When Everyone Did What Was Right in Their Own Eyes (judges 17–18)

Today, we’re diving into Judges 17 and 18, chapters that showcase a time when ‘everyone did what was right in their own eyes.’ It’s a tale of homemade religion, stolen idols, and a tribe searching for a new home.

Section 1: Micah’s Homemade Religion (Judges 17:1-6)

Let’s start with a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim. He steals 1,100 pieces of silver from his mother. When she curses the thief, Micah confesses and returns the silver. In a surprising twist, his mother blesses him and decides to dedicate the silver to the Lord by having an idol made. citeturn0search7

• Micah sets up a shrine, makes an ephod and household gods, and installs one of his sons as a priest.
• This is a clear violation of God’s commandments against idolatry and unauthorized priesthood.

This story highlights the spiritual confusion of the time, as noted in Judges 17:6: ‘In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.’

Section 2: A Wandering Levite Becomes a Hired Priest (Judges 17:7-13)

Enter a young Levite from Bethlehem, seeking a place to stay. He comes across Micah’s house, and Micah offers him a job:

• ‘Stay with me and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, a suit of clothes, and your living.’

The Levite agrees, and Micah is thrilled, thinking:

• ‘Now I know that the Lord will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest.’

Micah’s misguided belief that hiring a Levite would legitimize his idolatrous practices shows the depth of Israel’s spiritual confusion.

Section 3: The Tribe of Dan Seeks a New Home (Judges 18:1-10)

Meanwhile, the tribe of Dan is struggling to find territory. They send five warriors to scout for land and they happen upon Micah’s house, recognizing the voice of the young Levite:

• They inquire about his presence, and he tells them about his arrangement with Micah.
• The scouts ask the Levite to seek God’s counsel on their journey, and he assures them of success.

The scouts then discover Laish, a peaceful and unsuspecting city, and see it as an ideal place for their tribe.

Section 4: The Danites Steal Micah’s Idols (Judges 18:11-26)

Encouraged by the scouts’ report, 600 Danites armed for battle set out to take Laish. On their way, they revisit Micah’s house:

• The five scouts inform their fellow Danites about the shrine, the ephod, and the household gods.
• They decide to seize these religious items and convince the Levite to join them as their priest, offering him greater influence:

‘Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?’

The Levite accepts, taking the idols and joining the Danites.

Section 5: Micah’s Futile Protest (Judges 18:27-31)

Micah discovers the theft and chases after the Danites, protesting:

• ‘You take my gods that I made and the priest, and go away, and what have I left?’

The Danites warn him against further protest, fearing violence. Realizing he’s outnumbered, Micah returns home empty-handed.

The Danites then attack and burn Laish, rebuild it, and rename it Dan. They set up the carved image and install Jonathan, son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his descendants as priests, continuing the idolatrous practices begun by Micah.

Conclusion

These chapters illustrate a time of moral and spiritual chaos in Israel, where personal desires and misguided religious practices led people away from God’s commandments. It’s a sobering reminder of the consequences when ‘everyone does what is right in their own eyes’ without seeking divine guidance.