godsאֱלֹהִים
elohim · Hebrew Noun
In the Bible, this refers to idols or images crafted by human hands, which are strictly forbidden by the Law of God as they are powerless and dishonor the true, living God. They represent the objects of man-made, false religion rather than the Creator who alone is God.
priestכֹּהֵן
kohen · Hebrew Noun
A person set apart to minister in religious service, acting as a mediator between the people and the deity. In the context of Micah's household, this reflects a syncretistic and unauthorized priesthood established outside of the Mosaic covenant and the tabernacle.
angry fellowsמָרֵי נֶפֶשׁ
marei nephesh · Hebrew Noun phrase
A term denoting those who possess a fierce, volatile, or bitter temper. In Scripture, it often describes men who are prone to sudden, violent outbursts or irrational hostility, frequently serving as an instrument of danger to others.
lifeנֶפֶשׁ
nephesh · Hebrew Noun
The seat of a person's life, will, emotions, and being. In the context of "losing one's life," it refers to the cessation of physical existence; it is the vital spark that God gives and that can be taken away.
people of Danדָּן
Dan · Hebrew Proper Noun
Refers to the tribe of Dan, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, named after the son of Jacob (Israel). In this context, it highlights the identity of the perpetrators who abandoned their allotted inheritance to seize land elsewhere.
priestכֹּהֵן
kohen · Hebrew Noun
A person who serves as an intermediary between God and the people, performing sacrifices and maintaining sacred objects. In Israel, this office was intended to be restricted to the tribe of Levi, making the Danites' use of a personal priest a corruption of the Mosaic order.
edge of the swordלְפִי-חָרֶב
lephi-chereb · Hebrew Idiomatic Phrase
A phrase indicating the slaughter or total destruction of a population, often used in the context of holy war or conquest. It signifies complete victory and the execution of God's judgment, though here it is used in a lawless act of aggression.
delivererמַצִּיל
matsil · Hebrew Noun/Participle
One who saves, rescues, or secures safety for another. Biblically, this title is preeminently applied to God, who acts as the ultimate Deliverer of His people from danger, oppression, or judgment.
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל
Yisrael · Hebrew Proper Noun
The name given to the patriarch Jacob by God after he wrestled with the Angel of the Lord. It serves as the covenant name for the entire nation descended from him, signifying their unique status as God's chosen people.
carved imageפֶסֶל
pesel · Hebrew Noun
An object fashioned by human hands to represent a deity; the Bible strictly forbids the making of such objects, as they represent an attempt to contain or control the divine and inevitably lead to idolatry, which is a violation of the First and Second Commandments.
Mosesמֹשֶׁה
Mosheh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The foundational prophet and lawgiver of Israel, through whom God gave the Torah at Sinai. As the mediator of the Old Covenant, he set the standard for the priesthood and faithful worship, making his grandson's apostasy particularly scandalous.
captivityגָּלוּת
galut · Hebrew Noun
A period of forced displacement or removal from the land, often interpreted in the Bible as a divine judgment for covenant infidelity, national sin, and persistent idolatry.
carved imageפֶּסֶל
pesel · Hebrew Noun
A physical representation or statue fashioned by human hands, frequently used in the Bible to describe objects of idolatrous worship that compete with or replace the true worship of Yahweh.
house of Godבֵּית אֱלֹהִים
bet elohim · Hebrew Noun phrase
A holy place or sanctuary established for the worship of the one true God, often referring to the location where the Tabernacle was housed before the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Shilohשִׁלֹה
Shiloh · Hebrew Proper Noun
A significant city in the territory of Ephraim that served as the primary religious center for the Israelites during the period of the judges, housing the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant.
