1

Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim

2

said to his mother, "The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you

and about which I heard you utter a curse--I have that silver with me;

I took it." Then his mother said, "The LORD bless you, my son!"

3

When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said,

"I solemnly consecrate my silver to the LORD for my son to make

a carved image and a cast idol. I will give it back to you."

4

So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver

and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into the image and the idol.

And they were put in Micah's house.

5

Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made

an ephod and some idols and installed one of his sons as his priest.

6

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.

7

A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had been living within the clan of Judah,

8

left that town in search of some other place to stay.

On his way he came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim.

9

Micah asked him, "Where are you from?"

"I'm a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah," he said, "and I'm looking for a place to stay."

10

Then Micah said to him, "Live with me and be my father and priest,

and I'll give you ten shekels of silver a year, your clothes and your food."

11

So the Levite agreed to live with him,

and the young man was to him like one of his sons.

12

Then Micah installed the Levite,

and the young man became his priest and lived in his house.

13

And Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will be good to me,

since this Levite has become my priest."