Micah 1

1The word of the Lord came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, and Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, concerning what he saw as it relates to Samaria and Jerusalem.

2Hear these words, O people! Give heed, O earth, and all that is in it. For the Lord God shall be among you for a witness against you, the Lord from His holy house.

3For behold, the Lord is coming out of His place. He will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.

4The mountains will shake under Him, and the valleys will melt like wax before the fire, like water pouring down a steep incline.

5All of this is for the transgression of Jacob and the sin of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what is the sin of the house of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?

6'I will make Samaria become as a shed in the field and a vineyard for planting, and I will tear down her stones in confusion and expose her foundations.

7And they shall cut all of her carved images into pieces and burn down all her houses of prostitution with fire. And I shall utterly destroy all her idols, for she gathers from the price of prostitution and has accumulated from the price of a harlot.'

8On account of this she will wail and lament. She will walk barefoot and naked, beating her breast in mourning as a serpent, and mourn as the daughters of Sirens.

9For her calamity overwhelms her, for it has come to Judah, as far as to the gate of My people—to Jerusalem.

10Those of Gath, do not exalt yourselves, and those of the house of Aphrah, do not rebuild your house from laughter; sprinkle dust on your laughter.

11The one living in Shaphir, dwelling comfortably in her cities, did not come to mourn her neighbor; she will receive a calamity of grief from you.

12Who has begun to do good for her who dwells in distress? For evils have come down from the Lord upon the gates of Jerusalem,

13even the sound of a chariot and horseman. Those dwelling in Lachish—she was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion—for in you were found the transgressions of Israel.

14Because of this He will cause men to be sent forth as far as the inheritance of Gath, vain houses, for they have become vanity to the kings of Israel,

15until they bring the heirs to you, O inhabitants of Lachish; the inheritance shall come as far as Adullam, even the glory of the daughter of Israel.

16Shave your hair and make your head bald as an eagle for the sake of your precious children; increase your widowhood, for they have been taken captive.