cut-off from God. It most likely did not mean Samson was destined for the Place of Torment we call Hell.

We come back to a point I made at the beginning of this chapter: there is a critical difference between faith and faithfulness. By all accounts, Samson's faith remained; it was his faithfulness which he abandoned. Samson did not stop believing in the God of Israel. He did not even adopt other gods (as far as we are aware). Samson simply stopped being obedient. In fact, we watch him over time give in to primitive instincts: he touched dead bodies, used prostitutes, preferred the company of pagans and murdered out of personal anger and revenge. The result was a state of spiritual weakness which lead to his physical weakness. Samson now (with the loss of his Nazirite symbol, his hair) had no more power or strength than any pagan man. It is the same for Believers.

A Believer who backs away from his special relationship with God by means of disobedience gets weaker and weaker spiritually. He is more easily influenced by the world because he is less protected by God. He is less blessed by God and more connected to earthly treasures. There is almost no temptation that he can withstand any more since his nearness to God has evaporated. I can tell you from personal experience that a man can lose all faithfulness, and thus all power and nearness to the LORD, but still have faith.

This was my condition about 12 years ago. I was a Believer. I never stopped believing in God. I never renounced or denied Jesus was the Messiah. But I did stop being obedient. I stopped living the new life afforded by Jesus. I did not worship. I did not study or apply God's Word. I was a useless disciple. I had faith, but I was not faithful. The result was obvious, but I was oblivious to the process. When everything fell apart in my life, I knew what had to be done. I confessed to God and relearned how to be faithful. My life began to change, and in time, buds for future fruit began to form. But the process of returning to faithfulness was long and painful.

No man can measure your faith, but faithfulness is usually pretty apparent. While the first thing which happens when you are saved is acquisition of faith, the next step is faithfulness. Human birth is an excellent example of this.

When we are born, we are pretty useless. We are loved, and we have value in God's eyes. Our mere existence brings joy to our mother and father. Basically, as an infant, all we can do it receive and use up resources. Of course, no one is supposed to stay in that condition. We are supposed to grow, mature, learn, give back, become part of society and then the cycle begins again by bringing forth new infants.

Coming to faith in Jesus is like that, and thus the Bible calls it being born again. When at first we believe, we are pretty helpless and useless to the Kingdom of God. All we can do is receive. We have great value in the Father's eyes and we are loved by Our Savior. But we are not to remain in that infant state. We are expected to grow, mature, learn, give back and become a useful part of the Believer's community so that we can play a role in bringing forth new, reborn people. Our rebirth is from faith. The growth, maturity, learning, giving back and usefulness that ought to come in time are from our faithfulness. End the faithfulness and our usefulness ends along with it.

In short, faith is a state or condition of mind and spirit. While faithfulness is acting upon that state. Faith of itself is passive; faithfulness is action. Faithfulness is a physical acting out or expression of our inner faith. A life which bears little or no signs of faithfulness does not necessarily mean the person does not have faith, but it does mean they are being disobedient and are spiritually going in reverse. It is a fatal and even a dangerous position for a Believer.

We see this same principle playing out in the life of Samson. Samson maintained his faith in God (as far as we know it), but his faithfulness to God ebbed and flowed. (What we read about in the Book of Judges usually centers on Samson's low points.) Samson's lack of faithfulness led finally to the sad and utterly terrifying quote of verse 20: "But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him."


Samson was to save Israel from the Philistines...He was not supposed to become a Philistine
When Samson's insatiable lust for sex and beautiful women finally overwhelmed him (which happened with Delilah), he reached the point of no return. It would be just a matter of time before he was willing to make the all important symbol of his special and holy Nazirite status before the LORD (his long and uncut hair) something he was willing to risk if it meant he could continue in his fleshly pleasures. I have no doubt he never consciously thought that losing the symbol (and with it his set-apart relationship with God) would actually happen. 


Samson was born for the purpose of bedeviling the Philistines. This means he would have constant contact with them, but it did not mean he was to become one of them. The Philistines were to be his project and his enemy. They were not to become his closest friends. I point this out become it is common within Christianity for Believers with good intentions to involve themselves in the lives of criminals, prostitutes, or drug addicts. However, it is also rather common to see such a Believer begins to look more and more like those he came to rescue than the Savior who may have sent him. It happens that this Believer starts to take on the characteristics of the unsaved, but he says it is done to save them.

All too often this notion that we are rubbing elbows primarily of non-Believers as a means of doing something for God is that in fact we are doing it for ourselves. Sometimes it is a camouflage to hide our inner desires. Other times it is a means to appear especially pious. Samson grew to feel more comfortable with the pagan Philistines than he did among his own people. Such a comfort level is dangerous and can lead to a serious downfall unless one increases his nearness to God. Instead, Samson compromises his faith supposedly for the sake of fitting in with the group of people to whom he was supposed to be executing.