New English Translation
Judges 17:3
3When he gave back to his mother the eleven hundred pieces of silver, his mother said, “I solemnly dedicate this silver to the Lord. It will be for my son’s benefit. We will use it to make a carved image and a metal image.”
Judges 17:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
- New International Version (NIV)When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make an image overlaid with silver. I will give it back to you.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, "I dedicate the silver to the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you."
- New King James Version (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.”
Context of Judges 17:3
1There was a man named Micah from the Ephraimite hill country. 2He said to his mother, “You know the eleven hundred pieces of silver which were stolen from you, about which I heard you pronounce a curse? Look here, I have the silver. I stole it, but now I am giving it back to you.” His mother said, “May the Lord reward you, my son!” When he gave back to his mother the eleven hundred pieces of silver, his mother said, “I solemnly dedicate this silver to the Lord. It will be for my son’s benefit. We will use it to make a carved image and a metal image.” 4When he gave the silver back to his mother, she took two hundred pieces of silver to a silversmith, who made them into a carved image and a metal image. She then put them in Micah’s house. 5Now this man Micah owned a shrine. He made an ephod and some personal idols and hired one of his sons to serve as a priest.
Read all of Judges 17Judges 17:3 word by word
וַיָּ֛שֶׁב אֶת־אֶֽלֶף־וּמֵאָ֥ה הַכֶּ֖סֶף לְאִמּ֑וֹ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אִמּ֡וֹ הַקְדֵּ֣שׁ הִקְדַּ֣שְׁתִּי אֶת־הַכֶּסֶף֩ לַיהוָ֨ה מִיָּדִ֜י לִבְנִ֗י לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙ פֶּ֣סֶל וּמַסֵּכָ֔ה וְעַתָּ֖ה אֲשִׁיבֶ֥נּוּ לָֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And when he had restoredשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725
- the eleven hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- the eleven hundredאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
- of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- to his motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I had whollyקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: dedicateH6942
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- from my handיָדyâd · handH3027
- for my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- to makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- a graven imageפֶּ֫סֶלpesel · idolH6459
- and a molten imageמַסֵּכָהmassêkâh · molten metalH4541
Cross-references for Judges 17:3
- Judges 17:13Micah said, “Now I know God will make me rich, because I have this Levite as my priest.”
- Judges 18:5They said to him, “Seek a divine oracle for us, so we can know if we will be successful on our mission.”
- Isaiah 66:3The one who slaughters a bull also strikes down a man; the one who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog’s neck; the one who presents an offering includes pig’s blood with it; the one who offers incense also praises an idol. They have decided to behave this way; they enjoy these disgusting practices.
- Exodus 20:4“You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below.
- Leviticus 19:4Do not turn to idols, and you must not make for yourselves gods of cast metal. I am the Lord your God.
- Deuteronomy 12:3You must tear down their altars, shatter their sacred pillars, burn up their sacred Asherah poles, and cut down the images of their gods; you must eliminate their very memory from that place.
- Psalms 115:4Their idols are made of silver and gold – they are man-made.
- Isaiah 40:18To whom can you compare God? To what image can you liken him?
- Isaiah 44:9All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they delight are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.
- Jeremiah 10:3For the religion of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools.
- Habakkuk 2:18What good is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? Why would its creator place his trust in it and make such mute, worthless things?
- John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogue, yet a time is coming when the one who kills you will think he is offering service to God.
Commentaries on Judges 17:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3I had wholly dedicated - From this it appears that Micah's mother, though she made a superstitious use of the money, had no idolatrous design, for she expressly says she had dedicated it ליהוה layhovah, to Jehovah; and this appears to have been the reason why she poured imprecations on him who had taken it.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Such a superstitious and unlawful mode of worshipping Yahweh is quite of a piece with Judges 8:27; Judges 11:31; 1 Kings 12:28, etc. It argues but slight acquaintance with the Ten Commandments, which, from the ignorance of reading and writing, were probably not familiar to the Israelites in those unsettled times. The mother intimates that the consecration of the silver was for the benefit of her son and his house, not for her own selfish advantage: and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3Micah’s mother was indulgent and worshipped idols, yet she used the Lord’s name in both cursing and blessing. I heard you place a curse: People believed words in curses and blessings had power, especially if the speaker had authority (compare Genesis 27; Isaiah 55:11). eleven hundred shekels: This large amount was also given to Delilah (Judges 16:5). It was likely Micah’s mother’s life savings or dowry. Blessed be my son by the LORD!: Micah’s mother hoped…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. a graven image and a molten image--The one carved from a block of wood or stone, to be plated over with silver; the other, a figure formed of the solid metal cast into a mould. It is observable, however, that only two hundred shekels were given to the founder. Probably the expense of making two such figures of silver, with their appurtenances (pedestals, bases, &c.), might easily cost, in those days, two hundred shekels, which (at 2 shillings, 4 pence…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 17:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Judges 17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
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