Judges 17

1 There was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Michah,

A man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim

2 And he saide vnto his mother, The eleuen hundreth shekels of siluer that were taken from thee, for the which thou cursedst, and spakedst it, euen in mine hearing, beholde, the siluer is with me, I tooke it. Then his mother saide, Blessed be my sonne of the Lord.

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 And when he had restored the eleuen hundreth shekels of siluer to his mother, his mother sayd, I had dedicate the siluer to the Lord of mine hand for my sonne, to make a grauen and molten image. Now therfore I will giue it thee again.

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 And when he had restored the money vnto his mother, his mother tooke two hundreth shekels of siluer, and gaue them to the founder, which made thereof a grauen and molten image, and it was in the house of Michah.

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 And this man Michah had an house of gods, and made an Ephod, and Teraphim, and cosecrated one of his sonnes, who was his Priest.

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 In those dayes there was no King in Israel, but euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes.

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

7 There was also a yong man out of Bethlehem Iudah, of the familie of Iudah: who was a Leuite, and soiourned there.

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

8 And the man departed out of the citie, euen out of Beth-lehem Iudah, to dwell where he coulde finde a place: and as he iourneyed, he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Michah

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 And Michah saide vnto him, Whence comest thou? And the Leuite answered him, I come from Beth-lehem Iudah, and goe to dwell where I may finde a place.

“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 Then Michah said vnto him, Dwell with me, and be vnto me a father and a Priest, and I will giue thee ten shekels of siluer by yeere, and a sute of apparell, and thy meate and drinke. So the Leuite went in.

“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 And the Leuite was content to dwel with the man, and the yong man was vnto him as one of his owne sonnes.

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

12 And Michah consecrated the Leuite, and the yong man was his Priest, and was in the house of Michah.

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

13 Then said Michah, Nowe I know that the Lord will be good vnto me, seeing I haue a Leuite to my Priest.

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