Judges 17

Micah’s Idolatry

1 Now there was a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name was*Judg. 18:2Micah. 2 And he said to his mother, "The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you, and on which you *Lev. 5:1put a curse, even saying it in my ears—here is the silver with me; I took it."

And his mother said, *Gen. 14:19"Mayyoube blessed by the Lord, my son!" 3 So when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, "I had wholly dedicated the silver from my hand to the Lord for my son, to *Ex. 20:4, 23; 34:17; Lev. 19:4make a carved image and a molded image; now therefore, I will return it to you." 4 Thus he returned the silver to his mother. Then his mother *Is. 46:6took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to the silversmith, and he made it into a carved image and a molded image; and they were in the house of Micah.

5 The man Micah had a *Judg. 18:24shrine, and made an *Judg. 8:27; 18:14ephod and *Gen. 31:19, 30; Hos. 3:4household idols; and he consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 6 *Judg. 18:1; 19:1In those days therewas no king in Israel; *Deut. 12:8; Judg. 21:25everyone did whatwas right in his own eyes.

7 Now there was a young man from *Josh. 19:15; Judg. 19:1; Ruth 1:1, 2; Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:1, 5, 6Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah; he was a Levite, and *Deut. 18:6was staying there. 8 The man departed from the city of Bethlehem in Judah to stay wherever he could find aplace. Then he came to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he journeyed. 9 And Micah said to him, "Where do you come from?"

So he said to him, "I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am on my way to find aplace to stay."

10 Micah said to him, "Dwell with me, *Judg. 18:19and be a *Gen. 45:8; Job 29:16father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your sustenance." So the Levite went in. 11 Then the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man became like one of his sons to him. 12 So Micah *Judg. 17:5consecrated the Levite, and the young man *Judg. 18:30became his priest, and lived in the house of Micah. 13 Then Micah said, "Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since I have a Levite as *Judg. 18:4priest!"