And he said unto his mother,.... Who seems to have been a widow, and an ancient woman since Micah had sons, and one of them at age to become a priest:the eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee: which were taken away by stealth from her, though it may be rendered "taken to thee" ; which she had taken to herself out of the rest of her substance, and had separated and devoted it to religious uses; but Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it as we do, and which seems to be the best sense; of the value of this sum, See Gill on "Jud 16:5" and because the like sum is there offered, and was given to Delilah, hence some have thought, as Jarchi relates, that this woman was Delilah; but, as he observes, it is a mistake; for this woman lived long before the times of Samson and Delilah:about which thou cursedst; which when she perceived was stolen from her, she fell into a passion, and cursed and swore, cursed the thief that took it, whether of her own family or another; or adjured her son, that if he knew anything of it, that he would declare it, suspecting him of the robbery; some think this refers to the oath she had made, that she would devote the silver to a religious use:and spakest of also in mine ears; of the sum how much it was, and of the use she had designed it for; or rather the curse was delivered in his hearing, and cut him to the heart, and wrought that conviction in him, that he could not retain the money any longer, not being able to bear his mother's curse; though Abarbinel connects this with the following clause, "behold, the silver is with me"; as if the sense was, that she spake in his ears, and charged him with the theft to his face; saying, verily the silver is with thee, thou hast certainly taken it; upon which he confessed it, "I took it"; but the former sense seems best, that not being willing to lie under his mother's curse, he owned that the money was in his hands, and he had taken it from her:and his mother said, blessed be thou of the Lord, my son; she reversed the curse, and pronounced a blessing on him, or wished one to him, and that without reproving him for his sin, rejoicing to hear of her money again.
Bible Commentary
Judges 17:2
Judges 17:2
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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Judges 17 — OverviewJudges 17 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleAll agree that what is related in this and the rest of the chapters to
the end of this book was not done, as the narrative occurs, after
Samson, but long before, even soon after the death of Joshua, in the
days…Judges 17 — OverviewJudges 17 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeJudges 17:1, Of the money that Micah first stole, then restored, his mother makes images; Judges 17:5, and he ornaments for them; Judges 17:7, He hires a Levite to be his priest.Judges 17 — OverviewJudges 17 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter relates the first rise of idolatry in Israel after the death of Joshua, which began in Mount Ephraim, occasioned by a sum of money stolen by a man from his mother, which being restored, part was converted…Judges 17:1-6Judges 17:1-6 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleHere we have, I. Micah and his mother quarrelling. 1. The son robs the
mother. The old woman had hoarded, with long scraping and saving, a
great sum of money, 1100 pieces of silver. It is likely she intended,…Judges 17:2Judges 17:2 · Treasury of Scripture Knowledgeabout: etc. Houbigant renders this, "and for which you put me to my oath."
cursedst: Judges 5:23; Deuteronomy 27:16; 1 Samuel 14:24, 1 Samuel 14:28, 1 Samuel 26:19; Nehemiah 13:25; Jeremiah 48:10; Matthew 26:74; Romans…
commentaryRecommended resourceExplore this resource connected to the verse you are reading.commentaryRecommended resourceExplore this resource connected to the verse you are reading.devotionThe River and the SwampIf you have never given to God, start the flow. Don't worry about the amount yet, focus on the habit. This Sunday, give something to your local church. Break the grip of greed. Be a river, not a swamp.Discipledeck