Micah 1
1 This is the word of the LORD that came to Micah the Moreshite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem:
The Lord’s message which came to Micah of Morsheth in the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. The visions he saw about Samaria and Jerusalem.
2 Hear, O peoples, all of you; listen, O earth, and everyone in it! May the Lord GOD bear witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple.
Listen, all you peoples! Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the earth! For the Lord God will be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple!
3 For behold, the LORD comes forth from His dwelling place; He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.
The Lord is coming from his holy place, he descends and treads on the heights of the earth,
4 The mountains will melt beneath Him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.
so that the mountains melt beneath like wax in the presence of the fire, and the valleys break apart like water poured down a steep descent.
5 All this is for the transgression of Jacob and the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what is the high place of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?
All this is because of the crime of Jacob, and for the sin of the house of Israel. What was the crime of Jacob? Was it not Samaria? What is the sin of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?
6 Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble in the open field, a planting area for a vineyard. I will pour her stones into the valley and expose her foundations.
“I will make Samaria a ruin in an open field, and a place where a vineyard is planted, I will hurl down her stones into the valley, and lay bare her foundations.
7 All her carved images will be smashed to pieces; all her wages will be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols. Since she collected the wages of a prostitute, they will be used again on a prostitute.
“All her images will be shattered, and all her statues will be burned with fire, and all her idols I will lay in ruins. For they were acquired by prostitution, and to prostitution they will return.”
8 Because of this I will lament and wail; I will walk barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich.
This is why I will mourn and wail, I will go barefoot and naked, I will howl like the jackals and mourn like the desert owl.
9 For her wound is incurable; it has reached even Judah; it has approached the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem itself.
For the blow that Samaria has received is incurable. It has spread over Judah, it extends even to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
10 Do not tell it in Gath; do not weep at all. Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah.
Don’t tell this in Gath! Don’t even cry – but sit in the dust at Beth-leaphrah.
11 Depart in shameful nakedness, O dwellers of Shaphir. The dwellers of Zaanan will not come out. Beth-ezel is in mourning; its support is taken from you.
Pass by, inhabitants of Shaphir, naked and ashamed! The inhabitants of Zaanan cannot leave their city. Beth-ezel laments and removes its support from you.
12 For the dwellers of Maroth pined for good, but calamity came down from the LORD, even to the gate of Jerusalem.
The inhabitants of Maroth wait anxiously for good! But the Lord has sent disaster to the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Harness your chariot horses, O dweller of Lachish. You were the beginning of sin to the Daughter of Zion, for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
Harness the horse to the chariot, inhabitants of Lachish. You led the daughter of Zion, Jerusalem, into sin, in you are found the crimes of Israel.
14 Therefore, send farewell gifts to Moresheth-gath; the houses of Achzib will prove deceptive to the kings of Israel.
Therefore you must give parting gifts to Moresheth-gath. Beth-achzib will betray the kings of Israel.
15 I will again bring a conqueror against you, O dweller of Mareshah. The glory of Israel will come to Adullam.
I will hand you to a conqueror, people of Mareshah, the leaders of Israel will hide in Adullam Cave!
16 Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair in mourning for your precious children; make yourselves as bald as an eagle, for they will go from you into exile.
Shave your head in morning for the children you love, until you are bald as vultures, because they have left you for exile.
