< Micah 1 >

1 The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
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.
2 Hear, ye peoples, all of you; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
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.
3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
Behold, Jehovah cometh forth from his dwelling-place; He cometh down, and advanceth upon the high places of the earth.
4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, as waters that are poured down a steep place.
The mountains melt under him, And the valleys cleave asunder, Like wax before the fire, Like waters poured down a steep place.
5 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?
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?
6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, [and] as the plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.
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.
7 And all her graven images shall be beaten to pieces, and all her hires shall be burned with fire, and all her idols will I lay desolate: for of the hire of an harlot hath she gathered them, and unto the hire of an harlot shall they return.
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.
8 For this will I wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the jackals, and a mourning like the ostriches.
Therefore I will wail and howl; I will go stripped and naked; I will wail like the jackal, And mourn like the ostrich.
9 For her wounds are incurable: for it is come even unto Judah; it reacheth unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
For her wound is mortal; It extendeth to Judah; It reacheth to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
10 Tell it not in Gath, weep not at all: at Beth-le-Aphrah have I rolled myself in the dust.
Tell it not in Gath! weep not in Acco! In Beth-Aprah roll yourselves in the dust!
11 Pass ye away, O inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame: the inhabitant of Zaanan is not come forth; the wailing of Beth-ezel shall take from you the stay thereof.
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.
12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waiteth anxiously for good: because evil is come down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.
The inhabitant of Maroth mourneth for his goods, For evil came down from Jehovah to the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Bind the chariot to the swift steed, O inhabitant of Lachish: she was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.
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.
14 Therefore shalt thou give a parting gift to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a deceitful thing unto the kings of Israel.
Therefore shalt thou resign the possession of Moresheth of Gath; The houses of Achzib shall disappoint the kings of Israel.
15 I will yet bring unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah, him that shall possess thee: the glory of Israel shall come even unto Adullam.
A possessor will I bring to thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah; The glory of Israel shall flee to Adullam.
16 Make thee bald, and poll thee for the children of thy delight: enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.
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.

< Micah 1 >