PART III Chapter s 17 18, and 19 21, form a double Appendix to the Book of Judges proper (Judges 2:6 to Judges 16:31). As they exhibit no traces of the characteristic handling of the Deuteronomic compiler, and lie outside his chronological scheme, they must have been added by some later editor afte... [ Continue Reading ]
_the hill country of Ephraim_ See on Judges 3:27. In view of its subsequent connexion with the sanctuary at Dan, some think that Micah's house was at Beth-el. The narrative, however, leaves the situation vague; it may imply that he lived somewhere on the road which ran northwards along the Central H... [ Continue Reading ]
_eleven hundred_pieces _of silver_ See on Judges 16:5. _and didst also speak it_ A paraphrase; lit. -and didst also say.…" The text of Judges 17:2-3 has suffered disturbance; the words of the speech are missing here; the sequence -and he restored … I will restore (Judges 17:3) … And he restored (Jud... [ Continue Reading ]
_from my hand for my son_ LXX. cod. A and Luc. reads _from my hand alone_, with a slight change in the Hebr.; i.e. the mother alone, the rightful owner, could carry out the vow; so Moore, Lagrange. But the emphasis on _alone_is not particularly required, and the text may be retained. Following the r... [ Continue Reading ]
_two hundred_pieces _of silver_ Because the whole sum was given to Jehovah it does not follow that the whole was wanted for the image. Elsewhere _the founder_is a maker of idols, Isaiah 40:19; Isaiah 41:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
_had an house of gods_ But according to his lights Micah was a zealous worshipper of Jehovah; so follow Marg. _had an house of_ GOD, i.e. a private shrine. The narrative hardly permits the identification of Micah's _beth-elohim_with Beth-el, as has been proposed; nor does it intend to brand his shri... [ Continue Reading ]
_a young man … sojourned there_ i.e. in the neighbourhood of Micah's house. Technically the word _sojourner_(Hebr. _gçr_) means one who lives under the protection of a tribe to which he does not belong by birth. This _young man_, a Levite of Judah, was settled in the place where Micah lived, became... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the man departed_ Here comes the wandering Levite, who, in the course of his travels, arrives at Micah's house; he is the counterpart of _the young man_already settled there. This narrative no doubt began with some such words as -Now there was a Levite out of Beth-lehem-judah," which naturally... [ Continue Reading ]
_father_ A title of honour given to a priest Judges 18:19, a counsellor Genesis 45:8, cf. [Apocr.] Esther 16:11, 1Ma 11:32, a prophet 2 Kings 2:12; 2 Kings 6:21, a master 2 Kings 5:13, a king 1 Samuel 24:11. _ten_pieces _of silver … victuals_ The Levite has to seek a home and maintenance; and he rec... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse may belong to either of the two narratives.... [ Continue Reading ]