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In the second verse of this chapter Micah makes a clean confession of a great wrong which he had done to his mother. "It seems," says Matthew Henry, "that this old woman, with long scraping and saving, had hoarded a considerable sum of money — eleven hundred pieces of silver. It is likely she intended, when she died, to leave it to this son. In the meantime, it did her good to count it over and call it her own." On discovering that she had been relieved of her treasure, Micah's mother became justly indignant. She scolded and called down curses on the one who had robbed her. This she did in her son's presence, and though she made no direct charge of the offence upon him, her conduct greatly disturbed his conscience. Some time later he made an open acknowledgment to his mother of the whole matter, and restored the stolen treasure. The reappearance of the lost shekels had a remarkably soothing effect on her disposition. She forgot all about the wrong done to her, and all about her own distemper. "Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son," said this forgiving mother. Is it not wonderful what a difference a little money makes in one's disposition and feelings? She who could curse at its loss now as readily blesses with its return. One can imagine a very different state of things had Micah come to her with his confession, but without the eleven hundred pieces of silver. Note now another incident in this transaction. After this money had been stolen Micah's mother gave as one reason for feeling so badly that "she had dedicated it wholly to the Lord." When she had it in her possession she had not the heart to do this, but as soon as it was gone she made known her good intentions. For some reason Micah was moved to restore to his mother the money which belonged to her. What did she do with it? Did she give it to the Lord; according to her reported oath of dedication? The record shows she gave to Him but the veriest part of it. Nine hundred shekels she kept for herself. The remaining two hundred she devoted to religious uses. What a picture in this conduct of Micah and his mother of poor, weak, vacillating, human nature, sinning and confessing, cursing and blessing, as circumstances determine! "What wonder," says Matthew Henry, "that such a mother had such a son! She paved the way for his theft, by her probable stinginess." In her poverty she professed generous feeling towards the Lord's cause. When her money came back, she gave to it less than one-fifth of the all she had promised.

(W. H. Allbright.)

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KJV: And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

WEB: There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.