Micah 6

1 Hear now what the LORD says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.

Hear now what the Lord is saying: Arise, present your complaint before the mountains, let the hills hear your voice!

2 Hear, O mountains, the LORD’s indictment, you enduring foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against His people, and He will argue it against Israel:

Hear, mountains, the Lord’s accusation, listen, foundations of the earth. For the Lord has a case against his people. He has a dispute with Israel.

3 ‘My people, what have I done to you? Testify against Me how I have wearied you!

“My people, what have I done to you? How have I displeased you? Answer me!

4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery. I sent Moses before you, as well as Aaron and Miriam.

For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, from the land of slavery I redeemed you. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.

5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”

My people, what did Balak, king of Moab counsel? And how did Balaam, the son of Beor, answer him? Remember now the journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you might realize the just deeds of the Lord.”

6 With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?

With what should I come before the Lord? Bow myself before the God on high? Should I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old?

7 Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, With ten thousand streams of oil? Should I give him my firstborn son for my guilt, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

The Lord has told you what is good, what he demands of you: Only to do justice and love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

9 The voice of the LORD calls out to the city (and it is sound wisdom to fear Your name): “Heed the rod and the One who ordained it.

Listen! The Lord calls to the city! Listen, tribe and assembly of the city!

10 Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed?

“Can I forget the hoarded treasures in the houses of the wicked, and the accursed scant measure?

11 Can I excuse dishonest scales or bags of false weights?

Can I leave her unpunished because of evil scales, and the bag of false weights?

12 For the wealthy of the city are full of violence, and its residents speak lies; their tongues are deceitful in their mouths.

Whose rich people are full of violence, her inhabitants liars, whose tongues speak deceit?

13 Therefore I am striking you severely, to ruin you because of your sins.

“But I indeed, have begun to punish you, to lay you in ruins because of your sins.

14 You will eat but not be satisfied, and your hunger will remain with you. What you acquire, you will not preserve; and what you save, I will give to the sword.

You will eat but not be satisfied, your stomach empty within you. You will store up but lose everything, because whatever you save I will give to the sword.

15 You will sow but not reap; you will press olives but not anoint yourselves with oil; you will tread grapes but not drink the wine.

You will sow but not reap. You will tread the olives but have no oil for rubbing, tread grapes but drink no wine!

16 You have kept the statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab’s house; you have followed their counsel. Therefore I will make you a desolation, and your inhabitants an object of contempt; you will bear the scorn of the nations.”

“For you have followed the commands of Omri, and all the practices of the house of Ahab. You have acted in accord with their counsels, so I will give you up to ruin, the city’s inhabitants to derision. The nations will treat you with contempt!”