Episode 96: The Massacre of the Peaceful, Unsuspecting People

(Judges 17-18)

Micah’s priest

17 ¹ There was a man named Micah who lived on mount Ephraim.

² Micah said to his mother,

You know the 1100 shekels of silver that were stolen from you?

Well I was the one who stole them.

His mother said, "Bless you, my son."

³ When Micah returned the 1100 shekels of silver to his mother, she said,

I dedicate this silver to God, so my son can make a graven image.

I'm giving the silver back to you, my son.

⁴ But Micah returned the silver to his mother, and his mother used 200 shekels to pay for a molten image.

⁵ Micah had a house of gods, made an ephod and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons as a priest.

⁷ One day a young Levite came to Micah's house.

¹⁰ Micah said,

Stay here and be a father and a priest to me. I'll give you ten shekels of silver a year, plus some clothes and food.

¹¹So the young Levite stayed with Micah, and became like a son to him.

¹² Micah consecrated the Levite, and he became his priest.

¹³ Then he said,

Now I know God will treat me well, since I have a Levite for a priest.

The Massacre of the Peaceful, Unsuspecting People

18 ¹ In the days when there was no king, the Danites were looking for a place to live.

² So they sent out five spies to search the land of Ephraim. They came to Micah's house and stayed there.

³ They asked the young Levite who was living with Micah, "What are you doing here?"

⁴ He replied, "Micah has hired me as his priest."

⁵ They said to him, "Ask God if we will be prosperous."

⁶ The priest said, "God will lead you to where you should go."

⁷ So they left there and came to a place called Laish, where the people lived peaceful, secure, carefree lives.

^8-9 The five spies returned to the Danites, and said to them,

We should attack the people of Laish and take their land, which is very good.

The people are secure and have everything they want.

¹⁰ God has given it into your hands.

¹¹ So 600 Danites left to attack the people of Laish.

²⁷ They killed all of the peaceful, unsuspecting people, burned their city, and took their land.

²⁹ They called the name of the city Dan.

³¹ And they set up Micah's graven image.