Judges · Chapter 17

[ edit] A maner man þere was in þat tyme of þe hil of Effraym, Mychas bi name. Þe which ſeide to his moder, Þe þouſand hundryd platis of ſiluer, þe whiche þow ſeuerediſt to þee, and vpon þe whiche me herynge þou ſwore, loo! Y haue, and anentis me ben. To whom ſhe anſwerde, Bleſſid my ſone to þe Lord. Þanne he ȝeeldide hem to his moder; þe which ſeide to hym, I haue ſacrid and auowid þis ſiluer to þe Lord, þat of myn hoond my ſone tak, and mak a grauen þing and a ȝotun; and now I take it to þee. Þanne he ȝeeld to his moder; þe which took two hundrid platis of ſiluer, and ȝaf hem to þe ſiluer ſmiþ, þat he make of hem a grauen þing and a ȝotun, þe which was in þe hows of Mychee.

Þe which a litil hows forſoþe in it to God ſeuerde; and made a coope, and þeraphyn, þat is, þe preſtis clooþ, and mawmettis; and he fulfillid þe hoond of oon of his ſones, and he is maad to hym a preeſt. In þo dais was no kyng in Irael, but echon, what ſemyd to hym riȝt, þat he dide. And þere was anoþer ȝonglynge of Beþlem of Juda, of þe kynrede of him, and he was a Leuyte, and dwellide þere. And gon out of þe cytee of Beþlem pilgrimage he wold, where euere he founde profijt to hym. And whanne he was comen in to þe hil of Effraym, and weye makynge hadde bowid doun a litil in to þe hows of Myche, he is aſkid of hym, Whens comeſt þou?

Þe which anſwerde, A Leuyte Y am of Beþlem of Juda, and I goo, þat I dwelle where I ſhal mowe, and biholde to be profitable to me. Dwel, he ſeiþ, anentis me, and be to me fader and preeſt; and I ſhal ȝyue to þee bi eche ȝeer ten platis of ſiluer, and dowble cloþinge, and what þingis ben neceſſarye to lijflod. And he aſentide, and dwellyde anentis þe man; and was to hym as oon of þe ſones. And Mycha fulfillid þe hoond of hym, and hadde a child preeſt anentis hym, ſeiynge, Nowe I woot, þat God wol doo wel to me, hauynge a preeſt of Leuytis kynde.