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 Yahweh which came unto Micah the Morashtite, in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah, —of which he had vision 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 ye peoples, all of you, Hearken, O earth and the fulness thereof, —and let My Lord Yahweh be among you for a witness, My Lord out of 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 lo! Yahweh, coming forth out of his place, —that he may descend, and march along upon 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.
Then shall the mountains be melted beneath him, and, the valleys, be cleft, —as wax before the fire, as waters poured out in 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 sin of the house of Israel, —Whose is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria’s? And whose is the sin of Judah? Is it 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 will I make of Samaria a heap in a field, the plantings in a vineyard, —and I will pour down, into the valley, her stones, and, her foundations, will I lay bare;
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 her images, shall be beaten in pieces, and, all her rewards for unchastity, shall be burned in the fire, and, all her idols, will I make a desolation, —for, out of the reward of unchastity, she gathered [them], and, unto the reward of unchastity, shall they return.
8 Because of this I will weep and wail, I will walk barefoot and naked, and will howl like jackals and mourn like owls.
For this cause, will I lament and howl, I will go stript and bare, —I will make a lamentation, like the wild dogs, and a mourning, like ostriches.
9 Their wound cannot be healed, it has extended to Judah, and reached right to the gates of Jerusalem.
For dangerous are her wounds, —for she hath come as far as Judah, she hath reached as far as the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem.
10 Don't mention it in Gath; don't weep at all. People of Beth-le-aphrah, roll in the dust.
In Gath, do not tell, in Accho, do not weep, —in Beth-l’aphrah, roll yourselves in 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 thou over (for you), thou inhabitress of Shaphir, of disgraceful disclosure, —the inhabitress of Zaanan, hath not gone forth, at the lamentation of Beth-ezel, shall he take from you his station,
12 The people of Maroth wait anxiously for relief, but disaster has come down from the Lord on the gate of Jerusalem.
Though the inhabitress of Maroth waited for blessing, —yet there came down calamity from Yahweh, 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.
Bind the chariot to the steed, O inhabitress of Lachish, —the beginning of sin, was she to the daughter of Zion, for, in thee, have been found the transgressions of Israel.
14 Send your goodbye gifts to Moresheth. The town of Achzib is a deception to the kings of Israel.
Therefore, shalt thou give a dismission, against Moresheth-gath, —The houses of Achzib, served for a deception 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.
The time shall yet be when, the heir, I will bring unto thee, O inhabitress of Mareshah, —as far as Adullam, shall enter 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 thee bald, and cut off thy hair, for the children of thy pleasures, —enlarge thy baldness, like a vulture, for they are exiled from thee.
