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's Idols
1 There was once a man named Micah, who lived in the hill country of Ephraim. 2 He told his mother, “When someone stole those eleven hundred pieces of silver from you, you put a curse on the robber. I heard you do it. Look, I have the money. I am the one who took it.”
His mother said, “May the Lord bless you, my son!” 3 He gave the money back to his mother, and she said, “To keep the curse from falling on my son, I myself am solemnly dedicating the silver to the Lord. It will be used to make a wooden idol covered with silver. So now I will give the pieces of silver back to you.” 4 Then he gave them back to his mother. She took two hundred of the pieces of silver and gave them to a metalworker, who made an idol, carving it from wood and covering it with the silver. It was placed in Micah's house.
5 This man Micah had his own place of worship. He made some idols and an ephod, and appointed one of his sons as his priest. 6 There was no king in Israel at that time; everyone did whatever they wanted.
7 At that same time there was a young Levite who had been living in the town of Bethlehem in Judah. 8 He left Bethlehem to find another place to live. While he was traveling, he came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim. 9 Micah asked him, “Where do you come from?”
He answered, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I am looking for a place to live.”
10 Micah said, “Stay with me. Be my adviser and priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, some clothes, and your food.” 11 The young Levite agreed to stay with Micah and became like a son to him. 12 Micah appointed him as his priest, and he lived in Micah's home. 13 Micah said, “Now that I have a Levite as my priest, I know that the Lord will make things go well for me.”
