by Moses. During the times of the Egyptian oppression, if the
prescribed number of bricks was not furnished by the Israelites,
their children were used as building material. Such would have
been Micah's fate, if he had not been saved in a miraculous way.
Moses wrote down the Name of God, and put the words on
Micah's body. The dead boy came to life, and Moses drew him out
of the wall of which he made a part. (126) Micah did not show
himself worthy of the wonder done for him. Even before the
Israelites left Egypt, he made his idol, (127) and it was he who
fashioned the golden calf. At the time of Othniel the judge, (128)
he took up his abode at a distance of not more than three miles
from the sanctuary at Shiloh, (129) and won over the grandson of
Moses (130) to officiate as priest before his idol.

The sanctuary which Micah erected harbored various idols. He had
three images of boys, and three of calves, one lion, an eagle, a
dragon, and a dove. When a man came who wanted a wife, he was
directed to appeal to the dove. If riches were his desire, he
worshipped the eagle. For daughters both, to the calves; to the lion
for strength, and to the dragon for long life. Sacrifices and incense
alike were offered to these idols, and both had to be purchased
with cash money from Micah, even didrachms for a sacrifice, and
one for incense. (131)

The rapid degeneration in the family of Moses may be accounted
for by the fact that Moses had married the daughter of a priest who
ministered to idols. Yet, the grandson of Moses was not an idolater
of ordinary calibre. His sinful conduct was not without a
semblance of morality. From his grandfather he had heard the rule
that a man should do "Abodah Zarah" for hire rather than be