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God will destroy the city of Samaria

1 These are the messages that the Lord gave to Micah. [ a ] Then Micah told them to the people during the times that Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah ruled the country called Judah. Micah was born in a small town called Moresheth. God showed Micah about what would happen to the cities called Samaria and Jerusalem. [ b ]

2 Listen, all of you people everywhere!
Hear this, everyone who lives on the earth!
The Lord God will speak against you.
You have done what is wrong. That is why he will speak against you.
He will speak from his special house.
3 Look! The Lord is leaving his place and he is coming down to the earth.
He will come to the high places (where you worship false gods).
He will destroy those places when he comes.
4 The mountains will melt when he comes,
like wax melts near a fire.
The valleys will also break into pieces.
They will move like water when it rushes down a hill.
5 All these bad things will happen because Jacob's people have refused to obey God.
These things will happen because Israel's people have done wrong things.
You may ask who has caused this.
It is the leaders in your capital cities, Samaria and Jerusalem.
They have kept the high places there for people to offer gifts to false gods.

6 So God says to you:

‘I will destroy Samaria so that just a few stones are lying in the fields there. [ c ]
Then people will plant vines in that place. [ d ]
I will throw the stones from the city down into the valley,
when I completely destroy all the buildings.
7 I will break all the false gods into pieces and I will destroy them.
I will burn all the gifts that the people brought for those false gods.
The people have paid so that they could have sex with bad women in those places.
Your enemies will come and they will take away this money.
They will give it to their gods in the same way.’

Micah is sad for the people in Israel and Judah

8 Because of what God has said, I will cry aloud. And I will weep.
I will walk about without shoes or clothes.
I will scream like a wild dog,
and I will cry like a bird in the night.
9 Because Samaria has such bad wounds it can never get well.
And the same will happen also to Judah's people.
The enemies have already reached the gates of my people, that is, Jerusalem itself.
10 Do not talk about this in the city of Gath.
Do not even weep there.
But you people at Beth-Leaphrah,
roll on the ground to show how sad you are.
11 You people who live in Shaphir, go on your way.
Your enemies will not let you wear any clothes while they take you away.
So you will be ashamed.
The people who live in Zaanan will be afraid to leave their city.
The people at Beth-Ezel will cry because nobody comes to help them.
12 The people at Maroth are in pain while they wait.
They were waiting and hoping for something good.
But the Lord sent only something bad.
He brought trouble even to the gates of Jerusalem.
13 You people who live in Lachish, get your chariots and horses ready to go!
You were the first people in Judah to do what is wrong.
You are exactly like Israel's people, because, like them, you refused to obey God.
14 You will need to give gifts to the people in Moresheth Gath,
because they must go away.
The houses in Akzib town will disappoint the kings of Israel. [ e ]
15 People in Mareshah, I (God) will bring an army against you,
to fight your town. And it will win.
And Israel's leaders will need to hide at Adullam. [ f ]
16 People in Judah, cut off all your hair. [ g ]
Make yourselves bald like vultures, [ h ]
because you will be very sad.
Your enemies will take your children away.
They will take your children, whom you love so much, away to another country!

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 When we write Lord like this, it is a special name for God. Sometimes people write it as ‘Yahweh’, or as ‘Jehovah’. It is his own name that he told Moses. See Exodus 3:14 . It means ‘I am who I am’. This shows that God has always been there and he always will be there.
  2. 1:1 Israel's capital city was Samaria, and Judah's capital city was Jerusalem.
  3. 1:6 Verses 1-7 We think that Micah spoke these words at some time before 722 BC. In that year, enemies from the country called Assyria destroyed Samaria exactly as Micah had told the people earlier.
  4. 1:6 Vines or grapevines are plants that climb. They have small, sweet fruits called grapes.
  5. 1:14 The kings of Israel will get no help from Akzib town, because enemies will destroy the town.
  6. 1:15 Verses 10-15 In these verses, Micah says the names of towns and villages near his home, Moresheth Gath. Enemies from another country will come and fight against them. These verses may tell how Assyria's people attacked Judah's people in the year 701 BC.
  7. 1:16 In those days, people often cut off all their hair to show that they were very sad.
  8. 1:16 Vultures are large birds with bald heads.

Samaria and Israel to Be Punished

1 During the time that Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah, the word of the Lord came to Micah. Micah was from Moresheth. He saw these visions about Samaria and Jerusalem.

2 Listen, all you people!
Earth and everyone on it, [ a ] listen!
The Lord God will be a witness against you.
The Lord will come from his holy temple.
3 See, the Lord is leaving his place
to come down and walk on the high places [ b ] of the earth.
4 The mountains will melt under him
like wax in a fire.
The valleys will break apart
and slide like water rushing down a hill.
5 This will happen because of Jacob’s sin,
because of the sins of the nation [ c ] of Israel.

Samaria, the Cause of Sin

What caused Jacob to sin?
It was Samaria.
Where is the high place in Judah?
It is Jerusalem.
6 So I will change Samaria into a pile of rocks in the field,
a place ready for planting grapes.
I will push Samaria’s stones down into the valley,
leaving nothing but the foundations.
7 All her idols will be broken to pieces.
And the offerings to her idols will be burned.
I will destroy all her statues of false gods,
because she got them as pay for being a prostitute.
So those things will be taken away
to be used again for paying prostitutes.

Micah’s Great Sadness

8 I will be very sad about what will happen.
I will go without sandals and clothes.
I will cry like a dog. [ d ]
I will mourn like a bird. [ e ]
9 Samaria’s [ f ] wound cannot be healed.
Her disease has spread to Judah.
It has reached the city gate of my people;
it has spread all the way to Jerusalem.
10 Don’t tell it in Gath. [ g ]
Don’t cry in Acco. [ h ]
Roll yourself in the dust
at Beth Ophrah. [ i ]
11 You people living in Shaphir, [ j ]
pass on your way, naked and ashamed.
The people living in Zaanan [ k ]
will not come out.
The people in Beth Ezel [ l ] will cry
and take their support from you.
12 The people living in Maroth [ m ]
wait for something good to happen,
even though trouble has come down from the Lord
and has reached the city gate of Jerusalem.
13 You people living in Lachish, [ n ]
get the horses ready for your chariots.
You are guilty of the same sins Israel [ o ] committed,
and you brought those sins to Jerusalem. [ p ]
14 So you must give goodbye gifts
to Moresheth [ q ] in Gath.
The houses in Aczib [ r ] will trick
the kings of Israel.
15 You people who live in Mareshah, [ s ]
I will bring someone against you who will take the things you own.
The Glory of Israel
will come into Adullam. [ t ]
16 So cut off your hair, make yourself bald, [ u ]
because you will cry for the children you love.
Make yourself bald like an eagle [ v ] and show your sadness,
because your children will be taken away from you.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:2 everyone on it Literally, “its fullness.”
  2. Micah 1:3 high places Here, this might mean simply “hills,” or it might mean places of worship (see “ high place ” in the Word List).
  3. Micah 1:5 nation Literally, “house.” This might mean the royal family of that country.
  4. Micah 1:8 dog Literally, “jackal,” a kind of wild dog.
  5. Micah 1:8 bird Literally, “ostrich,” a large bird.
  6. Micah 1:9 Samaria The capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel.
  7. Micah 1:10 Gath This is a wordplay. This name means “tell.”
  8. Micah 1:10 Acco This name means “cry.”
  9. Micah 1:10 Beth Ophrah This name means “house of dust.”
  10. Micah 1:11 Shaphir This name means “beautiful.”
  11. Micah 1:11 Zaanan This name means “come out.”
  12. Micah 1:11 Beth Ezel This name means “house of support.”
  13. Micah 1:12 Maroth This name means “bitter,” “angry,” or “sad.”
  14. Micah 1:13 Lachish This name is like the Hebrew word meaning “horse.”
  15. Micah 1:13 Israel Here, probably the northern kingdom of Israel centered in Samaria.
  16. Micah 1:13 Jerusalem Literally, “Daughter Zion.” See “ Zion ” in the Word List.
  17. Micah 1:14 Moresheth Micah’s hometown.
  18. Micah 1:14 Aczib This name means “lie” or “trick.”
  19. Micah 1:15 Mareshah The name means “a person who takes things.”
  20. Micah 1:15 Adullam A cave that David hid in when he ran away from Saul. See 1 Sam. 22:1.
  21. Micah 1:16 cut … bald This showed that a person made a special agreement with God or that a person was very sad.
  22. Micah 1:16 eagle Or “vulture.” See “ vulture ” in the Word List.

1 The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

3 For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.

5 For 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?

6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.

7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.

9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

10 Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.

11 Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing.

12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem.

13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.

14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.

16 Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

Destruction in Israel and Judah

1 The ( A ) word of the Lord which came to ( B ) Micah of Moresheth in the days of ( C ) Jotham, ( D ) Ahaz, and ( E ) Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and which he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem.

2 Hear, you peoples, all of [ a ] you;
( F ) Listen carefully, earth and [ b ] all it contains,
And may the Lord [ c ] God be a ( G ) witness against you,
The Lord from His holy temple.
3 For behold, the Lord is ( H ) coming forth from His place.
He will come down and ( I ) tread on the high places of the [ d ] earth.
4 ( J ) The mountains will melt under Him
And the valleys will be split,
Like wax before the fire,
Like water poured down a steep place.
5 All this is due to the [ e ] wrongdoing of Jacob
And the sins of the house of Israel.
What is the ( K ) [ f ] wrongdoing of Jacob?
Is it not ( L ) Samaria?
What is the ( M ) high [ g ] place of Judah?
Is it not Jerusalem?
6 For I will make Samaria a ( N ) heap of ruins [ h ] in the open country,
( O ) Planting places for a vineyard.
I will ( P ) hurl her stones down into the valley,
And ( Q ) lay bare her foundations.
7 All of her ( R ) idols will be crushed,
All of her earnings will be burned with fire,
And all of her images I will make desolate;
For she collected them from a ( S ) prostitute’s earnings,
And to the earnings of a prostitute they will return.

8 Because of this I must mourn and wail,
I must go ( T ) barefoot and naked;
I must do mourning like the ( U ) jackals,
And a mourning like the ostriches.
9 For her ( V ) wound is incurable,
For ( W ) it has come to Judah;
It has reached the ( X ) gate of my people,
Even to Jerusalem.
10 ( Y ) Do not tell it in Gath,
Do not weep at all.
At [ i ] Beth-le-aphrah roll yourself in the dust in mourning.
11 [ j ] Go on your way, inhabitant of [ k ] Shaphir, in ( Z ) shameful nakedness.
The inhabitant of [ l ] ( AA ) Zaanan does not [ m ] escape.
The mourning of [ n ] Beth-ezel: “He will take from you its [ o ] support.”
12 For the inhabitant of [ p ] Maroth
[ q ] ( AB ) Waits for something good,
Because a disaster has come down from the Lord
To the ( AC ) gate of Jerusalem.
13 Harness the chariot to the team of horses,
You inhabitant of ( AD ) Lachish—
She was the beginning of sin
To the daughter of Zion—
Because in you were found
The ( AE ) rebellious acts of Israel.
14 Therefore you will give parting ( AF ) gifts
In behalf of Moresheth-gath;
The houses of ( AG ) Achzib will become a [ r ] ( AH ) deception
To the kings of Israel.
15 Moreover, I will bring on you
The one who takes possession,
You inhabitant of [ s ] ( AI ) Mareshah.
The glory of Israel will enter ( AJ ) Adullam.
16 Shave yourself ( AK ) bald, yes, cut off your hair,
Because of the children of your delight;
Extend your baldness like the eagle,
For they will ( AL ) go from you into exile.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:2 Lit them
  2. Micah 1:2 Lit its fullness
  3. Micah 1:2 Heb YHWH , usually rendered Lord
  4. Micah 1:3 Or land
  5. Micah 1:5 Or rebellion
  6. Micah 1:5 Or rebellion
  7. Micah 1:5 Lit places
  8. Micah 1:6 Lit of the field
  9. Micah 1:10 I.e., house of dust
  10. Micah 1:11 I.e., Go into captivity
  11. Micah 1:11 I.e., pleasantness
  12. Micah 1:11 I.e., going out
  13. Micah 1:11 Lit go out
  14. Micah 1:11 I.e., the house beside
  15. Micah 1:11 Lit standing place
  16. Micah 1:12 I.e., bitterness
  17. Micah 1:12 Or possibly has been in agony for
  18. Micah 1:14 Heb achzab , wordplay on Achzib
  19. Micah 1:15 I.e., possession

1 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.

2 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 )

Judgment Against Samaria and Jerusalem

3 Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling ( L ) place;
he comes down ( M ) and treads on the heights of the earth. ( N )
4 The mountains melt ( O ) beneath him ( P )
and the valleys split apart, ( Q )
like wax before the fire,
like water rushing down a slope.
5 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?

6 “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 )
7 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.”

Weeping and Mourning

8 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.
9 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.
10 Tell it not in Gath [ a ] ;
weep not at all.
In Beth Ophrah [ b ]
roll in the dust.
11 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.
12 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.
13 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.
14 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.
15 I will bring a conqueror against you
who live in Mareshah. [ g ] ( AO )
The nobles of Israel
will flee to Adullam. ( AP )
16 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 )

Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:10 Gath sounds like the Hebrew for tell.
  2. Micah 1:10 Beth Ophrah means house of dust.
  3. Micah 1:11 Shaphir means pleasant.
  4. Micah 1:11 Zaanan sounds like the Hebrew for come out.
  5. Micah 1:12 Maroth sounds like the Hebrew for bitter.
  6. Micah 1:14 Akzib means deception.
  7. Micah 1:15 Mareshah sounds like the Hebrew for conqueror.
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