Study Desk

The word of Yahweh which came unto Micah the Morashtite, in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah, - of which he had vision concerning Samaria, and Jerusalem: -

Hear ye peoples, all of you, Hearken, O earth and the fulness thereof, - and let My Lord Yahweh be among you for a witness, My Lord out of his holy temple.

For lo! Yahweh, coming forth out of his place, - that he may descend, and march along upon the high places of the earth.

Then shall the mountains be melted beneath him, and, the valleys, be cleft, - as wax before the fire, as waters poured out in a steep place.

For the transgression of Jacob, is all this, and for the sin of the house of Israel, - Whose is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria's? And whose is the sin of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?

Therefore will I make of Samaria a heap in a field, the plantings in a vineyard, - and I will pour down, into the valley, her stones, and, her foundations, will I lay bare;

And, all her images, shall be beaten in pieces, and, all her rewards for unchastity, shall be burned in the fire, and, all her idols, will I make a desolation, - for, out of the reward of unchastity, she gathered them , and, unto the reward of unchastity, shall they return.

For this cause, will I lament and howl, I will go stript and bare, - I will make a lamentation, like the wild dogs, and a mourning, like ostriches.

For dangerous are her wounds, - for she hath come as far as Judah, she hath reached as far as the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem.

In Gath, do not tell, in Accho, do not weep, - in Beth-l'aphrah, roll yourselves in dust.

Pass thou over (for you), thou inhabitress of Shaphir, of disgraceful disclosure, - the inhabitress of Zaanan, hath not gone forth, at the lamentation of Beth-ezel, shall he take from you his station,

Though the inhabitress of Maroth waited for blessing, - yet there came down calamity from Yahweh, to the gate of Jerusalem.

Bind the chariot to the steed, O inhabitress of Lachish, - the beginning of sin, was she to the daughter of Zion, for, in thee, have been found the transgressions of Israel.

Therefore, shalt thou give a dismission, against Moresheth-gath, - The houses of Achzib, served for a deception to the kings of Israel.

The time shall yet be when, the heir, I will bring unto thee, O inhabitress of Mareshah, - as far as Adullam, shall enter the glory of Israel.

Make thee bald, and cut off thy hair, for the children of thy pleasures, - enlarge thy baldness, like a vulture, for they are exiled from thee.