Judges 17:10
in Judges 17“Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten pieces of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
KJV
And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
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This verse in Judges 17
Commentary
8 notes on this verseBe unto me a father and a priest - Thou shalt be master of my house, as if thou wert my father; and, as priest, thou shalt appear in the presence of God for me. The term father is often used to express honor and reverence. Ten shekels of silver - About thirty shillings per annum, with board, lodging, and clothes. Very good wages in those early times.
This site's exposition
be my father and priest
on Judges 17:10-12
The wage is priced to the shekel, “ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions”, the cost of a priest here. Micah's pair “father and priest” stands together again only at 18:19, where the Danites turn his offer against him. Ordained at verse 12 renders a Hebrew phrase meaning filled his hand, the wording of Aaron's ordination at Exodus 28:41.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me;
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
A father - That is, a priest, a spiritual father, a teacher or instructor. He pretends reverence and submission to him; and what is wanting in his wages, he pays him in titles.
And Micah said unto him, dwell with me,....
Good preferment: Be unto me a father and a priest. Though a young man, and taken up at the door, yet, if he take him for a priest, he will respect him as a father, so far is he from setting him among his servants.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father--a spiritual father, to conduct the religious services of my establishment. He was to receive, in addition to his board, a salary of ten shekels of silver, equal to 25 shillings a year. a suit of apparel--not only dress for ordinary use, but vestments suitable for the discharge of his priestly functions.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Ten shekels - About 25 shillings to 26 shillings (see Exo 38:24).
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמֶר֩ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| ל֨וֹ | lo | to <the> him | ||
| מִיכָ֜ה | mikhah | Micah | H4318 → | 33 times |
| שְׁבָ֣ה | shevah | remain ! | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| עִמָּדִ֗י | ʾimadi | with me | H5978 → | |
| וֶֽהְיֵה־ | vehyeh- | and become | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לִי֮ | li | of me | ||
| לְאָ֣ב | leav | <into> a father | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וּלְכֹהֵן֒ | ulekhohen | and <into> a priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| וְאָנֹכִ֨י | veanokhi | and I | H595 → | 359 times |
| אֶֽתֶּן־ | ʾeten- | I will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לְךָ֜ | lekha | to <the> you | ||
| עֲשֶׂ֤רֶת | ʾaseret | ten | H6235 → | 176 times |
| כֶּ֙סֶף֙ | kesef | silver | H3701 → | 403 times |
| לַיָּמִ֔ים | laiyamim | to the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| וְעֵ֥רֶךְ | veerekh | and an order of | H6187 → | |
| בְּגָדִ֖ים | begadim | garments | H899 → | 217 times |
| וּמִחְיָתֶ֑ךָ | umichyatekha | and sustenance your | H4241 → | |
| וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ | vaiyelekh | and he went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| הַלֵּוִֽי׃ | halevi | the Levite | H3881 → | 291 times |
וַיֹּאמֶר֩and he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
ל֨וֹto <the> him
lo
מִיכָ֜הMicah
mikhahH4318 →33 times
שְׁבָ֣הremain !
shevahH3427 →1079 times
עִמָּדִ֗יwith me
ʾimadiH5978 →
וֶֽהְיֵה־and become
vehyeh-H1961 →3559 times
לִי֮of me
li
לְאָ֣ב<into> a father
leavH1 →1212 times
וּלְכֹהֵן֒and <into> a priest
ulekhohenH3548 →750 times
וְאָנֹכִ֨יand I
veanokhiH595 →359 times
אֶֽתֶּן־I will give
ʾeten-H5414 →2011 times
לְךָ֜to <the> you
lekha
עֲשֶׂ֤רֶתten
ʾaseretH6235 →176 times
כֶּ֙סֶף֙silver
kesefH3701 →403 times
לַיָּמִ֔יםto the days
laiyamimH3117 →2304 times
וְעֵ֥רֶךְand an order of
veerekhH6187 →
בְּגָדִ֖יםgarments
begadimH899 →217 times
וּמִחְיָתֶ֑ךָand sustenance your
umichyatekhaH4241 →
וַיֵּ֖לֶךְand he went
vaiyelekhH1980 →1546 times
הַלֵּוִֽי׃the Levite
haleviH3881 →291 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 5:2Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;
it leads to
- Titus 1:7
As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach—not self-absorbed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money.
- 1 Timothy 3:8
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued or given to much wine or greedy for money.
- Acts 20:26–28
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
- Titus 3:1
Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work,
- Titus 1:7
Through
Matthew 26:15and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver.
it leads to
- Zechariah 11:12–13
Then I told them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver.
- Zechariah 11:12–13
Through
John 12:6Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it.
it leads to
- Psalms 50:16–20
To the wicked, however, God says, “What right have you to recite My statutes and to bear My covenant on your lips?
- John 13:29
Since Judas kept the money bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the feast, or to give something to the poor.
- Psalms 50:16–20
Through
Job 29:16I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
it leads to
- Proverbs 29:7
The righteous consider the cause of the poor, but the wicked have no regard for such concerns.
- Proverbs 29:7
About Judges
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.