< 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.
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 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.
Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
3 Behold, Jehovah cometh forth from his dwelling-place; He cometh down, and advanceth upon the high places of the earth.
For behold, the LORD cometh forth from his place, and will come down, and tread upon 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.
And the mountains shall be melted 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 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?
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 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 as a heap of the field, [and] as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down her stones into the valley, and I will lay bare her 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.
And all her graven images shall be beaten to pieces, and all her hires shall be burned with the fire, and all her idols will I lay desolate: for she gathered [it] from the hire of a harlot, and they shall return to the hire of a harlot.
8 Therefore I will wail and howl; I will go stripped and naked; I will wail like the jackal, And mourn like the ostrich.
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 For her wound is mortal; It extendeth to Judah; It reacheth to the gate of my people, even to 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 Tell it not in Gath! weep not in Acco! In Beth-Aprah roll yourselves in the dust!
Declare ye [it] not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself 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.
Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame exposed: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive from you his standing.
12 The inhabitant of Maroth mourneth for his goods, For evil came down from Jehovah to the gates of Jerusalem.
For the inhabitant of Maroth waited anxiously for good: but evil came down from the LORD to 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.
O thou 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 thee.
14 Therefore shalt thou resign the possession of Moresheth of Gath; The houses of Achzib shall disappoint the kings of Israel.
Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib [shall be] a lie 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.
Yet will I bring an heir to thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come to Adullam the glory of Israel.
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.
Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

< Micah 1 >