Judges 17:3

And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Micah returns the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother after confessing to taking it. She responds directly to his repayment, declaring her vow to dedicate the money for a religious purpose.

The words — The verb וַ/יָּ֛שֶׁב (va/i.Ya.shev) describes the physical act of returning the silver, while וַ/תֹּ֣אמֶר (va./To.mer) introduces her spoken declaration. These terms structure the transaction and her subsequent pledge within the narrative sequence.

The thread — The text's mention of crafting a graven image and molten idol directly parallels the prohibitions in Exodus 20:4, Leviticus 19:4, and Exodus 20:23. These passages consistently forbid the creation of molten gods or silver and gold idols alongside Yahweh.

Why it lands — The passage records a mother consecrating returned money to fund an idol, highlighting the gap between pious language and forbidden practice. It requires the reader to observe how religious dedication can be directed toward objects explicitly prohibited by the law.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיָּ֛שֶׁבva/i.Ya.shevand/ he brought back אֶת־'et-<obj.>אֶֽלֶף־'e.lef-[the] one thousand וּמֵאָ֥הu./me.'Ahand/ one hundred הַכֶּ֖סֶףha./Ke.sefthe/ silver לְאִמּ֑וֹle./'i.M/oto/ mother/ his וַתֹּ֣אמֶרva./To.merand/ she said אִמּ֡וֹ'i.M/omother/ his הַקְדֵּ֣שׁhak.Deshcertainly <to consecrate>הִקְדַּ֣שְׁתִּיhik.Dash.tiI consecrate אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַכֶּסֶף֩ha./ke.Sefthe/ silver לַיהוָ֨הla./Yah.wehto/ Yahweh מִיָּדִ֜יmi./ya.D/ifrom/ hand/ my לִבְנִ֗יli/v.N/ifor/ son/ my לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙la./'a.sOtto/ make פֶּ֣סֶלPe.sela carved image וּמַסֵּכָ֔הu./ma.se.Khahand/ a molten image וְעַתָּ֖הve./'a.Tahand/ therefore אֲשִׁיבֶ֥נּוּ'a.shi.Ve./nuI will return/ itלָֽךְ׃La/khto <the>/ you

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath.
Leviticus 19:4 Do not turn to idols or make for yourselves molten gods. I am the LORD your God.
Exodus 20:23 You are not to make any gods alongside Me; you are not to make for yourselves gods of silver or gold.
Exodus 34:17 You shall make no molten gods for yourselves.
Deuteronomy 12:3 Tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, burn up their Asherah poles, cut down the idols of their gods, and wipe out their names from every place.
Judges 17:13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.”
Judges 18:5 Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to determine whether we will have a successful journey.”
Psalms 115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.
Isaiah 40:18 To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare Him?
Isaiah 44:9 All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.