Verse 20:[1] And the priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
The priest’s heart was glad; being wholly governed by his own interest, and making all his obligations of justice and gratitude give place to it. But it is not strange, if he who was before perfidious to God, should prove so to men.
[And he set out with them] Hebrew: in the midst (inmost part [Malvenda]) of the people[2] (Junius and Tremellius), or of the armed men: either, so that Micah might not bring him back hom; or rather, so that he might bear some resemblance to the Ark of the Covenant, and thus commend his idol to the soldiers (Martyr).
In the midst of the people, that is, among the people; or properly in the midst, both for the greater security of such precious things, and that Micah might not be able to come at him, either to injure or upbraid him; and it may be, because that was the place where the ark used to be carried.
[1] Hebrew: וַיִּיטַב֙ לֵ֣ב הַכֹּהֵ֔ן וַיִּקַּח֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵפ֔וֹד וְאֶת־הַתְּרָפִ֖ים וְאֶת־הַפָּ֑סֶל וַיָּבֹ֖א בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעָֽם׃
[2] Hebrew: בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָעָֽם׃.
Good post today and Hebrew exercise. On a personal note, I appreciate your comment, Dr. Dilday, in relating what advise your Philosophy Professor gave. I too was once allured by the big, trendy churches, and hoped that God would call me to one where I could have such "influence." But He humbled me and called me to a small, struggling Baptist church. And I've learned that it is all for His glory and majesty... but there is such a seduction to ministers in our day to think bigger is better. Oh what lessons we can learn from Judges 18!
My old Philosophy Professor (a Christian) once observed it strange, that ministers always seem to feel called to larger churches, greater prestige, more money.
You might rather think that the King and Head of the Church would call His best and most experienced servants to the places of greatest difficulties, the most troubled and distressed churches.
Beware of a desire for upward-mobility in the ministry.
In this passage, a cautionary tale about such.
Matthew Henry: 'They set upon the priest, and flattered him into a good humour, not only to let the gods go, but to go himself along with them; for without him they knew not well how to make use of the gods. Observe...How they won him. A little persuasion served: His heart was glad, Judges 18:20. The proposal took well enough with his rambling fancy, which would never let him stay long at a place, and gratified his covetousness and ambition. He had no reason to say but that he was well off where he was; Micah had not deceived him, nor changed his wages. He was not moved with any remorse of conscience for attending on a graven image…
Hebrew Highlights: No particular difficulties, just good, wholesome exercise.