Micah 1

Micah 1

1The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Moreshite #— #what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.[#1:1 Hs 1:1; Jl 1:1; Zph 1:1; #1:1 2Ch 29:5–11; 32:24–26; Jr 26:18; #1:1 Mc 1:14; #1:1 2Kg 15:5,32–38; 2Ch 27:1–9; Is 1:1; Hs 1:1; #1:1 2Kg 16:1–20; 2Ch 28:1–27; Is 7:1–12; #1:1 2Kg 18:1–20; 2Ch 29:1–31]

Coming Judgment on Israel

2Listen, all you peoples;[#1:2 1Kg 22:28; 2Ch 18:27; Jr 6:19; 22:29]

pay attention, earth and everyone in it!

The Lord God will be a witness against you,

the Lord, from his holy temple.

3Look, the Lord is leaving his place[#1:3 Is 26:21]

and coming down to trample

the heights of the earth.

4The mountains will melt beneath him,

and the valleys will split apart,

like wax near a fire,

like water cascading down a mountainside.

5All this will happen because of Jacob’s rebellion

and the sins of the house of Israel.

What is the rebellion of Jacob?

Isn’t it Samaria?

And what is the high place of Judah?

Isn’t it Jerusalem?

6Therefore, I will make Samaria

a heap of ruins in the countryside,

a planting area for a vineyard.

I will roll her stones into the valley

and expose her foundations.

7All her carved images will be smashed to pieces;[#1:7 Dt 9:21; 2Ch 34:7]

all her wages will be burned in the fire,

and I will destroy all her idols.

Since she collected the wages of a prostitute,

they will be used again for a prostitute.

Micah’s Lament

8Because of this I will lament and wail;

I will walk barefoot and naked.

I will howl like the jackals

and mourn like ostriches.

9For her wound is incurable[#1:9 Is 3:26; Jr 30:12,15]

and has reached even Judah;

it has approached my people’s city gate,

as far as Jerusalem.

10Don’t announce it in Gath,[#1:10 2Sm 1:20]

don’t weep at all.

Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah.

11Depart in shameful nakedness,[#1:11 Ezk 23:29]

you residents of Shaphir;

the residents of Zaanan will not come out.

Beth-ezel is lamenting;

its support is taken from you.

12Though the residents of Maroth

anxiously wait for something good,

disaster has come from the Lord

to the gate of Jerusalem.

13Harness the horses to the chariot,

you residents of Lachish.

This was the beginning of sin for Daughter Zion

because Israel’s acts of rebellion can be traced to you.

14Therefore, send farewell gifts to Moresheth-gath;[#1:14 2Kg 16:8]

the houses of Achzib are a deception

to the kings of Israel.

15I will again bring a conqueror

against you who live in Mareshah.

The nobility of Israel will come to Adullam.

16Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair[#1:16 Jb 1:20; Is 22:12; Jr 7:29]

in sorrow for your precious children;

make yourselves as bald as an eagle,

for they have been taken from you into exile.

© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Published by: LifeWay Christian Resources