New Century Version NCV
Good News Translation GNT
1 During the time that Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah, the word of the Lord came to Micah, who was from Moresheth. He saw these visions about Samaria and Jerusalem.
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During the time that Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah, the Lord gave this message to Micah, who was from the town of Moresheth. The Lord revealed to Micah all these things about Samaria and Jerusalem.
2 Hear this, all you nations; listen, earth and all you who live on it. The Lord God will be a witness against you, the Lord from his Holy Temple.
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Hear this, all you nations; listen to this, all who live on earth! The Sovereign Lord will testify against you. Listen! He speaks from his heavenly temple.
3 See, the Lord is coming out of his place; he is coming down to walk on the tops of the mountains.
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The Lord is coming from his holy place; he will come down and walk on the tops of the mountains.
4 The mountains will melt under him, and the valleys will crack open, like wax near a fire, like water running down a hillside.
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Then the mountains will melt under him like wax in a fire; they will pour down into the valleys like water pouring down a hill.
5 All this is because of Jacob's sin, because of the sins of the nation of Israel.
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All this will happen because the people of Israel have sinned and rebelled against God. Who is to blame for Israel's rebellion? Samaria, the capital city itself! Who is guilty of idolatry in Judah? Jerusalem itself!
6 "So I will make Samaria a pile of ruins in the open country, a place for planting vineyards. I will pour her stones down into the valley and strip her down to her foundations.
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So the Lord says, "I will make Samaria a pile of ruins in the open country, a place for planting grapevines. I will pour the rubble of the city down into the valley, and will lay bare the city's foundations.
7 All her idols will be broken into pieces; all the gifts to her idols will be burned with fire. I will destroy all her idols, and because Samaria earned her money by being unfaithful to me, this money will be carried off by others who are not faithful to me."
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All its precious idols will be smashed to pieces, everything given to its temple prostitutes will be destroyed by fire, and all its images will become a desolate heap. Samaria acquired these things for its fertility rites, and now her enemies will carry them off for temple prostitutes elsewhere."
8 I will moan and cry because of this evil, going around barefoot and naked. I will cry loudly like the wild dogs and make sad sounds like the owls do,
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Then Micah said, "Because of this I will mourn and lament. To show my sorrow, I will walk around barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and wail like an ostrich.
9 because Samaria's wound cannot be healed. It will spread to Judah; it will reach the city gate of my people, all the way to Jerusalem.
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Samaria's wounds cannot be healed, and Judah is about to suffer in the same way; destruction has reached the gates of Jerusalem itself, where my people live."
10 Don't tell it in Gath. Don't cry in Acco. Roll in the dust at Beth Ophrah.
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Don't tell our enemies in Gath about our defeat; don't let them see you weeping. People of Beth Leaphrah, show your despair by rolling in the dust!
11 Pass on your way, naked and ashamed, you who live in Shaphir. won't come out. The people in Beth Ezeln will cry, but they will not give you any support.
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You people of Shaphir, go into exile, naked and ashamed. Those who live in Zaanan do not dare to come out of their city. When you hear the people of Bethezel mourn, you will know that there is no refuge there.
12 Those who live in Marothn will be anxious for good news to come, because trouble will come from the Lord, all the way to the gate of Jerusalem.
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The people of Maroth anxiously wait for relief, because the Lord has brought disaster close to Jerusalem.
13 You people living in Lachish, harness the fastest horse to the chariot. Jerusalem's sins started in you; yes, Israel's sins were found in you.
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You that live in Lachish, hitch the horses to the chariots. You imitated the sins of Israel and so caused Jerusalem to sin.
14 So you must give farewell gifts to Moreshethn in Gath. to the kings of Israel.
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And now, people of Judah, say good-bye to the town of Moresheth Gath. The kings of Israel will get no help from the town of Achzib.
15 I will bring against you people who will take your land, you who live in Mareshah. will go in to Adullam.
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People of Mareshah, the Lord will hand you over to an enemy, who is going to capture your town. The leaders of Israel will go and hide in the cave at Adullam.
16 Cut off your hair to show you are sad for the children you love. Make yourself bald like the eagle, because your children will be taken away to a foreign land.
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People of Judah, cut off your hair in mourning for the children you love. Make yourselves as bald as vultures, because your children will be taken away from you into exile.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.