Micah’s Idolatry

17 There was a man from the hill country of Ephraim; his name was Micah. 2 And he said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, and about which you also pronounced a curse in my hearing,[fn] are with me; I took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be my son by Yahweh.” 3 He returned the eleven hundred pieces[fn] of silver to his mother, and his mother thought, “I will certainly consecrate to Yahweh the pieces[fn] of silver from my hand for my son to make an idol of cast metal; now then, I will return them[fn] to you.” 4 When he returned the pieces[fn] of silver to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces[fn] of silver, and she gave it to the smith, and he made it into an idol of cast metal; and it was in the house of Micah. 5 The man Micah had for himself a shrine,[fn] and he made an ephod and teraphim, and he appointed one of his sons[fn] who became a priest for him. 6 In those days there was no king in Israel, and each one did what was right in his own eyes.

7 There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, from the clan of Judah; he was a Levite and was dwelling as a foreigner[fn] there. 8 And the man went from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to live as a foreigner[fn] wherever he could find a place. And he came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, to continue his journey. 9 And Micah said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah; I am going to dwell as a foreigner[fn] wherever I can find a place.” 10 And Micah said to him, “Stay with me and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give to you ten pieces[fn] of silver a year, a set of clothes, and your food.” So the Levite went with him. 11 The Levite agreed to stay with the man; and the young man became as one of his sons. 12 So Micah appointed the Levite,[fn] and the young man became a priest for him; and he was in the house of Micah. 13 And Micah said, “Now I know Yahweh will make me prosperous, because the Levite has become my priest.”