John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. In those days there was no king in Israel , etc.] That is, no supreme magistrate, judge, or ruler, Joshua being dead and Caleb also, and the elders contemporary with them; for what the Samaritan Chronicle says f373 is without foundation, that Joshua a little before his death cast a lot in the presence of the congregation, to know who should govern after him, and the lot came to one Abel, of the tribe of Judah: [but] every man did that which was right in his own eyes ; which accounts for the idolatry of Micah, there being no supreme magistrate to take cognizance of his sin, and restrain him from it, or punish him for it according to the law of God.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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. Ju 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 mad her so unkind to her son, as to curse him. Outward losses drive goo people to their prayers, but bad people to their curses. This woman' silver was her god, before it was made into a graven or a molten image Micah and his mother agreed to turn their money into a god, and set u idol worship in their family. See the cause of this corruption. Ever man did that which was right in his own eyes, and then they soon di that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.
Original Hebrew בימים3117 ההם1992 אין369 מלך4428 בישׂראל3478 אישׁ376 הישׁר3477 בעיניו5869 יעשׂה׃6213
