| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim | 1There was a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Micah. |
| 2said 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!” | 2He said to his mother, "The 1,100 pieces of silver taken from you, and that I heard you utter a curse about--here, I have the silver with me. I took it. So now I return it to you." Then his mother said, "My son, you are blessed by the LORD!" |
| 3And 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.” | 3He returned the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother, and his mother said, "I personally consecrate the silver to the LORD for my son's benefit to make a carved image overlaid with silver." |
| 4So 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. | 4So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took five pounds of silver and gave it to a silversmith. He made it into a carved image overlaid with silver, and it was in Micah's house. |
| 5Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest. | 5This man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household idols, and installed one of his sons to be his priest. |
| 6In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. | 6In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted. |
| 7And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah. | 7There was a young man, a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who resided within the clan of Judah. |
| 8This 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. | 8The man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah to settle wherever he could find a place. On his way he came to Micah's home in the hill country of Ephraim." |
| 9“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.” | 9Where do you come from?" Micah asked him. He answered him, "I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I'm going to settle wherever I can find a place." |
| 10“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 | 10Micah replied, "Stay with me and be my father and priest, and I will give you four ounces of silver a year, along with your clothing and provisions." So the Levite went in |
| 11and agreed to stay with him, and the young man became like a son to Micah. | 11and agreed to stay with the man, and the young man became like one of his sons. |
| 12Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house. | 12Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in Micah's house. |
| 13Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.” | 13Then Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest." |
|
