Judges 17

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

There was a man in the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Micah.

2 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.

He said to his mother, “The 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you spoke a curse, and which I heard—look here! I have the silver with me. I stole it.” His mother said, “May Yahweh bless you, my son!”

3 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.

He restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother and his mother said, “I set apart this silver to Yahweh, for my son to make carved and cast metal figures. So now, I restore it to you.”

4 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.

When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver and gave them to a metal worker who made them into carved and cast metal figures, and they were placed in the house of Micah.

5 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.

The man Micah had a house of idols and he made an ephod and household gods, and he hired one of his sons to become 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, and everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

7 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.

Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the clan of Judah, who was a Levite. He stayed there to fulfill his duties.

8 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.

The man left Bethlehem in Judah to go and find a place to live. As he journeyed, he came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim.

9 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].

Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” The man said to him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am traveling to find a place where I might live.”

10 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.

Micah said to him, “Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest. I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, a suit of clothes, and your food.” So the Levite went into his house.

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

The Levite was content to live with the man, and the young man became to Micah like one of his sons.

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

Micah set apart the Levite for sacred duties, and the young man became his priest, and was in Micah's house.

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

Then Micah said, “Now I know that Yahweh will do good for me, because this Levite has become my priest.”