Micah 1

1 The LORD’s ¹ 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. ‡ Jer 26:18Isa 1:1Hos 1:1Amo 1:12Ch 27:1-9Amo 2:4-8Amo 3:1-2Amo 6:1 +9

2 Hear, you peoples, all of you! ‡ Isa 1:2Psa 11:4Hab 2:20Jer 22:29Jon 2:7Mal 3:5Mic 6:1-2Mrk 7:14-15 +17

Listen, O earth, and all that is therein.

Let the Lord ² GOD be witness against you,

the Lord from his holy temple.

3 For behold, ³ the LORD comes out of his place, ‡ Amo 4:13Isa 26:21Deu 32:13Hab 3:19Psa 115:3Deu 33:29Ezk 3:12Hos 5:14-15 +5

and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.

4 The mountains melt under him, ‡ Nam 1:5Psa 97:5Amo 9:5Hab 3:10Hab 3:6Isa 64:1-3Jdg 5:4Psa 68:2 +3

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, ‡ Amo 8:14Jer 2:191Th 2:15-161Ki 13:322Ch 28:2-42Ch 28:23-252Ki 17:7-23Isa 50:1-2 +12

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, ‡ Ezk 13:14Mic 3:122Ki 19:25Lam 4:1Amo 5:11Hab 3:13Hos 13:16Isa 25:12 +5

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, ‡ Deu 23:18Hos 2:12Hos 10:5-6Hos 8:6Rev 18:32Ch 31:12Ch 34:6-72Ki 23:14-15 +8

all her 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. ‡ Isa 20:2-4Isa 22:4Isa 13:21Isa 16:9Isa 21:3Jer 4:19Jer 48:36-39Jer 9:1 +4

I will go stripped and naked.

I will howl like the jackals

and mourn like the ostriches.

9 For her wounds are incurable; ‡ Jer 30:11-152Ch 32:1-23Isa 8:7-8Jer 15:18Mic 1:122Ki 18:9-13Isa 1:5-6Isa 10:28-32 +2

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. ‡ 2Sa 1:20Jer 6:26Amo 5:13Amo 6:10Job 2:8Jos 18:23Lam 3:29

Don’t weep at all.

At Beth Ophrah ⁴ I have rolled myself in the dust.

11 Pass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. ‡ Isa 20:4Ezk 16:37Ezk 23:29Isa 16:2Isa 47:2-3Jer 13:22Jer 48:6Jer 48:9 +2

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, ‡ Jer 14:19Amo 3:6Mic 1:9Isa 45:7Isa 59:9-11Jer 8:15Job 30:261Sa 4:13 +1

because evil has come down from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem.

13 Harness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish. ‡ 2Ki 18:172Ch 32:9Jos 10:31Ki 13:33-341Ki 14:161Ki 16:312Ch 11:92Ki 16:3-4 +14

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. ‡ Jos 15:442Ki 16:8Psa 118:8-92Ch 16:1-32Ki 18:14-162Sa 8:2Isa 30:6Jer 15:18 +2

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. ‡ 1Sa 22:1Jos 15:44Jos 15:352Ch 11:7Isa 10:3Isa 10:5-6Isa 7:17-25Jer 49:1 +1

The glory of Israel will come to Adullam.

16 Shave your heads, ‡ Isa 22:12Jer 7:29Job 1:20Amo 8:10Jer 16:62Ki 17:6Deu 28:41Deu 28:56-57 +5

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!