1 T his 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

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, 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.

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 S ee, the Lord is coming from His place. He will come down and walk on 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 T he 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.

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 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?

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 S o 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.

“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 ll 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

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 B ecause 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.

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 hurt cannot be cured. It has come to Judah. It has come to 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 tell about it in Gath. Do not cry at all. Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah.

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

11 G o 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.

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 T hose who live in Maroth become weak waiting for good, because trouble has come down from the Lord to 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 T ie 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.

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

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

16 C ut 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.

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.