Judges 17 · Verse 3

Judges 17:3

And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
Judges 17:3, King James Version

Judges 17:3 in other translations

BSBAnd when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”
WEBHe restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, then his mother said, “I most certainly dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.”
ASVAnd he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I verily dedicate the silver unto Jehovah from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
YLTAnd he giveth back the eleven hundred silverlings to his mother, and his mother saith, ‘I had certainly sanctified the silver to Jehovah, from my hand, for my son, to make a graven image, and a molten image; and now, I give it back to thee.'
DARBYAnd he restored the eleven hundred silver-pieces to his mother; and his mother said, I had dedicated the silver to Jehovah from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image; and now I will restore it to thee.
BBEAnd he gave back the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, and his mother said, I have made the silver holy to the Lord from me for my son, to make a pictured image and a metal image.
WebsterAnd when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it to thee.

What does Judges 17:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. a graven image and a molten image--The one carved from a block of wood or stone, to be plated over with silver; the other, a figure formed of the solid metal cast into a mould. It is observable, however, that only two hundred shekels were given to the founder. Probably the expense of making two such figures of silver, with their appurtenances (pedestals, bases, &c.), might easily cost, in those days, two hundred shekels, which (at 2 shillings, 4 pence each, is about 23 pounds) would be a sum not adequate to the formation of large statues [Taylor, Fragments].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 I had wholly dedicated - From this it appears that Micah's mother, though she made a superstitious use of the money, had no idolatrous design, for she expressly says she had dedicated it ליהוה layhovah, to Jehovah; and this appears to have been the reason why she poured imprecations on him who had taken it.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 17:1-6

What is related in this, and the rest of the chapters to the end of this book, was done soon after the death of Joshua: see chap. Jud 20:28. That it might appear how happy the nation was under the Judges, here is showed how unhappy they were when there was no Judge. The love of money made Micah so undutiful to his mother as to rob her, and made her so unkind to her son, as to curse him. Outward losses drive good…

Read the full comment on Judges 17:1-6 →

Judges 17:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּ֛שֶׁבvai.Ya.shevand he brought backH7725
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֶֽלֶף\־'e.lef-[the] one thousandH505
וּמֵאָ֥הu.me.'Ahand one hundredH3967
הַכֶּ֖סֶףha.Ke.sefthe silverH3701
לְאִמּ֑וֹle.'i.Moto mother hisH517
וַתֹּ֣אמֶרva.To.merand she saidH559
אִמּ֡וֹ'i.Momother hisH517
הַקְדֵּ֣שׁhak.Deshcertainly <to consecrate>H6942
הִקְדַּ֣שְׁתִּיhik.Dash.tiI consecrateH6942
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַכֶּסֶף֩ha.ke.Sefthe silverH3701
לַיהוָ֨הla.Yah.wehto YahwehH3068
מִיָּדִ֜יmi.ya.Difrom hand myH3027
לִבְנִ֗יliv.Nifor son myH1121
לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙la.'a.sOtto makeH6213
פֶּ֣סֶלPe.sela carved imageH6459
וּמַסֵּכָ֔הu.ma.se.Khahand a molten imageH4541
וְעַתָּ֖הve.'a.Tahand thereforeH6258
אֲשִׁיבֶ֥נּוּ'a.shi.Ve.nuI will return itH7725
לָֽךְ\׃Lakhto <the> you

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 17:3

  • Exodus 20:4

    Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

  • Leviticus 19:4

    Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God.

  • Exodus 20:23

    Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

  • Isaiah 66:3

    He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

  • Isaiah 44:9-20

    They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together. The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. …

  • Psalms 115:4-8

    Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. …

  • Judges 18:5

    And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

  • Exodus 34:17

    Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.

  • Jeremiah 10:8

    But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

  • Habakkuk 2:18-19

    What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

  • Judges 17:13

    Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

  • John 16:2

    They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
I had wholly.
13; 18:5; Isa 66:3
a graven image.
Ex 20:4,23; Le 19:4; De 12:3; Ps 115:4-8; Isa 40:18-25; 44:9-20
Jer 10:3-5,8; Hab 2:18,19; Joh 16:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 17:2

    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; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.

  • Judges 17:3

    And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.

  • Judges 17:4

    Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

Read all of Judges 17

Judges 17:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y luego que él hubo vuelto á su madre los mil y cien siclos de plata, su madre dijo: Yo he dedicado este dinero á Jehová de mi mano para ti, hijo mío, para que hagas una imagen de talla y de fundición: ahora pues, yo te lo devuelvo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et il rendit à sa mère les 1 100 pièces d’argent; et sa mère dit: J’avais consacré de ma main l’argent à l’ Éternel pour mon fils, afin d’en faire une image taillée, et une image de fonte; et maintenant, je te le rends.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und er gab die 1100 Sekel Silber seiner Mutter zurück. Und seine Mutter sprach: Das Silber hatte ich von meiner Hand Jehova geheiligt für meinen Sohn, um ein geschnitztes Bild und ein gegossenes Bild zu machen; und nun gebe ich es dir zurück.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Reddidit ergo eos matri suæ, quæ dixerat ei: Consecravi et vovi hoc argentum Domino, ut de manu mea suscipiat filius meus, et faciat sculptile atque conflatile: et nunc trado illud tibi.