Study Desk

The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth^(a) during the reigns of Jotham,^(b) Ahaz^(c) and Hezekiah,^(d) kings of Judah^(e)—the vision^(f) he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

Hear,^(g) you peoples, all of you,^(h) listen, earth⁽ⁱ⁾ and all who live in it, that the Sovereign Lord may bear witness^(j) against you, the Lord from his holy temple.^(k)

Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling^(l) place; he comes down^(m) and treads on the heights of the earth.⁽ⁿ⁾

The mountains melt^(o) beneath him^(p) and the valleys split apart,^(q) like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.

All this is because of Jacob's transgression, because of the sins of the people of Israel. What is Jacob's transgression? Is it not Samaria?^(r) What is Judah's high place? Is it not Jerusalem?

"Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble, a place for planting vineyards.^(s) I will pour her stones^(t) into the valley and lay bare her foundations.^(u)

All her idols^(v) will be broken to pieces;^(w) all her temple gifts will be burned with fire; I will destroy all her images.^(x) Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes,^(y) as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used."

Because of this I will weep^(z) and wail; I will go about barefoot^(aa) and naked. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl.

For Samaria's plague^(ab) is incurable;^(ac) it has spread to Judah.^(ad) It has reached the very gate^(ae) of my people, even to Jerusalem itself.

Tell it not in Gath^[a]; weep not at all. In Beth Ophrah^[b] roll in the dust.

Pass by naked^(af) and in shame, you who live in Shaphir.^[c] Those who live in Zaanan^[d] will not come out. Beth Ezel is in mourning; it no longer protects you.

Those who live in Maroth^[e] writhe in pain, waiting for relief,^(ag) because disaster^(ah) has come from the Lord , even to the gate of Jerusalem.

You who live in Lachish,^(ai) harness fast horses to the chariot. You are where the sin of Daughter Zion^(aj) began, for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.

Therefore you will give parting gifts^(ak) to Moresheth^(al) Gath. The town of Akzib^[f](am) will prove deceptive^(an) to the kings of Israel.

I will bring a conqueror against you who live in Mareshah.^[g](ao) The nobles of Israel will flee to Adullam.^(ap)

Shave^(aq) your head in mourning for the children in whom you delight; make yourself as bald as the vulture, for they will go from you into exile.^(ar)

Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil^(a) on their beds!^(b) At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.

They covet fields^(c) and seize them,^(d) and houses, and take them. They defraud^(e) people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance.^(f)

Therefore, the Lord says: "I am planning disaster^(g) against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly,^(h) for it will be a time of calamity.

In that day people will ridicule you; they will taunt you with this mournful song: ‘We are utterly ruined;⁽ⁱ⁾ my people's possession is divided up.^(j) He takes it from me! He assigns our fields to traitors.'"

Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the Lord to divide the land^(k) by lot.^(l)

"Do not prophesy," their prophets say. "Do not prophesy about these things; disgrace^(m) will not overtake us.⁽ⁿ⁾"

You descendants of Jacob, should it be said, "Does the Lord become^[a] impatient? Does he do such things?" "Do not my words do good^(o) to the one whose ways are upright?^(p)

Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning from battle.

You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes.^(q) You take away my blessing from their children forever.

Get up, go away! For this is not your resting place,^(r) because it is defiled,^(s) it is ruined, beyond all remedy.

If a liar and deceiver^(t) comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,'^(u) that would be just the prophet for this people!^(v)

"I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant^(w) of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people.^(x)

The One who breaks open the way will go up before^(y) them; they will break through the gate^(z) and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head."

Then I said, "Listen, you leaders^(a) of Jacob, you rulers of Israel. Should you not embrace justice,

you who hate good and love evil; who tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones;^(b)

who eat my people's flesh,^(c) strip off their skin and break their bones in pieces;^(d) who chop^(e) them up like meat for the pan, like flesh for the pot?^(f)"

Then they will cry out to the Lord , but he will not answer them.^(g) At that time he will hide his face^(h) from them because of the evil they have done.⁽ⁱ⁾

This is what the Lord says: "As for the prophets who lead my people astray,^(j) they proclaim ‘peace'^(k) if they have something to eat, but prepare to wage war against anyone who refuses to feed them.

Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination.^(l) The sun will set for the prophets,^(m) and the day will go dark for them.⁽ⁿ⁾

The seers will be ashamed^(o) and the diviners disgraced.^(p) They will all cover^(q) their faces^(r) because there is no answer from God.^(s)"

But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord , and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin.^(t)

Hear this, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of Israel, who despise justice and distort all that is right;^(u)

who build^(v) Zion with bloodshed,^(w) and Jerusalem with wickedness.^(x)

Her leaders judge for a bribe,^(y) her priests teach for a price,^(z) and her prophets tell fortunes for money.^(aa) Yet they look^(ab) for the Lord 's support and say, "Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us."^(ac)

Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,^(ad) the temple^(ae) hill a mound overgrown with thickets.^(af)