This man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household idols,(A) and installed one of his sons to be his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel;(B) everyone did whatever seemed right to him.

There was a young man, a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who was staying within the clan of Judah.(C) The man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah to stay wherever he could find a place. On his way he came to Micah’s home in the hill country of Ephraim.

“Where do you come from?” Micah asked him.

He answered him, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I’m going to stay wherever I can find a place.”

10 Micah replied,[a] “Stay with me and be my father(D) and priest, and I will give you four ounces of silver a year, along with your clothing and provisions.” So the Levite went in 11 and agreed to stay with the man, and the young man became like one of his sons. 12 Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest(E) and lived in Micah’s house. 13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.”

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Footnotes

  1. 17:10 Lit replied to him

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

A young Levite(H) from Bethlehem in Judah,(I) who had been living within the clan of Judah, left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way[a] 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,(J)” he said, “and I’m looking for a place to stay.”

10 Then Micah said to him, “Live with me and be my father(K) and priest,(L) and I’ll give you ten shekels[b] 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(M) the Levite, and the young man became his priest(N) 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.”(O)

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 17:8 Or To carry on his profession
  2. Judges 17:10 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams

31 Jeroboam also made shrines[a] on the high places(A) and made priests from the ranks of the people who were not Levites.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 12:31 Lit a house

31 Jeroboam built shrines(A) on high places and appointed priests(B) from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites.

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33 Even after this,(A) Jeroboam did not repent(B) of his evil way but again made priests for the high places from the ranks of the people.(C) He ordained whoever so desired it, and they became priests of the high places.(D)

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33 Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways,(A) but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts(B) of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places.

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