1tn The words “You know” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

2tn Heb “taken.”

3tn Heb “took.”

4tn In the Hebrew text the statement, “but now I am giving it back to you,” appears at the end of v. 3 and is spoken by the mother. But v. 4 indicates that she did not give the money back to her son. Unless the statement is spoken by the woman to the LORD, it appears to be misplaced and fits much better in v. 2. It may have been accidentally omitted from a manuscript, written in the margin, and then later inserted in the wrong place in another manuscript.

5tn Traditionally, “bless.”

6tn Heb “dedicating, I dedicate.” In this case the emphatic infinitive absolute lends a mood of solemnity to the statement.

7tn Heb “to the LORD from my hand for my son to make a carved image and cast metal image.” She cannot mean that she is now taking the money from her hand and giving it back to her son so he can make an image. Verses 4-6 indicate she took back the money and used a portion of it to hire a silversmith to make an idol for her son to use. The phrase “a carved image and cast metal image” is best taken as referring to two idols (see 18:17-18), even though the verb at the end of v. 4, וַיְהִי (vay˙hi, “and it was [in the house of Micah]”), is singular.

8tn Heb “his mother.” The pronoun (“she”) has been substituted for the noun (“mother”) in the translation because of English style.

9tn The Hebrew text has “and gave it.” The referent (the pieces of silver) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

10tn Heb “and it was in Micah’s house.”

11tn Heb “house of God.”

12sn Here an ephod probably refers to a priestly garment (cf. Exod 28:4-6).

13tn Heb “and he filled the hand of one of his sons and he became his priest.”

14tn Heb “Each was doing what was right in his [own] eyes.”

15map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.

16tn Heb “There was a young man from Bethlehem of Judah, from the tribe of Judah, and he was a Levite, and he was temporarily residing there.”

17tn Heb “He came to the Ephraimite hill country, to Micah’s house, making his way.”

18tn Heb “And I am going to reside in a place I can find.”

19tn Heb “father.” “Father” is here a title of honor that suggests the priest will give advice and protect the interests of the family, primarily by divining God’s will in matters, perhaps through the use of the ephod. (See R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 257; also Gen 45:8, where Joseph, who was a diviner and interpreter of dreams, is called Pharaoh’s “father,” and 2 Kgs 6:21; 13:14, where a prophet is referred to as a “father.” Note also 2 Kgs 8:9, where a king identifies himself as a prophet’s “son.” One of a prophet’s main functions was to communicate divine oracles. Cf. 2 Kgs 8:9ff.; 13:14-19).

20tn The Hebrew text expands with the phrase: “and the Levite went.” This only makes sense if taken with “to live” in the next verse. Apparently “the Levite went” and “the Levite agreed” are alternative readings which have been juxtaposed in the text.

21tn Heb “the young man became like one of his sons.”

22tn Heb “filled the hand of.”

23tn Heb “do good for me.”