Micah and the Levite
1
There was a man of 1the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
2
And he said to his mother, "The 1,100 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." And his mother said, 2"Blessed be my son by the LORD."
3
And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, "I dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make 3a carved image and 4a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you."
4
So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother 5took 200 pieces of silver and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a carved image and a metal image. And it was in the house of Micah.
5
And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made 6an ephod and 7household gods, and 8ordaineda one of his sons, who became his priest.
7
Now there was a young man of 11Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
8
And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to sojourn where he could find a place. And as he journeyed, he came to 12the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah.
9
And Micah said to him, "Where do you come from?" And he said to him, "I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn where I may find a place."
10
And Micah said to him, "Stay with me, and be to me 13a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year and a suit of clothes and your living." And the Levite went in.
11
And the Levite 14was content to dwell with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons.
12
And Micah 15ordained the Levite, and the young man 16became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
13
Then Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest."
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)