1:1 The 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.
1:2 Hear, O peoples, all of you, listen, O earth and all who are in it, that the Sovereign LORD may witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
1:3 Look! The LORD is coming from his dwelling place; he comes down and treads the high places of the earth.
1:4 The mountains melt beneath him and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.
1:5 All this is because of Jacob’s transgression, because of the sins of the house of Israel. What is Jacob’s transgression? Is it not Samaria? What is Judah’s high place? Is it not Jerusalem?
1:6 “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.
1:7 All 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.”
1:8 Because 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.
1:9 For her wound is incurable; it has come to Judah. It has reached the very gate of my people, even to Jerusalem itself.
1:10 Tell it not in Gath; weep not at all. In Beth Ophrah roll in the dust.
1:11 Pass on in nakedness and shame, you who live in Shaphir. Those who live in Zaanan will not come out. Beth Ezel is in mourning; its protection is taken from you.
1:12 Those who live in Maroth writhe in pain, waiting for relief, because disaster has come from the LORD, even to the gate of Jerusalem.
1:13 You who live in Lachish, harness the team to the chariot. You were the beginning of sin to the Daughter of Zion, for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
1:14 Therefore you will give parting gifts to Moresheth Gath. The town of Aczib will prove deceptive to the kings of Israel.
1:15 I will bring a conqueror against you who live in Mareshah. He who is the glory of Israel will come to Adullam.
1:16 Shave your heads in mourning for the children in whom you delight; make yourselves as bald as the vulture, for they will go from you into exile.
1:1 The word of Jehovah which came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
1:2 Hear, all you peoples, / And give heed, O earth and its fullness; / And let the Lord Jehovah be a witness against you, / The Lord from His holy temple.
1:3 For Jehovah is about to come forth from His place, / And He will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.
1:4 And the mountains will be melted under Him, / And the valleys will be cleft, / Like wax before fire, / Like water poured down a slope.
1:5 All this is because of the transgression of Jacob / And because of 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?
1:6 Therefore I will make Samaria / A heap of ruins in a field, / Places for the planting of vineyards; / And I will pour her stones down into the valley / And uncover her foundations.
1:7 And all her engraved idols will be smashed, / And all her gifts for harlotry will be burned with fire, / And all her images I will make a desolation; / For from the harlot’s hire she has gathered them, / And unto the harlot’s hire they will return.
1:8 Because of this I will wail and howl; / I will go about barefoot and naked. / I will make a wailing like the jackals / And a lamentation like the ostriches.
1:9 For her wound is incurable, / For it has come as far as Judah; / It reaches as far as the gate of my people, / As far as Jerusalem.
1:10 Do not declare it in Gath; / Do not weep at all. / In Beth-le-aphrah / I rolled myself in the dust.
1:11 Pass away on your own, / O inhabitress of Shaphir, / In shameful nakedness; / The inhabitress of Zaanan / Has not gone forth; / There is lamentation in Beth-ezel; / It will take from you its support.
1:12 For the inhabitress of Maroth / Waits in pain for good, / For evil has come down from Jehovah / To the gate of Jerusalem.
1:13 Bind the chariot to the steeds, O inhabitress of Lachish. / She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion, / For the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
1:14 Therefore you will give a parting gift / To Moresheth-gath: / The houses of Achzib will be a deception / To the kings of Israel.
1:15 Further, I will bring upon you the possessor, / O inhabitress of Mareshah; / The glory of Israel will come / As far as Adullam.
1:16 Shave yourself and cut off your hair / For the children of your delights; / Enlarge your baldness like an eagle, / For they have gone from you into captivity.