Judges 17
1 There was a man named Micah who lived in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.
Ήτο δε άνθρωπός τις εκ του όρους Εφραΐμ, και το όνομα αυτού Μιχαίας.
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].”
Και είπε προς την μητέρα αυτού, Τα χίλια εκατόν αργύρια, τα οποία αφηρέθησαν από σου, διά τα οποία και συ κατηράσθης, και ακόμη ελάλησας εις τα ώτα μου, ιδού, το αργύριον είναι εις εμέ· εγώ έλαβον αυτό. Η δε μήτηρ αυτού είπεν, Ευλογημένος να ήσαι, υιέ μου, παρά του Κυρίου.
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].”
Και επέστρεψε τα χίλια και εκατόν αργύρια εις την μητέρα αυτού, και είπεν η μήτηρ αυτού, Αφιέρωμα αφιέρωσα το αργύριον εις τον Κύριον εκ της χειρός μου, υπέρ του υιού μου, διά να κάμη γλυπτόν και χωνευτόν· και τώρα θέλω επιστρέψει αυτό εις σε.
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.
Αυτός δε επέστρεψε το αργύριον εις την μητέρα αυτού· η δε μήτηρ αυτού λαβούσα διακόσια αργύρια, έδωκεν αυτά εις τον χωνευτήν, όστις έκαμεν εξ αυτών γλυπτόν και χωνευτόν· και ήσαν εν τω οίκω του Μιχαία.
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.
Και ο άνθρωπος ο Μιχαίας είχεν οίκον Θεού και έκαμεν εφόδ και θεραφείμ· και καθιέρωσεν ένα εκ των υιών αυτού, και έγεινεν εις αυτόν ιερεύς.
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.
Κατ' εκείνας τας ημέρας δεν ήτο βασιλεύς εν τω Ισραήλ· έκαστος έπραττεν ό, τι εφαίνετο εις αυτόν ορθόν.
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.
Και ήτο νέος τις εκ Βηθλεέμ Ιούδα, εκ της φυλής Ιούδα, όστις ήτο Λευΐτης και παρώκει εκεί.
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.
Και ανεχώρησεν ο άνθρωπος εκ της πόλεως Βηθλεέμ Ιούδα, διά να παροικήση όπου εύρη· και ήλθεν εις το όρος Εφραΐμ, έως του οίκου του Μιχαία, ακολουθών την οδόν αυτού.
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].”
Και είπε προς αυτόν ο Μιχαίας, Πόθεν έρχεσαι; Ο δε είπε προς αυτόν, Εγώ είμαι Λευΐτης εκ Βηθλεέμ Ιούδα και υπάγω να παροικήσω όπου εύρω.
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.”
Και είπε προς αυτόν ο Μιχαίας, Κάθου μετ' εμού και γίνου εις εμέ πατήρ και ιερεύς, και εγώ θέλω σοι δίδει δέκα αργύρια κατ' έτος και στολήν και την τροφήν σου. Και ο Λευΐτης εισήλθε προς αυτόν.
11 So the young man agreed to live with Micah. He became like one of Micah’s own sons.
Και ευχαριστείτο ο Λευΐτης να κατοική μετά του ανθρώπου· και ο νέος ήτο εις αυτόν ως εις εκ των υιών αυτού.
12 Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s house.
Και καθιέρωσεν ο Μιχαίας τον Λευΐτην· και ο νέος έγεινεν εις αυτόν ιερεύς και έμενεν εν τω οίκω του Μιχαία.
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.”
Τότε είπεν ο Μιχαίας, Τώρα γνωρίζω ότι ο Κύριος θέλει με αγαθοποιήσει, διότι έχω Λευΐτην διά ιερέα.
