Mourning for Israel and Judah

Therefore I will wail and howl,
I will go stripped and naked;
(A)I will make a wailing like the jackals
And a mourning like the ostriches,
For her wounds are incurable.
For (B)it has come to Judah;
It has come to the gate of My people—
To Jerusalem.

10 (C)Tell it not in Gath,
Weep not at all;
In [a]Beth Aphrah
Roll yourself in the dust.
11 Pass by in naked shame, you inhabitant of [b]Shaphir;
The inhabitant of [c]Zaanan does not go out.
Beth Ezel mourns;
Its place to stand is taken away from you.

12 For the inhabitant of [d]Maroth [e]pined for good,
But (D)disaster came down from the Lord
To the gate of Jerusalem.
13 O inhabitant of (E)Lachish,
Harness the chariot to the swift steeds
(She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion),
For the transgressions of Israel were (F)found in you.

14 Therefore you shall (G)give presents to [f]Moresheth Gath;
The houses of (H)Achzib[g] shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
15 I will yet bring an heir to you, O inhabitant of (I)Mareshah;[h]
The glory of Israel shall come to (J)Adullam.[i]
16 Make yourself (K)bald and cut off your hair,
Because of your (L)precious children;
Enlarge your baldness like an eagle,
For they shall go from you into (M)captivity.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:10 Lit. House of Dust
  2. Micah 1:11 Lit. Beautiful
  3. Micah 1:11 Lit. Going Out
  4. Micah 1:12 Lit. Bitterness
  5. Micah 1:12 Lit. was sick
  6. Micah 1:14 Lit. Possession of Gath
  7. Micah 1:14 Lit. Lie
  8. Micah 1:15 Lit. Inheritance
  9. Micah 1:15 Lit. Refuge

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.

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.

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Because of this I must mourn and wail,
I must go (A)barefoot and naked;
I must do mourning like the (B)jackals,
And a mourning like the ostriches.
For her (C)wound is incurable,
For (D)it has come to Judah;
It has reached the (E)gate of my people,
Even to Jerusalem.
10 (F)Do not tell it in Gath,
Do not weep at all.
At [a]Beth-le-aphrah roll yourself in the dust in mourning.
11 [b]Go on your way, inhabitant of [c]Shaphir, in (G)shameful nakedness.
The inhabitant of [d](H)Zaanan does not [e]escape.
The mourning of [f]Beth-ezel: “He will take from you its [g]support.”
12 For the inhabitant of [h]Maroth
[i](I)Waits for something good,
Because a disaster has come down from the Lord
To the (J)gate of Jerusalem.
13 Harness the chariot to the team of horses,
You inhabitant of (K)Lachish—
She was the beginning of sin
To the daughter of Zion—
Because in you were found
The (L)rebellious acts of Israel.
14 Therefore you will give parting (M)gifts
In behalf of Moresheth-gath;
The houses of (N)Achzib will become a [j](O)deception
To the kings of Israel.
15 Moreover, I will bring on you
The one who takes possession,
You inhabitant of [k](P)Mareshah.
The glory of Israel will enter (Q)Adullam.
16 Shave yourself (R)bald, yes, cut off your hair,
Because of the children of your delight;
Extend your baldness like the eagle,
For they will (S)go from you into exile.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:10 I.e., house of dust
  2. Micah 1:11 I.e., Go into captivity
  3. Micah 1:11 I.e., pleasantness
  4. Micah 1:11 I.e., going out
  5. Micah 1:11 Lit go out
  6. Micah 1:11 I.e., the house beside
  7. Micah 1:11 Lit standing place
  8. Micah 1:12 I.e., bitterness
  9. Micah 1:12 Or possibly has been in agony for
  10. Micah 1:14 Heb achzab, wordplay on Achzib
  11. Micah 1:15 I.e., possession