Judges 17:10

Jdg 17:10 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.

Ver. 10. Be unto me a father and a priest,] As a father he would respect him, though but a young man, because a priest. The Papists’ respect to their hedge priests, under the name of padres, fathers, will rise up in judgment against us.

And I will give thee ten shekels of silver, &c] A poor slender salary. This man had eleven hundred pieces of silver to bestow upon his idols, but ten shekels is held wages enough for his priest. So Louis XI of France allowed his chaplains twenty shillings a month: but for his physician, {a} one John Cotiers, he allowed him ten thousand crowns a month. In Ireland formerly ministers had no more maintenance than the pasture of two milk cowes, &c. In the whole province of Connaught, the stipend of the incumbent was not above forty shillings, in some places but sixteen shillings. {b} Now, blessed be God, the matter is well amended there, and very good encouragement promised to preachers that shall go over, Stipendia honoraria, with an honourable respect.

So the Levite went in.] Graeculus esuriens. Hunger will snap at anything, where there is not grace to restrain men.

{a} [Barber; Cottier, p. 348.]

{b} Heyl., Geog.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jdg 17:10. Be unto me a father — That is, a priest, a spiritual father, a teacher or instructer. He pretends reverence and submission to him; and what is wanting in his wages, he pays him in titles.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father--a spiritual father, to conduct the religious services of my establishment. He was to receive, in addition to his board, a salary of ten shekels of silver, equal to 25 shillings a year.

a suit of apparel--not only dress for ordinary use, but vestments suitable for the discharge of his priestly functions.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 10. Be unto me a father and a priest] Thou shalt be master of my house, as if thou wert my father; and, as priest, thou shalt appear in the presence of God for me. The term father is often used to express honour and reverence.

Ten shekels of silver] About thirty shillings per annum, with board, lodging, and clothes. Very good wages in those early times.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(10) Be unto me a father and a priest.—The title “father” is here ecclesiastical, like “papa,” “pope,” &c, and this title was given to spiritual directors, as we find in several other passages in the Bible (2Ki_2:12; 2Ki_5:13; 2Ki_6:21; Isa_22:21, &c.). Micah knew enough of the law to be aware of the extreme irregularity of his conduct in making one of his own sons his priest.

Ten shekels of silver.—Thus the grandson of Moses became priest of an idolatrous worship at a salary of 25s. a year!

By the year.—Literally, by days. (Comp. Lev_25:29.)

A suit of apparel.—The Vulgate renders these words “a double robe.” It seems to mean either “an order of garments” or “the value of garments,” i.e., “your clothes.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. father] A title of honour given to a priest Jdg_18:19, a counsellor Gen_45:8, cf. [Apocr.] Esther 16:11, 1Ma_11:32, a prophet 2Ki_2:12; 2Ki_6:21, a master 2Ki_5:13, a king 1Sa_24:11.

ten pieces of silver … victuals] The Levite has to seek a home and maintenance; and he receives a payment of money for his services, cf. 1Sa_2:36. At the more important sanctuaries, however, or when the cultus was more developed, the priests derived their income from portions of the sacrifices and offerings, cf. 1Sa_2:13 ff., 1Sa_2:28. This was the rule in the Babylonian and Phoenician cults, and the Deuteronomic law reflects a similar custom: ‘no portion nor inheritance’ is allowed to the Levitical priests (Deu_10:9 etc., cf. Num_18:23 P); they are dependent upon firstfruits, sacrificial feasts, tithes; and their support is a moral charge on the community, Deu_12:18 f., Deu_14:25-29, Deu_16:11, Deu_18:1-8. In a supplementary law of the Priestly Code a change was introduced, and 48 cities were assigned to the Levites (Num_35:1-8, Jos_21:1-42), but there is no evidence that this regulation was ever carried out.

So the Levite went in] Hebr. went away, departed, as in Jdg_17:8; but this gives a wrong sense. Moreover, no writer could have composed anything so clumsy as and the Levite departed, and the Levite was content (Jdg_17:11). The first phrase may be a stray fragment of one of the two narratives, or it is merely a doublet of the phrase which follows (Studer and others). The Vulgate omits and the L. departed; the LXX in Jdg_17:11 reads and he was content.

11b. and the young man was] Continuing Jdg_17:7.

12a. consecrated] installed, Jdg_17:5 n., continuing 11b: and was in the house of M. continues 11a.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Micah said unto him, dwell with me,.... Hearing that he was a Levite, he thought him a fit man for his purpose, and would give some credit to, and put a better face upon his new form of worship, and therefore, without further inquiry after him and his character, invites him to make his abode with him:

and be unto me a father and a priest; a father to instruct him in the knowledge of divine things; so prophets were called fathers, and their disciples their sons; and a priest to offer sacrifices for him, and to consult before him by his teraphim upon occasion:

and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year; or yearly, which was but a small sum, a poor salary for a priest, at most amounting but to twenty five shillings, and scarce so much:

and a suit of apparel; or "an order of apparel" (m); such as was fit for one of his rank and order as a priest to wear, so Jarchi and Abarbinel; or a couple of garments, as the Targum and Septuagint, a double suit of apparel, according to the order of the season, one for summer and another for winter, as Kimchi and Ben Melech:

and thy victuals; his meat and drink:

so thy Levite went in; into his house, and it looks as if the parley was made, and the bargain struck at the door, Micah being at it as the Levite passed by, or came to it upon his knocking at it; he went after his counsel and advice, as Jarchi, or to do his business, as Kimchi.

(m) "irdinem vestimentorum", Pagninus, Montanus, Muuster, Vatablus; "demensum vestimentorum", Tigurine version.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Ten shekels - About 25 shillings to 26 shillings (see Exo 38:24).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

A father. So he styles him out of respect, as we do our directors. (Haydock) --- It is a title of dignity, Esther xvi. 11., 2 Machabees xiv. 37., and 2 Paralipomenon ii. 13. (Calmet) --- Pieces, sicles. --- Double suit, one for summer and another for winter, (Menochius) or such as might be worn on common, or on sacred occasions, unless it rather mean a cloak and a tunic; (Calmet) a change of dress, chap. xiv. 13.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

A father and a priest; for, a father; that is, a priest; a spiritual father, a teacher or instructor, for such are called fathers: see 2Ki 6:21; 8:9; 13:14; Isa 22:21. He pretends reverence and submission to him; and what is wanting in his wages he pays him in empty titles.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. A father and a priest — A spiritual counsellor as well as a priest. The word father is here a title of respect and reverence. Compare Gen_45:8; 2Ki_6:21.

Ten shekels of silver by the year — A little more than six dollars. A small sum, indeed, but, with food and clothing, probably ample for his comfort in those simple times.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 10, 11. A father. This is not a common application of the word father in the Old Testament. The prominent idea seems to be one of honour, combined with authority to teach and advise. It is applied to prophets, (2Ki_2:12 2Ki_6:21 2Ki_13:14) and to Joseph. (Gen_45:8) The idea is implied in the converse phrase of son, applied to those to whom the prophets stood in "the relation of spiritual fathers. (see 2Ki_8:9 Pro_4:10, Pro_4:20, and frequently elsewhere) The abuse of the feeling which dictates the term as applied to human teachers is reproved by our. (Mat_23:9) It has been freely used in the Christian Church, as in the titles papa or pope applied to bishops, abbot and abbas, father in God, fathers of the Church, etc. Here there is perhaps a special reference to the function of Micah"s priest to ask counsel of God, and then give that counsel to those who came to inquire (see note to ver. 5). It may be added that the idea of counsellor seems to be inherent in the word cohen or priest, as in 2Sa_8:18 1Ki_4:5, etc. Ten shekels a little over a pound of our money, but probably equivalent to when considered relatively to articles of consumption. A suit of apparel. There is great doubt as to the exact meaning of the word rendered suit in this connection. The word means anything arranged, i.e. put in a rank, or row, or order. In Exo_40:23 it is applied to the shewbread: "He ordered the bread in order." Thence it came to mean the estimation or worth of a person or thing some-what as we use the word rank. From this last sense some interpret the word here to mean the worth or price of his clothes. Others, including St. Jerome and the Septuagint, interpret it a pair of vestments, meaning summer and winter clothing. But perhaps the A.V, suit, meaning the whole set of under and upper garments, is after all the best interpretation. The Levite went in. The Hebrew is went , i.e. according to the common use of the word, went his way. And such is probably the meaning here. He went his way to consider the proposal made to him. The result is given in the next verse: And the Levite was content, etc.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A father - That is, a priest, a spiritual father, a teacher or instructor. He pretends reverence and submission to him; and what is wanting in his wages, he pays him in titles.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Micah made this proposal to the Levite: "Dwell with me, and become my father and priest; I will give thee ten shekels of silver yearly, and fitting out with clothes and maintenance." אב, father, is an honourable title give to a priest as a paternal friend and spiritual adviser, and is also used with reference to prophets in Kg2 6:21 and Kg2 13:14, and applied to Joseph in Gen 45:8. ליּמים, for the days, sc., for which a person was engaged, i.e., for the year (cf. Sa1 27:7, and Lev 25:29). "And the Levite went," i.e., went to Micah's house. This meaning is evident from the context. The repetition of the subject, "the Levite," precludes our connecting it with the following verb ויּואל. - In Jdg 17:11-13 the result is summed up. The Levite resolved (see at Deu 1:5) to dwell with Micah, who treated him as one of his sons, and entrusted him with the priesthood at his house of God. And Micah rejoiced that he had got a Levite as priest, and said, "Now I know that Jehovah will prosper me." This belief, or, to speak more correctly, superstition, for which Micah was very speedily to atone, proves that at that time the tribe of Levi held the position assigned it in the law of Moses; that is to say, that it was regarded as the tribe elected by God for the performance of divine worship.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

a father and a priest

The word "father" is here used in the sense of an advisor, and not to a literal father. AT: "an advisor and a priest" (See: Metonymy)

I will give you ten pieces of silver a year

"I will give you ten pieces of silver each year"

a suit of clothes

"a set of clothes"

So the Levite went into his house

It is implied that the Levite accepted Micah's offer, and therefore, entered Micah's house. AT: "So the Levite accepted his offer and went into his house" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

the young man became to Micah like one of his sons

The relationship between the Levite and Micah became like the close relationship between a father and son. AT: "the young man became close to Micah and was like one of his sons" (See: Simile)

translationWords

life

priest

silver

Levi

son

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

Per year At the year's end.

An appropriate wardrobe A pair of outfits appropriate for everyone's yearly requirements.

An appropriate wardrobe. "Appareillement" in old French.

And your board Your meals.

The Levi acquiesced [lit. went] Followed his advice.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.