Judges 17

1. Judges 17

2. Did we come to the end of the book? Samson is the 12th and last judge named in the book of Judges. What follows is not in chronological order.

3. Judges 17 - 21 • Judges 17 & 18 tell a story that apparently took place before the first judge was appointed • Judges 19, 20, and 21, tell another dark story in the history of the Children of Israel.

4. Judges 17 - 21 • What concludes the book of Judges appear to be what some have called an “appendix.” It is about events that took place, perhaps shortly after the death of Joshua. They are important accounts, but not in chronological order.

5. The Story of Micah • (Judg 17:1 NKJV) Now there was a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

6. We begin with Theft! • (Judg 17:2 NKJV) And he said to his mother, "The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you, and on which you put a curse, even saying it in my ears; here is the silver with me; I took it." And his mother said, "May you be blessed by the LORD, my son!"

7. We begin with Theft! • (Judg 17:2 NKJV) And he said to his mother, "The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you, and on which you put a curse, even saying it in my ears; here is the silver with me; I took it." And his mother said, "May you be blessed by the LORD, my son!" • According to one source, a shekel was worth about 66c in 1915. So we are talking about almost $800 in 1915 money.

8. Next we have Idolatry • (Judg 17:3 NKJV) So when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, "I had wholly dedicated the silver from my hand to the LORD for my son,to make a carved image and a molded image; now therefore, I will return it to you."

9. He returns the stolen silver • (Judg 17:4 NKJV) Thus he returned the silver to his mother. Then his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to the silversmith, and he made it into a carved image and a molded image; and they were in the house of Micah.

10. He had his own Worship! • (Judg 17:5 NKJV) The man Micah had a shrine,and made an ephod and household idols; and he consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

11. He had his own Idols! (Deu 27:14-15 NKJV) "And the Levites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel: {15} 'Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.' And all the people shall answer and say, 'Amen!'

12. Judges 17:6 (NKJV) • In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

13. Judges 17:6 (NKJV) • In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. • Sounds good, perhaps, but it isn’t. Everybody is a law unto themselves. No one is that concerned about God’s laws.

14. The Levite • (Judg 17:7 NKJV) Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah; he was a Levite, and was staying there.

15. The Levite • (Judg 17:7 NKJV) Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah; he was a Levite, and was staying there. • All priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priest, so we do not know about this young man whether he was qualified as a priest or not.

16. (Judg 17:8 NKJV) • The man departed from the city of Bethlehem in Judah to stay wherever he could find a place. Then he came to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

17. (Judg 17:8 NKJV) • The man departed from the city of Bethlehem in Judah to stay wherever he could find a place. Then he came to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

18. Judges 17:9 (NKJV) • And Micah said to him, "Where do you come from?" So he said to him, "I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am on my way to find a place to stay."

19. Judges 17:9 (NKJV) • And Micah said to him, "Where do you come from?" So he said to him, "I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am on my way to find a place to stay." • The Questions: • What caused him to leave? • Was he asked to leave? • Was he looking for a better job? • What is he qualified to do?

20. His Pay Spelled Out: • (Judg 17:10 NKJV) Micah said to him, "Dwell with me, and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your sustenance." So the Levite went in.

21. He Makes Himself at Home • (Judg 17:11 NKJV) Then the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man became like one of his sons to him.

22. This was not Micah’s job! • (Judg 17:12 NKJV) So Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and lived in the house of Micah.

23. It was God’s Job • (Exo 29:44-45 NKJV) "So I will consecrate the tabernacle of meeting and the altar. I will also consecrate both Aaron and his sons to minister to Me as priests. {45} "I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God.

24. Or who He appointed: • (Exo 30:22 & 30 NKJV) Moreover the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: . . . {30}"And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests.

25. So as Judges 17 concludes--These were Lawless Days: • (Judg 17:6 NKJV) In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

26. Judges 18 – The Tribe of Dan

27. Can you find Dan in this list? • (Rev 7:4-8 NKJV) And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed: • {5} of the tribe of [1] Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of [2] Reuben . . . of the tribe of • [3] Gad {6} of the tribe of [4] Asher . . .; of the tribe of [5] Naphtali . . .; of the tribe of [6] Manasseh . . . of the tribe of {7} Simeon . . .of the tribe of [8] Levi . . .of the tribe of [9] Issachar . . . {8} of the tribe of [10] Zebulun . . . of the tribe of [11] Joseph . . .of the tribe of [12] Benjamin • So where is Dan? Why is he left out?

28. Does Dan Deserve More Land? • (Judg 18:1 KJV) In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all theirinheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.

29. Dan Wants More Land • (Judg 18:2 NKJV) So the children of Dan sent five men of their family from their territory, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and search it. They said to them, "Go, search the land." So they went to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.

30. Dan Wants More Land • (Judg 18:2 NKJV) So the children of Dan sent five men of their family from their territory, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and search it. They said to them, "Go, search the land." So they went to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there.

31. men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and search it.

32. They Take Note of Micah’s Levite • (Judg 18:3 NKJV) While they were at the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. They turned aside and said to him, "Who brought you here?What are you doing in this place? What do you have here?"

33. Judges 18:4-5 ( NKJV) • He said to them, "Thus and so Micah did for me. He has hired me, and I have become his priest." {5} So they said to him, "Please inquire of God, that we may know whether the journey on which we go will be prosperous."

34. Judges 18:6 (NKJV) • And the priest said to them, "Go in peace. The presence of the LORD be with you on your way.” • Is this man really a man of God who is in God’s favor, or does he just speak this on his own?

35. Judges 18:7 (NKJV) • So the five men departed and went to Laish. They saw the people who were there, how they dwelt safely, in the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. There were no rulers in the land who might put them to shame for anything. They were far from the Sidonians, and they had no ties with anyone.

36. The Spies give a good report • (Judg 18:8-9 NKJV) Then the spies came back to their brethren at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said to them, "What is your report?" {9} So they said, "Arise, let us go up against them. For we have seen the land, and indeed it is very good. Would you do nothing? Do not hesitate to go, and enter to possess the land.

37. Judges 18:10 (NKJV) • "When you go, you will come to a secure people and a large land. For God has given it into your hands, a place where there is no lack of anything that is on the earth."

38. Judges 18:11-12 (NKJV) • And six hundred men of the family of the Danites went from there, from Zorah and Eshtaol, armed with weapons of war. {12} Then they went up and encamped in Kirjath Jearim in Judah. (Therefore they call that place Mahaneh Dan to this day. There it is, west of Kirjath Jearim.)

39. Judges 18:13-14 (NKJV) • And they passed from there to the mountains of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah. {14} Then the five men who had gone to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their brethren, "Do you know that there are in these houses an ephod, household idols, a carved image, and a molded image? Now therefore, consider what you should do."

40. Judges 18:15-16 (NKJV) • So they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young Levite man; to the house of Micah; and greeted him. {16} The six hundred men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.

41. They Steal the idols:How can we think of them as honorable people? • (Judg 18:17 NKJV) Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up. Entering there, they took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molded image. The priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men who were armed with weapons of war.

42. Judges 18:18 (NKJV) • When these went into Micah's house and took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molded image, the priest said to them, "What are you doing?"

43. They Basically Kidnap His Priest • (Judg 18:19 NKJV) And they said to him, "Be quiet, put your hand over your mouth, and come with us; be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest to the household of one man, or that you be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?"

44. What does this say about the priest? • (Judg 18:20 NKJV) So the priest's heart was glad; and he took the ephod, the household idols, and the carved image, and took his place among the people.

45. What does this say about the priest? • (Judg 18:20 NKJV) So the priest's heart was glad; and he took the ephod, the household idols, and the carved image, and took his place among the people. • Isn’t he now party to the crime of stealing?

46. Children & Livestock Defense • (Judg 18:21 NKJV) Then they turned and departed, and put the little ones, the livestock, and the goods in front of them.

47. Judges 18:22 (NKJV) • When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah's house gathered together and overtook the children of Dan.

48. They have stolen his gods! • (Judg 18:23-24 NKJV) And they called out to the children of Dan. So they turned around and said to Micah, "What ails you, that you have gathered such a company?" {24} So he said, "You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and you have gone away. Now what more do I have? How can you say to me, 'What ails you?'"

49. We will kill you for your stuff! • (Judg 18:25 NKJV) And the children of Dan said to him, "Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry men fall upon you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household!"

50. Micah Defeated • (Judg 18:26 NKJV) Then the children of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.