Chapter 17

Now turn we to a man called Michas, who lived at this same time in the hill-country of Ephraim.

His mother had lost eleven hundred silver pieces, which she had set aside; and when, in his presence, she pronounced a curse on the thief, he told her, I have the money, I took it for myself.1 No curse, then, said she, but a blessing from the Lord on this son of mine.

And she told him, as he gave it back to her, I solemnly dedicate this sum of money to the Lord, promising him that my son shall have it from me, to make himself a graven image, with a sheath of cast metal. So now after all it is thine.

Then she took out two hundred of the pieces so restored, and gave them to a silversmith, to be melted down into the sheath of a carved image; and there the image stood, in the house of Michas.

He set apart a shrine for the worship of God,3 furnished it with vestments and household deities and installed one of his sons as the priest of it.

(This was in the old days of Israel before the monarchy, when men lived by the best light they had.)

But the lad was to have a rival, a young man from Bethlehem-Juda, ranking as one of Juda’s clan, but himself a Levite, come from other parts.

And now he would leave Bethlehem and go on his travels to find a home that suited him. His journey took him to the hill-country of Ephraim, and there, for a while, he lodged at Michas’ house.

When he was asked whence he came, and told them he was a Levite from Bethlehem-Juda, looking for a home that suited him,

Why, said Michas, live here with me, and I will honour thee like a father and a priest. Ten silver pieces thou shalt have each year, and a fresh suit of clothes, and thy livelihood.

To this he agreed, and dwelt there with him, as well cared for as if he had been one of his sons;

and Michas, when he installed the young man as priest in his household,

flattered himself that God’s blessing would be with him, now that he had a priest by him of the Levite family.