Chapter 17
1 There was a man in the mountain region of Ephraim whose name was Micah.
厄弗辣因山地有一个人，名叫米加，
2 He said to his mother, ＂The eleven hundred shekels of silver over which you pronounced a curse in my hearing when they were taken from you, are in my possession. It was I who took them; so now I will restore them to you.＂
他对自己的母亲说：＂有人拿去你那一千一百银钱，对这事你曾起过誓，我也亲自听见你说：我要亲手把这项银钱奉献给上主，为我儿做一尊神像。看，银钱在这里，是我拿了；如今还给你！＂
3 1 When he restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she took two hundred of them and gave them to the silversmith, who made of them a carved idol overlaid with silver.
当他把银钱还给他的母亲以后，她的母亲便拿出两百银子给了银匠，请他制造一尊神像，安放在米加的家里。
4 Then his mother said, ＂May the LORD bless my son! I have consecrated the silver to the LORD as my gift in favor of my son, by making a carved idol overlaid with silver.＂ It remained in the house of Micah.
他的母亲就说：＂愿我儿蒙上主祝福！＂于是米加就把一千一百银钱还给他的母亲。
5 Thus the layman Micah had a sanctuary. He also made an ephod and household idols, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
于是米加为这尊神像盖了一座神庙。又做了＂厄弗得＂和＂忒辣芬，＂委派自己的一个儿子充任司祭。
6 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what he thought best.
当时在以色列没有君王，各人任意行事。
7 There was a young Levite who had resided within the tribe of Judah at Bethlehem of Judah.
当时有一个少年，他是个肋未人，从猷大白冷，即从猷大支派来到那里作客。
8 From that city he set out to find another place of residence. On his journey he came to the house of Micah in the mountain region of Ephraim.
这人离开猷大白冷，想找一个可寄居的地方；当他旅行的时候，来到厄弗辣因山地，米加的家旁，
9 Micah said to him, ＂Where do you come from?＂ He answered him, ＂I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and am on my way to find some other place of residence.＂
米加问他说：＂你从那里来？＂他回答说：＂我是个肋未人，由猷大白冷来，想找一个可寄居的地方。＂
10 ＂Stay with me,＂ Micah said to him. ＂Be father and priest to me, and I will give you ten silver shekels a year, a set of garments, and your food.＂
米加就对他说：＂你住在我这里罢！作我的师傅和司祭，我每年给你十块银钱，还照管你的吃穿。＂米加挽留那肋未人，
11 So the young Levite decided to stay with the man, to whom he became as one of his own sons.
他遂同意住在米加那里，他看待这少年好似自己的儿子。
12 2 Micah consecrated the young Levite, who became his priest, remaining in his house.
米加又委任了这肋未人，这人遂作了他的司祭，住在米加家中。
13 Therefore Micah said, ＂Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, since the Levite has become my priest.＂
于是米加说：＂如今我知道上主必施恩于我，因为有位肋未人作了我的司祭。＂
Footnotes（注解）
1 [3] Idol: an image, not of a pagan god, but of the Lord. The Mosaic law forbade the making of an image even of the true God.
2 [12-13] According to Numbers 18:1-7 only those Levites who were descended from Aaron could be consecrated as priests.