Micah 2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Social Evils Denounced
2 Woe to those who devise wickedness
and evil deeds[a] on their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
because it is in their power.(A)
2 They covet fields and seize them,
houses and take them away;
they oppress householder and house,
people and their inheritance.(B)
3 Therefore thus says the Lord:
Now, I am devising against this family an evil
from which you cannot remove your necks,
and you shall not walk arrogantly,
for it will be an evil time.(C)
4 On that day they shall take up a taunt song against you
and wail with bitter lamentation
and say, “We are utterly ruined;
the Lord[b] alters the inheritance of my people;
how he removes it from me!
Among our captors[c] he parcels out our fields.”(D)
5 Therefore you will have no one in the Lord’s assembly
to allot you a piece of land.(E)
6 “Do not preach”—thus they preach—
“one should not preach of such things;
disgrace will not overtake us.”(F)
7 Should this be said, O house of Jacob?
Is the Lord’s patience exhausted?
Are these his doings?
Do not my words do good
to one who walks uprightly?
8 But you rise up against my people[d] as an enemy;
you strip the robe from the peaceful,[e]
from those who pass by trustingly
with no thought of war.
9 The women of my people you drive out
from their pleasant houses;
from their young children you take away
my glory forever.
10 Arise and go,
for this is no place to rest,
because of uncleanness that destroys
with a violent destruction.(G)
11 If someone were to go about uttering empty falsehoods,
saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”
such a one would be the preacher for this people!(H)
A Promise for the Remnant of Israel
12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob;
I will gather the survivors of Israel;
I will set them together
like sheep in a fold,
like a flock in its pasture;
it will resound with people.(I)
13 The one who breaks out 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.(J)
Micah 2
Lexham English Bible
Woe to the Oppressors of God’s People
2 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.”
5 Therefore you will have no one casting a line by lot
in the assembly of Yahweh.
6 “Do not preach!” they are preaching.
They should not preach to these;
disgrace will not overtake us.
7 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?
8 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.
9 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.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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