1 The word of theLordthat came toMicah of Moresheth in the days ofJotham, Ahaz,andHezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

The Coming Judgment on Israel

2 Hear, all you peoples!

Listen, O earth, and all that is in it!

Let the LordGodbe a witness against you,

The Lord fromHis holy temple.

3 For behold, theLordis coming out of His place;

He will come down

And tread on the high places of the earth.

4 The mountains will melt under Him,

And the valleys will split

Like wax before the fire,

Like waters poured down a steep place.

5 All this is for the transgression of Jacob

And for the sins of the house of Israel.

Whatisthe transgression of Jacob?

Isitnot Samaria?

And whatarethehigh places of Judah?

Aretheynot Jerusalem?

6 “Therefore I will make Samariaa heap of ruins in the field,

Places for planting a vineyard;

I will pour down her stones into the valley,

And I willuncover her foundations.

7 All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces,

And all herpay as a harlot shall be burned with the fire;

All her idols I will lay desolate,

For she gathereditfrom the pay of a harlot,

And they shall return to thepay of a harlot.”

Mourning for Israel and Judah

8 Therefore I will wail and howl,

I will go stripped and naked;

I will make a wailing like the jackals

And a mourning like the ostriches,

9 For her woundsareincurable.

Forit has come to Judah;

It has come to the gate of My people—

To Jerusalem.

10 Tellitnot in Gath,

Weep not at all;

In Beth Aphrah

Roll yourself in the dust.

11 Pass by in naked shame, you inhabitant of Shaphir;

The inhabitant of Zaanan does not go out.

Beth Ezel mourns;

Its place to stand is taken away from you.

12 For the inhabitant of Maroth pined for good,

Butdisaster came down from theLord

To the gate of Jerusalem.

13 O inhabitant ofLachish,

Harness the chariot to the swift steeds

(Shewasthe beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion),

For the transgressions of Israel werefound in you.

14 Therefore you shallgive presents to Moresheth Gath;

The houses ofAchzibshallbea lie to the kings of Israel.

15 I will yet bring an heir to you, O inhabitant ofMareshah;

The glory of Israel shall come toAdullam.

16 Make yourselfbald and cut off your hair,

Because of yourprecious children;

Enlarge your baldness like an eagle,

For they shall go from you intocaptivity.