Judges 17

1 And there was a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

There was at that time a man of mount Ephraim whose name was Michas,

2 And he said to his mother, The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me. I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son from Jehovah.

Who said to his mother: The eleven hundred pieces of silver, which thou hadst put aside for thyself, and concerning which thou didst swear in my hearing, behold I have, and they are with me. And she said to him: Blessed be my son by the Lord.

3 And he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, I verily dedicate the silver to Jehovah from my hand for my son to make a graven image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to thee.

So he restored them to his mother, who said to him: I have consecrated and vowed this silver to the Lord, that my son may receive it at my hand, and make a graven and a molten god, so now I deliver it to thee.

4 And when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made of it a graven image and a molten image. And it was in the house of Micah.

And he restored them to his mother: and she took two hundred pieces of silver and gave them to the silversmith, to make of them a graven and a molten god, which was in the house of Michas.

5 And the man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

And he separated also therein a little temple for the god, and made an ephod, and theraphim, that is to say, a priestly garment, and idols: and he filled the hand of one of his sons, and he became his priest.

6 In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every one did that which seemed right to himself.

7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

There was also another young man of Bethlehem Juda, of the kindred thereof: and he was a Levite, and dwelt there.

8 And the man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find a place. And he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

Now he went out from the city of Bethlehem, and desired to sojourn wheresoever he should find it convenient for him. And when he was come to mount Ephraim, as he was on his journey, and had turned aside a little into the house of Michas,

9 And Micah said to him, From where come thou? And he said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.

He was asked by him whence he came. And he answered: I am a Levite of Bethlehem Juda, and I am going to dwell where I can, and where I shall find a place to my advantage.

10 And Micah said to him, Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten pieces of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy food. So the Levite went in.

And Michas said: Stay with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee every year ten pieces of silver, and a double suit of apparel, and thy victuals.

11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man, and the young man was to him as one of his sons.

He was content, and abode with the man, and was unto him as one of his sons.

12 And Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

And Michas filled his hand, and had the young man with him, for his priest, saying:

13 Then Micah said, Now I know that Jehovah will do me good, seeing I have a Levite for my priest.

Now I know God will do me good, since I have a priest of the race of the Levites.