< Micah 1 >
1 The LORD’s word that came to Micah of Morasheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
The word of Jehovah that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
2 Hear, you peoples, all of you! Listen, O earth, and all that is therein. Let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
Hear, ye peoples, all of you; hearken, O earth, and all that is therein: and let the Lord Jehovah be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple!
3 For behold, the LORD comes out of his place, and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.
For behold, Jehovah cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
4 The mountains melt under him, and the valleys split apart like wax before the fire, like waters that are poured down a steep place.
And the mountains shall be melted under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, as waters poured down a steep place.
5 “All this is for the disobedience of Jacob, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the disobedience of Jacob? Isn’t it Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Aren’t they Jerusalem?
For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. Whence is the transgression of Jacob? is it not [from] Samaria? And whence are the high places of Judah? are they not [from] Jerusalem?
6 Therefore I will make Samaria like a rubble heap of the field, like places for planting vineyards; and I will pour down its stones into the valley, and I will uncover its foundations.
Therefore will I make Samaria as a heap of the field, as plantings of a vineyard; and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will lay bare the foundations thereof.
7 All her idols will be beaten to pieces, all her temple gifts will be burned with fire, and I will destroy all her images; for of the hire of a prostitute has she gathered them, and to the hire of a prostitute shall they return.”
And all her graven images shall be beaten to pieces, and all her harlot-gifts shall be burned with fire, and all her idols will I make a desolation; for of the hire of a harlot hath she gathered [them], and to a harlot's hire shall they return.
8 For this I will lament and wail. I will go stripped and naked. I will howl like the jackals and mourn like the ostriches.
For this will I lament, and I will howl; I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the jackals, and mourning like the ostriches.
9 For her wounds are incurable; for it has come even to Judah. It reaches to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
For her wounds are incurable; for it is come even unto Judah, it reacheth unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
10 Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t weep at all. At Beth Ophrah I have rolled myself in the dust.
Tell it not in Gath, weep not at all; at Beth-le-aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
11 Pass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. The inhabitant of Zaanan won’t come out. The wailing of Beth Ezel will take from you his protection.
Pass away, inhabitress of Shaphir, in nakedness [and] shame. The inhabitress of Zaanan is not come forth for the lamentation of Beth-ezel: he will take from you its shelter.
12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waits anxiously for good, because evil has come down from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem.
For the inhabitress of Maroth waited anxiously for good; but evil hath come down from Jehovah unto the gate of Jerusalem.
13 Harness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish. She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
Bind the chariot to the swift steed, O inhabitress of Lachish: she was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; for in thee were found the transgressions of Israel.
14 Therefore you will give a parting gift to Moresheth Gath. The houses of Achzib will be a deceitful thing to the kings of Israel.
Therefore shalt thou give parting-gifts to Moresheth-Gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
15 I will yet bring a conqueror to you, inhabitants of Mareshah. The glory of Israel will come to Adullam.
I will yet bring unto thee an heir, O inhabitress of Mareshah; the glory of Israel shall come even unto Adullam.
16 Shave your heads, and cut off your hair for the children of your delight. Enlarge your baldness like the vulture, for they have gone into captivity from you!
Make thee bald, and poll thee for the children of thy delights; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle, for they are gone into captivity from thee.