Judges 17
1 There was a man named Micah who lived in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.
厄弗辣因山地有一個人，名叫米加，
2 One day he said to his mother, “I heard you curse whoever stole (1,100 pieces/28 pounds/13 kg.) of silver from your house. I am the one who took the silver, and I still have it.” His mother replied, “My son, I pray that Yahweh will bless you [for admitting that you took it].”
他對自己的母親說：「有人拿去你那一千一百銀錢，對這事你曾起過誓，我也親自聽見你說：我要親手把這項銀錢奉獻給上主，為我兒做一尊神像。看，銀錢在這裏，是握拿了；如今還給你! 」
3 Micah gave all the silver back to his mother. Then she said [to herself], “I will give [some of] this silver to Yahweh.” And she said to her son, “My son, I want you to make an idol and a statue [from this silver]. So I will give [some of] this silver back to you [for making these things].”
他的母親就說：「願我兒蒙上主祝福! 」於是米加就把一千一百銀錢還給他的母親。
4 So when he gave all the silver to his mother, she took (200 pieces/about 5 pounds/1.6 kg.) of it to a (silversmith/man who made things from silver). With the silver that man made an idol and a statue, [and gave them to Micah]. Micah put them in his house.
當他把銀錢還給他的母親以後，她的母親便拿出兩百銀子給了銀匠，請他製造一尊神像，安放在米加的家裏。
5 He had in his house a special (shrine/place for putting sacred things). He made a sacred vest and some small idols [and put them in this shrine along with the big idol and the statue]. Then Micah chose one of his sons to become his priest.
於是米加為這尊神像蓋了一座神廟。又做了「厄弗得」和「忒辣芬，」委派自己的一個兒子充任司祭。
6 At that time, the Israeli people did not have a king. So [Micah and everyone else] did whatever they considered to be the right thing to do.
當時在以色列沒有君王，各人任意行事。米加收肋未為司祭
7 There was a young man who had been living in Bethlehem in the area where the tribe of Judah lives. He [wanted to work as a priest because he] was a member of the tribe of Levi.
當時有一個少年，他是個肋未人，從猷大白冷，即從猷大支派來到那裏作客。
8 So he left Bethlehem to find another place to live [and work]. He came to Micah’s house in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.
這人離開猷大白冷，想找一個可寄居的地方；當他旅行的時候，來到厄弗辣因山地，米加的家旁，
9 Micah asked him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I come from Bethlehem. I am from the tribe of Levi, and I am looking for a place to live [and work as a priest].”
米加問他說：「你從那裏來﹖」他回答說：「我是個肋未人，由猷大白冷來，想找一個可寄居的地方。」
10 Micah said to him, “Stay with me, and you can become like a father [to counsel me], and be my priest. Each year I will give to you ten pieces of silver and some [new] clothes. And I will provide food for you.”
米加就對他說：「你住在我這裏罷! 作我的師傅和司祭，我每年給你十塊銀錢，還照管你的吃穿。」米加挽留那肋未人，
11 So the young man agreed to live with Micah. He became like one of Micah’s own sons.
他遂同意住在米加那裏，他看待這少年好似自己的兒子。
12 Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s house.
米加又委任了這肋未人，這人遂作了他的司祭，住在米加家中。
13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that Yahweh will do good things for me, because I have a man from the tribe of Levi to be my priest.”
於是米加說：「如今我知道上主必施恩於我，因為有位肋未人作了我的司祭。」
