Judges 17

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

And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

2 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.

And he said to his mother, The eleven hundred silver-pieces that were taken from thee, and about which thou didst curse and speak of in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son of Jehovah!

3 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.

And he restored the eleven hundred silver-pieces to his mother; and his mother said, I had dedicated the silver to Jehovah from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image; and now I will restore it to thee.

4 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.

Now he restored the silver to his mother; and his mother took two hundred silver-pieces and gave them to the founder, and he made of them a graven image and a molten image; and they were in the house of Micah.

5 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.

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

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

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

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

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

8 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,

And the man departed from the city, from Bethlehem-Judah, to sojourn where he might find [a place]. And as he journeyed, he came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah.

9 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.

And Micah said to him, Whence comest thou? And he said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem-Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find [a place].

10 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.

And Micah said to him, Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give thee yearly ten silver-pieces, and a suit of garments, and thy victuals. And the Levite went in.

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

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

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

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

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

Then said Micah, Now I know that Jehovah will do me good, because I have the Levite for priest.