1 A man named Micah lived in the mountains of Ephraim. One day
2 he said to his mother, "The eleven hundred pieces of silver taken from you and about which you uttered a curse, well, it was I who took that silver. And now, I return it to you."
3 His mother answered, "May Yahweh bless my son!" So he returned the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother. But his mother said to him, "I had consecrated this money to Yahweh with my own hand, so that with this money, my son could make a statue cast in metal. So I am giving this silver back to you."
4 He, however, returned the silver to his mother who set aside two hundred pieces for the silversmith, who made a statue cast in metal.
5 This was placed in the house of Micah, so that Micah had a house of God. He also made an ephod to consult Yahweh as they cast lots, and some small idols, and consecrated also one of his sons as his priest.
6 At that time, there was no king in Israel and each one did what seemed right to him.
7 A young Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, a descendant of Moses who lived there as a foreigner,
8 left Bethlehem one day and set out to see where he could live as a guest. He came to the house of Micah in the mountains of Ephraim,
9 and Micah asked him, "Where do you come from?" He answered, "I am a Levite and I have come walking from Bethlehem; I am in search of a place where I can stay as a guest."
10 Micah said to him, "Stay in my house and be a father and priest to me; I shall give you ten pieces of silver a year, clothing and food." So the Levite went in to his house.
11 The Levite agreed to stay in Micah's house and became like one of his sons.
12 Micah consecrated the Levite, and this young man became his priest and remained in the house of Micah.
13 And Micah said, "Now I know that Yahweh will bestow favors on me for this Levite has become my priest."
Versículos relacionados com Judges, 17:
Judges chapter 17 relates the story of a man named Mica who made himself an idol and a house of gods. He also hired a Levite to be his private priest. This story illustrates the lack of spiritual leadership at the time of the judges, when each one did what he thought is right in his own eyes.
Proverbs 14:12: "There is a way that man seems right, but by hand on the ways of death." This verse warns of the illusion of following our own wishes and desires, which can lead to disastrous consequences.
Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust the Lord of all your heart, and do not stir in your own understanding. Recognizes him in all your ways, and he will straighten your paths." This verse emphasizes the importance of trusting God and seeking His will in our lives rather than following our own ways.
Jeremiah 10:14: "Every man is stupid, without knowledge; all goldsmith is embarrassed by the carved image; for his images are false, and in them there is no spirit." This verse condemns the worship of idols and emphasizes the importance of recognizing the true nature of God.
Acts 17:24-25: "The God who has made the world and all that there is, being the Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by men; nor is it served by human hands, as if from any Thing needed; for he himself is the one who gives everyone life, breathing and everything; " This verse highlights God's transcendent nature and the uselessness of trying to limit it to physical objects or places.
Psalm 81:9: "Thou shalt not have other gods before me. Thou shalt not make the image of sculpture to thee, nor any resemblance of what is above in heaven, nor under the earth, nor in the waters under the earth." This verse is a reminder of the prohibition of the worship of idols and the importance of placing God first in our lives.
Fejezetek: