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.”
Lui Awi Maika ro
1 Mano aza orivoya ävuruna Maika, se rite 'bädri lutu ro Eperaima roya. 2 Nda atate endre ndaro ri ekye: “Tuse 'diaza 'do kukugu tonyo mo'di ro kutu 'butealo (1,100) miro be 'do si, mitri kugu ana te. Meri mi te latri otrivoya. Mindre, parata 'do orivoya mabe; märu ni.” Ago endre ndaro atate ekye: “OPI käṛu mi ŋgwa maro!” 3 Ago nda logo parata se mo'di ro kutu 'butealo (1,100) ana te endre ndaro ri; ndi endre ndaro atate ekye: “Madi mo'di ono te Opi ri. Male ŋgwa maro ri lu awi edeni ce yasi ago lomvona undrune mo'di ono si. Ka'do inye yauono mologona mo'di ono ndi mirigye.” 4 'Dooko nda logo parata se ana te endre ndaro ri. Ago endre ndaro ru tonyo mo'di ro kama ritu (200) te ago ozo ànya te toka'ba ri, se ede beti lu awi ro te ndi ndru lomvona te mo'di se ana si. Ndi edrete zo Maika roya.
5 Mano gi Maika ana orivoya vo mätu ro modo ndaro robe. Nda ede lu awi azaka te ndi boŋgo ga juṛuŋwa kätätidri robe, ago 'ba alodi aza ŋgwàagoro ndaro rote a'done kohani ro ndäri. 6 Tu gi kai si 'bädri'ba aza i'do Yisaraele ya, vo 'dicini ro yete tase ko'debe ree mi modo ndaro roya 'do ayani.
7 Agoanji aza orivoya Lewe'ba yi se rite 'ba'desi Beteleme se Yuda ana ya. 8 Nda oyite ni 'ba'desi Beteleme ro yasi vo aza usune oriza ndäri kigye. Oyi ndaro ya, nda sate 'ba Maika roya 'bädri lutu ro Eperaima roya. 9 Ago Maika eji nda te ekye: “Nyikyi ni eŋwaroya?” Ago nda zatadrite ekye: “Ma Lewe'ba yi mikyi ni Beteleme Yuda ya yasi, ma ugu vouṛi orizana märi kigye.”
10 Maika atate ndäri ekye: “Miri mabe, nya'do tavoata'ba maro ago kohani ro, ago mozona tonyo mo'di ro 'butealo miri ndroa alo ya, ago mozona boŋgo ndi ŋgaonya be 'da miri.” 11 Agoanji se Lewe'ba ro ana letadrite orine Maika be; ago agoanji ana a'dote oso alo aza ŋgwaàgoro ndaro ronye ndäri. 12 Maika 'ba nda te kohani ro ndäri, ago nda rite 'ba Maika roya. 13 Ago Maika atate ekye: “Mäni ndi yauono OPI ozona kandrakado ndi märi, tana ma te orivoya Lewe'ba be kohani ro märi.”