Judges, 17

1. In the highlands of Ephraim there was a man called Micayehu.

1. There was a man of the hill country of E'phraim, whose name was Micah.

2. He said to his mother, 'The eleven hundred silver shekels which were taken from you and concerning which you uttered a curse, having said in my hearing . . . Look, I have got that silver. I was the one who took it.' His mother said, 'May Yahweh bless my boy!'

2. And he said to his mother, "The eleven hundred pieces of silver which were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it." And his mother said, "Blessed be my son by the LORD."

3. He gave the eleven hundred shekels back to his mother, who said, 'I have indeed vowed to give this silver to Yahweh for my son, to have a statue carved and an idol cast in metal, but now I should like to give it back to you.' He, however, returned the money to his mother.

3. And he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, "I consecrate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image; now therefore I will restore it to you."

4. His mother then took two hundred silver shekels and gave them to the metalworker. With them, he carved a statue (and cast an idol in metal) which was put in Micayehu's house.

4. So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a graven image and a molten image; and it was in the house of Micah.

5. This man Micah owned a shrine; he made an ephod and some domestic images, and installed one of his sons to be his priest.

5. And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and teraphim, and installed one of his sons, who became his priest.

6. In those days there was no king in Israel, and everyone did as he saw fit.

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

7. There was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the clan of Judah, who was a Levite and resided there as a stranger.

7. Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.

8. This man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah to settle wherever he could find a home. On his travels he came to the highlands of Ephraim and to Micah's house.

8. And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah, to live where he could find a place; and as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of E'phraim to the house of Micah.

9. Micah asked him, 'Where do you come from?' The other replied, 'I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I am travelling, and am going to settle wherever I can find a home.'

9. And Micah said to him, "From where do you come?" And he said to him, "I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn where I may find a place."

10. Micah said to him, 'Stay here with me; be my father and priest and I shall give you ten silver shekels a year, and clothing and food.'

10. And Micah said to him, "Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, and a suit of apparel, and your living."

11. The Levite agreed to remain in the man's house, and the young man became like one of his sons to him.

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

12. Micah installed the Levite; the young man became Micah's priest and stayed in his house.

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

13. And Micah said, 'Now I know that Yahweh will treat me well, since I have this Levite as priest.'

13. Then Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest."