Micah 2
1 Woe [to] those devising iniquity, And working evil on their beds, In the light of the morning they do it, For their hand is — to God.
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 And they have desired fields, And they have taken violently, And houses, and they have taken away, And have oppressed a man and his house, Even a man and his inheritance.
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, thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am devising against this family evil, From which ye do not remove your necks, Nor walk loftily, for a time of evil it [is].
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 In that day doth [one] take up for you a simile, And he hath wailed a wailing of woe, He hath said, We have been utterly spoiled, The portion of my people He doth change, How doth He move toward me! To the backslider our fields He apportioneth.
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 Therefore, thou hast no caster of a line by lot In the assembly of Jehovah.
Behold, thou shalt have no one henceforth Who shall draw out a line for a portion, In the congregation of Jehovah.
6 Ye do not prophesy — they do prophesy, They do not prophesy to these, It doth not remove shame.
“Prophesy not,” [[say they, ]] “O ye that prophesy!” If they prophesy not concerning these things, The shame will not depart.
7 Doth the house of Jacob say, 'Hath the Spirit of Jehovah been shortened? Are these His doings?' Do not My words benefit the people that is walking uprightly?
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 And yesterday My people for an enemy doth raise himself up, From the outer garment the honourable ornament ye strip off, From the confident passers by, Ye who are turning back from war.
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 The women of My people ye cast out from its delightful house, From its sucklings ye take away My honour to the age.
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 Rise and go, for this [is] not the rest, Because of uncleanness it doth corrupt, And corruption is powerful.
Arise and depart; This land is not your rest! On account of its pollution shall it be wasted, And given to utter destruction.
11 If one is going [with] the wind, And [with] falsehood hath lied: 'I prophesy to thee of wine, and of strong drink,' He hath been the prophet of this people!
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 I do surely gather thee, O Jacob, all of thee, I surely bring together the remnant of Israel, Together I do set it as the flock of Bozrah, As a drove in the midst of its pasture, It maketh a noise because of man.
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 Gone up hath the breaker before them, They have broken through, Yea, they pass through the gate, Yea, they go out through it, And pass on doth their king before them, And Jehovah at their head!
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.
