The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 There was a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Micah.
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There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
2 He said to his mother, "Remember that 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you? I overheard you when you pronounced your curse. Well, I have the money; I stole it. But now I've brought it back to you." His mother said, "God bless you, my son!"
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And he said to his mother, “The 1,100 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. ” And his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the Lord. ”
3 As he returned the 1,100 silver pieces to his mother, she said, "I had totally consecrated this money to God for my son to make a statue, a cast god."
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And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, “I dedicate the silver to the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you. ”
4 Then she took 200 pieces of the silver and gave it to a sculptor and he cast them into the form of a god.
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So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a carved image and a metal image. And it was in the house of Micah.
5 This man, Micah, had a private chapel. He had made an ephod and some teraphim-idols and had ordained one of his sons to be his priest.
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And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods, and ordained one of his sons, who became his priest.
6 In those days there was no king in Israel. People did whatever they felt like doing.
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In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
7 Meanwhile there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah and from a family of Judah. He was a Levite but was a stranger there.
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Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
8 He left that town, Bethlehem in Judah, seeking his fortune. He got as far as the hill country of Ephraim and showed up at Micah's house.
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And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to sojourn where he could find a place. And as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah.
9 Micah asked him, "So where are you from?" He said, "I'm a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I'm on the road, looking for a place to settle down."
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And Micah said to him, “Where do you come from? ” 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. ”
10 Micah said, "Stay here with me. Be my father and priest. I'll pay you ten pieces of silver a year, whatever clothes you need, and your meals."
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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 clothes and your living. ” And the Levite went in.
11 The Levite agreed and moved in with Micah. The young man fit right in and became one of the family.
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And the Levite was content to dwell with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons.
12 Micah appointed the young Levite as his priest. This all took place in Micah's home.
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And Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
13 Micah said, "Now I know that God will make things go well for me - why, I've got a Levite for a priest!"
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Then Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest. ”
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025