Judges, 17

¹ There was a man of the mountainous region of Eʹphra·im named Miʹcah.

² He said to his mother: “The 1,100 silver pieces that were taken from you about which you pronounced a curse, which I heard—look! the silver is with me. I was the one who took it.” At that his mother said: “May Jehovah bless my son.”

³ So he gave the 1,100 pieces of silver back to his mother, but his mother said: “I will without fail sanctify the silver to Jehovah from my hand for my son to use in making a carved image and a metal statue.^*1 Now I give it back to you.”

⁴ After he returned the silver to his mother, his mother took 200 silver pieces and gave them to the silversmith. He made a carved image and a metal statue;^*1 and they were put in Miʹcah’s house.

⁵ This man Miʹcah had a house of gods, and he made an ephʹod and teraphim statues^*1 and installed^*2 one of his sons to serve as priest for him.

⁶ In those days, there was no king in Israel. Each one was doing what was right in his own eyes.^*1

⁷ Now there was a young man of Bethʹle·hem in Judah who was of the family of Judah. He was a Levite who had been living there for a time.

⁸ The man left the city of Bethʹle·hem in Judah to find a place to live. While on his journey, he came to the mountainous region of Eʹphra·im, to the house of Miʹcah.

⁹ Then Miʹcah said to him: “Where do you come from?” He replied: “I am a Levite from Bethʹle·hem in Judah, and I am on my way to find a place to live.”

¹⁰ So Miʹcah said to him: “Stay with me and serve as a father^*1 and a priest for me. I will give you ten silver pieces a year and a set of garments and your food.” So the Levite went in.

¹¹ Thus the Levite agreed to stay with the man, and the young man became like one of his sons.

¹² Furthermore, Miʹcah installed^*1 the Levite to serve as a priest for him, and he lived in the house of Miʹcah.

¹³ Then Miʹcah said: “Now I know that Jehovah will be good to me, for the Levite has become my priest.”