Micah 1

Destruction in Israel and Judah

1The 1word of the Lord which came to 2Micah of Moresheth in the days of 3Jotham, 4Ahaz and 5Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.2Hear, O peoples, all of 6you; 7Listen, O earth and 8all it contains, And let the Lord 9God be a 10witness against you, The Lord from His holy temple.3For behold, the Lord is 11coming forth from His place. He will come down and 12tread on the high places of the 13earth.414The mountains will melt under Him And the valleys will be split, Like wax before the fire, Like water poured down a steep place.5All this is for the rebellion of Jacob And for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the 15rebellion of Jacob? Is it not 16Samaria? What is the 17high 18place of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?6For I will make Samaria a 19heap of ruins 20in the open country, 21Planting places for a vineyard. I will 22pour her stones down into the valley And will 23lay bare her foundations.7All of her 24idols will be smashed, All of her earnings will be burned with fire And all of her images I will make desolate, For she collected them from a 25harlot’s earnings, And to the earnings of a harlot they will return.

8Because of this I must lament and wail, I must go 26barefoot and naked; I must make a lament like the 27jackals And a mourning like the ostriches.9For her 2829wound is incurable, For 30it has come to Judah; It has reached the 31gate of my people, Even to Jerusalem.1032Tell it not in Gath, Weep not at all. At 33Beth-le-aphrah roll yourself in the dust.1134Go on your way, inhabitant of 35Shaphir, in 36shameful nakedness. The inhabitant of 3738Zaanan does not 39escape. The lamentation of 40Beth-ezel: “He will take from you its 41support.”12For the inhabitant of 42Maroth Becomes weak 43waiting for good, Because a calamity has come down from the Lord To the 44gate of Jerusalem.13Harness the chariot to the team of horses, O inhabitant of 45Lachish-- She was the beginning of sin To the daughter of Zion-- Because in you were found The 46rebellious acts of Israel.14Therefore you will give parting 47gifts On behalf of Moresheth-gath; The houses of 48Achzib will become a 49deception To the kings of Israel.15Moreover, I will bring on you The one who takes possession, O inhabitant of 5051Mareshah. The glory of Israel will enter 52Adullam.16Make yourself 53bald and cut off your hair, Because of the children of your delight; Extend your baldness like the eagle, For they will 54go from you into exile.