1 Un tur bija kāds vīrs no Ēfraima kalniem, un viņa vārds bija Micha.
2 Un tas sacīja savai mātei: „Tie tūkstoš un simts sudraba gabali, kas tika tev paņemti un par kuriem tu esi izteikusi lāstu un pie tam, man pašam to dzirdot, redzi, tos es esmu pats paņēmis. Šī nauda ir tagad pie manis, bet nu es to gribu tev atdot atpakaļ!“ Tad viņa māte tam teica: „Esi, mans dēls, tā Kunga svētīts!“
3 Tad viņš atdeva atpakaļ savai mātei tūkstoš un simts sudraba gabalus, bet viņa māte sacīja: „Es svētīdama šo naudu no savas rokas esmu veltījusi tam Kungam sava dēla labā, lai darinātu izcirstu un izlietu dieva attēlu, bet tagad atdodu to tev atpakaļ!“
4 Bet kad viņš no jauna atdeva savai mātei naudu, tad viņa māte ņēma divi simti sudraba gabalus un tos iedeav zeltkalim, lai tas darinātu izgrieztu un izlietu dieva attēlu. Šādā kārtā tāds radās Michas namā.
5 Tā nu vīram Micham bija dievanams; viņš darināja arī efodu un terafīmu un salīga un iesvētīja kādu, lai tas būtu viņam par priesteri.
6 Tanīs dienās vēl nebija ķēniņa Israēlā, un ikviens darīja to, kas tam likās taisns paša acīs.
7 Un tad tur bija kāds jauneklis no Betlēmes Jūdas zemē no Jūdas cilts, tas bija Ievīts. Viņš piemājoja tur tikai kā svešinieks.
8 Šis vīrs bija atstājis savu pilsētu Betlēmi Jūdā, lai mistu svešumā, kur vien viņam pagadītos, un tā viņš nonāca, savu ceļu iedams, Ēfraima kalnos tieši līdz Michas namam.
9 Tad Micha tam jautāja: „No kurienes tu nāc?“ Un viņš tam atbildēja: „Esesmu Ievīts no Betlēmes Jūdā, un es staigāju apkārt, lai apmestos tur, kur es kaut ko pieņēmīgu atrodu.“
10 Tad Micha viņam sacīja: „Apmeties pie manis, un topi tu man ir par tēvu, ir par priesteri. Es tev došu ikgadus desmit sudraba gabalus, arī pienācīgu apģērbu un uzturu tavai iztikai.“ Un Ievīts pārnāca pie viņa dzīvot.
11 Viņš bija ar mieru palikt pie Michas, un šis jauneklis viņam kļuva tikpat kā viens no viņa dēliem.
12 Un Micha iesvētīja Ievītu, un šis jauneklis tam kļuva par priesteri un palika Michas namā.
13 Tad Micha nodomāja: „Tagad es esmu drošs, ka tas Kungs darīs man labu, tāpēc ka man šis Ievīts ir kļuvis par priesteri.“
Micah Makes Idols and Hires a Priest
1 Micah belonged to the Ephraim tribe and lived in the hill country. 2 One day he told his mother, “Do you remember those 1,100 pieces of silver that were stolen from you? I was there when you put a curse on whoever stole them. Well, I'm the one who did it.”
His mother answered, “I pray that the Lord will bless you, my son.”
3-4 Micah returned the silver to his mother, and she said, “I give this silver to the Lord, so my son can use it to make an idol.” Turning to her son, she said, “Micah, now the silver belongs to you.”
But Micah handed it back to his mother. She took 200 pieces of the silver and gave them to a silver worker, who made them into an idol. They kept the idol in Micah's house. 5 He had a shrine for worshiping God there at his home, and he had made some idols and a sacred priestly vest. Micah chose one of his own sons to be the priest for his shrine.
6 This was before kings ruled Israel, so all the Israelites did whatever they thought was right.
7-8 One day a young Levite came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim. He had been staying with one of the clans of Judah in Bethlehem, but he had left Bethlehem to find a new place to live where he could be a priest.
9 “Where are you from?” Micah asked.
“I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” the man answered, “and I'm on my way to find a new place to live.”
10 Micah said, “Why don't you stay here with me? You can be my priest and tell me what God wants me to do. Every year I'll give you ten pieces of silver and one complete set of clothes, and I'll provide all your food.”
The young man went for a walk, 11-12 then he agreed to stay with Micah and be his priest. He lived in Micah's house, and Micah treated him like one of his own sons. 13 Micah said, “I have a Levite as my own priest. Now I know that the Lord will be kind to me.”
