1. Judges 18:26 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What makes this a depressing final note about Micah?

Judges 18:26 (ESV)

26 Then the people of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his home.

The bullying from the Danites works. They leave, and when Micah sees that they are too strong for him, he turns in fear and hopelessness and returns home. He has no one to turn to, including the Lord, who would never restore his self-focused religion or bless his idolatry. This is the last we see of Micah in the book, and it is a most depressing picture! If only he had turned to the covenant God!1 Instead, the one who had said, Now I know that the Lord will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest (Judges 17:13), has lost everything.