Judges 17:3

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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)He returned the money to her, and she said, “I now dedicate these silver coins to the Lord. In honor of my son, I will have an image carved and an idol cast.”

Context of Judges 17:3

1Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim 2said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have that silver with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “The Lord bless you, my son!” 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.” 4So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol. And it was put in Micah’s house. 5Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household gods and installed one of his sons as his priest.

Judges 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 17:13And Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest.”
• Judges 18:5Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to learn whether our journey will be successful.”
• Isaiah 66:3But whoever sacrifices a bull is like one who kills a person, and whoever offers a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever makes a grain offering is like one who presents pig’s blood, and whoever burns memorial incense is like one who worships an idol. They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations;
• Exodus 20:4“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
• Leviticus 19:4“ ‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the Lord your God.
• Deuteronomy 12:3Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places.
• Psalms 115:4But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.
• Isaiah 40:18With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him?
• Isaiah 44:9All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.
• Jeremiah 10:3For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
• Habakkuk 2:18“Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak.
• John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a 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

• Shekel
• Vows

In the dictionaries

• Graven image
• Molten, Image
• Idol
• Micah
• Teraphim
• Bethlehem
• Ephod (1)
• Ezekiel
• Israel, History of
• Israel, Religion of

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