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The Lament of Micah

Because of this I will lament and wail,
    I will go about barefoot and naked;
I will howl like the jackals
    and moan like owlets.
For her wound is mortal,
    for it has come to Judah;
it has extended to the gate of my people,
    to Jerusalem.
10 Do not tell it in Gath,
    do not weep at all;
in Beth Ophrah,
    roll around in the dust.
11 Pass on your way,
    inhabitants of Shaphir, naked and ashamed;
the inhabitants of Zaanan
    have not come out.
The mourning of Beth Ezel
    has taken from you its foothold.
12 Indeed the inhabitants of Maroth
    wait anxiously for good,
because calamity has come down from the Lord
    to the gate of Jerusalem.
13 Harness the chariot to the steeds,
    inhabitants of Lachish.
It was the beginning of sin
    to the daughter of Zion,
because in you were found
    the transgressions of Israel.
14 Therefore you will give parting gifts
    to Moresheth Gath;
the houses of Akzib will be deception
    to the kings of Israel.
15 I will again bring a conqueror to you,
    inhabitants of Mareshah;
the glory of Israel
    will come to Adullam.
16 Make yourself bald and shave your head
    for the children of your delight;
make yourself as bald as the eagle,
    for they will go from you into exile.

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Mourning for Israel and Judah

Therefore I will wail and howl,
I will go stripped and naked;
(A)I will make a wailing like the jackals
And a mourning like the ostriches,
For her wounds are incurable.
For (B)it has come to Judah;
It has come to the gate of My people—
To Jerusalem.

10 (C)Tell it not in Gath,
Weep not at all;
In [a]Beth Aphrah
Roll yourself in the dust.
11 Pass by in naked shame, you inhabitant of [b]Shaphir;
The inhabitant of [c]Zaanan does not go out.
Beth Ezel mourns;
Its place to stand is taken away from you.

12 For the inhabitant of [d]Maroth [e]pined for good,
But (D)disaster came down from the Lord
To the gate of Jerusalem.
13 O inhabitant of (E)Lachish,
Harness the chariot to the swift steeds
(She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion),
For the transgressions of Israel were (F)found in you.

14 Therefore you shall (G)give presents to [f]Moresheth Gath;
The houses of (H)Achzib[g] shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
15 I will yet bring an heir to you, O inhabitant of (I)Mareshah;[h]
The glory of Israel shall come to (J)Adullam.[i]
16 Make yourself (K)bald and cut off your hair,
Because of your (L)precious children;
Enlarge your baldness like an eagle,
For they shall go from you into (M)captivity.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:10 Lit. House of Dust
  2. Micah 1:11 Lit. Beautiful
  3. Micah 1:11 Lit. Going Out
  4. Micah 1:12 Lit. Bitterness
  5. Micah 1:12 Lit. was sick
  6. Micah 1:14 Lit. Possession of Gath
  7. Micah 1:14 Lit. Lie
  8. Micah 1:15 Lit. Inheritance
  9. Micah 1:15 Lit. Refuge