A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Commentary on the book of Judges · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
THESE Premiſes being taken for granted to Regulate the Method and Order of my procedure in this Hiſtory, &c. Therefore the next proſpect I propoſe to my ſelf, and to my Candid Reader is, the Seventeenth Chapter of Judges, and ſo forward to the four following Chapters, and then return where I left at Judges 2. ver. 11. and ſo on to Chap. 17. Junius well obſerveth in the General, that the Scope of all theſe five laſt Chapters of Judges is, to demonſtrate how notoriouſly the Commonwealth of Iſrael was corrupted both in Religion and Manners, while they had no ordinary Supream Magiſtrate to reſtrain them, and Bochartus adds, that all theſe Narratives of Iſrael's Corruption were annexed to the end of this Book, not becauſe the things related therein, were done after Samſon's Death: But for this cauſe, that the Hiſtory of the Judges (which the Author had principally deſigned to write) might by no means meet with any Interruption.
Judges the Seventeenth holds forth, how the Idolatry of Iſrael in their Degenerate State, began firſt in a private Family, and that by a Woman, and likewiſe in the Tribe of Ephraim, ver. 1. This one Family founded firſt the Worſhip of Idols; this ſmall ſpark once kindled, inflames and infects the whole Tribe of Dan, and ſo this Infection ſpreadeth, till the other Tribes were infected alſo, and brought to the Worſhiping of Baalim and Aſhtaroth, Judg. 2.13. How great a fire may be kindled from one ſingle ſpark, and a little leaven may ſerve to ſoure a large lump, this was Iſrael's Unhappineſs at this time, they had no Healer to cruſh this Cockatrice Egg. According to the old Rule, Principiis obſta: Venienti Occurrito Morbo.
They had no Governour to keep them in Awe and Order, or to reſtrain this Micah and his Mother from ſuch wickedneſs.
The Firſt Remark is, Micah's Mother, (under this Anarchy) devoteth Eleven Hundred Shekles of Silver to the making of an Idol: Notwithſtanding the Forty Years airing in the Wilderneſs, yet this Old Woman ſtill ſmells of Egypt's Idolatry; and here, like Mother, like Son, Partus ſequitur Ventrem, The Birth follows the Belly. Here was falſe Play betwixt the Mother and the Son, the Son ſteals from the Mother, the Mother Curſes the Son (though at random) not knowing he was the Stealer. The Son is ſtartled, as dreading to lye under a Mother's Curſe, confeſſes his Theft, and though it was Sacrilidge in her Eye, yet blurts ſhe out a Bleſſing upon her Son ſhe had newly Curſed, ver. 1, 2, 3. Lyra tells us of ſome (ſuppoſing this Hiſtory to ſucceed in order of time the Hiſtory of Samſon) who held, that Delilah was the Mother of Micah, becauſe ſhe received Eleven Hundred pieces of Silver of each Lord of the Philiſtines, (which is computed to be a Thouſand Pound a piece) to betray Samſon into their hands, Judg. 16.5. but this blind Gueſs ('tis no better in it ſelf) ſtands upon a bad bottom, for Samſon's Delilah was long after this Story of Micah's Mother, even ſeveral Hundreds of Years betwixt Othniel and Samſon; let it therefore paſs for a Jewiſh Fable: Dr. Lightfoot ſaith better, in ſetting down theſe three ſuppoſed Reaſons (I omitted to tranſcribe before) why the Holy Ghost laid theſe Stories, which came to paſs ſo ſoon, in ſo late a place are. As,
Firſt, That the Reader obſerving, how their State-policy failed in the Death of Samſon, who was a Danite, might preſently be ſhewed God's Juſtice in it, becauſe their Religion had first failed among the Danites in their Idolatry.
Secondly, That when the Reader obſerves, Eleven Hundred Pieces of Silver were given by every Philiſtine-Prince for tne ruine of Samſon, he might preſently call to mind theſe Eleven Hundred pieces of Silver that were given by Micah's Mother for the making of an Idol; which afterwards brought in Idolatry, and ruin'd Religion in Samſon's Trihe.
Thirdly, That the Story of Micah, one of the Hill-Country of Ephraim, Judg. 17.1. the firſt Deſtroyer of Religion; and the Story of Samuel, one alſo of the Hill-Country of Ephraim, 1 Sam. 1.1. and the firſt Reformer of Religion, might be laid together ſomewhat near.
It was the Saying of a late Learned Interpreter, Praeſtat mihi Ʋnus Jeronimus, quàm Mille Rabbinici.
One Jerome is more of value to me, than a Thouſand Rabbins. So I ſay in this caſe, Plus valet Unus Levipes mecum, quàm Mille Anglo-Judaei.
For Lyra is commonly called the Engliſh-Jew.
The Second Remark is, This Micah's Mother was a Wicked Woman, or at beſt a Mongrel in Religion, ſo was Irreligious.
Firſt, That ſhe was a Wicked Woman, appeareth in her being a Curſing and a Swearing Woman: The Apoſtle deſcribing a Wicked Perſon, giveth this Character, [His Mouth is full of Curſing and Bitterneſs,] Rom. 3.14. from Pſal. 10.7. and we uſually ſay, [A Curſing Perſon is a Curſed Perſon,] that this Woman was a Curſing, and a Swearing and Curſing Woman, appeareth from the Hebrew Word, [Veatteth Alith] ver. 2. Et tu Jurâſti, vel male dixiſti, vel adiurâſti, as the Hebrew is Tranſlated: For Alah the Noun (from Alah the Verb) ſignifies an Oath with Execration, or Curſing, Numb. 5.21. becauſe Curſing was added to an Oath to confirm it the more, Deut. 29.12.21. Nehem. 10.29.
N. B. This Womans Swearing was upon a Threefold Account.
Firſt, By Swearing ſhe Vowed that ſhe would make an Idol.
Secondly, In Swearing ſhe devoted the Thief to Direful Curſes.
Thirdly, And more plainly, In Swearing ſhe Adjured her Son, that if he knew any thing of this Theft (for probably ſhe ſuſpected him at leaſt to know of it) that he would diſcover it to her, and ſhe certainly curſed the Perſon that ſtole them, imprecating Miſchief and Deſtruction to him. The fear of a Mother's Curſe ſtartles her Sons Conſcience (it being denounced in her Son's Hearing) fearing that God might ſay Amen to it, as he had done (he well knew) to Noah the Father's Curſing of Canaan, Gen. 9.35. therefore theſe Curſed Canaanites were caſt out of their Land, and themſelves became Poſſeſſoas of it: This Conſideration affrighted the Son, makes him confeſs his fault, and begs his Mothers Pardon and Bleſſing.
Secondly, That ſhe was but a Mongrel in Religion, appeareth not only becauſe out of the ſame Mouth came Bleſſing and Curſing, Jam. 3.10. She blew hot and cold in a moment, in her Paſſion over ſhooting her ſelf into two extreams, her firſt extream was her Curſing at Random ſhe knew not whom, and her ſecond extteam was, aſſoon as ſhe knew the Thief was her Son, immediately pronounces a Bleſſing on him, not at all reproving him for his ſin, ver. 2. Though his Sin was not common Theft, but in her Account no leſs than Sacrilidge, for ſhe tells him, [I had wholly Dedicated this Silver (thou haſt ſtoln) unto the Lord] ver. 3. in the Hebrew, it is Jehovah, the Incommunicable Name of God, which demonſtrateth alſo, that ſhe was but a Mongrel and exceedingly Superſtitious in mingling the Inventions of Man with the Inſtitutions of God: For 'tis apparent, neither ſhe, nor her Son did abſolutely deſign to deſert the True God, or his Worſhip, ſeeing, as the Mother Dedicated (or Hebr. Sanctified) this Silver, and ſet it apart for the Service of the true Jehovah; ſo the Son rejoyced at his obtaining a Prieſt of the Tribe of Levi according to Jehovah's appointment, and thereupon promiſed to himſelf, that Jehovah would bleſs him, ver. 13. But both their Intentions were here (for the Son concurr'd with the Mother to make an Image) to Worſhip God by their Image as the Iſraelites had done before them, Exod. 32.1.5. and did after them, Hoſ. 2.16. according to Jeroboam's Model, who was a Man of Mount Ephraim alſo, 1 Kings 11.26. and 12.25. and who eſtabliſh'd by a publick Law, this very Idolatry that was thus privately begun by this Woman and her Son. This ſheweth, that there be two ſorts of Idolatry: The Firſt is, The Worſhiping of falſe and ſtrange Gods, as among the Heathens: The Second is, A Worſhiping of the True God after a falſe manner, as oft among the Iſraelites contrary to Divine Preſcription, and according to Humane Invention, as Micah's Mother, with himſelf, would repreſent God by their Image of their own Heads, though expreſly contrary to the Second Commandment, &c. A Good Intention here excuſes not an evil Action.
The Third Remark is, Thoſe Eleven Hundred Pieces of Silver thus reſtored, (would to God all ill-gotten Goods were ſo) the Mother and Son join together to make an Image, &c. The Founder hath Two Hundred thereof, and with the other nine all the other Trinkets were procured, together with furniſhing a Chappel for Worſhip, &c. ver. 4, 5. for it is improbable, ſhe would alienate any part of her dedicated Silver to her own private uſe, though ſhe might love a cheap Religion as well as her Son, who allowed his Levite a very ſlender Salary, ver. 10. Micah's Son, not of Aaron, ſerves here for an Idolatrous Prieſt, though God had left Iſrael a ſtinging Memorial in the preſumptuous Caſe of Uſurping Korah, Numb. 16.40. That no Stranger, which was not of the Seed of Aaron, come near to offer Incenſe before the Lord, that he be not as Korah, and again, The ſtranger that cometh nigh ſhall be put to Death, Numb. 18.2.7. This Lying Leſſon Jeroboam learnt from Micah here, who made Leaden Prieſts (who were not of Levi, but of the loweſt of the People) fitted well enough for his Golden Calves; and he made a Mock-Temple to hold his Mawmets and Monuments of Idolatry for himſelf, and the Ten Tribes to Worſhip in, 1 Kings 12.31. as Micah did here a Mock-Chappel for himſelf and his Neighbourhood round about him, v. 5. N.B. From which Act his Name is cut off ſhorter by two Syllables; for whereas the Text in the Original had call'd him Micaiahu, with a part of the Name Jehovah affixed to his Name, till he had ſet up his Image, &c. from thence forward, namely, from ver. 5. the Text all along calls him in ſhort, Micah. All that Worſhip Graven Images, ſhall in God's time be cut ſhort and confounded, Pſal. 97.7.
The Fourth Remark is, A wandring Levite providentially comes to ſeek a Lodging there, and thereby turns the Laick-Prieſt out of his Office, the occaſion of this Levite's wandring is ſet down, ver. 6. There was no Magiſtrate in thoſe corrupt times to take care of the Levites Maintenance, the Service of God in Sacrifices and Oblations (out of which the Levites were maintained) was now (under this Anarchy) neglected, and no doubt but in this Depraved State of Apoſtacy there were faults found on both ſides, the Levites did likewiſe neglect the Exerciſe of their Offices, and therefore were the more neglected by the People, and others of the Laity, put into their Employ. Hereupon the Levites were conſtrained to leave the Tabernacle, and their own Cities wherein they had lived before, and to wander into other parts of the Land where they might find a Livelihood. N.B. This was the Caſe of the Prieſts and Levites in Nehemiah's time, Nehem. 13.10.11. God grant it may not be our Caſe alſo, &c. This Levite's Lot in that Diſperſion fell into the Tribe of Judah, ver. 7. which ſeems to be ſet down by way of Reflection upon that Tribe, which God had ſo highly Honoured, Gen. 49.8, 9, 10, 11. and made them the frſt Conquerors after Joſhua's Death, Judg. 1.3. &c. Yet now was declined into ſuch a General Defection, that this Levite could not find Entertainment in ſo great and famous a Tribe, but he muſt be forced to wander and ſeek Subſiſtency elſewhere, ver. 8. This wandring Levite wanting Means and Maintenance, walks abroad as a way faring Vagabond to ſeek Neceſſaries, and in his Wanderings lighteth upon Micah's Houſe, not with any former purpoſe to fix or reſide there, but only to take up his Lodging there for one Night: Hereupon Micah was tranſported with this Providence, and thinking with himſelf, that it would much more countenance his Idolatrous Service, when it was officiated by a Levite, than by his own Son who was but a Lay-Man, and an Ephraimite; he invites him to the Employ with a company of Courting Complements, ver. 9, 10 Wherein Note,
Firſt, Credulous Micah doth not either call for his Teſtimonials under the hands of ſuch Elders as were of known Fidelity in the Church, approving of this Nagner, or Young Man's Abilities, &c, nor doth he examine him himſelf concerning his Qualifications for the Office, though he thought himſelf ſufficient to Ordain this Levite to Officiate; but only asks him, [Whence comeſt thou?] This was a raw and rude Election and Vocation to a pretended Divine Function.
Secondly, Micah propoſeth a moſt ſlender ſtipend, a ſmall Salary to him, [Ten Shekels of Silver by the Year, a double ſuit of Apparel, (ſo Hebr. one for Summer and another for Winter) and his Victuals.] This was but a poor pittance for a Levite from a Man of ſo great an Eſtate, Micah had Eleven Hundred Shekels of Silver to beſtow upon his Idols, yet could ſcarce (from the penuriouſneſs of his Mind, and from his Contempt of the Miniſtry) afford Ten Shekels for his Priests Maintenance: However what was wanting of ſufficient Wages, he ſupplies it with empty Complements, calling him Father, though much younger than himſelf, who had a Son as old as the Levite, whom he had ordained to the ſame Office; but now upon the Reaſons above-mentioned muſt be degraded, and give place of being Prieſt to this new-comer the Levite. N.B. 'Twere well, if many Faithful Miniſters do not meet with ſuch Micah's in our Day, that grudges them competent Means and Maintenance, yet diſdain not to allow them (as their Padre's) enough of Caps and Complements, as if they were of the Camelion kind, and could live upon the Air of empty Titles: 'Twas ſad, that Luther was forced to complain, [Pariſhes and Schools are ſo Robbed, as if they deſigned to ſtarve us in the Miniſtry.] &c.
N. B. And Heylin in his Goography tells us, That in Ireland formerly Miniſters had no more for their Maintenance, than the paſture of two Milch-Kine, &c. In the whole County of Connaught, the Stipend of the Incumbent was not above Forty Shillings, and in ſome places but Sixteen Shillings per Annum: This laſt Sum is much what the like Allowance that Micah aſſorded his Levite, if a Shekel of Silver, be (according to the common Computation) reckon'd at Two Shillings and Six pence, then the Levite had in his Ten Shekels, Twenty five Shillings by the Year.
Thirdly Note here, This Hunger-bitten Levite (that was ready to ſnap at any thing, and could not tell where to make a better Bargain for himſelf) accepteth of the offer upon thoſe ſordid Terms, Ingens telum Neceſſitas, Neceſſity knows no Law: But conſidering that this Levite was Nagner puer, a Novice, and likewiſe infected with the Contagion of the times in Superſtition and Idolatry, one that would Murther Souls for a Morſel of Bread, Ezek. 13.19. even this Salary though ſmall, was enough and too much for him, ſeeing he was employed in the Devil's Drudgery, while he was officiating in Idol-Service. But that which was the greateſt Aggravation of this Novice's ſin, was, that he is deſcribed to be Moſes's Great Grand-ſon, Judg. 18 30. where he is called Jonathan the Son of Gerſhom, the Son of Moſes, ſo it is, Exod. 2.22. and 18.3. but here it is the Son of Manaſſeh, (ſaith Learned Buxtorf) for Moſes's Honour, leaſt it ſhould reflect upon ſo good a Man to have ſo bad a Grand-Son, therefore Manaſſeh in the Hebrew, with the [N] at the top, that it may be put in, or left out with the Unpricked Letters, ſo without the Nun it may be read Moſes, but with it Manaſſes, to ſhew, that this Jonathan, though he was of Moſes (that Man of God) by Propagation, yet as he was a degenerate Plant, he ſeem'd rather to be of Manaſſes (that Notorious Idolater) by Imitation, but this Rabbinical Criticiſm ſeems to be over curious, and ſomewhat reflecting upon the purity of the Sacred Text, ſeeing that Idolatrous King Manaſſes was long after this Jonathan, and there might be other Men of the ſame Name of Gerſhom and Manaſſes, from whom this Jonathan deſcended.
The Fifth Remark is, Idolatry is a Compound of Foppery and Impiety, ver. 11, 12, 13. Micah entertains this Novice, cheriſheth him as a Son, though he was by his Office as a Father to him; he Conſecrated him as he had done his own Son before, ver. 5. knowing that the Levites were no leſs Excluded by the Law from executing the Prieſts Office than the Lay-People, for that Office belonged only to the Sons of Aaron; but this Levite was nearer a-kin to it than his Lay-Son was; yet the Prieſts Office was ſo ſacred a thing, and of ſuch Veneration with this Idolatrous Micah, that neither his own Son, nor this Levite muſt enter upon it, until he had ſolemnly Conſecrated them to it; and when all this was done, behold how he bleſſeth himſelf in his blind Devotion, ſaying, [Now I know that the Lord will do me good, ſeeing I have a Levite to my Prieſt,] ver. 13. whereas his whole unwarrantable Practices of Superstition and Idolatry, rather expoſed him to God's Wrath, and were more likely to bring a Curſe upon him, and not a Bleſſing, as appeareth in the next Chapter, Fallitur Augurio ſpes bona ſaepe ſuo. For here are a whole bundle of Sins. (1.) Idolatry. (2.) His Invitation of this Young Man to it. (3) Here was a Threefold Breach of the Prieſt-hood, as Inſtituted by God, for this Levite was not capable of the Prieſthood, as not of Aaron's Stock, nor could he, (an Ephraimite) ordain, this belong'd to the High-Priest; nor ought he to ſeduce a Prieſt to Idolatrous Worſhip Now for Micah to promiſe Proſperity to himſelf, was not from Jehovah, but from his Idol, &c.