Judges 17
1 There was a man named Micah who lived in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.
以法莲山地有一个人名叫米迦。
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].”
他对母亲说：“你那一千一百舍客勒银子被人拿去，你因此咒诅，并且告诉了我。看哪，这银子在我这里，是我拿去了。”他母亲说：“我儿啊，愿耶和华赐福与你！”
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].”
米迦就把这一千一百舍客勒银子还他母亲。他母亲说：“我分出这银子来为你献给耶和华，好雕刻一个像，铸成一个像。现在我还是交给你。”
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.
米迦将银子还他母亲，他母亲将二百舍客勒银子交给银匠，雕刻一个像，铸成一个像，安置在米迦的屋内。
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.
这米迦有了神堂，又制造以弗得和家中的神像，分派他一个儿子作祭司。
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.
那时以色列中没有王，各人任意而行。
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.
犹大的伯利恒有一个少年人，是犹大族的利未人，他在那里寄居。
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.
这人离开犹大的伯利恒城，要找一个可住的地方。行路的时候，到了以法莲山地，走到米迦的家。
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].”
米迦问他说：“你从哪里来？”他回答说：“从犹大的伯利恒来。我是利未人，要找一个可住的地方。”
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.”
米迦说：“你可以住在我这里，我以你为父、为祭司。我每年给你十舍客勒银子，一套衣服和度日的食物。”利未人就进了他的家。
11 So the young man agreed to live with Micah. He became like one of Micah’s own sons.
利未人情愿与那人同住；那人看这少年人如自己的儿子一样。
12 Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s house.
米迦分派这少年的利未人作祭司，他就住在米迦的家里。
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.”
米迦说：“现在我知道耶和华必赐福与我，因我有一个利未人作祭司。”
