The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Micah 01
1 Yahweh’s† word that came to Micah of
Morasheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz,
and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he
saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
2 Hear, you peoples, all of you!
Listen, O earth, and all that is therein.
Let the Lord‡ Yahweh be witness against
you, the Lord from his holy temple.
3 For behold,§ Yahweh comes out of his
place, and will come down and tread on the
high places of the earth.
4 The mountains melt under him,
and the valleys split apart like wax
before the fire, like waters that
are 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?
6 Therefore 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.
7 All her idols will be beaten to pieces,
allher temple gifts will be burned with
fire, and I will destroy all her images;
for of the hire of a prostitute has she
gathered them, and to the hire of a
prostitute shall they return.
8 For this I will lament and wail.
I will go stripped and naked.
I will howl like the jackals
and mourn like the ostriches.
9 For her wounds are incurable;
for it has come even to Judah.
It reaches to the gate of my people,
even to Jerusalem.
10 Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t weep at all.
At Beth Ophrah† I have rolled myself
in the dust.
11 Pass 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.
12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waits
anxiously for good, because evil has
come down from Yahweh to the gate of Jerusalem.
13 Harness 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.
14 Therefore you will give a parting gift to
Moresheth Gath. The houses of Achzib will
be a deceitful thing to the kings of Israel.
15 I will yet bring a conqueror to you,
inhabitants of Mareshah. The glory of
Israel will come to Adullam.
16 Shave 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!