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.
• 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

1Now there was a man of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Micah. 2And he said to his mother, “The 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, which you also repeated it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be my son of Adonai.” And he returned the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, and his mother said, “I wholly dedicate the silver from my hand to Adonai for my son to make a graven image and a molten image; now therefore. I will return it to you.” 4So when he returned the silver to his mother, his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave them to the silversmith who made it into a graven image and a molten image; and they were kept in the house of Micah. 5Now the man Micah had a shrine of gods, and he made an ephod and household idols, and consecrated one of his sons to become 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 17:13Then Micah said, “Now I know that Adonai will do me good, seeing I have a Levite as my priest.”
• Judges 18:5“Please inquire of God,” they said to him, “so we may know whether our way that we are going will be successful.”
• Isaiah 66:3One who kills an ox is like one who kills a man; one who sacrifices a lamb is like one who breaks a dog’s neck; one who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine’s blood; one who burns incense is like one who blesses an idol. They have chosen their own ways, so their soul delights in their abominations.
• Exodus 20:4Do not make for yourself a graven image , or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or on the earth below or in the water under the earth.
• Leviticus 19:4“Do not turn to idols, or make molten gods for yourselves. I am Adonai your God.
• Deuteronomy 12:3You are to tear down their altars, smash their pillars, burn their Asherah poles in the fire and cut down the carved images of their gods, and you are to obliterate their name from that place.
• Psalms 115:4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
• Isaiah 40:18To whom then will you liken God? To what likeness will you compare Him?
• Isaiah 44:9Those who fashion idols are empty. Their precious things do not profit. Their witnesses do not see or know, so they will be put to shame.
• Jeremiah 10:3The customs of the peoples are useless: it is just a tree cut from the forest, the work of the hands of a craftsman with a chisel.
• Habakkuk 2:18What use is an idol when its craftsman has carved it? Or a metal image—a teacher of lies? For a craftsman has trusted in the image that he created, to make dumb idols.
• John 16:2They will throw you out of the synagogues. Yes, an hour is coming when whoever 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

• 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