Micah

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.

² listen, O earth and all who are in it, that the Sovereign Lord may witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

³ Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling place; he comes down and treads the high places of the earth.

⁴ and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.

⁵ 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?

⁶ a place for planting vineyards. I will pour her stones into the valley and lay bare her foundations.

⁷ 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.”

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.

⁹ it has come to Judah. It has reached the very gate of my people, even to Jerusalem itself.

¹⁰ weep not at all. In Beth Ophrah roll in the dust.

¹¹ 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.

¹² waiting for relief, because disaster has come from the Lord, even to the gate of Jerusalem.

¹³ 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.

¹⁴ to Moresheth Gath. The town of Aczib will prove deceptive to the kings of Israel.

¹⁵ who live in Mareshah. He who is the glory of Israel will come to Adullam.

¹⁶ for the children in whom you delight; make yourselves as bald as the vulture, for they will go from you into exile.