| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim | 1Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim |
| 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 that silver with me; I took it." Then his mother said, "The LORD bless you, my son!" | 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!” |
| 3When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, "I solemnly consecrate my silver to the LORD for my son to make an image overlaid with silver. I will give it back to you." | 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.” |
| 4So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol. And it was put in Micah's house. | 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. |
| 5Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household gods and installed one of his sons as his priest. | 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. |
| 6In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. | 6In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. |
| 7A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had been living within the clan of Judah, | 7And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah. |
| 8left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way he came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim. | 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. |
| 9Micah asked him, "Where are you from?" "I'm a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah," he said, "and I'm looking for a place to stay." | 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.” |
| 10Then Micah said to him, "Live with me and be my father and priest, and I'll give you ten shekels of silver a year, your clothes and your food." | 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 |
| 11So the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man became like one of his sons to him. | 11and agreed to stay with him, and the young man became like a son to Micah. |
| 12Then Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house. | 12Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house. |
| 13And Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since this 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.” |
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