Judges 17

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

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

2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred [shekels] of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver [is] with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed [be thou] of the LORD, my son.

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.

3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred [shekels] of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated 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.

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.

4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred [shekels] of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

8 And the man departed out of the city from Beth-lehem-judah to sojourn where he could find [a place: ] and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

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,

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

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.

10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten [shekels] of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.

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.

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

He was content, and abode with the man, and was unto 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.

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

13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to [my] priest.

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