Judges 17

1 There was a man named Micah who lived in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.

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

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].”

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.

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].”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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].”

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].

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.”

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.

11 So the young man agreed to live with Micah. He became like one of Micah’s own sons.

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

12 Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s house.

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

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.”

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