DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links and a discussion forum 2014 May 27
Portrait of a Silversmith in His Workshop (c. 1680)
Unknown Dutch Master (fl., 17th Century)
Dutch Golden Age Baroque Style
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: Judges 17 deals with irregularities in worship, including idolatry. Two incidents are recorded, both involving Micah, a man from the tribe of Ephraim. In the first incident, Micah confessed to his mother that he had stolen eleven hundred shekels of silver from her. She was delighted with his confession and dedicated 200 shekels of the silver to the LORD to make an idol. This seemingly was to be used as an image to worship the LORD. When the workman (represented anachronistically above) finished the idol, Micah put it in his house of gods, made an ephod (a garment for the upper body) and a teraphim (an idol, sometimes in human form), and made one of his sons a priest. This idol making (degrading the LORD to a base form) and the inclusion of the idol in a pantheon (making other gods equivalent to the LORD) was ironic considering the fact that Micah's name means "Who is Like Jehovah." And these things were against the LORD's laws (Exodus 20:4; Exodus 20:23; Leviticus 19:4; Deuteronomy 12:3). But, as verse 6 says, "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (1-6).
In the second incident, a Levite from the tribe of Judah happened to come to Micah's house from the city of Bethlehemjudah where he had been residing temporarily ("sojourning"). When he came to Micah, Micah persuaded him to stay with him; and he was like a son to Micah. So Micah consecrated him as a priest; and he felt assured that the LORD would do good to him now that he had a Levite as a priest (7-13).
Judges 17
1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.
3 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.
4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.
5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
8 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
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copyright 2014, Scott Souza
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