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.

This is the Word of the Lord which came to Micah of Moresheth about Samaria and Jerusalem in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Israel Is Judged

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, O people, all of you. Listen, O earth and all who are in it. The Lord God will speak against you from His holy house.

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.

See, the Lord is coming from His place. He will come down and walk 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 break open, like a candle in front of the fire, like water poured down a hill.

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 because Jacob would not obey and because of the sins of the people of Israel. What is Jacob’s sin? Is it not Samaria? What is the high place of Judah? Is it 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.

So I will make Samaria a waste in the open country, making it a place to plant grape-fields. I will pour her stones down into the valley, and lay open the base of the city.

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 of her false gods will be broken to pieces. Everything given in the place of worship will be burned with fire. I will destroy all her objects of worship, for she gathered them from the pay of a woman who sells the use of her body. They will return to pay a woman who sells the use of her body. Jerusalem Will Be Taken

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.

Because of this I must cry out in sorrow. I must go without shoes and clothing. I must cry out like the wild dogs, and cry in sorrow 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 hurt cannot be cured. It has come to Judah. It has come to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

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

Do not tell about it in Gath. Do not cry at all. Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah.

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.

Go on your way, people of Shaphir, without clothing and in shame. The people of Zaanan do not come out. Cries of sorrow come from Beth-ezel. Its help is taken 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.

Those who live in Maroth become weak waiting for good, because trouble has come 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.

Tie the war-wagons to the horses, you people of Lachish. You were the beginning of sin to the people of Zion, for the sins 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.

So give gifts to Moresheth-gath. The people of Achzib will fool 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 bring one who will beat you in battle, O people of Mareshah. The shining-greatness of Israel will 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.

Cut off all your hair in sorrow for the children you love. Let no hair be on your head like the eagle, for your children will be taken away from you.