MICAH

Micah 1

1The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2Hear, all ye…: Heb. ye people, all of themall ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that…: Heb. the fulness thereofall that therein is: and let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

3For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

4And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep…: Heb. a descenta steep place.

5For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for 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?

6Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.

7And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

8Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls: Heb. daughters of the owlowls.

9For her…: or, she is grievously sick of her woundsher wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

10Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah: that is, DustAphrah roll thyself in the dust.

11Pass ye away, thou…: or, thou that dwellest fairlythou inhabitant: Heb. inhabitressinhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan: or, The country of flocksZaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth–ezel: or, A place nearBeth–ezel; he shall receive of you his standing.

12For the inhabitant: Heb. inhabitressinhabitant of Maroth waited…: or, was grievedwaited carefully for good: but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem.

13O thou inhabitant: Heb. inhabitressinhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.

14Therefore shalt thou give presents to…: or, for Moresheth–gathto Moresheth–gath: the houses of Achzib: that is, A lieAchzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

15Yet will I bring an he…: or, the glory of Israel shall, etcheir unto thee, O inhabitant: Heb. inhabitressinhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.

16Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.