< Micah 1 >
1 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.
The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morashthite in the days of Jotham, Achaz, [and] Hezekiah, the kings of Judah, which he foresaw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that is in it: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
Hear, ye people, altogether; listen, O earth, with all that filleth it: and let the Lord Eternal be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth from his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his residence; and he will come down, and will step along upon the high places of the earth.
4 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.
And the mountains shall melt beneath him, and the valleys shall cleave in twain, like wax [melteth] before the fire, like water poured out on a declivity.
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 sins of the house of Israel. Who caused the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and who caused the high-places of Judah? is it not Jerusalem?
6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an 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.
Therefore will I change Samaria into stone-heaps on the field, into vineyard plantations: and I will hurl down into the valley her stones, and her foundations will I lay open.
7 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 an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
And all her graven images shall he beaten to pieces, and all her wages of sin shall be burnt with the fire, and all her idols will I make desolate; for from harlot's wages she gathered them, and for harlot's wages shall they be used again.
8 Therefore I will wail and weep, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
For this will I lament and wail; I will go confused and naked: I will make a lament like the crocodiles, and mourning like the ostriches.
9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come to Judah; he is come to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
For her wounds arc incurable; for [the evil] is come even unto Judah; [the enemy] hath reached as far as the gate of my people, even up to Jerusalem.
10 Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
Tell it not at Gath, weep ye not loudly [there]: in Bethle'aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
11 Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive from you his standing.
Pass ye away, ye inhabitants of Shaphir, having your shame laid bare: the inhabitress of Zaanan cometh not forth [any more]; the mourning of Beth-haezel taketh from you its halting place.
12 For the inhabitant of Maroth became weak waiting for good: but evil came down from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem.
For the inhabitress of Maroth is grieved for the [lost] good; because evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem.
13 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.
Bind the chariot to the swift horses, O inhabitress of Lachish: the beginning of sin was she to the daughter of Zion; for in thee were found the transgressions of Israel.
14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
Therefore shalt thou have to give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall become a deception to the kings of Israel.
15 Yet will I bring an heir to thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come to Adullam the glory of Israel.
Yet will I bring an [enemy as] heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: as far as 'Adullam shall withdraw the glory of Israel.
16 Make thee bald, and cut off the hair of thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.
Make thyself bald, and cut off thy hair for the children of thy delight; enlarge thy baldness like the eagle; because they are gone into exile from thee.