Chapter 17

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

And he said⁴ unto his mother, The eleven hundred ³⁹⁶⁷ [shekels] of silver that were taken²⁷ from thee, about which thou cursedst,¹ and spakest¹ of also in mine ears, behold, the silver [is] with me; I took¹ it. And his mother said,⁴ Blessed⁷ [be thou] of the LORD, my son.

And when he had restored⁵⁵ the eleven hundred ³⁹⁶⁷ [shekels] of silver to his mother, his mother said,⁴ I had wholly⁵³ dedicated⁵² the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make² a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore⁵⁵ it unto thee.

Yet he restored⁵⁵ the money unto his mother; and his mother took⁴ two hundred [shekels] of silver, and gave⁴ them to the founder,⁶ who made⁴ thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made⁴ an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated^{17 3027} one of his sons, who became his priest.

In those days [there was] no king in Israel, [but] every man did⁴ [that which was] right in his own eyes.

And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah ³⁰⁶³ of the family of Judah, who [was] a Levite, and he sojourned¹ there.

And the man departed⁴ out of the city from Bethlehemjudah ³⁰⁶³ to sojourn² where he could find⁴ [a place]: and he came⁴ to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.^{2 1870}

And Micah said⁴ unto him, Whence comest⁴ thou? And he said⁴ unto him, I [am] a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, ³⁰⁶³ and I go⁶ to sojourn² where I may find⁴ [a place].

And Micah said⁴ unto him, Dwell³ with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give⁴ thee ten [shekels] of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.⁴

And the Levite was content⁵⁵ to dwell² with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.

And Micah consecrated^{17 3027} the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

Then said⁴ Micah, Now know¹ I that the LORD will do me good,⁵⁵ seeing I have a Levite to [my] priest.