Micah 1-2

New International Version

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.

²Hear,^(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

³Look! The Lord is coming from his dwelling^(L) place;
    he comes down^(M) and treads on the heights of the earth.^(N)
⁴The mountains melt^(O) beneath him^(P)
    and the valleys split apart,^(Q)
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?^(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)
⁷All 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

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

Human Plans and God’s Plans

2 Woe to those who plan iniquity,
    to those who plot evil^(AS) on their beds!^(AT)
At morning’s light they carry it out
    because it is in their power to do it.
²They covet fields^(AU) and seize them,^(AV)
    and houses, and take them.
They defraud^(AW) people of their homes,
    they rob them of their inheritance.^(AX)

³Therefore, the Lord says:

“I am planning disaster^(AY) against this people,
    from which you cannot save yourselves.
You will no longer walk proudly,^(AZ)
    for it will be a time of calamity.
⁴In that day people will ridicule you;
    they will taunt you with this mournful song:
‘We are utterly ruined;^(BA)
    my people’s possession is divided up.^(BB)
He takes it from me!
    He assigns our fields to traitors.’”

⁵Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the Lord
to divide the land^(BC) by lot.^(BD)

False Prophets

⁶“Do not prophesy,” their prophets say.
    “Do not prophesy about these things;
    disgrace^(BE) will not overtake us.^(BF)”
⁷You descendants of Jacob, should it be said,
    “Does the Lord become^[h] impatient?
    Does he do such things?”

“Do not my words do good^(BG)
    to the one whose ways are upright?^(BH)
⁸Lately my people have risen up
    like an enemy.
You strip off the rich robe
    from those who pass by without a care,
    like men returning from battle.
⁹You drive the women of my people
    from their pleasant homes.^(BI)
You take away my blessing
    from their children forever.
¹⁰Get up, go away!
    For this is not your resting place,^(BJ)
because it is defiled,^(BK)
    it is ruined, beyond all remedy.
¹¹If a liar and deceiver^(BL) comes and says,
    ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’^(BM)
    that would be just the prophet for this people!^(BN)

Deliverance Promised

¹²“I will surely gather all of you, Jacob;
    I will surely bring together the remnant^(BO) of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
    like a flock in its pasture;
    the place will throng with people.^(BP)
¹³The One who breaks open the way will go up before^(BQ) them;
    they will break through the gate^(BR) and go out.
Their King will pass through before them,
    the Lord at their head.”

Footnotes

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

Nahum 1

New International Version

1 A prophecy^(A) concerning Nineveh.^(B) The book of the vision^(C) of Nahum the Elkoshite.

The Lord’s Anger Against Nineveh

²The Lord is a jealous^(D) and avenging God;
    the Lord takes vengeance^(E) and is filled with wrath.
The Lord takes vengeance on his foes
    and vents his wrath against his enemies.^(F)
³The Lord is slow to anger^(G) but great in power;
    the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.^(H)
His way is in the whirlwind^(I) and the storm,^(J)
    and clouds^(K) are the dust of his feet.
⁴He rebukes^(L) the sea and dries it up;^(M)
    he makes all the rivers run dry.
Bashan and Carmel^(N) wither
    and the blossoms of Lebanon fade.
⁵The mountains quake^(O) before him
    and the hills melt away.^(P)
The earth trembles^(Q) at his presence,
    the world and all who live in it.^(R)
⁶Who can withstand^(S) his indignation?
    Who can endure^(T) his fierce anger?^(U)
His wrath is poured out like fire;^(V)
    the rocks are shattered^(W) before him.

⁷The Lord is good,^(X)
    a refuge in times of trouble.^(Y)
He cares for^(Z) those who trust in him,^(AA)
⁸    but with an overwhelming flood^(AB)
he will make an end of Nineveh;
    he will pursue his foes into the realm of darkness.

⁹Whatever they plot^(AC) against the Lord
    he will bring^[a] to an end;
    trouble will not come a second time.
¹⁰They will be entangled among thorns^(AD)
    and drunk^(AE) from their wine;
    they will be consumed like dry stubble.^[b]^(AF)
¹¹From you, Nineveh, has one come forth
    who plots evil against the Lord
    and devises wicked plans.

¹²This is what the Lord says:

“Although they have allies and are numerous,
    they will be destroyed^(AG) and pass away.
Although I have afflicted you, Judah,
    I will afflict you no more.^(AH)
¹³Now I will break their yoke^(AI) from your neck
    and tear your shackles away.”^(AJ)

¹⁴The Lord has given a command concerning you, Nineveh:
    “You will have no descendants to bear your name.^(AK)
I will destroy the images^(AL) and idols
    that are in the temple of your gods.
I will prepare your grave,^(AM)
    for you are vile.”

¹⁵Look, there on the mountains,
    the feet of one who brings good news,^(AN)
    who proclaims peace!^(AO)
Celebrate your festivals,^(AP) Judah,
    and fulfill your vows.
No more will the wicked invade you;^(AQ)
    they will be completely destroyed.^[c]