| Revised Standard Version (RSV) | New International Version (NIV) |
| 1 There was a man of the hill country of E'phraim, whose name was Micah. | 1 Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim |
| 2 And he said to his mother, "The eleven hundred pieces of silver which 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." And his mother said, "Blessed be my son by the LORD." | 2 said to his mother, "The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse--I have that silver with me; I took it." Then his mother said, "The LORD bless you, my son!" |
| 3 And he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, "I consecrate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image; now therefore I will restore it to you." | 3 When he returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, "I solemnly consecrate my silver to the LORD for my son to make a carved image and a cast idol. I will give it back to you." |
| 4 So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a graven image and a molten image; and it was in the house of Micah. | 4 So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into the image and the idol. And they were put in Micah's house. |
| 5 And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and teraphim, and installed one of his sons, who became his priest. | 5 Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some idols and installed one of his sons as his priest. |
| 6 In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes. | 6 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. |
| 7 Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there. | 7 A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had been living within the clan of Judah, |
| 8 And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah, to live where he could find a place; and as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of E'phraim to the house of Micah. | 8 left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way he came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim. |
| 9 And Micah said to him, "From where do you come?" And he said to him, "I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn where I may find a place." | 9 Micah asked him, "Where are you from?" "I'm a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah," he said, "and I'm looking for a place to stay." |
| 10 And Micah said to him, "Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, and a suit of apparel, and your living." | 10 Then Micah said to him, "Live with me and be my father and priest, and I'll give you ten shekels of silver a year, your clothes and your food." |
| 11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man became to him like one of his sons. | 11 So the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man was to him like one of his sons. |
| 12 And Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. | 12 Then Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house. |
| 13 Then Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest." | 13 And Micah said, "Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest." |
| Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (Revised Standard Version - Holy Bible) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |