1 The word of theLordthat came toMicah of Moresheth in the days ofJotham, Ahaz,andHezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
The Coming Judgment on Israel
2 Hear, all you peoples!
Listen, O earth, and all that is in it!
Let the LordGodbe a witness against you,
# The Lord fromHis holy temple.
3 For behold, theLordis coming out of His place;
He will come down
And tread on the high places of the earth.
4 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 transgression of Jacob
And for the sins of the house of Israel.
Whatisthe transgression of Jacob?
Isitnot Samaria?
# And whatarethehigh places of Judah?
Aretheynot Jerusalem?
6 “Therefore I will make Samariaa heap of ruins in the field,
Places for planting a vineyard;
I will pour down her stones into the valley,
# And I willuncover her foundations.
7 All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces,
# And all herpay as a harlot shall be burned with the fire;
All her idols I will lay desolate,
For she gathereditfrom the pay of a harlot,
# And they shall return to thepay of a harlot.”
Mourning for Israel and Judah
8 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 For her woundsareincurable.
# Forit has come to Judah;
It has come to the gate of My people—
To Jerusalem.
10 Tellitnot in Gath,
Weep not at all;
In Beth Aphrah
Roll yourself in the dust.
11 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 For the inhabitant of Maroth pined for good,
# Butdisaster came down from theLord
To the gate of Jerusalem.
13 O inhabitant ofLachish,
Harness the chariot to the swift steeds
(Shewasthe beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion),
# For the transgressions of Israel werefound in you.
14 Therefore you shallgive presents to Moresheth Gath;
# The houses ofAchzibshallbea lie to the kings of Israel.
15 I will yet bring an heir to you, O inhabitant ofMareshah;
# The glory of Israel shall come toAdullam.
16 Make yourselfbald and cut off your hair,
# Because of yourprecious children;
Enlarge your baldness like an eagle,
# For they shall go from you intocaptivity.