Judges 17

1 Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim

2 said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”

3 And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”

4 So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.

5 Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.

6 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

7 And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.

8 This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.

9 “Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.”

10 “Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in

11 and agreed to stay with him, and the young man became like a son to Micah.

12 Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house.

13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.”

1 ¶ And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name [was] Micah.

2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred [shekels] of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver [is] with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed [be thou] of the LORD, my son.

3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred [shekels] of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.

4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred [shekels] of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

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

7 ¶ And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who [was] a Levite, and he sojourned there.

8 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find [a place]: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I [am] a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find [a place].

10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten [shekels] of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.

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

12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to [my] priest.

1 Now there was a man in mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

2 And he said unto his mother, The thousand and hundred pieces of silver which thou hast taken unto thee, and hast sworn and said in mine ears, behold, the same money is with me, and I have taken it unto me. And his mother said, Blessed be my son unto the LORD.

3 So he restored unto his mother the thousand and an hundred pieces of silver. And his mother said: I have sanctified the money of mine hand unto the LORD for my son, to make an image and an idol: now therefore I restore it unto thee.

4 But he restored the money unto his mother. And his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and put them in the goldsmith's hand, and he made her an image and an idol, which was afterward in the house of Micah.

5 And the man Micah had a house of God, and made an ephod and a sanctuary, and filled the hand of one of his sons to be his priest.

6 In those days there was no king in Israel: and every man did that which seemed right unto him.

7 Now there was a young man of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah: and he was a Levite, and a stranger there.

8 And he departed out of the city of Bethlehemjudah, to wander whithersoever he might. And when he was come to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, to go his way,

9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he answered him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and wander whithersoever I may.

10 And Micah said unto him, Abide with me, and thou shalt be my father, and my priest: and I will give thee ten shekels of silver yearly, and thy named garments, and thy food. And the Levite went.

11 And the Levite came to dwell with the man; and he kept the lad as a son.

12 And Micah filled the Levite's hand, and he became his priest: so he was in the house of Micah.

13 And Micah said, Now I know that the LORD will do me good, because I have a Levite for a priest.