Judges 17

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

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

2 And he said unto his mother: 'The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou didst utter a curse, and didst also speak it in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.' And his mother said: 'Blessed be my son of the LORD.'

He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears—behold, the silver is with me. I took it.” His mother said, “May the LORD bless my son!”

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

He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, then his mother said, “I most certainly dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.”

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

When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to a silversmith, who made a carved image and a molten image out of it. It was in the house of Micah.

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

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.

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. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.

7 And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem in Judah — in the family of Judah — who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

There was a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he lived there.

8 And the man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem in 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.

The man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem Judah, to live where he could find a place, and he came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he traveled.

9 And Micah said unto him: 'Whence comest thou?' And he said unto him: 'I am a Levite of Beth-lehem in Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.'

Micah said to him, “Where did you come from?” He said to him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem Judah, and I am looking for a place to live.”

10 And Micah said unto him: 'Dwell with me, and be unto 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 victuals.' So the Levite went in.

Micah said to him, “Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, a suit of clothing, and your food.” So the Levite went in.

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

The Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was to 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.

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

13 Then said Micah: 'Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite as my priest.'

Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will do good to me, since I have a Levite as my priest.”