Micah 1
1 The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Moreshethite, in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw about Samaria and Jerusalem.
The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morashthite in the days of Jotham, Achaz, [and] Hezekiah, the kings of Judah, which he foresaw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
2 All peoples, listen. And may the earth and its fullness pay attention. And may the Lord God be a witness to you, the Lord from his holy temple.
Hear, ye people, altogether; listen, O earth, with all that filleth it: and let the Lord Eternal be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
3 For behold, the Lord will go forth from his place. And he will descend, and he will trample over the high places of the earth.
For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his residence; and he will come down, and will step along upon the high places of the earth.
4 And the mountains will be consumed under him, and the valleys will be torn apart, like wax before the face of fire, and like waters that rush swiftly downward.
And the mountains shall melt beneath him, and the valleys shall cleave in twain, like wax [melteth] before the fire, like water poured out on a declivity.
5 All this is for the wickedness of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the wickedness of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what is the loftiness of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?
For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. Who caused the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and who caused the high-places of Judah? is it not Jerusalem?
6 And I will place Samaria like a pile of stones in the field, when a vineyard is planted. And I will pull down its stones into the valley, and I will reveal her foundations.
Therefore will I change Samaria into stone-heaps on the field, into vineyard plantations: and I will hurl down into the valley her stones, and her foundations will I lay open.
7 And all her graven images will be cut to pieces, and all her rewards will be burned with fire, and I will place all her idols in perdition. For they have been gathered together from the pay of a kept woman, and even to the pay of a kept woman, they will return.
And all her graven images shall he beaten to pieces, and all her wages of sin shall be burnt with the fire, and all her idols will I make desolate; for from harlot's wages she gathered them, and for harlot's wages shall they be used again.
8 I will lament and wail about this. I will go out despoiled and naked. I will make a howl like the dragons, and a mourning like the ostriches.
For this will I lament and wail; I will go confused and naked: I will make a lament like the crocodiles, and mourning like the ostriches.
9 For her wound has been in despair. For it has come even to Judah. It has touched the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
For her wounds arc incurable; for [the evil] is come even unto Judah; [the enemy] hath reached as far as the gate of my people, even up to Jerusalem.
10 Do not be willing to announce it in Gath; may you not lament with tears. In the house of Dust, besprinkle yourselves with dust.
Tell it not at Gath, weep ye not loudly [there]: in Bethle'aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
11 And cross over to your dwelling place, Beauty, bewildered by disgrace. She did not depart, who dwells at the place of departure. The House nearby, which remained firm by herself, will receive mourning from you.
Pass ye away, ye inhabitants of Shaphir, having your shame laid bare: the inhabitress of Zaanan cometh not forth [any more]; the mourning of Beth-haezel taketh from you its halting place.
12 For she has been weakened in goodness, who dwells in bitterness. For disaster has descended from the Lord to the gate of Jerusalem.
For the inhabitress of Maroth is grieved for the [lost] good; because evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem.
13 A tumult of four-horse chariots has stupefied the inhabitants of Lachish. The beginning has been sin for the daughter of Zion, because in you have been found the evil deeds of Israel.
Bind the chariot to the swift horses, O inhabitress of Lachish: the beginning of sin was she to the daughter of Zion; for in thee were found the transgressions of Israel.
14 Because of this, she will send emissaries to the inheritance of Gath: the house of Lying in order to deceive the kings of Israel.
Therefore shalt thou have to give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall become a deception to the kings of Israel.
15 Nevertheless, I will lead an heir to you, who dwell in Mareshah: the glory of Israel will reach all the way to Adullam.
Yet will I bring an [enemy as] heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: as far as 'Adullam shall withdraw the glory of Israel.
16 Become bald and shaved for your delicate sons. Increase your baldness like the eagle. For they have been carried into captivity from you.
Make thyself bald, and cut off thy hair for the children of thy delight; enlarge thy baldness like the eagle; because they are gone into exile from thee.
