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 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 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 seize them, desire houses and take them, they crush householder and his household, people and their possessions.
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 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 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.’”
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 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.
There will be no one to measure out land for you from the Lord’s community.
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]!”
‘“Don’t rant!” they urge, “Of such things one does not prophesy! Shame will not overtake us!
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.
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 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 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 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.
Women of my people you drive out from their happy homes, from their young children you take away my glory forever.
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.
Rise and begone, for this is no place to rest. Your uncleanness brings destruction, severe 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 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 “[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.
‘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 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!”
‘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.’
