1 T he word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth 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 Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2 H ear, all you people; listen closely, O earth and all that is in it, and let the Lord God be witness among you and against you, the Lord from His holy temple.

Hear, ye peoples, all of you: hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord Jehovah be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

3 F or behold, the Lord comes forth out of His place and will come down and tread upon 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 A nd the mountains shall melt under Him and the valleys shall be cleft like wax before the fire, like waters 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 that are poured down a steep place.

5 A ll this is because of the transgression of Jacob and the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places in Judah? Are they not Jerusalem?

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?

6 T herefore I will make Samaria a heap in the open country, a place for planting vineyards; and I will pour down into the ravine her stones and lay bare her foundations.

Therefore I will make Samaria as a heap of the field, and as places for planting vineyards; and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will uncover the foundations thereof.

7 A nd all her carved images shall be broken in pieces, and all her hires shall be burned with fire, and all her idols will be laid waste; for from the hire of harlot she gathered them, and to the hire of harlot they shall return.

And all her graven images shall be beaten to pieces, and all her hires shall be burned with fire, and all her idols will I lay desolate; for of the hire of a harlot hath she gathered them, and unto the hire of a harlot shall they return.

8 T herefore I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals and a lamentation like the ostriches.

For this will I lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals, and a lamentation like the ostriches.

9 F or wounds are incurable and they come even to Judah; He has reached to the gate of my people, 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 I n Gath announce it not; in Acco weep not at all, in Beth-le-aphrah roll yourself in the dust.

Tell it not in Gath, weep not at all: at Beth-le-aphrah have I rolled myself in the dust.

11 P ass on your way, dwellers of Shaphir, in shameful nakedness. The dwellers of Zaanan dare not come forth; the wailing of Beth-ezel takes away from you the place on which it stands.

Pass away, O inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame: the inhabitant of Zaanan is not come forth; the wailing of Beth-ezel shall take from you the stay thereof.

12 F or the inhabitant of Maroth writhes in pain and waits anxiously for good, because evil comes down from the Lord to the gate of Jerusalem.

For the inhabitant of Maroth waiteth anxiously for good, because evil is come down from Jehovah unto the gate of Jerusalem.

13 B ind the chariot to the swift steed, O lady inhabitant of Lachish; you were 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 inhabitant of Lachish: she was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.

14 T herefore you must give parting gifts to Moresheth-gath; the houses of Achzib shall be a deception to the kings of Israel.

Therefore shalt thou give a parting gift to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a deceitful thing unto the kings of Israel.

15 Y et will I bring a conqueror upon you, O lady inhabitant of Mareshah, who shall possess you; the glory and nobility of Israel shall come to Adullam.

I will yet bring unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah, him that shall possess thee: the glory of Israel shall come even unto Adullam.

16 M ake yourself bald in mourning and cut off your hair for the children of your delight; enlarge your baldness as the eagle, for shall be carried from you into exile.

Make thee bald, and cut off thy hair for the children of thy delight: enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.