Judges 17

1 Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim

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

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!”

And he said unto his mother—The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken by thee, when, thou, didst utter a curse, and didst also say in my hearing, Lo! the silver, is with me! I took it. Then said his mother, Blessed, be my son by Yahweh.

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.”

And, when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said—I had, hallowed, the silver unto Yahweh out of mine own hand, for my son, to make a graved (molten) image, now, therefore, I will restore it unto thee.

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.

But he restored the silver to his mother, —so his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave it to the silversmith, who made thereof a graved (molten) image, and it was in the house of Micah.

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.

Now, the man Micah, had a house of gods, —and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and installed one of his sons, who became his priest.

6 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

In those days, there was no king in Israel, —every man did, that which was right in his own eyes.

7 And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.

And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-judah, of the family of Judah, —he, being a Levite, and, he, being a sojourner there.

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.

So the man took his journey out of the city, out of Bethlehem-judah, to sojourn, wheresoever he could find [a home], —and he came into the hill country of Ephraim, as far as the house of Micah, in pursuing his journey.

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.”

And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him—A Levite, am I, from Bethlehem-judah, and, I, am taking my journey to sojourn, wheresoever I can find [a home].

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

And Micah said unto 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 sustenance. So the Levite went.

11 and agreed to stay with him, and the young man became like a son to Micah.

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

12 Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house.

And Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest, —and remained in the house of Micah.

13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.”

Then said Micah—Now, I know that Yahweh will do me good, —seeing I have a Levite as my priest.