Micah 2
1 Woe to those that devise wickedness, and resolve on evil upon their couches! by the first light of the morning they execute it, if they have it in the power of their hand.
Woe to those who lie awake planning evil, who in the light of morning carry out their plan because they have the power to do it.
2 And they covet fields, and rob them; and houses, and take them away: so they defraud the master and his house, and the man and his heritage.
They covet fields and seize them, desire houses and take them, they crush householder and his household, people and their possessions.
3 Therefore thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will devise against this family an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; nor shall ye go erect; for it is an evil time.
Therefore the Lord says: ‘I am planning disaster from which you cannot save your neck, nor walk proudly because it will be a terrible time.
4 On that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a mournful lamentation, and say, “We are utterly wasted: the portion of my people hath he exchanged; how hath he removed it from me! instead of restoring [them to us] he divideth our fields.”
On that day they will sing a taunt-song to you, this mocking lament: “My people’s estate is being measured for sale, our captors are dividing our fields. We are completely undone.”
5 Therefore shalt thou have none that shall draw the [measuring] cord in [his] lot in the congregation of the Lord.
There will be no one to measure out land for you from the Lord’s community.
6 “Preach not;” [but] they shall preach: they shall not preach [indeed] to these, that reproach may not overtake them.
‘“Don’t rant!” they urge, “Of such things one does not prophesy! Shame will not overtake us!
7 Shall it be said [in] the house of Jacob, Is the spirit of the Lord straightened? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
Is the Lord impatient, or are such things his deeds? Are not his words favourable to the family of Jacob?” Aren’t my commands good for those who obey them?
8 But long since is my people risen up as an enemy: from the garment do you pull off the ornament; of those that pass by securely [ye make] men returned from war.
But you, you stand up as a foe against those who are peaceful; you strip the robe from those who pass by quietly, averse to conflict.
9 The wives of my people do you drive out of their delightful houses; from their children do ye take away my ornament for ever.
Women of my people you drive out from their happy homes, from their young children you take away my glory forever.
10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your resting-place; because it is polluted, it shall destroy [you], even with a grievous destruction.
Rise and begone, for this is no place to rest. Your uncleanness brings destruction, severe destruction.
11 If a man that goeth after wind and lieth with falsehood [should say], “I will preach unto thee of wine and of strong drink:” he would be a preacher for this people.
If a person walking in wine and falsehood were to say, “I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink,” then he would be the perfect prophet for this people!’
12 I will [once] surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather up the remnant of Israel; I will place them together as flocks in the fold, as droves in the midst of their pen: they shall be crowded with men.
‘I will assuredly assemble all of Jacob, I will surely gather the survivors of Israel. I will herd them together as sheep in a fold, like a flock in the pasture, and the land will resound with the sounds of multitudes.
13 The wall-breaker cometh up before them; they break in and pass through the gate, and go out by it: and their king passeth on before them, and the Lord at their head.
‘The one who breaks out goes first. They have broken forth and passed by the gate and through it have they gone out. Their king leads before them, the Lord at their head.’
