Judges 17

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

And there was a man of the mountain of Ephraim, whose name was Michayhu.

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 unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spokest of also in my ears, —behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son unto the Lord.

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 restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand, for my son, to make a graven and molten image; and now I will give it back unto thee.

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.

Yet he gave the money back unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the silversmith, who made thereof a graven and molten image; 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 god, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his 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 what seemed right in his own eyes.

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.

And there was a young man out of Beth-lechem-judah of the family of Judah, but he was a Levite, and sojourned there.

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 the man departed from the city, from Beth-lechem-judah, to sojourn where he could find [a place]; and he came to the mountain of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he was pursuing his journey.

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 unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite from Beth-lechem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find [a 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.

And Micah said unto him, Remain with me, and become unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver for the year, and suitable apparel, and thy victuals. And the Levite went in.

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

And the Levite consented to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.

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

And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and remained 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 said Micah, Now I know that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have obtained a Levite for priest.