Micah 2
1 Terrible things will happen to you who lie awake at night, planning to do wicked things. You get up at dawn, and you do those things, [as soon as] you are able to do them.
Woe to them that devise iniquity, And contrive evil upon their beds; When the morning is light, they practise it, Because it is in the power of their hand.
2 You want fields [that belong to other people], so you seize them; you also take their houses. You cheat people to get their homes, taking away the property that belongs to their families.
They covet fields, and take them by violence; Houses, and take them from their owners. They defraud a man of his house; Yea, a man of his inheritance.
3 Therefore, this is what Yahweh says: “I will cause you people to experience disasters, and you will not be able to escape [MTY] from them. You will no [longer] walk around proudly, because when those things happen, it will be a time of much trouble for you.
Therefore, thus saith Jehovah: Behold, against this race do I meditate evil. From which ye shall not remove your necks, nor lift up your heads; For it shall be a time of evil.
4 At that time, [your enemies] will make fun of you; they will ridicule you by singing this sad song about you: ‘We are completely ruined; Yahweh is taking our land/fields from us, and he will give it to those who will capture us.’”
In that day shall this song be uttered concerning thee. And this sad lamentation be made: “We are utterly laid waste; He hath changed the portion of my people; How hath he torn it from me! He hath taken away and distributed our fields.”
5 So [when it is the time for the land to be given back to you] people who belong to Yahweh, there will be no one [MTY] who will be able to (cast lots/throw marked stones) to determine which land belongs to whom.
Behold, thou shalt have no one henceforth Who shall draw out a line for a portion, In the congregation of Jehovah.
6 The people [who heard me say that] replied to me, “Do not prophesy such things! Do not say that [Yahweh] is going to humiliate us [by causing us to experience disasters]!”
“Prophesy not,” [[say they, ]] “O ye that prophesy!” If they prophesy not concerning these things, The shame will not depart.
7 But you people [MTY] of Israel should not [RHQ] talk like that! The Spirit of Yahweh will certainly not [RHQ] be patient [with people who say such things]! People who continually do things that are righteous will certainly [RHQ] like/appreciate what I say.
O ye that are called the house of Jacob, Is the spirit of Jehovah impatient? Are these his doings? Are not my words kind to him that walketh uprightly?
8 [But Yahweh says], “[Recently] my people have been acting toward me like an enemy. When soldiers return from fighting [against their enemies], you [rich people refuse to return the coats of those poor soldiers who have borrowed money from you] [and given you their coats to guarantee that they will pay back the money that they borrowed from you]. [It is as though] you are waiting to forcefully take their coats off their backs!
But long since hath my people risen against me, as an enemy; Ye strip the mantle from the garment of those that pass by securely, as men returning from war.
9 You have forced women to leave their nice homes, and you have stolen from their children forever the (blessings/good things) that I wanted to give them.
The women of my people ye cast out from their pleasant abodes; Ye deprive their children forever of the glory which I gave them.
10 [So] get up and leave [here]! This is not a place where you can rest [and be safe/protected], because you have (defiled it/caused it to be a place that I hate); it will be completely destroyed.
Arise and depart; This land is not your rest! On account of its pollution shall it be wasted, And given to utter destruction.
11 [You people want] a prophet who will lie to you, saying ‘I will preach [that you should drink] plenty of wine and [other] alcoholic drinks!’ That is the [kind of] prophet who [would please] you.”
If a man follow wind, and invent falsehood, and say, “I will prophesy to thee of wine and strong drink!” He will be the prophet for this people.
12 “[But some day], you descendants of Jacob, you Israeli people who have survived, I will bring you back [from (exile/other countries)], I will gather you together like [SIM] [a shepherd gathers his] sheep from the pasture into a pen [DOU]; there will be many of you in your land/country.
Yet will I fully gather thee, O Jacob, I will surely assemble the residue of Israel! I will put them together like sheep in a fold; Like a flock in their fold shall they be in a tumult on account of the multitude of men.
13 Your leader will enable them to leave the countries where they have been exiled; he will lead them out of the gates [of their enemies’ cities], [back to your own country]. Your king will lead them; [it is I], Yahweh, who will be their king!”
He that forceth a way goeth before them; They force their way, and pass through the gate, And go forth by it; And their king goeth before them, Even Jehovah at the head of them.
