Category: Micah

1 The word of theLordthat cameto Micahthe Moreshite— what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem in the days of Jotham,Ahaz,and Hezekiah,kings of Judah.

Coming Judgment on Israel

2 Listen, all you peoples;

pay attention, earthand everyone in it!

The LordGodwill be a witness against you,

the Lord, from His holy temple.

3 Look, theLordis leaving His place

and coming down to trample

the heightsof the earth.

4 The mountains will melt beneath Him,

and the valleys will split apart,

like wax near a fire,

like water cascading down a mountainside.

5 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?

And what is the high place of Judah?

Isn’t it Jerusalem?

6 Therefore, I will make Samaria

a heap of ruinsin the countryside,

a planting areafor a vineyard.

I will roll her stonesinto the valley

and expose her foundations.

7 All her carved images will be smashedto pieces;

all her wageswill be burned in the fire,

and I will destroy all her idols.

Since she collected the wages of a prostitute,

they will be used again for a prostitute.

Micah’s Lament

8 Because of this I will lament and wail;

I will walk barefoot and naked.

I will howl like the jackals

and mourn like ostriches.

9 For her wound is incurable

and has reached even Judah;

it has approached the gate of my people,

as far as Jerusalem.

10 Don’t announce it in Gath,

don’t weep at all.

Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah.

11 Depart in shameful nakedness,

you residents of Shaphir;

the residents of Zaananwill not come out.

Beth-ezel is lamenting;

its supportis taken from you.

12 Though the residents of Maroth

anxiously wait for something good,

disaster has come from theLord

to the gate of Jerusalem.

13 Harness the horses to the chariot,

you residents of Lachish.

This was the beginning of sin for Daughter Zion,

because Israel’s acts of rebellioncan be traced to you.

14 Therefore, send farewell giftsto Moresheth-gath;

the houses of Achzibare a deception

to the kings of Israel.

15 I will again bring a conqueror

against you who live in Mareshah.

The nobilityof Israel will come to Adullam.

16 Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair

in sorrow for your precious children;

make yourselves as bald as an eagle,

for they have been taken from you into exile.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/MIC/1-06e3c8d45882b9eb9384060476e60a65.mp3?version_id=72—

Oppressors Judged

1 Woe to those who dream up wickedness

and prepare evil planson their beds!

At morning lightthey accomplish it

because the power is in their hands.

2 They covet fieldsand seize them;

they also take houses.

They deprive a man of his home,

a person of his inheritance.

3 Therefore, theLordsays:

I am now planninga disaster

against this nation;

you cannot free your necks from it.

Then you will not walk so proudly

because it will be an evil time.

4 In that day one will take upa taunt against you,

and lament mournfully,saying,

“We are totally ruined!

He measures out the allotted land of my people.

How He removes it from me!

He allots our fieldsto traitors.”

5 Therefore, there will be no one

in the assembly of theLord

to divide the land by casting lots.

God’s Word Rejected

6 “Quit your preaching,”theypreach.

“They should not preach these things;

shame will not overtake us.”

7 House of Jacob, should it be asked,

“Is the Spirit of theLordimpatient?

Are these the things He does? ”

Don’t My words bring good

to the one who walks uprightly?

8 But recently My people have risen up

like an enemy:

You strip off the splendid robe

from those who are passing through confidently,

like those returning from war.

9 You forcethe women of My people

out of their comfortable homes,

and you take My blessing

from their children forever.

10 Get up and leave,

for this is not your place of rest,

because defilementbrings destruction —

a grievous destruction!

11 If a man of windcomes

and invents lies:

“I will preach to you about wine and beer,”

he would be just the preacher for this people!

The Remnant Regathered

12 I will indeed gatherall of you, Jacob;

I will collect the remnant of Israel.

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.

13 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,

theLordas their leader.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/MIC/2-9a7de1413925ddc72981f4365a5c9eee.mp3?version_id=72—

Unjust Leaders Judged

1 Then I said, “Now listen,leaders of Jacob,

you rulers of the house of Israel.

Aren’t you supposed to know what is just?

2 You hate good and love evil.

You tear off people’s skin

and strip their flesh from their bones.

3 You eat the fleshof my people

after you strip their skin from them

and break their bones.

You chop them up

like flesh for the cooking pot,

like meat in a cauldron.”

4 Then they will cry outto theLord,

but He will not answer them.

He will hide His face from them at that time

because of the crimes they have committed.

False Prophets Judged

5 This is what theLordsays

concerning the prophets

who lead my people astray,

who proclaimpeace

when they have food to sink their teeth into

but declare war against the one

who puts nothing in their mouths.

6 Therefore, it will be nightfor you —

without visions;

it will grow dark for you —

without divination.

The sun will seton these prophets,

and the daylight will turn black over them.

7 Then the seers will be ashamed

and the diviners disappointed.

They will all cover their mouths

because there will be no answer from God.

8 As for me, however, I am filled with power

by the Spirit of theLord,

with justice and courage,

to proclaim to Jacob his rebellion

and to Israel his sin.

Zion’s Destruction

9 Listen to this, leaders of the house of Jacob,

you rulers of the house of Israel,

who abhor justice

and pervert everything that is right,

10 who build Zion with bloodshed

and Jerusalem with injustice.

11 Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe,

her priests teach for payment,

and her prophets practice divination for money.

Yet they lean on theLord, saying,

“Isn’t theLordamong us?

No disaster will overtake us.”

12 Therefore, because of you,

Zion will be plowed like a field,

Jerusalem will become ruins,

and the hill of the temple mount

will be a thicket.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/MIC/3-47517817bd5e289ae63d3ec2b7973e4b.mp3?version_id=72—

The Lord’s Rule from Restored Zion

1 In the last days

the mountain of theLord’s house

will be established

at the top of the mountains

and will be raised above the hills.

Peoples will stream to it,

2 and many nations will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of theLord,

to the house of the God of Jacob.

He will teach us about His ways

so we may walk in His paths.”

For instruction will go out of Zion

and the word of theLordfrom Jerusalem.

3 He will settle disputes among many peoples

and provide arbitration for strong nations

that are far away.

They will beat their swords into plows,

and their spears into pruning knives.

Nation will not take up the sword against nation,

and they will never again train for war.

4 But each man will sit under his grapevine

and under his fig tree

with no one to frighten him.

For the mouth of theLordof Hosts

has promised this.

5 Though all the peoples each walk

in the name of their gods,

we will walkin the name of Yahweh our God

forever and ever.

6 On that day —

this is theLord’s declaration —

I will assemble the lame

and gather the scattered,

those I have injured.

7 I will make the lame into a remnant,

those far removed into a strong nation.

Then theLordwill rule over themin Mount Zion

from this time on and forever.

8 And you, watchtower for the flock,

fortified hillof Daughter Zion,

the former rulewill come to you,

sovereignty will come to Daughter Jerusalem.

From Exile to Victory

9 Now, why are you shouting loudly?

Is there no king with you?

Has your counselor perished

so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?

10 Writhe and cry out,Daughter Zion,

like a woman in labor,

for now you will leave the city

and camp in the open fields.

You will go to Babylon;

there you will be rescued;

there theLordwill redeem you

from the power of your enemies!

11 Many nations have now assembled against you;

they say, “Let her be defiled,

and let us feast our eyes on Zion.”

12 But they do not know theLord’s intentions

or understand His plan,

that He has gathered them

like sheaves to the threshing floor.

13 Rise and thresh,Daughter Zion,

for I will make your horns iron

and your hooves bronze,

so you can crush many peoples.

Then youwill set apart their plunder

to theLordfor destruction,

their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/MIC/4-287ded449540c932bea0539381a28215.mp3?version_id=72—

From Defeated Ruler to Conquering King

1 Now, daughter who is under attack,

you slash yourself in grief;

a siege is set against us!

They are striking the judgeof Israel

on the cheek with a rod.

2 Bethlehem Ephrathah,

you are small among the clans of Judah;

One will come from you

to be ruler over Israel for Me.

His originis from antiquity,

from eternity.

3 Therefore, He will abandon themuntil the time

when she who is in laborhas given birth;

then the rest of His brotherswill return

to the people of Israel.

4 He will stand and shepherd them

in the strength of Yahweh,

in the majestic name of Yahweh His God.

They will live securely,

for then His greatness will extend

to the ends of the earth.

5 He will be their peace.

When Assyria invades our land,

when it marches against our fortresses,

we will raise against it seven shepherds,

even eight leaders of men.

6 They will shepherdthe land of Assyria with the sword,

the land of Nimrodwith a drawn blade.

So He will rescue usfrom Assyria

when it invades our land,

when it marches against our territory.

The Glorious and Purified Remnant

7 Then the remnant of Jacob

will be among many peoples

like dew from theLord,

like showers on the grass,

which do not wait for anyone

or linger for mankind.

8 Then the remnant of Jacob

will be among the nations, among many peoples,

like a lion among animals of the forest,

like a young lion among flocks of sheep,

which tramplesand tearsas it passes through,

and there is no one to rescue them.

9 Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries,

and all your enemies will be destroyed.

10 In that day —

this is theLord’s declaration —

I will remove your horses from you

and wreck your chariots.

11 I will remove the cities of your land

and tear down all your fortresses.

12 I will remove sorceries from your hands,

and you will not have any more fortune-tellers.

13 I will remove your carved images

and sacred pillars from you

so that you will not bow down again

to the work of your hands.

14 I will pull up the Asherah polesfrom among you

and demolish your cities.

15 I will take vengeance in anger and wrath

against the nations that have not obeyed Me.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/MIC/5-a5e1809f0f04f8ec2d3e72e37c774175.mp3?version_id=72—

God’s Lawsuit against Judah

1 Now listen to what theLordis saying:

Rise, plead your case before the mountains,

and let the hills hear your voice.

2 Listen to theLord’s lawsuit,

you mountains and enduring foundations of the earth,

because theLordhas a case against His people,

and He will argue it against Israel.

3 My people,what have I done to you,

or how have I wearied you?

Testify against Me!

4 Indeed, I brought you upfrom the land of Egypt

and redeemed youfrom that place of slavery.

I sent Moses,Aaron, and Miriamahead of you.

5 My people,

remember what Balak king of Moabproposed,

what Balaam son of Beor answered him,

and what happened from the Acacia Groveto Gilgal

so that you may acknowledge

theLord’s righteous acts.

6 What should I bring before theLord

when I come to bow before God on high?

Should I come before Him with burnt offerings,

with year-old calves?

7 Would theLordbe pleased with thousands of rams

or with ten thousand streams of oil?

Should I give my firstborn for my transgression,

the child of my body for my own sin?

8 Mankind, He has told you what is good

and what it is theLordrequires of you:

to act justly,

to love faithfulness,

and to walk humbly with your God.

Verdict of Judgment

9 The voice of Yahweh calls out to the city

(and it is wise to fear Your name):

“Pay attention to the rod

and the One who ordained it.

10 Are there stillthe treasures of wickedness

and the accursed short measure

in the house of the wicked?

11 Can I excuse wicked scales

or bags of deceptive weights?

12 For the wealthy of the city are full of violence,

and its residents speak lies;

the tongues in their mouths are deceitful.

13 “As a result, I have begun to strike you severely,

bringing desolation because of your sins.

14 You will eat but not be satisfied,

for there will be hunger within you.

What you acquire, you cannot save,

and what you do save,

I will give to the sword.

15 You will sow but not reap;

you will press olives

but not anoint yourself with oil;

and you will tread grapes

but not drink the wine.

16 The statutes of Omri

and all the practices of Ahab’s house

have been observed;

you have followed their policies.

Therefore, I will make you a desolate place

and the city’sresidents an object of contempt;

you will bear the scorn of My people.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/MIC/6-1a9345bf6e77a9c712a974f4fcc8f663.mp3?version_id=72—

Israel’s Moral Decline

1 How sad for me!

For I am like one who —

when the summer fruit has been gathered

after the gleaning of the grape harvest—

finds no grape cluster to eat,

no early fig, which I crave.

2 Godly people have vanished from the land;

there is no one upright among the people.

All of them wait in ambush to shed blood;

they hunt each other with a net.

3 Both hands are goodat accomplishing evil:

the official and the judge demand a bribe;

when the powerful man communicates his evil desire,

they plot it together.

4 The best of them is like a brier;

the most upright is worse than a hedge of thorns.

The day of your watchmen,

the day of your punishment, is coming;

at this time their panic is here.

5 Do not rely on a friend;

don’t trust in a close companion.

Seal your mouth

from the woman who lies in your arms.

6 Surely a son considers his father a fool,

a daughter opposes her mother,

and a daughter-in-law is against her mother-in-law;

a man’s enemies are the men of his own household.

7 But I will look to theLord;

I will wait for the God of my salvation.

My God will hear me.

Zion’s Vindication

8 Do not rejoice over me,my enemy!

Though I have fallen, I will stand up;

though I sit in darkness,

theLordwill be my light.

9 Because I have sinned against Him,

I must endure theLord’s rage

until He argues my case

and establishes justice for me.

He will bring me into the light;

I will see His salvation.

10 Then my enemy will see,

and she will be covered with shame,

the one who said to me,

“Where is theLordyour God? ”

My eyes will look at her in triumph;

at that time she will be trampled

like mud in the streets.

11 A day will come for rebuilding your walls;

on that day your boundary will be extended.

12 On that day people will come to you

from Assyria and the cities of Egypt,

even from Egypt to the Euphrates River

and from sea to sea

and mountain to mountain.

13 Then the earth will become a wasteland

because of its inhabitants

and as a result of their actions.

Micah’s Prayer Answered

14 Shepherd Your peoplewith Your staff,

the flock that is Your possession.

They live alonein a woodland

surrounded by pastures.

Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead

as in ancient times.

15 I will perform miracles for them

as in the days of your exodus

from the land of Egypt.

16 Nations will see and be ashamed

ofall their power.

They will put their hands over their mouths,

and their ears will become deaf.

17 They will lick the dust like a snake;

they will come trembling out of their hiding places

like reptiles slithering on the ground.

They will tremble in the presence of Yahweh our God;

they will stand in awe of You.

18 Who is a God like You,

removing iniquity and passing over rebellion

for the remnant of His inheritance?

He does not hold on to His anger forever,

because He delights in faithful love.

19 He will again have compassion on us;

He will vanquish our iniquities.

You will cast all oursins

into the depths of the sea.

20 You will show loyalty to Jacob

and faithful love to Abraham,

as You swore to our fathers

from days long ago.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/MIC/7-7c112640d0f281217f659c71ce910a7d.mp3?version_id=72—