Judges 17

1 In that tyme was a man, `Mycas bi name, of the hil of Effraym.

Now there was a man of the hill-country of Ephraim named Micah.

2 And he seide to his modir, Lo! Y haue a thousynde `and an hundrid platis of siluer, whiche thou departidist to thee, and on whiche thou sworist, while Y herde, and tho ben at me. To whom sche answeride, Blessid be my sone of the Lord.

And he said to his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver which were taken from you, about which you took an oath and said in my hearing, I have given this silver to the Lord from my hand for myself, to make a pictured image and a metal image: see, I have the silver, for I took it: so now I will give it back to you. And his mother said, May the blessing of the Lord be on my son.

3 Therefor he yeldide tho to his modir; and sche seide to hym, Y halewide and avowide this siluer to the Lord, that my sone resseyue of myn hond, and make a grauun ymage and a yotun ymage; and now I `yyue it to thee.

And he gave back the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, and his mother said, I have made the silver holy to the Lord from me for my son, to make a pictured image and a metal image.

4 Therfor he yeldide to his modir; and sche took twei hundryd platis of siluer, and yaf tho to a werk man of siluer, that he schulde make of tho a grauun `ymage and yotun, that was in `the hows of Mycas.

So he gave the silver back to his mother. Then his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a metal-worker who made a pictured image and a metal image from them: and it was in the house of Micah.

5 Which departide also a litil hous ther ynne to God; and made ephod, and theraphym, that is, a preestis cloth, and ydols; and he fillide the hond of oon of his sones, and he was maad a preest to hym.

And the man Micah had a house of gods; and he made an ephod and family gods and put one of his sons in the position of priest.

6 In tho daies was no kyng in Israel, but ech man dide this, that semyde riytful to hym silf.

In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did as seemed right to him.

7 Also another yonge wexynge man was of Bethleem of Juda, of the kynrede therof, `that is, of Juda, and he was a dekene, and dwellide there.

Now there was a young man living in Beth-lehem-judah, of the family of Judah and a Levite, who was not a townsman of the place.

8 And he yede out of the citee of Bethleem, and wolde be a pilgrim, where euere he foond profitable to hym silf. And whanne he made iourney, and `hadde come in to the hil of Effraym, and hadde bowid a litil in to `the hows of Mycha,

And he went away from the town of Beth-lehem-judah, looking for somewhere to make his living-place; and on his journey he came to the hill-country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah.

9 `he was axid of hym, Fro whennus comest thou? Which answeride, Y am a dekene of Bethleem of Juda, and Y go, that Y dwelle where Y may, and se that it is profitable to me.

And Micah said to him, Where do you come from? And he said to him, I am a Levite from Beth-lehem-judah, and I am looking for a living-place.

10 Micha seide, Dwelle thou at me, and be thou fadir and preest `to me; and Y schal yyue to thee bi ech yeer ten platis of siluer, and double cloth, and tho thingis that ben nedeful to lijflode.

Then Micah said to him, Make your living-place with me, and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten shekels of silver a year and your clothing and food.

11 He assentide, and dwellide `at the man; and he was to the man as oon of sones.

And the Levite said he would make his living-place with the man, and he became to him as one of his sons.

12 And Mycha fillide his hond, and hadde the child preest at hym,

And Micah gave the position to the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

13 and seide, Now Y woot, that God schal do wel to me, hauynge a preest of the kyn of Leuy.

Then Micah said, Now I am certain that the Lord will do me good, seeing that the Levite has become my priest.