Micah's Idols
Judges 17
A man named Micah returns stolen silver to his mother, who dedicates part of it to make a graven and molten image, which Micah sets up in his own household shrine along with an ephod and household gods. A wandering Levite agrees to serve as Micah's priest, and Micah supposes this arrangement will bring him the Lord's favor, in a time when there was no king in Israel and each man did as he saw fit.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonTHERE was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah; and he said to his mother,
BrentonAnd there was a man of mount Ephraim, and his name was Michaias.
GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ ὄρους Ἐφραὶμ, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ Μιχαίας.
KJVAnd there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
JPSNow there was a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
2
ThomsonWith regard to the eleven hundred pieces of silver which thou hadst taken for thyself, and for which thou didst lay me under a curse, and speak in my hearing, behold the money is in my possession. I took it. And his mother said, Blessed of the Lord is my son.
BrentonAnd he said to his mother, The eleven hundred pieces of silver which thou tookest to thyself, and about which thou cursedst me, and spokest in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it: and his mother said, Blessed be my son of the Lord.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπε τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ, οἱ χίλιοι καὶ ἑκατὸν οὗς ἔλαβες ἀργυρίου σεαυτῇ, καί με ἠράσω, καὶ προσεῖπας ἐν ὠσί μου, ἰδοὺ τὸ ἀργύριον παρʼ ἐμοὶ, ἐγὼ ἔλαβον αὐτό. καὶ εἶπεν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ, εὐλογητὸς ὁ υἱός μου τῷ Κυρίῳ.
KJVAnd he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.
JPSAnd he said unto his mother: ‘The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou didst utter a curse, and didst also speak it in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.’ And his mother said: ‘Blessed be my son of the LORD.’
3
ThomsonAnd when he gave his mother the eleven hundred pieces of silver, his mother said, I indeed had dedicated this money to the Lord, out of my hand, for my son to make a graven and a molten image. Now therefore I will give it to thee.
BrentonAnd he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I had wholly consecrated the money to the Lord out of my hand for my son, to make a graven and a molten image, and now I will restore it to thee.
GreekΚαὶ ἀπέδωκε τοὺς χιλίους καὶ ἑκατὸν τοῦ ἀργυρίου τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ· καὶ εἶπεν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ, ἁγιάζουσα ἡγίασα τὸ ἀργύριον τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐκ τῆς χειρός μου τῷ υἱῷ μου τοῦ ποιῆσαι γλυπτὸν καὶ χωνευτὸν, καὶ νῦν ἀποδώσω αὐτό σοι.
KJVAnd when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
JPSAnd he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, and his mother said: ‘I verily dedicate the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image; now therefore I will restore it unto thee.’
4
ThomsonSo when he gave his mother the money, she took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to a silversmith, and of it he made a graven and a molten image, and it was in the house of Micah.
BrentonBut he returned the silver to his mother, and his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to a silversmith, and he made it a graven and a molten image; and it was in the house of Michaias.
GreekΚαὶ ἀπέδωκε τὸ ἀργύριον τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἔλαβεν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ διακοσίους ἀργυρίου, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸ ἀργυροκόπῳ, καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὸ γλυπτὸν καὶ χωνευτόν· καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν οἴκῳ Μιχαία.
KJVYet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.
JPSAnd when he restored the money unto his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image; and it was in the house of Micah.
5
ThomsonSo the house of Micah was to him the house of a god. And he made an ephod and theraphin, and consecrated one of his sons, and he became his priest.
BrentonAnd the house of Michaias was to him the house of God, and he made an ephod and theraphin, and he consecrated one of his sons, and he became to him a priest.
GreekΚαὶ ὁ οἶκος Μιχαία αὐτῷ οἶκος Θεοῦ· καὶ ἐποίησεν ἐφὼδ καὶ θαραφίν· καὶ ἐπλήρωσε τὴν χεῖρα ἀπὸ ἑνὸς υἱῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ εἰς ἱερέα.
KJVAnd the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
JPSAnd the man Micah had a house of God, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
6
ThomsonNow in those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
BrentonAnd in those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
GreekἘν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις οὐκ ἦν βασιλεὺς ἐν Ἰσραήλ· ἀνὴρ τὸ εὐθὲς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ ἐποίει.
KJVIn those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
JPSIn those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
7
ThomsonAnd there was a young man of Bethlehem, a community of Juda, but he was a Levite and a sojourner there.
BrentonAnd there was a young man in Bethleem of the tribe of Juda, and he was a Levite, and he was sojourning there.
GreekΚαὶ ἐγενήθη νεανίας ἐκ Βηθλεέμ δήμου Ἰούδα, καὶ αὐτὸς Λευίτης, καὶ οὗτος παρῴκει ἐκεῖ.
KJVAnd there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
JPSAnd there was a young man out of Beth-lehem in Judah—in the family of Judah—who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
8
ThomsonAnd this man went from Bethlehem, the city of Juda, to sojourn wherever he could find a place, and came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, with a view to proceed on in his journey.
BrentonAnd the man departed from Bethleem the city of Juda to sojourn in whatever place he might find; and he came as far as mount Ephraim, and to the house of Michaias to accomplish his journey.
GreekΚαὶ ἐπορεύθη ὁ ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ Βηθλεὲμ τῆς πόλεως Ἰούδα παροικῆσαι ἐν ᾧ ἐὰν εὕρῃ τόπῳ· καὶ ἦλθεν ἕως ὄρους Ἐφραὶμ, καὶ ἕως οἴκου Μιχαία τοῦ ποιῆσαι ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ.
KJVAnd the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
JPSAnd the man departed out of the city, out of Beth-lehem in Judah, to sojourn where he could find a place; and he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
9
ThomsonAnd Micah said to him, Whence comest thou? and he in reply, said, I am a Levite of Bethlehem Juda, and I am going to sojourn wherever I can find a place.
BrentonAnd Michaias said to him, Whence comest thou? and he said to him, I am a Levite of Bethleem Juda, and I go to sojourn in any place I may find.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μιχαίας, πόθεν ἔρχῃ; καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν, Λευίτης εἰμὶ ἐκ Βηθλεὲμ Ἰούδα, καὶ ἐγὼ πορεύομαι παροικῆσαι ἐν ᾧ ἐὰν εὕρω τόπῳ.
KJVAnd Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
JPSAnd Micah said unto him: ‘Whence comest thou?’ And he said unto him: ‘I am a Levite of Beth-lehem in Judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.’
10
ThomsonWhereupon Micah said to him, Abide with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten pieces of silver a year, and a suit of clothes, and thy victuals.
BrentonAnd Michaias said to him, Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest; and I will give thee ten pieces of silver by the year, and a change of raiment, and thy living.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μιχαίας, κάθου μετʼ ἐμοῦ, καὶ γίνου μοι εἰς πατέρα καὶ εἰς ἱερέα, καὶ ἐγὼ δώσω σοι δέκα ἀργυρίου εἰς ἡμέραν, καὶ στολὴν ἱματίων, καὶ τὰ πρὸς ζωήν σου.
KJVAnd Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
JPSAnd Micah said unto him: ‘Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten pieces of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals.’ So the Levite went in.
11
ThomsonSo the Levite went in and began his abode with the man; and he treated the youth as one of his sons.
BrentonAnd the Levite went and began to dwell with the man; and the young man was to him as one of his sons.
GreekΚαὶ ἐπορεύθη ὁ Λευίτης, καὶ ἤρξατο παροικεῖν παρὰ τῷ ἀνδρί· καὶ ἐγενήθη ὁ νεανίας αὐτῷ ὡς εἷς ἀπὸ υἱῶν αὐτοῦ.
KJVAnd the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
JPSAnd the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
12
ThomsonAnd when Micah had consecrated the Levite, and he became his priest, and was in Micah’s house,
BrentonAnd Michaias consecrated the Levite, and he became to him a priest, and he was in the house of Michaias.
GreekΚαὶ ἐπλήρωσε Μιχαίας τὴν χεῖρα τοῦ Λευίτου, καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ εἰς ἱερέα, καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Μιχαία.
KJVAnd Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
JPSAnd Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
13
ThomsonMicah said, Now I know that the Lord will do me good, because I have got a Levite for a priest.
BrentonAnd Michaias said, Now I know that the Lord will do me good, because a Levite has become my priest.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Μιχαίας, νῦν ἔγνων ὅτι ἀγαθυνεῖ μοι Κύριος, ὅτι ἐγένετό μοι ὁ Λευίτης εἰς ἱερέα.
KJVThen said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
JPSThen said Micah: ‘Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite as my priest.’