Micah's Idols
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Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
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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!"
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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."
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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.
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Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod
and some idols and installed one of his sons as his priest.
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In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.
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A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,
who had been living within the clan of Judah,
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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.
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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."
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Then Micah said to him, "Live with memand be my father and priest,
and I'll give you ten shekels of silver a year, your clothes and your food."
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So the Levite agreed to live with him,
and the young man was to him like one of his sons.
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Then Micah installed the Levite, and the young man
became his priest and lived in his house.
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And Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will be good to me,
since this Levite has become my priest."