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Woe to those who devise iniquity
    and work evil on their beds!
When the morning is light, they practice it,
    because it is in the power of their hand.
They covet fields, and seize them;
    and houses, and take them away:
    and they oppress a man and his house,
    even a man and his heritage.
Therefore Yahweh says:
“Behold, I am planning against these people a disaster,
    from which you will not remove your necks,
    neither will you walk haughtily;
    for it is an evil time.
In that day they will take up a parable against you,
    and lament with a doleful lamentation, saying,
    ‘We are utterly ruined!
    My people’s possession is divided up.
    Indeed he takes it from me and assigns our fields to traitors!’”
Therefore you will have no one who divides the land by lot in Yahweh’s assembly.
“Don’t prophesy!”
    They prophesy.
“Don’t prophesy about these things.
    Disgrace won’t overtake us.”
Shall it be said, O house of Jacob:
    “Is Yahweh’s Spirit angry?
    Are these his doings?
    Don’t my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?”
But lately my people have risen up as an enemy.
    You strip the robe and clothing from those who pass by without a care, returning from battle.
You drive the women of my people out from their pleasant houses;
    from their young children you take away my blessing forever.
10 Arise, and depart!
    For this is not your resting place,
    because of uncleanness that destroys,
    even with a grievous destruction.
11 If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies:
    “I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink;”
    he would be the prophet of this people.
12 I will surely assemble, Jacob, all of you;
    I will surely gather the remnant of Israel;
I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah,
    as a flock in the middle of their pasture;
    they will swarm with people.
13 He who breaks open the way goes up before them.
    They break through the gate, and go out.
    And their king passes on before them,
    with Yahweh at their head.

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