Micah’s Idols
1Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim 2said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels17:2 That is, about 28 pounds or about 13 kilograms 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!”
3When 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 an image overlaid with silver. I will give it back to you.”
4So after he returned the silver to his mother, she took two hundred shekels17:4 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol. And it was put in Micah’s house.
5Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household gods and installed one of his sons as his priest. 6In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.
7A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had been living within the clan of Judah, 8left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way17:8 Or To carry on his profession he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.
9Micah 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.”
10Then Micah said to him, “Live with me and be my father and priest, and I’ll give you ten shekels17:10 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams of silver a year, your clothes and your food.” 11So the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man became like one of his sons to him. 12Then Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house. 13And Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest.”
Ang mga dios-diosan ni Micas
1May isang tao na nakatira sa kabundukan ng Efraim na ang pangalan ay Micas. 2-3Isang araw, sinabi ni Micas sa kanyang ina, “Narinig ko pong isinumpa nʼyo ang kumuha ng inyong 1,100 pirasong pilak. Narito ang pilak, ako po ang kumuha.” Pagkatanggap nito ng kanyang ina, sinabi nito, “Anak, pagpalain ka sana ng Panginoon. Ihahandog ko itong pilak sa Panginoon para hindi dumating sa iyo ang sumpa. Gagamitin ko ito na pangtapal sa kahoy na imahen na ipapagawa ko. Ihahandog ko nga ito sa Panginoon para maligtas ka sa sumpa.” 4Pagkatapos, kumuha ang kanyang ina ng 200 pilak at ibinigay sa platero. Ginamit ito ng platero na pangtapal sa kahoy na imahen. Nang natapos na, inilagay ang dios-diosan sa bahay ni Micas.
5May sariling sambahan si Micas at nagpagawa siya ng mga dios-diosan at espesyal na damit17:5 espesyal na damit: sa Hebreo, “efod.” ng pari. At ginawa niyang pari ang isa sa mga anak niyang lalaki. 6Nang panahong iyon, walang hari sa Israel, kaya ang bawat isa ay malaya kung ano ang gusto niyang gawin.
7May isang binatilyong Levita17:7 Levita: o, lahi ni Levi. na nakatira sa Betlehem na sakop ng Juda. 8Isang araw, umalis siya para maghanap ng matitirhan sa ibang lugar. Sa kanyang pag-alis, napadaan siya sa bahay ni Micas sa kabundukan ng Efraim. 9Tinanong siya ni Micas, “Taga-saan ka?” Sumagot siya, “Taga-Betlehem po ako, na sakop ng Juda, at isa po akong Levita. Naghahanap po ako ng matitirhan.” 10-11Sinabi ni Micas, “Dito ka na lang tumira kasama ko. Gagawin kitang tagapayo17:10-11 tagapayo: sa literal, ama. ko at pari. At bawat taon, bibigyan kita ng sampung pirasong pilak, bukod pa sa mga damit at pagkain na ibibigay ko sa iyo.” Pumayag ang Levita sa sinabi ni Micas at itinuring siya ni Micas na isa sa kanyang mga anak. 12Ginawa siyang pari ni Micas at doon pinatira sa kanyang bahay. 13Sinabi ni Micas, “Ngayon, natitiyak kong pagpapalain ako ng Panginoon dahil may pari na akong Levita.”
