Now a man named Micah - from the hill country of Ephraim
said to his mother , “ The eleven hundred (shekels) of silver that were taken and about which I heard you utter a curse — I have the silver {here} with me ; I took it. ” Then his mother said , “ Blessed be my son by the LORD ! ”
And when he had returned the eleven hundred (shekels) of silver to his mother , (she) said , “ I wholly dedicate - the silver to the LORD ... for my son’s benefit , to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it
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 a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah -.
Now this man Micah - a shrine ... , and he made an ephod and some household idols , and ordained - - one of his sons (as) priest.
In those days there was no king in Israel ; everyone did (what was) right in his own eyes.
And there was a young - Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing ... within the clan of Judah.
This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find (a place). And as he traveled ... , he came to Micah -’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.
“ Where are you from ? ” Micah - asked “ I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah , ” he replied ... , “ and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place. ”
“ Stay with me , ” Micah - said “ and be father and priest , and I will give ten (shekels) of silver per year , a suit of clothes , and your provisions. ” So the Levite went in
and agreed ... to stay with (him) , and the young man became like a son
Micah - - ordained ... the Levite , and the young man became priest and lived in (his) house.
Then Micah - said , “ Now I know that the LORD will be good because a Levite has become priest. ”