< Micah 1 >
1 The word of Jehovah, which came to Micah, the Morasthite, in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah; which was revealed to him concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
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.
2 Hear, all ye nations, Give ear, O earth, and all that is therein! The Lord, Jehovah, appeareth as a witness against you, The Lord from his holy palace.
Listen, all the nations! Pay attention, everyone on earth! The Lord God testifies against you from the Lord's holy Temple.
3 Behold, Jehovah cometh forth from his dwelling-place; He cometh down, and advanceth upon the high places of the earth.
Look! The Lord is coming, leaving his place and coming down, and is walking on the high places of the earth.
4 The mountains melt under him, And the valleys cleave asunder, Like wax before the fire, Like waters poured down a steep place.
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.
5 For the transgression of Jacob is all this, And for the sin of the house of Israel. Where is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not at Samaria? And where are the high places of Judah? Are they not at Jerusalem?
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?
6 Therefore will I make Samaria a heap of stones in the field, A place for the planting of a vineyard; I will pour down her stones into the valley, And lay bare her foundations.
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.
7 All her graven images shall be beaten to pieces, And all the hire of her harlotry shall be burned with fire, And all her idols will I destroy. For from the hire of a harlot did she gather her ornaments, And to the hire of a harlot shall they return.
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.
8 Therefore I will wail and howl; I will go stripped and naked; I will wail like the jackal, And mourn like the ostrich.
Because of this I will weep and wail, I will walk barefoot and naked, and will howl like jackals and mourn like owls.
9 For her wound is mortal; It extendeth to Judah; It reacheth to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
Their wound cannot be healed, it has extended to Judah, and reached right to the gates of Jerusalem.
10 Tell it not in Gath! weep not in Acco! In Beth-Aprah roll yourselves in the dust!
Don't mention it in Gath; don't weep at all. People of Beth-le-aphrah, roll in the dust.
11 Pass on, thou inhabitant of Saphir, naked and in shame! The inhabitant of Zaanan no more goeth out; The grief of Beth-Azel denieth you an abode.
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.
12 The inhabitant of Maroth mourneth for his goods, For evil came down from Jehovah to the gates of Jerusalem.
The people of Maroth wait anxiously for relief, but disaster has come down from the Lord on the gate of Jerusalem.
13 Bind the chariot to the courser, O inhabitant of Lachish! Thou wast the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; In thee were found the transgressions of Israel.
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.
14 Therefore shalt thou resign the possession of Moresheth of Gath; The houses of Achzib shall disappoint the kings of Israel.
Send your goodbye gifts to Moresheth. The town of Achzib is a deception to the kings of Israel.
15 A possessor will I bring to thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah; The glory of Israel shall flee to Adullam.
I will bring a conqueror to attack you, people of Moresheth. The leaders of Israel will go to Adullam.
16 Make thyself bald, cut off thy locks, for the children of thy love; Enlarge thy baldness like the eagle; For they have gone from thee into captivity.
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.