BibleWord.ai› Bible› Judges› Chapter 17› Verse 5

Judges 17:5

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Judges 17:5 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And the man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And the man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
Judges 17:5 — American Standard Version

Context — Judges 17

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
2And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred [pieces] of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou didst utter a curse, and didst also speak it in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son of Jehovah.
3And he restored the eleven hundred [pieces] of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I verily dedicate 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.
4And when he restored the money unto his mother, his mother took two hundred [pieces] of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and it was in the house of Micah.
5And the man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
6In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
7And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.
8And the man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find [a place], and he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
← Judges 17:4Judges 17:6 →
← Full Chapter 17 Judges Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the man Micah had an house of gods, etc.] Having two images in it, besides teraphim, which were a sort of idols; and the Targum is, an house of images, or idols; though it may be rendered “an house of God”; a temple, a place for religious worship: and made an ephod; a priestly garment, a linen one very probably, not so rich an one with a breastplate to it as the high priest had, which was very costly. Ben Melech interprets it a girdle, and there was a curious girdle of the ephod, with which it was girt; this may be here put for the rest of the priestly garments which Micah provided: and teraphim; which were a sort of household gods, like the Lares and Penates of the Romans, and by which…”
Read attributed excerpt →
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“the man Micah had an house of gods--Hebrew, "a house of God"--a domestic chapel, a private religious establishment of his own. an ephod--(see on Exo 28:6). teraphim--tutelary gods of the household (see Gen 31:19 and see on Gen 31:26). consecrated one of his sons who became his priest--The assumption of the priestly office by any one out of the family of Aaron was a direct violation of the divine law (Num 3:10; Num 16:17; Deu 21:5; Heb 5:4).”
Read attributed excerpt →
Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Of gods - That is, an house consecrated for the service of God in this manner. Teraphim - A sort of images so called. One of his sons - Because the Levites in that corrupt estate of the church, neglected the exercise of their office, and therefore they were neglected by the people, and others put into their employment. Judges 17:6”
Read attributed excerpt →
Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“an house of gods: or, as baith Elohim may also signify, "a house of God." Jdg 18:24; Gen 31:30; Ezr 1:7; Hos 8:14 ephod: Jdg 8:27, Jdg 18:14; Exo 28:4, Exo 28:15; Sa1 23:6 teraphim: Gen 31:19, Gen 31:30 \*marg. Hos 3:4 consecrated: Heb. filled the hand, Exo 29:9; Kg1 12:31, Kg1 13:33, Kg1 13:34; Heb 5:4 his sons: Exo 24:5 Judges 17:6”
Read attributed excerpt →

Related study paths

Read Judges 17 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification