Micah’s Lament

Because of this I will lament and wail;
I will walk barefoot and naked.(A)
I will howl like the jackals(B)
and mourn like ostriches.[a]
For her wound is incurable(C)
and has reached even Judah;(D)
it has approached my people’s city gate,(E)
as far as Jerusalem.

10 Don’t announce it in Gath,(F)
don’t weep at all.
Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah.
11 Depart in shameful nakedness,(G)
you residents of Shaphir;
the residents of Zaanan(H) will not come out.
Beth-ezel is lamenting;
its support[b] is taken from you.
12 Though the residents of Maroth
anxiously wait for something good,(I)
disaster has come from the Lord(J)
to the gate of Jerusalem.
13 Harness the horses to the chariot,
you residents of Lachish.(K)
This was the beginning of sin for Daughter Zion
because Israel’s acts of rebellion(L) can be traced to you.
14 Therefore, send farewell gifts(M) to Moresheth-gath;
the houses of Achzib(N) are a deception(O)
to the kings of Israel.
15 I will again bring a conqueror
against you who live in Mareshah.(P)
The nobility[c] of Israel will come to Adullam.(Q)
16 Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair(R)
in sorrow for your precious children;
make yourselves as bald as an eagle,
for they have been taken from you into exile.(S)

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Footnotes

  1. 1:8 Or eagle owls; lit daughters of the desert
  2. 1:11 Lit its standing place; Hb obscure
  3. 1:15 Lit glory

The Doom of the Cities of Judah

For this I will lament and wail;
    I will go barefoot and naked;
I will make lamentation like the jackals
    and mourning like the ostriches.(A)
For her wound[a] is incurable.
    It has come to Judah;
it has reached to the gate of my people,
    to Jerusalem.(B)

10 Tell it not in Gath;
    weep not at all;
in Beth-leaphrah
    roll yourselves in the dust.(C)
11 Pass on your way,
    inhabitants of Shaphir,
    in nakedness and shame;
the inhabitants of Zaanan
    do not come forth;
Beth-ezel is wailing
    and shall remove its support from you.(D)
12 For the inhabitants of Maroth
    wait anxiously for good,
yet disaster has come down from the Lord
    to the gate of Jerusalem.(E)
13 Harness the steeds to the chariots,
    inhabitants of Lachish;
it was the beginning of sin
    to daughter Zion,
for in you were found
    the transgressions of Israel.(F)
14 Therefore you shall give parting gifts
    to Moresheth-gath;
the houses of Achzib shall be a deception
    to the kings of Israel.(G)
15 I will again bring a conqueror upon you,
    inhabitants of Mareshah;
the glory of Israel
    shall come to Adullam.(H)
16 Make yourselves bald and cut off your hair
    for your pampered children;
make yourselves as bald as the eagle,
    for they have gone from you into exile.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. 1.9 Gk Syr Vg: Heb wounds

Weeping and Mourning

Because of this I will weep(A) and wail;
    I will go about barefoot(B) and naked.
I will howl like a jackal
    and moan like an owl.
For Samaria’s plague(C) is incurable;(D)
    it has spread to Judah.(E)
It has reached the very gate(F) of my people,
    even to Jerusalem itself.
10 Tell it not in Gath[a];
    weep not at all.
In Beth Ophrah[b]
    roll in the dust.
11 Pass by naked(G) 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.
12 Those who live in Maroth[e] writhe in pain,
    waiting for relief,(H)
because disaster(I) has come from the Lord,
    even to the gate of Jerusalem.
13 You who live in Lachish,(J)
    harness fast horses to the chariot.
You are where the sin of Daughter Zion(K) began,
    for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.
14 Therefore you will give parting gifts(L)
    to Moresheth(M) Gath.
The town of Akzib[f](N) will prove deceptive(O)
    to the kings of Israel.
15 I will bring a conqueror against you
    who live in Mareshah.[g](P)
The nobles of Israel
    will flee to Adullam.(Q)
16 Shave(R) 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.(S)

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Footnotes

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