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17 At may isang lalake sa lupaing maburol ng Ephraim, na ang pangala'y Michas.

At sinabi niya sa kaniyang ina, Ang isang libo at isang daang putol na pilak na kinuha sa iyo, na siyang ikinapagtungayaw mo, at sinalita mo rin sa aking mga pakinig, narito, ang pilak ay nasa akin; aking kinuha. At sinabi ng kaniyang ina, Pagpalain nawa ng Panginoon ang aking anak.

At isinauli niya ang isang libo at isang daang putol na pilak sa kaniyang ina, at sinabi ng kaniyang ina, Aking tunay na itinalaga ng aking kamay ang pilak na ito sa Panginoon, na ukol sa aking anak, upang igawa ng isang larawang inanyuan at ng isang larawang binubo: kaya ngayo'y isasauli ko sa iyo.

At nang kaniyang isauli ang salapi sa kaniyang ina, ay kinuha ng kaniyang ina ang dalawang daang putol na pilak na ibinigay sa mga mangbububo, na siyang gumawa ng isang larawang inanyuan at ng isang larawang binubo: at nasa bahay ni Michas.

At ang lalaking si Michas ay nagkaroon ng isang bahay ng mga dios, at siya'y gumawa ng isang epod at mga terap at itinalaga ang isa ng kaniyang mga anak, na maging kaniyang saserdote.

Nang mga araw na yaon ay walang hari sa Israel: bawa't tao'y gumagawa ng minamatuwid niya sa kaniyang sariling mga mata.

At may isa namang may kabataan sa Bethlehem-juda, sa angkan ni Juda; na isang Levita; at siya'y nakikipamayan doon.

At ang lalake ay umalis sa bayan, sa Bethlehem-juda, upang makipamayan kung saan siya makakasumpong ng matutuluyan: at siya'y naparoon sa lupaing maburol ng Ephraim, sa bahay ni Michas habang siya'y naglalakbay.

At sinabi ni Michas sa kaniya, Saan ka nanggaling? At sinabi niya sa kaniya, Ako'y Levita sa Bethlehem-juda, at ako'y yayaong makikipamayan kung saan ako makasumpong ng matutuluyan.

10 At sinabi ni Michas sa kaniya, Tumahan ka sa akin, at ikaw ay maging sa akin ay isang ama at isang saserdote, at bibigyan kita ng sangpung putol na pilak isang taon, at ng bihisan, at ng iyong pagkain. Sa gayo'y ang Levita ay pumasok.

11 At ang Levita ay nakipagkasundong tumahang kasama ng lalake: at ang binata sa kaniya'y parang isa sa kaniyang mga anak.

12 At itinalaga ni Michas ang Levita, at ang binata ay naging kaniyang saserdote, at nasa bahay ni Michas.

13 Nang magkagayo'y sinabi ni Michas, Ngayo'y talastas ko, na gagawan ako ng mabuti ng Panginoon, yamang ako'y may isang Levita na pinakasaserdote ko.

Ang mga dios-diosan ni Micas

17 May isang tao na nakatira sa kabundukan ng Efraim na ang pangalan ay Micas. 2-3 Isang araw, sinabi ni Micas sa kanyang ina, “Narinig ko pong isinumpa nʼyo ang kumuha ng inyong 1,100 pirasong pilak. Narito ang pilak, ako po ang kumuha.” Pagkatanggap nito ng kanyang ina, sinabi nito, “Anak, pagpalain ka sana ng Panginoon. Ihahandog ko itong pilak sa Panginoon para hindi dumating sa iyo ang sumpa. Gagamitin ko ito na pangtapal sa kahoy na imahen na ipapagawa ko. Ihahandog ko nga ito sa Panginoon para maligtas ka sa sumpa.” Pagkatapos, kumuha ang kanyang ina ng 200 pilak at ibinigay sa platero. Ginamit ito ng platero na pangtapal sa kahoy na imahen. Nang natapos na, inilagay ang dios-diosan sa bahay ni Micas.

May sariling sambahan si Micas at nagpagawa siya ng mga dios-diosan at espesyal na damit[a] ng pari. At ginawa niyang pari ang isa sa mga anak niyang lalaki. Nang panahong iyon, walang hari sa Israel, kaya ang bawat isa ay malaya kung ano ang gusto niyang gawin.

May isang binatilyong Levita[b] na nakatira sa Betlehem na sakop ng Juda. Isang araw, umalis siya para maghanap ng matitirhan sa ibang lugar. Sa kanyang pag-alis, napadaan siya sa bahay ni Micas sa kabundukan ng Efraim. Tinanong siya ni Micas, “Taga-saan ka?” Sumagot siya, “Taga-Betlehem po ako, na sakop ng Juda, at isa po akong Levita. Naghahanap po ako ng matitirhan.” 10-11 Sinabi ni Micas, “Dito ka na lang tumira kasama ko. Gagawin kitang tagapayo[c] ko at pari. At bawat taon, bibigyan kita ng sampung pirasong pilak, bukod pa sa mga damit at pagkain na ibibigay ko sa iyo.” Pumayag ang Levita sa sinabi ni Micas at itinuring siya ni Micas na isa sa kanyang mga anak. 12 Ginawa siyang pari ni Micas at doon pinatira sa kanyang bahay. 13 Sinabi ni Micas, “Ngayon, natitiyak kong pagpapalain ako ng Panginoon dahil may pari na akong Levita.”

Footnotes

  1. 17:5 espesyal na damit: sa Hebreo, “efod.”
  2. 17:7 Levita: o, lahi ni Levi.
  3. 17:10-11 tagapayo: sa literal, ama.

Micah’s sanctuary and the Levite priest

17 Once there was a man named Micah who lived in the Ephraim highlands. He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you led you to declare a curse and even to repeat it when I could hear. I have that silver. I’m the one who took it, and now I’ll give it back to you.”[a]

His mother replied, “May the Lord bless you, my son!” When he gave the eleven hundred pieces of silver back to his mother, she said, “I wholeheartedly devote this silver to the Lord, to be made into a sculpted image and a molded image for my son.” So he gave the silver back to his mother, and she took two hundred pieces of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used it for a sculpted image and a molded image. And they were placed in Micah’s house. This man Micah had his own sanctuary.[b] He made a priestly vest[c] and divine images[d] and appointed one of his sons to be his personal priest. In those days there was no king in Israel; each person did what they thought to be right.

Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, from the area of the Judahite clan. He was a Levite residing there as an immigrant. The man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah to settle as an immigrant wherever he could find a place. He came to Micah’s house in the Ephraim highlands while he was making his way.[e]

“Where are you from?” Micah asked him.

He replied, “I’m a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I’m looking to settle as an immigrant anywhere I can find a place.”

10 So Micah said to him, “Stay with me and be a father and a priest to me, and I’ll give you ten pieces of silver a year, a set of clothes, and your basic needs.”[f] 11 The Levite agreed to stay with him; and the young man became like one of his own sons. 12 Micah appointed the Levite so that the young man became his personal priest and lived in Micah’s sanctuary. 13 And Micah said to himself, Now I know that the Lord will give me good things, because a Levite has become my priest.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 17:2 The words and now I’ll give it back to you are relocated from the end of 17:3 in Heb.
  2. Judges 17:5 Or god’s house
  3. Judges 17:5 Heb ephod
  4. Judges 17:5 Heb terafim
  5. Judges 17:8 Or to carry on his work
  6. Judges 17:10 Heb adds and the Levite went.

Micah’s Idols

17 Now a man named Micah(A) from the hill country of Ephraim said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels[a] 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,(B) my son!”

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 an image overlaid with silver.(C) I will give it back to you.”

So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels[b] of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol.(D) And it was put in Micah’s house.

Now this man Micah had a shrine,(E) and he made an ephod(F) and some household gods(G) and installed(H) one of his sons as his priest.(I) In those days Israel had no king;(J) everyone did as they saw fit.(K)

A young Levite(L) from Bethlehem in Judah,(M) who had been living within the clan of Judah, left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way[c] he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.

Micah asked him, “Where are you from?”

“I’m a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,(N)” he said, “and I’m looking for a place to stay.”

10 Then Micah said to him, “Live with me and be my father(O) and priest,(P) and I’ll give you ten shekels[d] of silver a year, your clothes and your food.” 11 So the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man became like one of his sons to him. 12 Then Micah installed(Q) the Levite, and the young man became his priest(R) 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.”(S)

Footnotes

  1. Judges 17:2 That is, about 28 pounds or about 13 kilograms
  2. Judges 17:4 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
  3. Judges 17:8 Or To carry on his profession
  4. Judges 17:10 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams

17 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.

And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.

Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.

10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.

11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.

12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.