1 The 1word of the LORDwhichcame to 2Micah of Moresheth in the days of 3Jotham, 4Ahaz and 5Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he sawconcerningSamaria and Jerusalem.
2
Hear, O peoples, all of [a]you; 6Listen, O earth and [b]all it contains, And let the Lord[c]GOD be a 7witness against you, The Lord from His holytemple.
3
For behold, the LORD is 8comingforth from His place. He will comedown and 9tread on the highplaces of the [d]earth.
4
10The mountains will meltunder Him And the valleys will be split, Like waxbefore* the fire, Like waterpoureddown a steepplace.
5
Allthis is for the rebellion of Jacob And for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the 11rebellion of Jacob? Is it not 12Samaria? What is the 13high[e]place of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?
6
For I will makeSamaria a 14heap of ruins[f]in the open country, 15Plantingplaces for a vineyard. I will 16pour her stonesdown into the valley And will 17laybare her foundations.
7
All of her 18idols will be smashed, All of her earnings will be burned with fire And all of her images I will makedesolate, For she collected them from a 19harlot'searnings, And to the earnings of a harlot they will return.
8
Because of this I must lament and wail, I must go20barefoot and naked; I must make a lament like the 21jackals And a mourning like the ostriches.
9
For her [g]22wound is incurable, For 23it has come to Judah; It has reached the 24gate of my people, Even to Jerusalem.
10
25Tell it not in Gath, Weep not at all. At [h]Beth-le-aphrahroll yourself in the dust.
11
[i]Go on your way, inhabitant of [j]Shaphir, in 26shamefulnakedness. The inhabitant of [k]27Zaanan does not [l]escape. The lamentation of [m]Beth-ezel: "He will take from you its [n]support."
12
For the inhabitant of [o]MarothBecomesweak28waiting for good, Because a calamity has comedown from the LORD To the 29gate of Jerusalem.
13
Harness the chariot to the team of horses, O inhabitant of 30Lachish - She was the beginning of sin To the daughter of Zion - Because in you were found The 31rebelliousacts of Israel.
14
Therefore you will giveparting32gifts On behalf of Moresheth-gath; The houses of 33Achzib will become a 34deception To the kings of Israel.
15
Moreover, I will bring on you The one who takespossession, O inhabitant of [p]35Mareshah. The glory of Israel will enter36Adullam.
16
Make yourself 37bald and cutoff your hair, Because of the children of your delight; Extend your baldness like the eagle, For they will 38go from you into exile.