Mic 1
1
The word of YHWH that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and
Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
2
Hear, you peoples, all of you: hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let
the Lord YHWH be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
3
For, behold, YHWH comes forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon
the high places of the earth.
4
And the mountains shall be melted under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax
before the fire, as waters that are poured down a steep place.
5
For 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?
6
Therefore I will make Samaria as a heap of the field, [and] as places for planting
vineyards; and I will pour down its stones into the valley, and I will uncover
its foundations.
7
And all her graven images shall be beaten to pieces, and all her hires shall be burned
with fire, and all her idols will I lay desolate; for of the hire of a harlot has
she gathered them, and to the hire of a harlot shall they return.
8
For this will I lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing
like the jackals, and a lamentation like the ostriches.
9
For her wounds are incurable; for it is come even to Judah; it reaches to the gate
of my people, even to Jerusalem.
10
Tell it not in Gath, weep not at all: at Beth-le-aphrah have I rolled myself in the
dust.
11
Pass away, O inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame: the inhabitant of Zaanan
is not come forth; the wailing of Beth-ezel shall take from you its stay.
12
For the inhabitant of Maroth waits anxiously for good, because evil is come down from
YHWH to the gate of Jerusalem.
13
Bind the chariot to the swift steed, O inhabitant of Lachish: she was the beginning
of sin to the daughter of Zion; for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
14
Therefore shall you give a parting gift to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall
be a deceitful thing to the kings of Israel.
15
I will yet bring to you, O inhabitant of Mareshah, him whom shall possess you: the
glory of Israel shall come even to Adullam.
16
Make you bald, and cut off your hair for the children of your delight: enlarge your
baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from you.