1The 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. 2Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.1.2 all ye…: Heb. ye people, all of them1.2 all that…: Heb. the fulness thereof 3For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.1.4 a steep…: Heb. a descent 5For the transgression of Jacob is all this, 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? 6Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof. 7And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
8Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.1.8 owls: Heb. daughters of the owl 9For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.1.9 her…: or, she is grievously sick of her wounds
10¶ Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.1.10 Aphrah: that is, Dust 11Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of you his standing.1.11 thou…: or, thou that dwellest fairly1.11 inhabitant: Heb. inhabitress1.11 Zaanan: or, The country of flocks1.11 Beth-ezel: or, A place near 12For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.1.12 inhabitant: Heb. inhabitress1.12 waited…: or, was grieved 13O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.1.13 inhabitant: Heb. inhabitress 14Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.1.14 to…: or, for Moresheth-gath1.14 Achzib: that is, A lie 15Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.1.15 inhabitant: Heb. inhabitress1.15 he…: or, the glory of Israel shall, etc 16Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.
1The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah – the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
2Hear, you peoples, all of you,
listen, earth and all who live in it,
that the Sovereign Lord may bear witness against you,
the Lord from his holy temple.
Judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem
3Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling-place;
he comes down and treads on the heights of the earth.
4The mountains melt beneath him
and the valleys split apart,
like wax before the fire,
like water rushing down a slope.
5All this is because of Jacob’s transgression,
because of the sins of the people of Israel.
What is Jacob’s transgression?
Is it not Samaria?
What is Judah’s high place?
Is it not Jerusalem?
6‘Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble,
a place for planting vineyards.
I will pour her stones into the valley
and lay bare her foundations.
7All her idols will be broken to pieces;
all her temple gifts will be burned with fire;
I will destroy all her images.
Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes,
as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used.’
Weeping and mourning
8Because of this I will weep and wail;
I will go about barefoot and naked.
I will howl like a jackal
and moan like an owl.
9For Samaria’s plague is incurable;
it has spread to Judah.
It has reached the very gate of my people,
even to Jerusalem itself.
10Tell it not in Gath1:10 Gath sounds like the Hebrew for tell.;
weep not at all.
In Beth Ophrah1:10 Beth Ophrah means house of dust.
roll in the dust.
11Pass by naked and in shame,
you who live in Shaphir.1:11 Shaphir means pleasant.
Those who live in Zaanan1:11 Zaanan sounds like the Hebrew for come out.
will not come out.
Beth Ezel is in mourning;
it no longer protects you.
12Those who live in Maroth1:12 Maroth sounds like the Hebrew for bitter. writhe in pain,
waiting for relief,
because disaster has come from the Lord,
even to the gate of Jerusalem.
13You who live in Lachish,
harness fast horses to the chariot.
You are where the sin of Daughter Zion began,
for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
14Therefore you will give parting gifts
to Moresheth Gath.
The town of Akzib1:14 Akzib means deception. will prove deceptive
to the kings of Israel.
15I will bring a conqueror against you
who live in Mareshah.1:15 Mareshah sounds like the Hebrew for conqueror.
The nobles of Israel
will flee to Adullam.
16Shave your head in mourning
for the children in whom you delight;
make yourself as bald as the vulture,
for they will go from you into exile.
