1 A nd there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Micah.

2 A nd he said to his mother, The eleven hundred silver-pieces that were taken from thee, and about which thou didst curse and speak of in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son of Jehovah!

He said to his mother, “There were 1, 100 pieces of silver taken from you. And I heard you pray that the robber would be cursed. See, the silver is with me. I took it.” His mother said, “May the Lord bring good to you, my son.”

3 A nd he restored the eleven hundred silver-pieces to his mother; and his mother said, I had dedicated the silver to Jehovah from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image; and now I will restore it to thee.

He returned the 1, 100 pieces of silver to his mother. And she said, “I set apart all the silver from my hand to the Lord for my son. It is to be used in making an object to look like a god. So I will return the silver to you.”

4 N ow he restored the silver to his mother; and his mother took two hundred silver-pieces and gave them to the founder, and he made of them a graven image and a molten image; and they were in the house of Micah.

When he returned the silver to his mother, she gave 200 pieces to the man who works with silver. He made them into an object to look like a god for Micah’s house.

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

The man Micah had a special building where gods were worshiped. He made a holy vest and gods for the house. And he set apart one of his sons to be his religious leader.

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

There was no king in Israel in those days. Each man did what he thought was right.

7 A nd there was a young man out of Bethlehem-Judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah. He was a Levite, of the family of Judah, and he was staying there.

8 A nd the man departed from the city, from Bethlehem-Judah, to sojourn where he might find. And as he journeyed, he came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah.

He left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to find a place to live. As he traveled he came to the house of Micah in the hill country of Ephraim.

9 A nd Micah said to him, Whence comest thou? And he said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem-Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find.

Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” He answered, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I am going to stay where I may find a place.”

10 A nd Micah said to him, Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give thee yearly ten silver-pieces, and a suit of garments, and thy victuals. And the Levite went in.

Then Micah said to him, “Live with me. Be a father and a religious leader to me. I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, new clothes, and your living.” So the Levite went in.

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

The Levite agreed to live with the man. And the young man was like a son to Micah.

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

So Micah set apart the Levite. The young man became his religious leader and lived in Micah’s house.

13 T hen said Micah, Now I know that Jehovah will do me good, because I have the Levite for priest.

Then Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will bring good to me because I have a Levite as my religious leader.”