Michaeas 1
1 And the word of the Lord came to Michaeas the son of Morasthi, in the days of Joatham, and Achaz, and Ezekias, kings of Juda, concerning 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 [these] words, ye people; and let the earth give heed, and all that are in it: and the Lord God shall be among you for a testimony, the Lord out of his holy habitation.
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 out of his place, and will come down, and will go upon 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 And the mountains shall be shaken under him, and the valleys shall melt like wax before the fire, and as water rushing down a declivity.
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 these [calamities are] for the transgression of Jacob, and for the sin of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? [is it] not Samaria? and what is the sin of the house of Juda? [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 [as] a store-house of the fruits of the field, and [as] a planting of a vineyard: and I will utterly demolish her stones, and I will 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 And they shall cut in pieces all the graven images, and all that she has hired they shall burn with fire, and I will utterly destroy all her idols: because she has gathered of the hires of fornication, and of the hires of fornication has she amassed [wealth].
“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 Therefore shall she lament and wail, she shall go barefooted, and [being] naked she shall make lamentation as [that] of serpents, and mourning as of the daughters of sirens.
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 plague has become grievous; for it has come even to Juda; and has reached to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
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 Ye that are in Geth, exalt not yourselves, and ye Enakim, do not rebuild from [the ruins of] the house in derision: sprinkle dust [in the place of] your laughter.
Don’t tell this in Gath! Don’t even cry – but sit in the dust at Beth-leaphrah.
11 The inhabitant of Sennaar, fairly inhabiting her cities, came not forth to mourn for the house next to her: she shall receive of you the stroke of grief.
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 Who has begun [to act] for good to her that dwells in sorrow? for calamities have come down from the Lord upon the gates of Jerusalem,
The inhabitants of Maroth wait anxiously for good! But the Lord has sent disaster to the gates of Jerusalem.
13 [even] a sound of chariots and horsemen: the inhabitants of Lachis, she is the leader of sin to the daughter of Sion: for in thee were found the transgressions of Israel.
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 shall he cause men to be sent forth as far as the inheritance of Geth, [even] vain houses; they are become vanity to the kings of Israel;
Therefore you must give parting gifts to Moresheth-gath. Beth-achzib will betray the kings of Israel.
15 until they bring the heirs, O inhabitant of Lachis: the inheritance shall reach to Odollam, [even] the glory of the daughter of Israel.
I will hand you to a conqueror, people of Mareshah, the leaders of Israel will hide in Adullam Cave!
16 Shave thine hair, and make thyself bald for thy delicate children; increase thy widowhood as an eagle; for [thy people] are gone into captivity from thee.
Shave your head in morning for the children you love, until you are bald as vultures, because they have left you for exile.
