Micah Makes Idols and Hires a Priest
1 Micah belonged to the Ephraim tribe and lived in the hill country. 2 One day he told his mother, “Do you remember those 1,100 pieces of silver that were stolen from you? I was there when you put a curse on whoever stole them. Well, I'm the one who did it.”
His mother answered, “I pray that the Lord will bless you, my son.”
3-4 Micah returned the silver to his mother, and she said, “I give this silver to the Lord, so my son can use it to make an idol.” Turning to her son, she said, “Micah, now the silver belongs to you.”
But Micah handed it back to his mother. She took 200 pieces of the silver and gave them to a silver worker, who made them into an idol. They kept the idol in Micah's house. 5 He had a shrine for worshiping God there at his home, and he had made some idols and a sacred priestly vest. Micah chose one of his own sons to be the priest for his shrine.
6 This was before kings ruled Israel, so all the Israelites did whatever they thought was right.
7-8 One day a young Levite came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim. He had been staying with one of the clans of Judah in Bethlehem, but he had left Bethlehem to find a new place to live where he could be a priest.
9 “Where are you from?” Micah asked.
“I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” the man answered, “and I'm on my way to find a new place to live.”
10 Micah said, “Why don't you stay here with me? You can be my priest and tell me what God wants me to do. Every year I'll give you ten pieces of silver and one complete set of clothes, and I'll provide all your food.”
The young man went for a walk, 11-12 then he agreed to stay with Micah and be his priest. He lived in Micah's house, and Micah treated him like one of his own sons. 13 Micah said, “I have a Levite as my own priest. Now I know that the Lord will be kind to me.”
Ongulu yaMika yokulongela Kalunga
1 Keemhunda daEfraim kwa li omulumenhu edina laye Mika. 2 Ye okwa lombwela ina ta ti: Eesekeli dinya eyovi nefele doshisiliveli we di kufwa, nomolwado ove wa tongele etulomutima momatwi ange, oimaliwa oi li pwaame. Ame nde i kufa. Opo nee ina ta ti: Omwene ne ku nangeke noupuna, omumwange! 3 Ndele ye okwa alulila ina eesekeli eyovi nefele doshisiliveli. Ndelenee ina ta ti: Oimaliwa oyo yomeke lange ame ohandi i yapulile Omwene, omumwange e i longife okuninga oshihongwafano noshitelekwafano. Paife eshi ame ohandi i ku alulile. 4 Ye eshi a alulila ina oimaliwa, ina okwa kufa eesekeli omafele avali doshisiliveli ndele te di pe omuhambwidi woshingoldo. Ndele ye okwe di ninga oshihongwafano noshitelekwafano, oyo oya li meumbo laMika.
5 Omulumenhu winya Mika okwa li e nongulu yaKalunga nokwa ninga oshikutu shokomapepe noikalunga yomeumbo nokwa tula po omona waye umwe omulumenhu a kale omupristeli waye. 6 Momafiku enya muIsrael kamwa li ohamba: keshe umwe a ninga eshi sha wapala momesho aye. 7 Ndele muBetlehem shomuJuda mwa li omulumenhu omunyasha womepata laJuda. Ye okwa li Omulevi, ou a kala ko ngaashi omunailongo. 8 Nomulumenhu winya okwa dja moshilando shaBetlehem shomuJuda, a kale keshe apa ta mono onhele. Mokweenda kwaye okwa fika keemhunda daEfraim fiyo okeumbo laMika. 9 Ndele Mika te mu pula: Oto di peni? Opo nee ye ta ti kuye: Ame Omulevi womuBetlehem shomuJuda, ndele handi ende nokukonga onhele apa handi dulu okukala. 10 Ndele Mika ta ti kuye: Kala pwaame, u ninge tate nomupristeli wange. Opo nee handi ku pe omudo keshe eesekeli omulongo doshisiliveli noikutu neendja. NOmulevi okwa ya puye. 11 NOmulevi okwa itavela okukala pomulumenhu ou. Nomulumenhu ou omunyasha okwa li ngaashi umwe womovana vaye ovamati. 12 Ndele Mika okwa tula Omulevi moshilonga, opo omulumenhu omunyasha a ninga omupristeli waye, nokwa kala meumbo laMika. 13 Opo nee Mika ta ti: Paife ndi shi shii nokutya, Omwene ta ka ningila nge nawa, osheshi ndi nOmulevi omupristeli.
