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 of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. The Coming Judgment on Israel

2 H ear, all ye peoples; hearken, O earth, and all that is therein: and the Lord GOD, the Lord from his holy temple shall be a witness against you.

Hear, all you peoples! Listen, O earth, and all that is in it! Let the Lord God be a 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, the Lord is coming out of His place; He will come down And tread on the high places of the earth.

4 A nd the mountains shall melt under him, and the valleys shall be split, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that run down a steep place.

The mountains will melt under Him, And the valleys will split Like wax before the fire, Like waters poured down a steep place.

5 A ll this for the rebellion of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the rebellion of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?

All this is for the transgression of Jacob 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 into heaps in the field, into a land of vineyards: and I will scatter her stones throughout the valley, and I will uncover her foundations.

“Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the field, Places for planting a vineyard; I will pour down her stones into the valley, And I will uncover her foundations.

7 A nd all her graven images shall be broken to pieces, and all her gifts shall be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols, for she gathered it of the gifts of harlots, and they shall return unto gifts of harlots.

All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces, And all her pay as a harlot shall be burned with the fire; All her idols I will lay desolate, For she gathered it from the pay of a harlot, And they shall return to the pay of a harlot.” Mourning for Israel and Judah

8 ¶ Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons and mourning as the owls.

Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals And a mourning like the ostriches,

9 F or her wound is painful, for it is come unto Judah; it is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

For her wounds are incurable. For it has come to Judah; It has come to the gate of My people— To Jerusalem.

10 D o not declare it in Gath, weep little; roll thyself in the dust for the house of Aphrah.

Tell it not in Gath, Weep not at all; In Beth Aphrah Roll yourself in the dust.

11 P ass away naked with shame, thou inhabitant of Saphir: the inhabitant of Zaanan did not come forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you for his lateness.

Pass by in naked shame, you inhabitant of Shaphir; The inhabitant of Zaanan does not go out. Beth Ezel mourns; Its place to stand is taken away from you.

12 F or the inhabitant of Maroth was pained because of good; therefore evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.

For the inhabitant of Maroth pined for good, But disaster came down from the Lord To the gate of Jerusalem.

13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish, hitch the chariot to dromedaries: for thou wert the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion, for in thee the rebellions of Israel were invented.

O inhabitant of Lachish, Harness the chariot to the swift steeds (She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion), For the transgressions of Israel were found in you.

14 T herefore shalt thou give gifts to Moreshethgath; the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

Therefore you shall give presents to Moresheth Gath; The houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

15 Y et will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah; the glory of Israel shall come unto Adullam.

I will yet bring an heir to you, O inhabitant of Mareshah; The glory of Israel shall come to Adullam.

16 M ake thee bald, and shave thee for the sons of thy delight; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle, for they are gone into captivity from thee.

Make yourself bald and cut off your hair, Because of your precious children; Enlarge your baldness like an eagle, For they shall go from you into captivity.