1 Y ahweh’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.

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, 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.

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, Yahweh comes out of his place, and will come down and tread 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 melt under him, and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like waters that are poured 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 “ 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?

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 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.

“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 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.”

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 F or 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.

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 wounds are incurable; for it has come even to Judah. It reaches 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 on’t tell it in Gath. Don’t weep at all. At Beth Ophrah I have rolled myself in the dust.

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

11 P ass 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.

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

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 you will give a parting gift to Moresheth Gath. The houses of Achzib will be a deceitful thing 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 I will yet bring to you, inhabitant of Mareshah. He who is the glory 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 S have 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!

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.