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

Yahweh’s word 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, 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, you peoples, all of you. Listen, O earth, and all that is therein: and let the Lord Yahweh be 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, Yahweh comes out of his place, and 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 melt under him, and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like waters that are 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 disobedience of Jacob, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the disobedience of Jacob? Isn’t it Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Aren’t they 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 like a rubble heap of the field, like places for planting vineyards; and I will pour down its stones into the valley, and I will uncover its 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 idols will be beaten to pieces, and all her temple gifts will be burned with fire, and all her images I will destroy; for of the hire of a prostitute has she gathered them, and to the hire of a prostitute shall they return.”

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.

For this I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked; I will howl like the jackals, and moan like the daughters of owls.

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 even to Judah. It reaches to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

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

Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t weep at all. At Beth Ophrah I have rolled myself 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 on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. The inhabitant of Zaanan won’t come out. The wailing of Beth Ezel will take from you his protection.

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 waits anxiously for good, because evil has come down from Yahweh 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.

Harness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish. 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 will give a parting gift to Moresheth Gath. The houses of Achzib will be a deceitful thing 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 to you, inhabitant of Mareshah. He who is the glory of Israel will 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.

Shave your heads, and cut off your hair for the children of your delight. Enlarge your baldness like the vulture; for they have gone into captivity from you!