Judges
Chapter 17
A man named Micah takes silver from his mother, then gives it back. His mother has some of it made into idols, and Micah sets up a shrine in his house with his own son as priest. Later a traveling Levite comes by, and Micah hires him to be his priest instead. This chapter explains that in those days Israel had no king, and each person did what seemed right to him.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
1There was a man named Micah. He lived in the hill country of Ephraim.
2And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.
2Micah said to his mother, "Someone took eleven hundred pieces of silver from you. I heard you say bad words against the thief. I have the silver. I took it." His mother said, "May the LORD bless you, my son."
3And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
3Micah gave the eleven hundred pieces of silver back to his mother. She said, "I am giving this silver to the LORD. It is a gift for my son. It will be used to make two statues to be worshiped. So now I am giving it back to you."
The KJV says "a graven image and a molten image." A graven image was carved. A molten image was made by pouring melted metal into a mold. Both were statues meant to be worshiped.
4Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.
4Micah gave the silver back to his mother. She took two hundred pieces of it. She gave them to a man who works with silver. He made two statues to be worshiped. They were kept in Micah's house.
5And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
5Micah had a small place at home for worship. He made a special vest called an ephod. He also made little idols for the house. He picked one of his sons to be his priest, the man who leads worship.
"Teraphim" means small idols kept in a home. An "ephod" was a special vest worn by a priest.
6In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
6In those days Israel had no king. Each person did whatever seemed right to him.
7And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
7There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah. He was a Levite, from the family group that helped with worship. He had been staying among the people of Judah.
8And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
8He left the town of Bethlehem in Judah. He wanted to find some other place to live. On his way he came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim.
9And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
9Micah asked him, "Where do you come from?" He said, "I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I am looking for a place to live."
10And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
10Micah said, "Stay with me. Be like a father to me, and be my priest. Each year I will give you ten pieces of silver. I will also give you clothes and food." So the Levite went inside.
"Victuals" is an old word that just means food.
11And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
11The Levite was glad to stay with Micah. The young man became like one of Micah's own sons.
12And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
12Micah made the Levite his priest. The young man lived in Micah's house.
The KJV says Micah "consecrated" the Levite. That means he set him apart to do the work of a priest.
13Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
13Then Micah said, "Now I know the LORD will be good to me. I have a Levite as my priest."
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