1The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah – the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2Hear, you peoples, all of you,

listen, earth and all who live in it,

that the Sovereign Lord may bear witness against you,

the Lord from his holy temple.

Judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem

3Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling-place;

he comes down and treads on the heights of the earth.

4The mountains melt beneath him

and the valleys split apart,

like wax before the fire,

like water rushing down a slope.

5All 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?

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.

I will pour her stones into the valley

and lay bare her foundations.

7All her idols will be broken to pieces;

all her temple gifts will be burned with fire;

I will destroy all her images.

Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes,

as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used.’

Weeping and mourning

8Because of this I will weep and wail;

I will go about barefoot and naked.

I will howl like a jackal

and moan like an owl.

9For Samaria’s plague is incurable;

it has spread to Judah.

It has reached the very gate of my people,

even to Jerusalem itself.

10Tell it not in Gath1:10 Gath sounds like the Hebrew for tell.;

weep not at all.

In Beth Ophrah1:10 Beth Ophrah means house of dust.

roll in the dust.

11Pass by naked and in shame,

you who live in Shaphir.1:11 Shaphir means pleasant.

Those who live in Zaanan1:11 Zaanan sounds like the Hebrew for come out.

will not come out.

Beth Ezel is in mourning;

it no longer protects you.

12Those who live in Maroth1:12 Maroth sounds like the Hebrew for bitter. writhe in pain,

waiting for relief,

because disaster has come from the Lord,

even to the gate of Jerusalem.

13You who live in Lachish,

harness fast horses to the chariot.

You are where the sin of Daughter Zion began,

for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.

14Therefore you will give parting gifts

to Moresheth Gath.

The town of Akzib1:14 Akzib means deception. will prove deceptive

to the kings of Israel.

15I will bring a conqueror against you

who live in Mareshah.1:15 Mareshah sounds like the Hebrew for conqueror.

The nobles of Israel

will flee to Adullam.

16Shave 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.