Study Desk

The word of the Lord that came^(a) to Micah^(b) the Moreshite^(c)—what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem in the days of Jotham,^(d) Ahaz,^(e) and Hezekiah,^(f) kings of Judah.

Listen, all you peoples;^(g) pay attention, earth^[a] and everyone in it!^(h) The Lord God will be a witness against you,⁽ⁱ⁾ the Lord, from His holy temple.^(j)

Look, the Lord is leaving His place^(k) and coming down to trample the heights^[b] of the earth.^(l)

The mountains will melt beneath Him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax near a fire,^(m) like water cascading down a mountainside.

All this will happen because of Jacob's rebellion and the sins of the house of Israel. What is the rebellion of Jacob? Isn't it Samaria?⁽ⁿ⁾ And what is the high place of Judah?^(o) Isn't it Jerusalem?

Therefore, I will make Samaria a heap of ruins^(p) in the countryside, a planting area^(q) for a vineyard. I will roll her stones^(r) into the valley and expose her foundations.^(s)

All her carved images will be smashed^(t) to pieces; all her wages^(u) will be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols. Since she collected the wages of a prostitute,^(v) they will be used again for a prostitute.

Because of this I will lament and wail; I will walk barefoot and naked.^(w) I will howl like the jackals^(x) and mourn like ostriches.^[c]

For her wound is incurable^(y) and has reached even Judah;^(z) it has approached the gate of my people,^(aa) as far as Jerusalem.

Don't announce it in Gath,^(ab) don't weep at all. Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah.

Depart in shameful nakedness,^(ac) you residents of Shaphir; the residents of Zaanan^(ad) will not come out. Beth-ezel is lamenting; its support^[d] is taken from you.

Though the residents of Maroth anxiously wait for something good,^(ae) disaster has come from the Lord ^(af) to the gate of Jerusalem.

Harness the horses to the chariot, you residents of Lachish.^(ag) This was the beginning of sin for Daughter Zion, because Israel's acts of rebellion^(ah) can be traced to you.

Therefore, send farewell gifts^(ai) to Moresheth-gath; the houses of Achzib^(aj) are a deception^(ak) to the kings of Israel.

I will again bring a conqueror against you who live in Mareshah.^(al) The nobility^[e] of Israel will come to Adullam.^(am)

Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair^(an) in sorrow for your precious children; make yourselves as bald as an eagle, for they have been taken from you into exile.^(ao)

Woe to those who dream up wickedness and prepare evil plans^(a) on their beds! At morning light^(b) they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.^(c)

They covet fields^(d) and seize them;^(e) they also take houses. They deprive a man of his home,^(f) a person of his inheritance.^(g)

Therefore, the Lord says: I am now planning^(h) a disaster against this nation;⁽ⁱ⁾ you cannot free your necks from it.^(j) Then you will not walk so proudly^(k) because it will be an evil time.^(l)

In that day one will take up^(m) a taunt against you, and lament mournfully,⁽ⁿ⁾ saying, "We are totally ruined!^(o) He measures out the allotted land of my people. How He removes it from me! He allots our fields^(p) to traitors."

Therefore, there will be no one in the assembly of the Lord to divide the land by casting lots.^[a](q)

"Quit your preaching,"^(r) they^[b] preach. "They should not preach these things;^(s) shame will not overtake us."^[c](t)

House of Jacob, should it be asked, "Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient?^(u) Are these the things He does?" Don't My words bring good^(v) to the one who walks uprightly?^(w)

But recently My people have risen up like an enemy:^(x) You strip off the splendid robe^(y) from those who are passing through confidently,^(z) like those returning from war.

You force^(aa) the women of My people out of their comfortable homes, and you take My blessing^[d](ab) from their children forever.

Get up and leave, for this is not your place of rest,^(ac) because defilement^(ad) brings destruction— a grievous destruction!^(ae)

If a man of wind^[e] comes and invents lies:^(af) "I will preach to you about wine and beer,"^(ag) he would be just the preacher for this people!^(ah)

I will indeed gather^(ai) all of you, Jacob; I will collect the remnant of Israel.^(aj) I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in the middle of its fold. It will be noisy with people.^(ak)

One who breaks open the way will advance before them; they will break out, pass through the gate, and leave by it. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord as their leader.

Then I said, "Now listen,^(a) leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Aren't you supposed to know what is just?^(b)

You hate good and love evil. You tear off people's skin^(c) and strip their flesh from their bones.

You eat the flesh^(d) of my people after you strip their skin from them and break their bones. You chop them up^(e) like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron."

Then they will cry out^(f) to the Lord , but He will not answer them. He will hide His face from them at that time^(g) because of the crimes they have committed.

This is what the Lord says concerning the prophets who lead my people astray,^(h) who proclaim⁽ⁱ⁾ peace when they have food to sink their teeth into but declare war against the one who puts nothing in their mouths.

Therefore, it will be night^(j) for you— without visions; it will grow dark for you— without divination.^(k) The sun will set^(l) on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them.

Then the seers will be ashamed^(m) and the diviners disappointed.⁽ⁿ⁾ They will all cover their mouths^[a](o) because there will be no answer from God.^(p)

As for me, however, I am filled with power^(q) by the Spirit of the Lord , with justice and courage, to proclaim to Jacob his rebellion and to Israel his sin.^(r)

Listen to this, leaders of the house of Jacob,^(s) you rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor justice^(t) and pervert everything that is right,

who build Zion with bloodshed^(u) and Jerusalem with injustice.

Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe,^(v) her priests teach for payment,^(w) and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean on the Lord , saying, "Isn't the Lord ^(x) among us? No disaster will overtake us."

Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become ruins,^(y) and the hill of the temple mount^(z) will be a thicket.^(aa)