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 Coming Judgment on Israel

The word of Jehovah that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2 H ear, 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.

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 F or behold, the Lord is coming out of His place; He 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 T he mountains will melt under Him, And the valleys will split 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 poured down a steep place.

5 A ll 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?

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 Samaria? And whence are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?

6 “ 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.

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 A ll 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

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, and to a harlot's hire shall they return.

8 T herefore 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,

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 F or her wounds are incurable. For it has come to Judah; It has come 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 T ell it not in Gath, Weep not at all; In Beth Aphrah Roll yourself in the dust.

Tell it not in Gath, weep not at all; at Beth-le-aphrah roll thyself in the dust.

11 P ass 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.

Pass away, inhabitress of Shaphir, in nakedness shame. The inhabitress of Zaanan is not come forth for the lamentation of Beth-ezel: he will take from you its shelter.

12 F or the inhabitant of Maroth pined for good, But disaster came 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 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.

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 T herefore you shall give presents to Moresheth Gath; The houses of Achzib shall be a lie 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 an heir to you, O inhabitant of Mareshah; The glory of Israel shall 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 M ake 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.

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.