Woe to Oppressors

Woe to those who (A)devise wrongdoing,
Who practice evil on their beds!
[a](B)When morning comes, they do it,
Because it is in the (C)power of their hands.
They (D)covet fields, so they (E)seize them;
And houses, so they take them.
They [b](F)exploit a man and his house,
A person and his inheritance.

Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“Behold, I am (G)planning against this (H)family a catastrophe
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 [c]song of mocking
And [d](M)utter a song of mourning and say,
‘We are completely (N)destroyed!
He exchanges the share of my people;
How He removes it from me!
To the apostate He (O)apportions our fields.’
Therefore you will have no one [e](P)applying a measuring line
For you by lot in the assembly of the Lord.

(Q)Do not prophesy,’ so they prophesy.
But if [f]they do (R)not prophesy about these things,
(S)Insults will not be turned back.
Is it being said, house of Jacob:
‘Is the Spirit of the Lord (T)impatient?
Are these His works?’
Do My words not (U)do good
For the one (V)walking rightly?
[g]Recently My people have arisen as an (W)enemy—
You (X)strip the robe off the garment
From (Y)unsuspecting passers-by,
From those returned from war.
You (Z)evict the women of My people,
Each one from her pleasant house.
From her children you take My (AA)splendor forever.
10 Arise and go,
For this is no place (AB)of rest
Because of the (AC)uncleanness that brings on destruction,
A painful destruction.
11 If someone walking after wind and (AD)falsehood
Had lied and said,
‘I will prophesy to you about (AE)wine and liquor,’
He would become a prophet to (AF)this people.

12 “I will certainly (AG)assemble all of you, Jacob,
I will certainly 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 people.
13 The one who breaks through goes up before them;
They break through, pass through the gate, and go out by it.
So their king passes on before them,
And the Lord at their head.”

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:1 Lit In the light of the morning
  2. Micah 2:2 Or oppress
  3. Micah 2:4 Or proverb
  4. Micah 2:4 Lit lament
  5. Micah 2:5 Lit casting
  6. Micah 2:6 I.e., God’s prophets
  7. Micah 2:8 Lit And yesterday

Woe to the Oppressors of God’s People

Woe to those who plan wickedness
    and evil deeds upon their beds!
In the light of the morning they did it,
    because they have power in their hands.
They covet fields and seize them,
    and houses, and they take them away.
They oppress a man and his house;
    a man and his inheritance.

Therefore, thus says Yahweh: Look! I am planning disaster against this family from which you will not be able to remove your necks. You will not walk proudly, for it is a time of disaster.

In that day they will raise a proverb against you,
    and will wail a bitter wailing, saying,
“We are utterly ruined;
    he exchanges the portion of my people.
How he removes it from me;
    he apportions our field to an apostate.”
Therefore you will have no one casting a line by lot
    in the assembly of Yahweh.
“Do not preach!” they are preaching.
    They should not preach to these;
    disgrace will not overtake us.
Should this be said, O house of Jacob?
    Is the patience[a] of Yahweh shortened?
    Are these his deeds?
Are my words not pleasing
    to him who walks upright?
But recently[b] my people have risen up as an enemy;
    from before the cloak you strip off the robe
from those passing by in confidence,
    returning from war.
You have driven out the women of my people
    from the houses of their[c] pleasure.
From their[d] children you have taken away
    my glory forever.
10 Arise and go,
    for this is no resting place,
on account of uncleanness that destroys
    with painful destruction.
11 If a man walks about in a spirit of deception and lies,
    saying “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”
    then he would be a preacher for this people!
12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob;
    I will surely gather together the remainder of Israel.
I will set them like sheep of Bozrah.
Like a herd in the midst of their pasture
    they will be in tumult from people.
13 The one who breaks out before them goes up;
    they break through and pass the gate,
    going out through it.
Their king passes before them,
    Yahweh at their head.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:7 Or “spirit”
  2. Micah 2:8 Literally “yesterday”
  3. Micah 2:9 Hebrew “her”
  4. Micah 2:9 Hebrew “her”