Judges 17

1 There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

In that tyme was a man, `Mycas bi name, of the hil of Effraym.

2 He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears—behold, the silver is with me. I took it.” His mother said, “May Yahweh bless my son!”

And he seide to his modir, Lo! Y haue a thousynde `and an hundrid platis of siluer, whiche thou departidist to thee, and on whiche thou sworist, while Y herde, and tho ben at me. To whom sche answeride, Blessid be my sone of the Lord.

3 He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, then his mother said, “I most certainly dedicate the silver to Yahweh from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.”

Therefor he yeldide tho to his modir; and sche seide to hym, Y halewide and avowide this siluer to the Lord, that my sone resseyue of myn hond, and make a grauun ymage and a yotun ymage; and now I `yyue it to thee.

4 When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to a silversmith, who made a carved image and a molten image out of it. It was in the house of Micah.

Therfor he yeldide to his modir; and sche took twei hundryd platis of siluer, and yaf tho to a werk man of siluer, that he schulde make of tho a grauun `ymage and yotun, that was in `the hows of Mycas.

5 The man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

Which departide also a litil hous ther ynne to God; and made ephod, and theraphym, that is, a preestis cloth, and ydols; and he fillide the hond of oon of his sones, and he was maad a preest to hym.

6 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.

In tho daies was no kyng in Israel, but ech man dide this, that semyde riytful to hym silf.

7 There was a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he lived there.

Also another yonge wexynge man was of Bethleem of Juda, of the kynrede therof, `that is, of Juda, and he was a dekene, and dwellide there.

8 The man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem Judah, to live where he could find a place, and he came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he traveled.

And he yede out of the citee of Bethleem, and wolde be a pilgrim, where euere he foond profitable to hym silf. And whanne he made iourney, and `hadde come in to the hil of Effraym, and hadde bowid a litil in to `the hows of Mycha,

9 Micah said to him, “Where did you come from?” He said to him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem Judah, and I am looking for a place to live.”

`he was axid of hym, Fro whennus comest thou? Which answeride, Y am a dekene of Bethleem of Juda, and Y go, that Y dwelle where Y may, and se that it is profitable to me.

10 Micah said to him, “Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, a suit of clothing, and your food.” So the Levite went in.

Micha seide, Dwelle thou at me, and be thou fadir and preest `to me; and Y schal yyue to thee bi ech yeer ten platis of siluer, and double cloth, and tho thingis that ben nedeful to lijflode.

11 The Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was to him as one of his sons.

He assentide, and dwellide `at the man; and he was to the man as oon of sones.

12 Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

And Mycha fillide his hond, and hadde the child preest at hym,

13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that Yahweh will do good to me, since I have a Levite as my priest.”

and seide, Now Y woot, that God schal do wel to me, hauynge a preest of the kyn of Leuy.