Add parallel Print Page Options

¶ The 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.

Hear, all ye peoples; hearken, O earth, and all that is therein: and the Lord GOD, the Lord from his holy temple shall be a witness against you.

For, behold, the LORD comes forth out of his place and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.

And the mountains shall melt under him, and the valleys shall be split, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that run down a steep place.

All this for the rebellion of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the rebellion of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?

Therefore I will make Samaria into heaps in the field, into a land of vineyards: and I will scatter her stones throughout the valley, and I will uncover her foundations.

And all her graven images shall be broken to pieces, and all her gifts shall be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols, for she gathered it of the gifts of harlots, and they shall return unto gifts of harlots.

¶ Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons and mourning as the owls.

For her wound is painful, for it is come unto Judah; it is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

10 Do not declare it in Gath, weep little; roll thyself in the dust for the house of Aphrah.

11 Pass away naked with shame, thou inhabitant of Saphir: the inhabitant of Zaanan did not come forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you for his lateness.

12 For the inhabitant of Maroth was pained because of good; therefore evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.

13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish, hitch the chariot to dromedaries: for thou wert the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion, for in thee the rebellions of Israel were invented.

14 Therefore shalt thou give gifts to Moreshethgath; the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah; the glory of Israel shall come unto Adullam.

16 Make thee bald, and shave thee for the sons of thy delight; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle, for they are gone into captivity from thee.

The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth(A) during the reigns of Jotham,(B) Ahaz(C) and Hezekiah,(D) kings of Judah(E)—the vision(F) he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

Hear,(G) you peoples, all of you,(H)
    listen, earth(I) and all who live in it,
that the Sovereign Lord may bear witness(J) against you,
    the Lord from his holy temple.(K)

Judgment Against Samaria and Jerusalem

Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling(L) place;
    he comes down(M) and treads on the heights of the earth.(N)
The mountains melt(O) beneath him(P)
    and the valleys split apart,(Q)
like wax before the fire,
    like water rushing down a slope.
All 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?(R)
What is Judah’s high place?
    Is it not Jerusalem?

“Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble,
    a place for planting vineyards.(S)
I will pour her stones(T) into the valley
    and lay bare her foundations.(U)
All her idols(V) will be broken to pieces;(W)
    all her temple gifts will be burned with fire;
    I will destroy all her images.(X)
Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes,(Y)
    as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used.”

Weeping and Mourning

Because of this I will weep(Z) and wail;
    I will go about barefoot(AA) and naked.
I will howl like a jackal
    and moan like an owl.
For Samaria’s plague(AB) is incurable;(AC)
    it has spread to Judah.(AD)
It has reached the very gate(AE) of my people,
    even to Jerusalem itself.
10 Tell it not in Gath[a];
    weep not at all.
In Beth Ophrah[b]
    roll in the dust.
11 Pass by naked(AF) and in shame,
    you who live in Shaphir.[c]
Those who live in Zaanan[d]
    will not come out.
Beth Ezel is in mourning;
    it no longer protects you.
12 Those who live in Maroth[e] writhe in pain,
    waiting for relief,(AG)
because disaster(AH) has come from the Lord,
    even to the gate of Jerusalem.
13 You who live in Lachish,(AI)
    harness fast horses to the chariot.
You are where the sin of Daughter Zion(AJ) began,
    for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
14 Therefore you will give parting gifts(AK)
    to Moresheth(AL) Gath.
The town of Akzib[f](AM) will prove deceptive(AN)
    to the kings of Israel.
15 I will bring a conqueror against you
    who live in Mareshah.[g](AO)
The nobles of Israel
    will flee to Adullam.(AP)
16 Shave(AQ) 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.(AR)

Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:10 Gath sounds like the Hebrew for tell.
  2. Micah 1:10 Beth Ophrah means house of dust.
  3. Micah 1:11 Shaphir means pleasant.
  4. Micah 1:11 Zaanan sounds like the Hebrew for come out.
  5. Micah 1:12 Maroth sounds like the Hebrew for bitter.
  6. Micah 1:14 Akzib means deception.
  7. Micah 1:15 Mareshah sounds like the Hebrew for conqueror.