The Book of the Prophet Micah 1 Threats against Israel and Judah because of their injustice and rebellion

 The Book of the Prophet Micah 1

Threats against Israel and Judah because of their injustice and rebellion

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

2 Hear, all you peoples; listen, earth and all your fullness! Let the Lord God be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

3 For behold, the Lord is coming out of his place; he will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.

4 The mountains will melt under him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax before the fire, like water poured down a steep place.

5 All this is because of the transgression of Jacob and 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? Is it not Jerusalem?

6 Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the field, a place for planting vineyards, and I will roll her stones into the valley, and I will uncover her foundations.

7 And all her carved images shall be broken in pieces, and all her wages shall be burned with fire, and I will make all her idols a desolation, for she gathered them from the price of her prostitution, and they shall return to the wages of a prostitute.

8 Therefore I will lament and howl; I will go stripped and naked; I will make lamentation like that of dragons, and mourning like that of ostriches.

9 For her wound is incurable, for it has reached Judah; it has spread to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

10 Do not announce it in Gath, nor weep much; roll yourselves in the dust in the house of Aphrah.

11 Pass on, you inhabitant of Saphir, in shameful nakedness; the inhabitant of Zaanan did not go out; the weeping of Beth-ezel will receive its dwelling place from you.

12 For the inhabitant of Maroth has felt sorrow for good; for evil has come down from the Lord to the gate of Jerusalem.

13 Harness swift animals to the chariot, you inhabitant of Lachish (this was the beginning of sin for the daughter of Zion), for in you were found the transgressions of Israel.

14 Therefore you will give gifts to Moresheth-gath; the houses of Achzib will be a lie to the kings of Israel.

15 I will yet bring you an heir, you inhabitant of Mareshah; the glory of Israel will reach even to Adullam.

16 Make yourself bald, and shave your head, for the children of your delight; enlarge your baldness like the eagle, for from you they have been taken into captivity.