Micah 2
1 A curse on the designers of evil, working on their beds! in the morning light they do it, because it is in their power.
How disastrous it will be for those who devise evil plans as they lie awake at night. They get up in the morning to carry them out, because they have the power to do just that.
2 They have a desire for fields and take them by force; and for houses and take them away: they are cruel to a man and his family, even to a man and his heritage.
They seize any fields they want. They take any houses they want. They cheat people of their houses, and steal their inheritance.
3 For this cause the Lord has said, See, against this family I am purposing an evil from which you will not be able to take your necks away, and you will be weighted down by it; for it is an evil time.
So this is what the Lord says. Watch out! I am planning to bring disaster on such families. They won't be able to escape. You will no longer walk around arrogantly, for this will be a time of disaster.
4 In that day this saying will be said about you, and this song of grief will be made: The heritage of my people is measured out, and there is no one to give it back; those who have made us prisoners have taken our fields from us, and complete destruction has come to us.
On that day they will make up a saying to taunt you. With a mocking lament they will say, “We are totally ruined! Our possessions are being sold off. They've taken everything away, and given our fields to your conquerors.”
5 For this cause you will have no one to make the decision by the measuring line in the meeting of the Lord.
Consequently at that time there will be none of you in the assembly of the Lord responsible for the division of the land.
6 Let not words like these be dropped, they say: Shame and the curse will not come to the family of Jacob!
But you preach at me, saying, “Don't preach such things. Don't prophesy like this. Such a humiliation won't happen to us!”
7 Is the Lord quickly made angry? are these his doings? do not his words do good to his people Israel?
Should you talk like that, descendants of Jacob? You ask, “Can the Lord run out of patience? Is this what he does?” Are not my words good to those who do what is right? asks the Lord.
8 As for you, you have become haters of those who were at peace with you: you take the clothing of those who go by without fear, and make them prisoners of war.
Lately my people have risen up against me like an enemy. You steal the coats off the backs of those passing by, men returning from war who expect to be safe in their homeland.
9 The women of my people you have been driving away from their dearly loved children; from their young ones you are taking my glory for ever.
You drive the women of my people from their comfortable homes; you have robbed their children of my blessings forever.
10 Up! and go; for this is not your rest: because it has been made unclean, the destruction ordered will come on you.
Get up! Leave! For this is not a place for you to stay. It is defiled and totally ruined.
11 If a man came with a false spirit of deceit, saying, I will be a prophet to you of wine and strong drink: he would be the sort of prophet for this people.
If a false prophet should come to you and lie, saying, “I'll preach to you about the virtues of wine and alcohol,” he would be the perfect prophet for your kind of people.
12 I will certainly make all of you, O Jacob, come together; I will get together the rest of Israel; I will put them together like the sheep in their circle: like a flock in their green field; they will be full of the noise of men.
I will certainly gather all of you, descendants of Jacob, I will certainly bring back together those who are left, Israel. I will place them like sheep in the fold, like a flock in its pasture. The land will be filled with people celebrating.
13 The opener of the way will go up before them: forcing their way out they will go on to the doorway and out through it: their king will go on before them, and the Lord at their head.
The One who opens the way for them will lead them, breaking through the gate and going out. Their King will lead them; the Lord himself will be at their head.
