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An Evil Time

Woe to those who (A)devise wickedness,
Who work out evil on their beds!
(B)When the light of the morning comes, they do it,
For it is in the (C)power of their hands.
And they (D)covet fields and then (E)tear them away,
And houses, and take them away.
And they (F)oppress a man and his house,
A man and his inheritance.

Therefore thus says Yahweh,

“Behold, I am (G)devising against this (H)family an evil demise
From which you (I)cannot remove your necks;
And you will not walk (J)haughtily,
For it will be an (K)evil time.
On that day they will (L)take up against you a [a]taunt
And [b](M)utter a bitter wailing and say,
‘We are completely (N)devastated!
He exchanges the portion of my people;
How He removes it from me!
To the faithless one, He (O)apportions our fields.’
Therefore you will have no one [c](P)stretching a measuring line
For you by lot in the assembly of Yahweh.

(Q)Do not speak, dripping out words,’ they say while dripping out words.
But if [d]they do (R)not drip out words concerning these things,
(S)Dishonor will not be turned back.
Is it being said, O house of Jacob:
‘Is the Spirit of Yahweh (T)impatient?
Are these His deeds?’
Do not My words (U)do good
To the one (V)walking uprightly?
[e]And recently My people have arisen as an (W)enemy—
You (X)strip the [f]robe off the garment
From (Y)unsuspecting passers-by,
From those returned from war.
The women of My people you (Z)drive out,
Each one from her pleasant house.
From her infants you take My (AA)splendor forever.
10 Arise and go,
For this is no place (AB)of rest
Because of the (AC)uncleanness that wreaks destruction,
A painful destruction.
11 If a man walking after wind and (AD)lying
Had acted falsely and said,
‘I will speak, dripping out words to you concerning (AE)wine and liquor,’
He would be one who drips out words as a spokesman to (AF)this people.

12 “I will surely (AG)assemble all of you, Jacob;
I will surely gather the (AH)remnant of Israel.
I will put them together like sheep in the fold;
Like a flock in the midst of its pasture
They will be noisy with men.
13 The breaker goes up before them;
They break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it.
So their king goes on before them,
And Yahweh at their head.”

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:4 Or proverb
  2. Micah 2:4 Lit lament
  3. Micah 2:5 Lit casting
  4. Micah 2:6 God’s prophets
  5. Micah 2:8 Lit And yesterday
  6. Micah 2:8 Or ornaments

Social Evils Denounced

Woe to those who devise wickedness
    and work evil upon their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
    because it is in the power of their hand.
They covet fields, and seize them;
    and houses, and take them away;
they oppress a man and his house,
    a man and his inheritance.
Therefore thus says the Lord:
Behold, against this family I am devising evil,
    from which you cannot remove your necks;
and you shall not walk haughtily,
    for it will be an evil time.
In that day they shall take up a taunt song against you,
    and wail with bitter lamentation,
and say, “We are utterly ruined;
    he changes the portion of my people;
how he removes it from me!
    Among our captors[a] he divides our fields.”
Therefore you will have none to cast the line by lot
    in the assembly of the Lord.

“Do not preach”—thus they preach—
    “one should not preach of such things;
    disgrace will not overtake us.”
Should this be said, O house of Jacob?
    Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient?
    Are these his doings?
Do not my words do good
    to him who walks uprightly?
But you rise against my people[b] as an enemy;
    you strip the robe from the peaceful,[c]
from those who pass by trustingly
    with no thought of war.
The women of my people you drive out
    from their pleasant houses;
from their young children you take away
    my glory for ever.
10 Arise and go,
    for this is no place to rest;
because of uncleanness that destroys
    with a grievous destruction.
11 If a man should go about and utter wind and lies,
    saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”
    he would be the preacher for this people!

A Promise for the Remnant of Israel

12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob,
    I will gather the remnant of Israel;
I will set them together
    like sheep in a fold,
like a flock in its pasture,
    a noisy multitude of men.
13 He who opens the breach will go up before them;
    they will break through and pass the gate,
    going out by it.
Their king will pass on before them,
    the Lord at their head.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:4 Cn: Heb the rebellious
  2. Micah 2:8 Cn: Heb yesterday my people rose
  3. Micah 2:8 Cn: Heb from before a garment