Dommernes 17

1 Det var en mann fra Efra'imfjellene som hette Mika.

In that time, there was a certain man, from mount Ephraim, named Micah.

2 Han sa til sin mor: De elleve hundre sekel sølv som blev tatt fra dig, og som du har uttalt forbannelse over, så også jeg hørte på det - disse penger er hos mig; det er jeg som har tatt dem. Da sa hans mor: Velsignet være du, min sønn, av Herren!

And he said to his mother, “The one thousand one hundred silver coins, which you had separated for yourself, and about which you had sworn in my hearing, behold, I have them, and they are with me.” And she answered him, “My son has been blessed by the Lord.”

3 Så gav han sin mor de elleve hundre sekel sølv tilbake; men hans mor sa: Disse penger vier jeg nu til Herren og overgir dem til min sønn, forat han kan gjøre et utskåret billede med et støpt fotstykke til, og nu gir jeg dig dem tilbake.

Therefore, he restored them to his mother. And she said to him: “I have consecrated and vowed this silver to the Lord, so that my son would receive it from my hand, and would make a molten idol and a graven image. And now I deliver it to you.”

4 Han gav da pengene tilbake til sin mor; og hans mor tok to hundre sekel sølv og gav det til en gullsmed, og for disse penger gjorde han et utskåret billede med et støpt fotstykke; det var siden i Mikas hus.

And when he restored these to his mother, she took two hundred of the silver coins, and she gave them to the silversmith, so that he might make from them a molten idol and a graven image. And it was in the house of Micah.

5 Og mannen Mika hadde et gudshus, og han hadde gjort en livkjortel og husguder og hadde vidd en av sine sønner til prest for sig.

And he also separated in it a little shrine for the god. And he made an ephod and theraphim, that is, a priestly garment and idols. And he filled the hand of one of his sons, and he became his priest.

6 I de dager var det ingen konge i Israel; hver mann gjorde hvad rett var i hans øine.

In those days, there was no king in Israel. Instead, each one did what seemed right to himself.

7 Der var en ung mann fra Betlehem i Juda; han var en levitt av dem som hørte til i Juda stamme, og der bodde han som fremmed.

Also, there was another young man, from Bethlehem of Judah, one of his relatives. And he himself was a Levite, and he was living there.

8 Denne mann drog bort fra sin by, fra Betlehem i Juda, for å ta ophold hvor det kunde falle sig; og han kom på sin vandring til Efra'imfjellene, til Mikas hus.

Then, departing from the city of Bethlehem, he wished to sojourn wherever he would find it beneficial to himself. And when he had arrived at mount Ephraim, while making the journey, he also turned aside for a little while to the house of Micah.

9 Mika sa til ham: Hvor kommer du fra? Han svarte: Jeg er en levitt fra Betlehem i Juda og er nu på vandring for å ta ophold hvor jeg finner leilighet.

And he was asked by him where he came from. And he responded: “I am a Levite from Bethlehem of Judah. And I am traveling so that I may live where I am able, if I perceive it to be useful to me.”

10 Da sa Mika til ham: Bli hos mig og vær far og prest for mig! Så vil jeg gi dig ti sekel sølv om året og holde dig med klær og kost. Da gikk levitten inn til ham.

And Micah said: “Stay with me. And you shall be to me like a parent and a priest. And I will give to you, each year, ten silver coins, and a double-layered garment, and whatever provisions are necessary.”

11 Og levitten samtykket i å bli hos mannen, og den unge mann var for ham som en av hans egne sønner.

He agreed, and he stayed with the man. And he was to him like one of his sons.

12 Mika innvidde levitten, og den unge mann blev hans prest; og han blev boende i Mikas hus.

And Micah filled his hand, and he had the young man with him as his priest,

13 Og Mika sa: Nu vet jeg at Herren vil gjøre vel imot mig siden jeg har fått en levitt til prest.

saying: “Now I know that God will be good to me, since I have a priest from the stock of the Levites.”