Judges 17

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

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

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.

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].”

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.

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].”

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 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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,

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.

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.

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].”

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.

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.”

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

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

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

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

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 know that Yahweh will do good things for me, because I have a man from the tribe of Levi to be my priest.”