Micah 2
1 Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.
Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.
2 They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance.
They covet fields and seize them, and houses, then take them away. They oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
3 Therefore this is what the LORD says: “I am planning against this nation a disaster from which you cannot free your necks. Then you will not walk so proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.
Therefore the LORD says: “Behold, I am planning against these people a disaster, from which you will not remove your necks, neither will you walk haughtily, for it is an evil time.
4 In that day they will take up a proverb against you and taunt you with this bitter lamentation: ‘We are utterly ruined! He has changed the portion of my people. How He has removed it from me! He has allotted our fields to traitors.’”
In that day they will take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, saying, ‘We are utterly ruined! My people’s possession is divided up. Indeed he takes it from me and assigns our fields to traitors!’”
5 Therefore, you will have no one in the assembly of the LORD to divide the land by lot.
Therefore you will have no one who divides the land by lot in the LORD’s assembly.
6 “Do not preach,” they preach. “Do not preach these things; disgrace will not overtake us.”
“Don’t prophesy!”—they prophesy— “Don’t prophesy about these things. Disgrace won’t overtake us.”
7 Should it be said, O house of Jacob, “Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient? Are these the things He does?” Do not My words bring good to him who walks uprightly?
Shall it be said, O house of Jacob, “Is the LORD’s Spirit angry? Are these his doings? Don’t my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?”
8 But of late My people have risen up like an enemy: You strip off the splendid robe from unsuspecting passersby like men returning from battle.
But lately my people have risen up as an enemy. You strip the robe and clothing from those who pass by without a care, returning from battle.
9 You drive the women of My people from their pleasant homes. You take away My blessing from their children forever.
You drive the women of my people out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away my blessing forever.
10 Arise and depart, for this is not your place of rest, because its defilement brings destruction— a grievous destruction!
Arise, and depart! For this is not your resting place, because of uncleanness that destroys, even with a grievous destruction.
11 If a man of wind were to come and say falsely, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be just the preacher for this people!
If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies, saying, “I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink,” he would be the prophet of this people.
12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will collect the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in the midst of its pasture— a noisy throng.
I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob. I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the middle of their pasture. They will swarm with people.
13 One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate, and go out by it. Their King will pass through before them, the LORD as their leader.
He who breaks open the way goes up before them. They break through the gate, and go out. Their king passes on before them, with the LORD at their head.
