< Judges 17 >
1 Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
以法蓮山地有一個人名叫米迦。
2 said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”
他對母親說:「你那一千一百舍客勒銀子被人拿去,你因此咒詛,並且告訴了我。看哪,這銀子在我這裏,是我拿去了。」他母親說:「我兒啊,願耶和華賜福與你!」
3 And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”
米迦就把這一千一百舍客勒銀子還他母親。他母親說:「我分出這銀子來為你獻給耶和華,好雕刻一個像,鑄成一個像。現在我還是交給你。」
4 So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.
米迦將銀子還他母親,他母親將二百舍客勒銀子交給銀匠,雕刻一個像,鑄成一個像,安置在米迦的屋內。
5 Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
這米迦有了神堂,又製造以弗得和家中的神像,分派他一個兒子作祭司。
6 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
那時以色列中沒有王,各人任意而行。
7 And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.
猶大的伯利恆有一個少年人,是猶大族的利未人,他在那裏寄居。
8 This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.
這人離開猶大的伯利恆城,要找一個可住的地方。行路的時候,到了以法蓮山地,走到米迦的家。
9 “Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.”
米迦問他說:「你從哪裏來?」他回答說:「從猶大的伯利恆來。我是利未人,要找一個可住的地方。」
10 “Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in
米迦說:「你可以住在我這裏,我以你為父、為祭司。我每年給你十舍客勒銀子,一套衣服和度日的食物。」利未人就進了他的家。
11 and agreed to stay with him, and the young man became like a son to Micah.
利未人情願與那人同住;那人看這少年人如自己的兒子一樣。
12 Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house.
米迦分派這少年的利未人作祭司,他就住在米迦的家裏。
13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.”
米迦說:「現在我知道耶和華必賜福與我,因我有一個利未人作祭司。」