And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
They set up Micah's carved idol at Dan as a rival place of worship, and it stayed there the whole time God's true sanctuary, His tabernacle dwelling, stood at Shiloh. The account belongs to the closing episodes of Judges outside the stories of the judges themselves, yet its events took place early in that history when Israel was low and disordered, every man doing what was right in his own eyes. The wording shows the book was written afterward, looking back at least to the time when Israel had a king. It stands as a record of backsliding into idolatry and of the disgrace and punishment that followed, giving no warrant to think such sin can be done without consequence. That first apostasy of Dan nearly blotted out the tribe from the sealing of Revelation 7, established a worship that later made Jeroboam's calf worship easier, and its irregular services came to an end with the loss of the ark.
Historical Setting and Terms
The verse belongs to Judges 17-21, the two final episodes that stand outside the stories of the judges, while the real story of the book ends with chapter 16. This closing portion includes the account of the sanctuary set up at Dan, and the reading of it completes the book. Its events occurred in the early part of the history of the judges, in Israel's low spiritual condition before the call of Samuel. That was a time of grave disorder when people did what seemed right in their own eyes, and the chapter is presented as evidence of the gross immorality of that time.
The wording about the house of God being in Shiloh shows the book was written after Joshua and after the time it describes, at least as late as when Saul was king and about the time Israel had a king. Some place its writing as late as Solomon's reign. The book was written by Samuel or Nathan.
The house of God at Shiloh is the sanctuary, the Lord's tabernacle and earthly dwelling where God took possession among His people. It was also called the house of the Lord, a curtained tabernacle located in the city of Shiloh. Micah's graven image, or carved image, was set up and worshiped at Dan as a rival sanctuary to that tabernacle at Shiloh. It remained there all the time that the house of God was at Shiloh.
Apostasy and Its Consequences
The setting up of Micah's graven image while God's house was at Shiloh was part of Israel's backsliding into idolatry, with the disgrace and punishment that followed. That backsliding gives no warrant for thinking such sin can be done with impunity. The chapter is evidence of Dan's first apostasy, suggested as the reason the tribe was nearly lost and was omitted from the tribes numbered in the sealing of Revelation 7.
The Danites established Micah's graven image and maintained idolatrous worship at Dan, and this existing practice later made it easier for Jeroboam to lead the people there into calf worship. That graven image was worshiped at Dan as a rival sanctuary while the house of God remained at Shiloh, and the loss of the ark is connected with the end of these irregular services there.
They set up Micah's carved idol at Dan as a rival place of worship, and it stayed there the whole time God's true sanctuary, His tabernacle dwelling, stood at Shiloh. The account belongs to the closing episodes of Judges outside the stories of the judges themselves, yet its events took place early in that history when Israel was low and disordered, every man doing what was right in his own eyes. The wording shows the book was written afterward, looking back at least to the time when Israel had a king. It stands as a record of backsliding into idolatry and of the disgrace and punishment that followed, giving no warrant to think such sin can be done without consequence. That first apostasy of Dan nearly blotted out the tribe from the sealing of Revelation 7, established a worship that later made Jeroboam's calf worship easier, and its irregular services came to an end with the loss of the ark.
Historical Setting and Terms
The verse belongs to Judges 17-21, the two final episodes that stand outside the stories of the judges, while the real story of the book ends with chapter 16. This closing portion includes the account of the sanctuary set up at Dan, and the reading of it completes the book. Its events occurred in the early part of the history of the judges, in Israel's low spiritual condition before the call of Samuel. That was a time of grave disorder when people did what seemed right in their own eyes, and the chapter is presented as evidence of the gross immorality of that time.
The wording about the house of God being in Shiloh shows the book was written after Joshua and after the time it describes, at least as late as when Saul was king and about the time Israel had a king. Some place its writing as late as Solomon's reign. The book was written by Samuel or Nathan.
The house of God at Shiloh is the sanctuary, the Lord's tabernacle and earthly dwelling where God took possession among His people. It was also called the house of the Lord, a curtained tabernacle located in the city of Shiloh. Micah's graven image, or carved image, was set up and worshiped at Dan as a rival sanctuary to that tabernacle at Shiloh. It remained there all the time that the house of God was at Shiloh.
Apostasy and Its Consequences
The setting up of Micah's graven image while God's house was at Shiloh was part of Israel's backsliding into idolatry, with the disgrace and punishment that followed. That backsliding gives no warrant for thinking such sin can be done with impunity. The chapter is evidence of Dan's first apostasy, suggested as the reason the tribe was nearly lost and was omitted from the tribes numbered in the sealing of Revelation 7.
The Danites established Micah's graven image and maintained idolatrous worship at Dan, and this existing practice later made it easier for Jeroboam to lead the people there into calf worship. That graven image was worshiped at Dan as a rival sanctuary while the house of God remained at Shiloh, and the loss of the ark is connected with the end of these irregular services there.