Micah 6
1 Pay attention to what Yahweh says [to you Israeli people]: “Stand up [in court] and state what you are accusing [me] about. And allow the hills and mountains to hear what you will say.
Hear now what the Lord is saying: Arise, present your complaint before the mountains, let the hills hear your voice!
2 [But then] you mountains must [also] listen [carefully] [DOU] to what I, Yahweh, am complaining [about my people]. I have something to say about what [DOU] my Israeli people are doing that displeases me.
Hear, mountains, the Lord’s accusation, listen, foundations of the earth. For the Lord has a case against his people. He has a dispute with Israel.
3 My people, what have I done to [cause trouble for] you [RHQ]? What have I done to cause you to experience difficulties? Answer me!
“My people, what have I done to you. How have I displeased you? Answer me!
4 I [did great things for your ancestors]; I brought them out of Egypt; I rescued them from that land where they were slaves. I sent Moses to [lead] them, and [his older brother] Aaron and [his older sister] Miriam.
For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, from the land of slavery I redeemed you. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.
5 My people, think about when Balak, the king of Moab, requested Beor’s son Balaam [to curse your ancestors], and think about what Balaam replied. Think about [how your ancestors crossed the Jordan River miraculously while] they were traveling from Acacia to Gilgal. [Think about those things in order] that you may know that [I], Yahweh, do what is right.”
My people, what did Balak, king of Moab counsel? And how did Balaam, the son of Beor, answer him? Remember now the journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you might realize the just deeds of the Lord.”
6 [The Israeli people ask, ] “What shall we bring to Yahweh [who lives in] heaven when we come to him and bow down before him? Should we bring calves that are a year-old that will be offerings that will be [killed and] completely burned [on the altar]?
With what should I come before the Lord? Bow myself before the God on high? Should I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old?
7 Will Yahweh be pleased [if we offer to him] 1,000 rams and 10,000 streams of [olive] oil? Should we offer our firstborn children [to be sacrifices] to pay for the sins that we have committed [DOU]?”
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, With ten thousand streams of oil? Should I give him my firstborn son for my guilt, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 [No, because] he has shown each of us what is good [to do]; he has shown [RHQ] us what he requires each of us [to do]: He wants us to do what is just/fair and to love and to be merciful [to others], and [he wants us] to live humbly [while we fellowship] with him, our God.
The Lord has told you what is good, what he demands of you: Only to do justice and love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
9 “I am Yahweh, so if you are wise, you should revere me. I am calling out to [you people of] Jerusalem, ‘The armies [MET] that will destroy your city are coming, so pay careful attention to me, the one who is causing them to punish you with my rod.
Listen! The Lord calls to the city! Listen, tribe and assembly of the city!
10 Do you think that [RHQ] I should forget that you wicked people filled your homes with valuable things that you acquired by cheating [others]? Do you think that [RHQ] I should forget that you used false measures [when you bought and sold things]? Those are things that I hate.
“Can I forget the hoarded treasures in the houses of the wicked, and the accursed scant measure?
11 [Do you think] that [RHQ] I should say nothing about people who use scales that do not weigh correctly, and who use weights that are not accurate?
Can I leave her unpunished because of evil scales, and the bag of false weights?
12 The rich people among you always act violently [to get money from poor people]. All of the people [in Jerusalem] are liars, and they [SYN] always deceive people.
Whose rich people are full of violence, her inhabitants liars, whose tongues speak deceit?
13 Therefore, I have [already] begun to get rid of you, to ruin you because of the sins that you have committed.
“But I indeed, have begun to punish you, to lay you in ruins because of your sins.
14 [Soon] you will eat food, but you will not have enough to satisfy you; your stomachs will [still feel as though they are] empty. You will try to save up [money], but you will not be able to save anything, because I will send your enemies to take it from you in wars [MTY].
You will eat but not be satisfied, your stomach empty within you. You will store up but lose everything, because whatever you save I will give to the sword.
15 You will plant [seeds], but you will not harvest [anything]. You will press olives, but [others], not you, will use the [olive] oil. You will trample on grapes [and make wine from the juice], but [others], not you, will drink the wine.
You will sow but not reap. You will tread the olives but have no oil for rubbing, tread grapes but drink no wine!
16 [Those things will happen to you because] you obey [only] the wicked laws of [King] Omri, and [you do the terrible things that wicked King] Ahab and his descendants commanded. So, I will destroy your [country], and I will cause your people to be despised; people [of other nations] will insult you.’”
“For you have followed the commands of Omri, and all the practices of the house of Ahab. You have acted in accord with their counsels, so I will give you up to ruin, the city’s inhabitants to derision. The nations will treat you with contempt!”
