VI. MICAH, or Michas, of the Tribe of Ephraim, Son of a rich and superstitious Widow, who became an Occasion of falling to Israel, in the Manner as here follows. Judges xvii, xvThe Mother of Micah had laid by a Reserve of eleven Hundred Shekels, which make about an Hundred twenty five Pounds nine Shillings and four Pence Half-penny of our Money, taking the Shekel at two Shillings and three Pence Half-penny. This Money being missing, Micah’s Mother was in a great Passion about it, and even uttered heavy Imprecations against him that had stole it. Whether Micah had taken it himself, or whether he recovered it from somebody else that had taken it, he comes and tells his Mother that it was found, and was in his Custody. The Mother soon recovered her Temper, and blessing her Son for his Diligence in this Affair, she told him it should be dedicated to the Service of God, that she would have an Ephod made, and that this Ephod should be kept at their House, for the Use of a domestick Chapel that she would have erected there. She immediately goes about it, causes an Ephod or priestly Habit to be prepared with this Money, and some other Images of Metal, which she set up in Micah’s House. He to comply with the superstitious Humour of his Mother, made one of his own Sons Priest; and afterwards providing a young Levite1, he appointed him Priest of this Domestick Chapel, in the Room of his Son.
Now in those Days there was no King in Israel, and every one acted as he saw convenient. ‘Tis believed that this happened in that Interval of Time, that followed the Death of Joshua, and the Elders that succeeded him, till Othniel judged Israel2. During this Space of Time the Tribe of Dan being streightened in their Inheritance, sent six Hundred Men to look out for a more convenient Settlement. As they marched they passed by Micah’s House, which was on the Mountains of Ephraim, and desired the Levite that resided there, to enquire of the Lord about the Success of their Expedition. He answered them, that they might go in Peace, for the Lord would prosper their Undertaking. At their Return they gave Intelligence to their Tribe, that they had found a City called Laish, of which it was easy to make a Conquest, and prevailed with their Brethren to join with them in this Enterprize.
They set out, and came a second Time to the House of Micah; and having got over the Priest to their Party, they took away the Ephod, and the graven Images, and went their Way. Micah runs after them, and crying out, they threaten to use him ill, and oblige him to retire.
Having made themselves Masters of Laish, they there set up the Idol they had taken from Micah, and appoint Jonathan, the Son of Gershom, the Son of Moses, their Priest. And this Idol continued in this Place all the Time that the House of God was at Shilo, and to the Time of the Captivity of the Countrey; or, according to another Version of the Hebrew, to the Time of the Deliverance of the Countrey. Some understand it of the Deliverance of the Countrey procured by Samuel, and others of the Captivity of the ten Tribes carried beyond the Euphrates, by the Kings of Assyria, Salmanasar, and Tiglath-pilesser. During all this Time the City of Laish, otherwise called Dan, was always a Place of Idolatry and Superstition. There were to be seen, either the Teraphims of Micah, or the golden Calves of Jeroboam.
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