We are introduced to Micah from Mount Ephraim. With no details about how it happened, we are told he has returned 1,100 silver shekels which seem to have been stolen from his mother.
Judges 17:3 – And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto Jehovah from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
Graven and molten images? I thought under the law of Moses that was illegal? Considering we are in the times of “Judges” it almost sounds like it’s an “anything goes” type of era where we are told the Israelites are doing “evil in the eyes of Jehovah”. What’s interesting is that the mother was intending to make these images for Jehovah, and not any of the other gods mentioned. The silver is taken to a founder who makes the graven and molten image.
17:5 – And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became a priest.
A non-Levite priest? A house of “gods” plural? Sounds like it is an anything goes time. But wait! A quick look at the Hebrew Interlinear shows us that the KJV version is translating the word “gods” in the above verse from the same word it has used to point to Jehovah or a single god: *elohim*. In other verse, this same word *elohim* is being used to describe a single god, and in some verses, Jehovah. So which is it? Jehovah? god, gods? This is how the story gets stretched, and it’s absolutely visible when you see one word translated 3 different ways, to fit some sort of consensus of what modern translators THINK it should mean, as opposed to what the original authors INTENDED.
Then we have *teraphim* which is awfully similar to *seraphim*. Teraphim is described as “household idols”. Seraphim being, in modern religion, pointing to a high ranking angel, yet I am arguing actually means “fiery serpent” as the ORIGINAL Hebrew indicates AND how it was actually translated in KJV Numbers 21:6. Again, another instance where one word takes on multiple meanings that change the entire context of the bible stories.
In teraphim, we have a root “rapha” in Hebrew which means “to heal.” We find it in both teraphim and seraphim. Are they opposites? Teraphim heal, and Seraphim bite and hurt like they did in Numbers 21:6 as fiery serpents?
Back to the story…
17:6 – In those days there was no king in Israel, but ever man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Eventually Micah crosses paths with a traveling Levite looking for a place to stay in his travels. As if to gives some more legitimacy to his “house of gods”, Micah asks this Levite to stay with him, be like a son and a priest, to the salary of 10 shekels per year, priestly clothing and tools. The man agreed and Micah treated him like his own son. The legitimacy of Micah’s house is increased in Micah’s eyes:
17:13 – Then said Micah, Now I know that Jehovah will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
What’s of note is that, despite ALL the previous instances we are told that Jehovah has done good for this people, they are still polytheistic in nature, much like their Canaanite relatives. Is it really hard to understand? There are a bunch of different gods and rather than put all your eggs in one basket, you worship as many as you can hoping ONE of them will provide. Question is, again, why do they keep turning away from Jehovah if (as we are told but not really believable in my eyes) that he can be a good enough god that they wouldn’t need to worship others?
Are the other gods less demanding? Jehovah wants the first born, silver, sacrifices, burnt flesh offerings to savour, full admiration of his people to the tune of scheduled feasts and holy days, strict food rules and observances. Why would the Israelites put Jehovah on the same level as (what we are told) are other wicked gods/devils? Is it because they think Jehovah is one too? It’s too bad the author doesn’t get into this topic. Instead we are told the Israelites are just disobedient, but not really told why, so we assume they are just wicked by nature.
My Biblical Journey 