Why does Michas say he knows God will do him good?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

He says it because he now has a priest of the race of the Levites. This is Michas’s own conclusion after he appoints the young man; the chapter does not record God confirming it.

Chapter breakdown

Michas lives in mount Ephraim. He tells his mother that the eleven hundred pieces of silver she laid aside, and about which she swore in his hearing, are with him. She blesses her son in the Lord. He restores the silver, and she says she had consecrated and vowed it to the Lord for her son to receive from her hand and make a graven and a molten god; she now delivers it to him. He again restores it to his mother. She takes two hundred pieces to a silversmith, who makes a graven and a molten god, which is placed in Michas’s house.

Michas sets apart a little temple for the god in his house and makes an ephod and theraphim, that is, a priestly garment and idols. He fills the hand of one of his sons, who becomes his priest. Challoner separately explains filling the hand as appointing and consecrating him to the priest’s office. There is no king in Israel at that time, and everyone does what seems right to himself.

A young man from Bethlehem Juda, of its kindred, is a Levite dwelling there. He leaves to sojourn where he can find a convenient place, comes to mount Ephraim and turns aside into Michas’s house. Michas asks where he comes from. He says he is a Levite from Bethlehem Juda and is going to dwell where it will be advantageous to him. Michas asks him to stay and be a father and priest to him, offering ten pieces of silver each year, a double suit of apparel and his victuals. The young man is content, stays with him and becomes like one of his sons.

Michas fills the young man’s hand and has him as priest in his house. He says he now knows God will do him good, because he has a priest of the Levites’ race.

The story inside

The silver exchange between Michas and his mother leads to the making of the graven and molten god in his house. He sets up the little temple, garment and idols, and appoints one son as priest. The statement about no king and everyone doing what seems right follows. The young Levite’s search for a place brings him to the house, where Michas offers yearly silver, clothing and food in return for being his father and priest. The young man stays as one of his sons and receives the appointment. Michas’s closing claim of expected good rests on the priest’s Levite race, and remains his own statement.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The two silver amounts have different roles. Eleven hundred pieces are restored and described in the mother’s vow; she takes two hundred to the smith for the images. Keeping both amounts prevents the payment from replacing the larger exchange.
2
The household priesthood has two appointments. First Michas appoints a son, then the arriving Levite. Challoner explains the phrase filling the hand, while the account supplies the temple, garment, idols and household setting.
3
The agreement explains why the young man stays. Michas offers ten pieces each year, double apparel and food; the young man is content and becomes like a son. The final hope that God will do good belongs to Michas and receives no recorded confirmation.

Test your recall

How does the mother use the restored silver, what terms does Michas offer the Levite, and what reason does he give for expecting good from God?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 27112–27131
Judges Chapter 17 The history of the idol of Michas, and the young Levite. 17:1. There was at that time a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Michas. 17:2. Who said to his mother: The eleven hundred pieces of silver, which thou hadst put aside for thyself, and concerning which thou didst swear in my hearing, behold I have, and they are with me. And she said to him. Blessed be my son by the Lord. 17:3. So he restored them to his mother, who said to him: I have consecrated and vowed this silver to the Lord, that my son may receive it at my hand, and make a graven and a molten god; so now I deliver it to thee. 17:4. And he restored them to his mother: and she took two hundred pieces of silver and gave them to the silversmith, to make of them a graven and a molten god, which was in the house of Michas.
Lines 27133–27142
17:5. And he separated also therein a little temple for the god, and made an ephod, and theraphim, that is to say, a priestly garment, and idols: and he filled the hand of one of his sons, and he became his priest. Filled the hand.... That is, appointed and consecrated him to the priestly office. 17:6. In those days there was no king in Israel, but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
Lines 27144–27161
17:7. There was also another young man of Bethlehem Juda, of the kindred thereof: and he was a Levite, and dwelt there. 17:8. Now he went out from the city of Bethlehem, and desired to sojourn wheresoever he should find it convenient for him. And when he was come to mount Ephraim, as he was on his journey, and had turned aside a little into the house of Michas, 17:9. He was asked by him whence he came. And he answered: I am a Levite of Bethlehem Juda, and I am going to dwell where I can, and where I shall find a place to my advantage. 17:10. And Michas said: Stay with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee every year ten pieces of silver, and a double suit of apparel, and thy victuals. 17:11. He was content, and abode with the man, and was unto him as one of his sons.
Lines 27163–27169
17:12. And Michas filled his hand, and had the young man with him for his priest, saying: 17:13. Now I know God will do me good, since I have a priest of the race of the Levites.