Judges 17

Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim Begin Abide·

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 the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!” Begin Abide·

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 to you.” Begin Abide·

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. Begin Abide·

Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest. Begin Abide·

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Begin Abide·

And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah. Begin Abide·

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. Begin Abide·

“Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.” Begin Abide·

“Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in Begin Abide·

and agreed to stay with him, and the young man became like a son to Micah. Begin Abide·

Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house. Begin Abide·

Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.” Begin Abide·