Judges, 17

1. There was a man in the mountain region of Ephraim whose name was Micah.

2. He said to his mother, "The eleven hundred shekels of silver over which you pronounced a curse in my hearing when they were taken from you, are in my possession. It was I who took them; so now I will restore them to you."

3. When he restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she took two hundred of them and gave them to the silversmith, who made of them a carved idol overlaid with silver.

4. Then his mother said, "May the LORD bless my son! I have consecrated the silver to the LORD as my gift in favor of my son, by making a carved idol overlaid with silver." It remained in the house of Micah.

5. Thus the layman Micah had a sanctuary. He also made an ephod and household idols, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

6. In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what he thought best.

7. There was a young Levite who had resided within the tribe of Judah at Bethlehem of Judah.

8. From that city he set out to find another place of residence. On his journey he came to the house of Micah in the mountain region of Ephraim.

9. Micah said to him, "Where do you come from?" He answered him, "I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and am on my way to find some other place of residence."

10. "Stay with me," Micah said to him. "Be father and priest to me, and I will give you ten silver shekels a year, a set of garments, and your food."

11. So the young Levite decided to stay with the man, to whom he became as one of his own sons.

12. Micah consecrated the young Levite, who became his priest, remaining in his house.

13. Therefore Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, since the Levite has become my priest."