The Book of Judges

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 17 -

There was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Michah,

And he saide vnto his mother, The eleuen hundreth shekels of siluer that were taken from thee, for the which thou cursedst, and spakedst it, euen in mine hearing, beholde, the siluer is with me, I tooke it. Then his mother saide, Blessed be my sonne of the Lord.

And when he had restored the eleuen hundreth shekels of siluer to his mother, his mother sayd, I had dedicate the siluer to the Lord of mine hand for my sonne, to make a grauen and molten image. Now therfore I will giue it thee again.

And when he had restored the money vnto his mother, his mother tooke two hundreth shekels of siluer, and gaue them to the founder, which made thereof a grauen and molten image, and it was in the house of Michah.

And this man Michah had an house of gods, and made an Ephod, and Teraphim, and cosecrated one of his sonnes, who was his Priest.

In those dayes there was no King in Israel, but euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes.

There was also a yong man out of Bethlehem Iudah, of the familie of Iudah: who was a Leuite, and soiourned there.

And the man departed out of the citie, euen out of Beth-lehem Iudah, to dwell where he coulde finde a place: and as he iourneyed, he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Michah

And Michah saide vnto him, Whence comest thou? And the Leuite answered him, I come from Beth-lehem Iudah, and goe to dwell where I may finde a place.

Then Michah said vnto him, Dwell with me, and be vnto me a father and a Priest, and I will giue thee ten shekels of siluer by yeere, and a sute of apparell, and thy meate and drinke. So the Leuite went in.

And the Leuite was content to dwel with the man, and the yong man was vnto him as one of his owne sonnes.

And Michah consecrated the Leuite, and the yong man was his Priest, and was in the house of Michah.

Then said Michah, Nowe I know that the Lord will be good vnto me, seeing I haue a Leuite to my Priest.

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

He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that 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.” His mother said, “May the LORD bless my son!”

He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, then his mother said, “I most certainly dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.”

When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to a silversmith, who made a carved image and a molten image out of it. It was in the house of Micah.

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

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

There was a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he lived there.

The man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem Judah, to live where he could find a place, and he came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he traveled.

Micah said to him, “Where did you come from?” He said to him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem Judah, and I am looking for a place to live.”

Micah said to him, “Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, a suit of clothing, and your food.” So the Levite went in.

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

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

Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will do good to me, since I have a Levite as my priest.”

Footnotes

(a)17:5 teraphim were household idols that may have been associated with inheritance rights to the household property.