1 N ow there was a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

And 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 shekels of silver that were taken from you, and on which you put a curse, even saying it in my ears—here is the silver with me; I took it.” And his mother said, “ May you be blessed by the Lord, my son!”

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

3 S o when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, “I had wholly dedicated the silver from my hand to the Lord for my son, to make a carved image and a molded image; now therefore, I will return it to you.”

And he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I verily dedicate the silver unto Jehovah from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.

4 T hus he returned the silver to his mother. Then his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to the silversmith, and he made it into a carved image and a molded image; and they were in the house of Micah.

And when he restored the money unto his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and it was in the house of Micah.

5 T he man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod and household idols; and he consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

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

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

In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

7 N ow there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah; he was a Levite, and was staying there.

And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.

8 T he man departed from the city of Bethlehem in Judah to stay wherever he could find a place. Then he came to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

And the man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find a place, and he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

9 A nd Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” So he said to him, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am on my way to find a place to stay.”

And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.

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

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

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

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

12 S o Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and lived in the house of Micah.

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

13 T hen Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since I have a Levite as priest!”

Then said Micah, Now know I that Jehovah will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.