Miha un levīts
1 Efraima kalnos bija kāds vīrs, vārdā Mihajhū . 2 Tas teica savai mātei: “Tie tūkstoš un simts sudraba gabali, kurus tev kāds paņēma un par kuriem tu izteici lāstu, man dzirdot, redzi – tas sudrabs ir pie manis. Es to paņēmu!” Un viņa māte teica: “Esi Kunga svētīts, mans dēls!” 3 Viņš atdeva tos tūkstoš un simts sudraba gabalus mātei, un viņa māte teica: “Atlicinādama esmu veltījusi šo sudrabu Kungam sava dēla labad, lai taisītu no tā grebtu un lietu tēlu. Nu es to dodu tev!” 4 Bet viņš sudrabu atdeva atpakaļ mātei, un viņa māte ņēma divsimt sudraba gabalus un deva sudrabkalim, kurš taisīja grebtu un lietu tēlu, un tas stāvēja Mihas namā. 5 Nu Miham bija dievnams. Viņš darināja efodu un mājas dieviņus un vienu savu dēlu iesvētīja sev par priesteri. 6 Tajā laikā Israēlā nebija ķēniņa. Katrs darīja, kā tam šķita pareizi.
7 Bija kāds jauneklis no Betlēmes Jūdā, no Jūdas dzimtas, viņš bija levīts un bija tur apmeties. 8 Viņš devās prom no šīs pilsētas, Jūdas Betlēmes, lai kaut kur apmestos. Savu ceļu iedams, viņš nonāca Efraima kalnos pie Mihas nama. 9 Miha vaicāja viņam: “No kurienes nākdams?” Un tas viņam sacīja: “Es esmu levīts no Betlēmes Jūdā un meklēju, kur apmesties.” 10 Miha viņam teica: “Paliec pie manis un esi man par tēvu un priesteri. Es došu tev desmit sudraba gabalus gadā, drēbju kārtu un uzturu.” Un levīts tur palika. 11 Viņš piekrita dzīvot pie tā vīra, un šis jauneklis bija viņam kā paša dēls. 12 Miha iesvētīja levītu, un jauneklis kļuva viņa priesteris un dzīvoja Mihas namā. 13 Tad Miha teica: “Nu es zinu, ka Kungs darīs man labu, jo šis levīts ir man priesteris!”
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.”
