Micah 1
1 Here is the message that the Lord gave to Micah of Moresheth at the time when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. This is what he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
2 Listen, all the nations! Pay attention, everyone on earth! The Lord God testifies against you from the Lord's holy Temple.
Hear, all you people; listen, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the LORD from his holy temple.
3 Look! The Lord is coming, leaving his place and coming down, and is walking on the high places of the earth.
For, behold, the LORD comes forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread on the high places of the earth.
4 The mountains melt beneath him, the valleys burst apart, like wax in front of a fire, like water rushing down a slope. All this is happening because of the rebellion of the descendants of Jacob, the sins of the people of Israel.
And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.
5 What is the rebellion of the descendants of Jacob? Isn't it what is happening in Samaria? Where are the idolatrous high places of Judah? Aren't they right in Jerusalem?
For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?
6 Therefore I will make Samaria a pile of rubble in a field, a place for planting vineyards. I will roll its stones down into the valley; I will lay bare its foundations.
Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.
7 All their carved idols will be smashed to pieces. All that was earned by their temple prostitutes will be burned. All of their idols will be destroyed, for what she collected through the earnings of temple prostitutes will be taken away and used to pay other temple prostitutes.
And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
8 Because of this I will weep and wail, I will walk barefoot and naked, and will howl like jackals and mourn like owls.
Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
9 Their wound cannot be healed, it has extended to Judah, and reached right to the gates of Jerusalem.
For her wound is incurable; for it is come to Judah; he is come to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
10 Don't mention it in Gath; don't weep at all. People of Beth-le-aphrah, roll in the dust.
Declare you it not at Gath, weep you not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll yourself in the dust.
11 Leave, people of Shaphir, naked and ashamed. People of Zanaan don't come out. People of Beth Ezel mourn, for you have lost your support.
Pass you away, you inhabitant of Saphir, having your shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing.
12 The people of Maroth wait anxiously for relief, but disaster has come down from the Lord on the gate of Jerusalem.
For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem.
13 Harness the team of horses to the chariot, you people of Lachish, because the sins of the people of Jerusalem began with you, for the sins of Israel were first found in you.
O you inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
14 Send your goodbye gifts to Moresheth. The town of Achzib is a deception to the kings of Israel.
Therefore shall you give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
15 I will bring a conqueror to attack you, people of Moresheth. The leaders of Israel will go to Adullam.
Yet will I bring an heir to you, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come to Adullam the glory of Israel.
16 Shave your heads, for the children you love will be taken away; make yourselves as bald as a vulture, for they will be exiled far away from you.
Make you bald, and poll you for your delicate children; enlarge your baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from you.
