4 When Micah returned the silver to his mother, she took 200 pieces of the silver and gave it to a silversmith. He made a carved idol and a metal idol. Both were placed in Micah’s home.
5 Micah owned a shrine. He also made an ephod and household idols. He ordained one of his sons to be his priest.
6 In those days Israel didn’t have a king. Everyone did whatever he considered right.
7 There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah. (Bethlehem belongs to the family of Judah.) He was a Levite but was living in Bethlehem.
8 This man left Bethlehem in Judah to live wherever he could find ⌊a place⌋. He came to Micah’s house in the mountains of Ephraim to carry on his work.
9 Micah asked him, “Where do you come from?”The man told him, “I’m a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I’m going to live wherever I can find ⌊a place⌋.”
10 Micah told him, “Stay with me! Be a father and a priest to me. I’ll give you ten pieces of silver a year, a set of clothes, and your room and board.”The Levite accepted the offer