1The word of Jehovah that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham , Ahaz, and Hezekiah , kings of Judah , which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem . 2Hear , ye peoples , all of you ; hearken , O earth, and all that therein is : and let the Lord Jehovah be witness against you , the Lord from his holy temple . 3For , behold , Jehovah cometh forth out of his place , and will come down , and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4And the mountains shall be melted under him , and the valleys shall be cleft , as wax before the fire, as waters that are poured down a steep place .
The Reasons for Judgment
5For the transgression of Jacob is all this , and for the sins of the house of Israel . What is the transgression of Jacob ? is it not Samaria ? and what are the high places of Judah ? are they not Jerusalem ? 6Therefore I will make Samaria as a heap of the field , and as places for planting vineyards ; and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley , and I will uncover the foundations thereof. 7And all her graven images shall be beaten to pieces , and all her hires shall be burned with fire, and all her idols will I lay desolate ; for of the hire of a harlot hath she gathered them , and unto the hire of a harlot shall they return .
The Lamentation of Micah
8For this will I lament and wail ; I will go stripped and naked ; I will make a wailing like the jackals , and a lamentation like the ostriches . 9For her wounds are incurable; for it is come even unto Judah ; it reacheth unto the gate of my people , even to Jerusalem . 10Tell it not in Gath , weep not at all : at Beth-le-aphrah have I rolled myself in the dust .
The Consequences of Sin
11Pass away , O inhabitant of Shaphir , in nakedness and shame : the inhabitant of Zaanan is not come forth ; the wailing of Beth-ezel shall take from you the stay thereof . 12For the inhabitant of Maroth waiteth anxiously for good , because evil is come down from Jehovah unto the gate of Jerusalem . 13Bind the chariot to the swift steed, O inhabitant of Lachish : she was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion ; for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee . 14Therefore shalt thou give a parting gift to Moresheth-gath : the houses of Achzib shall be a deceitful thing unto the kings of Israel . 15I will yet bring unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah , him that shall possess thee: the glory of Israel shall come even unto Adullam . 16Make thee bald , and cut off thy hair for the children of thy delight : enlarge thy baldness as the eagle ; for they are gone into captivity from thee.