THE BOOK OF MICAH

 

Micah Chapter 1

1 ¶ The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Morasheth: what he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem, during the time of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

2 Listen, all you people; pay attention, O earth, and all who are in it: and the Lord GOD will testify against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

3 For, behold, the LORD will come down from his place, and will trample on the high places of the earth.

4 And the mountains will melt under him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax before a fire, and like the waters pouring down a steep place.

5 All because of the sin of Jacob, and the transgression of the house of Israel. What is the sin of Jacob? is it not the idolatry of Samaria? and where are the high places of Judah? are they not in Jerusalem?

6 Therefore I will make Samaria a pile of ruins in the field, and a place for planting a vineyard: and I will pour her stones down into the valley, and I will expose her foundations.

7 And all of her graven images will be beaten to pieces, and the wages of all her prostitutes will be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols: for they were made with the wages of a harlot, and they will again be the wages of a harlot.

8 ¶ Therefore I will lament and wail, I will go stripped and naked: I will wail like a dragon, and mourn like an owl.

9 For the wound she will receive will never heal; and it will extend to Judah; and reach the gate of my people, the gate of Jerusalem.

10 Do not proclaim the warning in Gath, do not weep there: but in Beth-le-aphrah roll in the dust.

11 Depart in shameful nakedness, you residents of Shaphir: the residents of Zaanan will not come out; Bethezel is in mourning, its support is taken from you.

12 Though you who live in Maroth wait anxiously for something good: calamity will come down from the LORD to the very gate of Jerusalem.

13 O you who live in Lachish, hitch the chariot to a swift steed: you led the people of Zion to sin: for the rebellion of Israel can be traced to you.

14 Therefore send farewell gifts to Moresheth near gath: the houses of Achzib will deceive the kings of Israel.

15 I will again allow the enemy to dispossess you, O resident of Mareshah: until the glory of Israel comes to Adullam.

16 Shave your hair and make yourself bald, for the children you delight in; enlarge your baldness like the eagle; for they will be carried away from you into captivity.