Judges 17:7-13

Micab's Hired Priest Judges 17:7-13

7 And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
8 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehem-judah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah as he journeyed.
9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
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.
11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

11.

How could the Levite be from Bethlehem-judah? Judges 17:7

Levites were given forty-eight cities spread throughout the length and breadth of the Promised Land. They were not given land on which they could plant vineyards and orchards. They did not have extensive fields in which they could sow. grain. Only about 1,000 cubits roundabout each of these forty-eight cities was provided as a place where they could tether their animals and raise gardens of herbs and vegetables. Thus the Levites might live in the land assigned to any one of the twelve tribes. The Levite who came to Micah was from the southern area, the tribe of Judah.

12.

Why was the Levite so poor and so easily contented? Judges 17:9-10

He was evidently not needed in the service of the Lord in Bethlehem-judah; and when he left his village, he had no means of making a living. The Israelites were not always faithful to God's command to give a tithe to support the Levites. In the days of Nehemiah the Levites had been forced to go to labor in the fields. Nehemiah straightened this out and commanded the people to bring a tithe to support the Levites (Nehemiah 13:10; Nehemiah 13:14). It is also quite possible that this Levite was inept and rebellious. For this reason he was forced to go elsewhere to find a means of livelihood.

13.

What was the reward for the Levite? Judges 17:10

Micah promised the Levite that he would give him ten shekels of silver per year as his salary. By way of comparison, it is good to remember that the founder who made the image was paid 200 shekels of silveran amount equivalent to twenty years of pay for the Levite. The Levite was also promised a place to live and clothing to wear. In other words he was to receive room and board plus a small stipend.

14.

Why did Micah think he would be blessed? Judges 17:13

Micah was like many people who follow false religions today. They are superstitious and ignorant of the true meaning of worship. Because Micah had an image, a sanctuary in which to worship, robes for his priest and a priest who was related to the true priests of Israel, he felt that he had everything any religious man could hope to have. He felt that such rituals and forms of religion would bring him a blessing. He was willingly ignorant of the fact that God's spirit does not dwell in externals. God is more pleased with obedience than with sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22).