Dommer 17

1 I Efraims Bjerge levede en Mand, som hed Mika.

A man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim

2 Han sagde til sin Moder: "De 1100 Sekel Sølv, du har mistet, og for hvis Skyld du udtalte en Forbandelse, som jeg selv hørte, se, de Penge er hos mig; jeg har taget dem, men nu vil jeg give dig dem tilbage." Da sagde hans Moder: "HERREN velsigne dig, min Søn!"

told his mother, “Those eleven hundred shekels of silver that were stolen from you and that I heard you curse—I've got the silver. I was the one who took it.” Then his mother said, “My son, the Lord bless you!”

3 Så gav han sin Moder de 1100 Sekel Sølv tilbage; og Moderen sagde: "Disse Penge helliger jeg HERREN og giver min Søn, for at han kan lave et udskåret og støbt Billede."

He gave back to his mother the eleven hundred shekels of silver. His mother announced, “I'm completely dedicating this money to the Lord. I'm handing it over to my son to have an idol carved, an image made with molten silver. So now I return it to you.”

4 Så gav han sin Moder Pengene tilbage; og Moderen tog 200 Sekel Sølv deraf og gav dem til Guldsmeden, som lavede et udskåret og støbt Billede deraf, og det fik sin Plads i Mikas Hus.

After he'd returned the silver to his mother she gave two hundred shekels to a silversmith who made it into a carved idol, an image made with molten silver. They were kept in Micah's house.

5 Manden Mika havde et Gudshus, og han lavede sig en Efod og en Husgud og indsatte en af sine Sønner til sin Præst.

Micah had built a shrine for the idol. He also made an ephod and some household gods, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.

6 I de Dage var der ingen Konge i Israel; enhver gjorde, hvad han fandt for godt.

At that time Israel didn't have a king— everyone did what they themselves thought was the right thing to do.

7 Nu var der i Betlehem i Juda en ung Mand af Judas Slægt; han var Levit og boede der som fremmed.

One young man, a Levite from the tribe of Judah had been living in Bethlehem in Judah,

8 Denne Mand forlod sin By Betlehem i Juda for at slå sig ned som fremmed, hvor det kunde træffe sig, og på sin Vandring kom han til Mikas Hus i Efraims Bjerge.

left Bethlehem to look for a different place to live. As he traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, he came to Micah's house.

9 Da spurgte Mika ham: "Hvorfra kommer du?" Han svarede: "Jeg er Levit og har hjemme i Betlehem i Juda, og jeg er på Vandring for at slå mig ned som fremmed, hvor det kan træffe sig."

“Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I'm a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” the man replied. “I'm looking for a place to live.”

10 Da sagde Mika til ham: "Tag Ophold hos mig og bliv min Fader og Præst; jeg vil give dig ti Sekel Sølv om Året og holde dig med Klæder og give dig Kosten!"

“Come and stay here with me. You can be my ‘father’ and priest, and I'll give you ten shekels of silver a year, plus your clothes and food.” So the Levite went inside

11 Så gik Leviten ind på at tage Ophold hos Manden, og den unge Mand var ham som en af hans egne Sønner.

and agreed to stay with him. The young man became like a son to him.

12 Mika indsatte så Leviten, og den unge Mand blev Præst hos ham og tog Ophold i Mikas Hus.

Micah ordained the Levite as his own priest and he lived in Micah's house.

13 Da sagde Mika: "Nu ved jeg, at HERREN vil gøre vel imod mig, siden jeg har fået en Levit til Præst!"

“I'm sure the Lord will bless me now, because I have a Levite as my priest,” Micah concluded.