Judges 17:2 - He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me. I took it.” His mother said, “May Yahweh bless my son!”
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Judges 17:2" mean?
This verse from Judges 17:2 is part of the story of Micah and his graven image. Here's a breakdown of what it means:
"He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me. I took it.”": This reveals that Micah had stolen a large sum of silver (1100 pieces) from his mother. She was so upset that she pronounced a curse on whoever had taken it, possibly even unaware that her son was the thief. The fact that he heard the curse suggests he was present, potentially adding to his guilt. Micah now confesses to his mother that he was the thief.
"His mother said, “May Yahweh bless my son!”": This is a surprising and somewhat paradoxical response. Instead of being angry or upset that her son stole from her and caused her to pronounce a curse, she blesses him. This is unusual behaviour given that theft and bearing false witness are both against God's commands, and would suggest that she is more concerned about her money and family than about justice or religious purity.
Key Interpretations and Implications:
Moral Ambiguity: The story of Micah highlights a time of religious and moral decline in Israel, characterized by idolatry and the disregard of God's laws.
Motives and Irony: Micah's confession is likely motivated by guilt and fear because of the curse his mother had uttered, but it is ironic that he confesses for a selfish motive to avoid a curse.
Mother's Ambivalence: His mother's blessing is odd. It could be interpreted in a few ways:
She's relieved the silver is found and is happy to have it back, even if it means condoning her son's theft.
She is afraid of the power of the curse she spoke and is trying to nullify it by blessing her son.
She prioritizes family loyalty over moral correctness.
Setting the Scene: This verse sets the stage for the rest of the story, where Micah will use the silver to create a graven image and hire a Levite to be his personal priest, further illustrating the religious chaos and corruption in Israel at that time.
In summary, this verse reveals a family dynamic marked by theft, a curse, confession, and a blessing, all against the backdrop of moral and religious decay. It foreshadows the larger issues of idolatry and lack of adherence to God's law that will be explored in the rest of the story.
Judges 17:2 - He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me. I took it.” His mother said, “May Yahweh bless my son!”
What does "Judges 17:2" mean?
This verse from Judges 17:2 is part of the story of Micah and his graven image. Here's a breakdown of what it means:
"He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me. I took it.”": This reveals that Micah had stolen a large sum of silver (1100 pieces) from his mother. She was so upset that she pronounced a curse on whoever had taken it, possibly even unaware that her son was the thief. The fact that he heard the curse suggests he was present, potentially adding to his guilt. Micah now confesses to his mother that he was the thief.
"His mother said, “May Yahweh bless my son!”": This is a surprising and somewhat paradoxical response. Instead of being angry or upset that her son stole from her and caused her to pronounce a curse, she blesses him. This is unusual behaviour given that theft and bearing false witness are both against God's commands, and would suggest that she is more concerned about her money and family than about justice or religious purity.
Key Interpretations and Implications:
Moral Ambiguity: The story of Micah highlights a time of religious and moral decline in Israel, characterized by idolatry and the disregard of God's laws.
Motives and Irony: Micah's confession is likely motivated by guilt and fear because of the curse his mother had uttered, but it is ironic that he confesses for a selfish motive to avoid a curse.
Mother's Ambivalence: His mother's blessing is odd. It could be interpreted in a few ways:
She's relieved the silver is found and is happy to have it back, even if it means condoning her son's theft.
She is afraid of the power of the curse she spoke and is trying to nullify it by blessing her son.
She prioritizes family loyalty over moral correctness.
Setting the Scene: This verse sets the stage for the rest of the story, where Micah will use the silver to create a graven image and hire a Levite to be his personal priest, further illustrating the religious chaos and corruption in Israel at that time.
In summary, this verse reveals a family dynamic marked by theft, a curse, confession, and a blessing, all against the backdrop of moral and religious decay. It foreshadows the larger issues of idolatry and lack of adherence to God's law that will be explored in the rest of the story.