Judges 17

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 In the highlands of Ephraim there was a man cal ed Micayehu.	1 In that time, there was a certain man, from mount Ephraim, named Micah.
2 He said to his mother, 'The eleven hundred silver shekels which were taken from you and concerningwhich you uttered a curse, having said in my hearing . . . Look, I have got that silver. I was the one who took it.'His mother said, 'May Yahweh bless my boy!'	2 And he said to his mother, “The one thousand one hundred silver coins, which you had separated for yourself, and about which you had sworn in my hearing, behold, I have them, and they are with me.” And she answered him, “My son has been blessed by the Lord.”
3 He gave the eleven hundred shekels back to his mother, who said, 'I have indeed vowed to give thissilver to Yahweh for my son, to have a statue carved and an idol cast in metal, but now I should like to give itback to you.' He, however, returned the money to his mother.	3 Therefore, he restored them to his mother. And she said to him: “I have consecrated and vowed this silver to the Lord, so that my son would receive it from my hand, and would make a molten idol and a graven image. And now I deliver it to you.”
4 His mother then took two hundred silver shekels and gave them to the metalworker. With them, hecarved a statue (and cast an idol in metal) which was put in Micayehu's house.	4 And when he restored these to his mother, she took two hundred of the silver coins, and she gave them to the silversmith, so that he might make from them a molten idol and a graven image. And it was in the house of Micah.
5 This man Micah owned a shrine; he made an ephod and some domestic images, and instal ed one ofhis sons to be his priest.	5 And he also separated in it a little shrine for the god. And he made an ephod and theraphim, that is, a priestly garment and idols. And he filled the hand of one of his sons, and he became his priest.
6 In those days there was no king in Israel, and everyone did as he saw fit.	6 In those days, there was no king in Israel. Instead, each one did what seemed right to himself.
7 There was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the clan of Judah, who was a Levite and residedthere as a stranger.	7 Also, there was another young man, from Bethlehem of Judah, one of his relatives. And he himself was a Levite, and he was living there.
8 This man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah to settle wherever he could find a home. On his travelshe came to the highlands of Ephraim and to Micah's house.	8 Then, departing from the city of Bethlehem, he wished to sojourn wherever he would find it beneficial to himself. And when he had arrived at mount Ephraim, while making the journey, he also turned aside for a little while to the house of Micah.
9 Micah asked him, 'Where do you come from?' The other replied, 'I am a Levite from Bethlehem inJudah. I am travel ing, and am going to settle wherever I can find a home.'	9 And he was asked by him where he came from. And he responded: “I am a Levite from Bethlehem of Judah. And I am traveling so that I may live where I am able, if I perceive it to be useful to me.”
10 Micah said to him, 'Stay here with me; be my father and priest and I shal give you ten silver shekelsa year, and clothing and food.'	10 And Micah said: “Stay with me. And you shall be to me like a parent and a priest. And I will give to you, each year, ten silver coins, and a double-layered garment, and whatever provisions are necessary.”
11 The Levite agreed to remain in the man's house, and the young man became like one of his sons tohim.	11 He agreed, and he stayed with the man. And he was to him like one of his sons.
12 Micah installed the Levite; the young man became Micah's priest and stayed in his house.	12 And Micah filled his hand, and he had the young man with him as his priest,
13 And Micah said, 'Now I know that Yahweh will treat me wel , since I have this Levite as priest.'	13 saying: “Now I know that God will be good to me, since I have a priest from the stock of the Levites.”