Because of this I must mourn and wail,
I must go (A)barefoot and naked;
I must do mourning like the (B)jackals,
And a mourning like the ostriches.
For her (C)wound is incurable,
For (D)it has come to Judah;
It has reached the (E)gate of my people,
Even to Jerusalem.
10 (F)Do not tell it in Gath,
Do not weep at all.
At [a]Beth-le-aphrah roll yourself in the dust in mourning.
11 [b]Go on your way, inhabitant of [c]Shaphir, in (G)shameful nakedness.
The inhabitant of [d](H)Zaanan does not [e]escape.
The mourning of [f]Beth-ezel: “He will take from you its [g]support.”
12 For the inhabitant of [h]Maroth
[i](I)Waits for something good,
Because a disaster has come down from the Lord
To the (J)gate of Jerusalem.
13 Harness the chariot to the team of horses,
You inhabitant of (K)Lachish—
She was the beginning of sin
To the daughter of Zion—
Because in you were found
The (L)rebellious acts of Israel.
14 Therefore you will give parting (M)gifts
In behalf of Moresheth-gath;
The houses of (N)Achzib will become a [j](O)deception
To the kings of Israel.
15 Moreover, I will bring on you
The one who takes possession,
You inhabitant of [k](P)Mareshah.
The glory of Israel will enter (Q)Adullam.
16 Shave yourself (R)bald, yes, cut off your hair,
Because of the children of your delight;
Extend your baldness like the eagle,
For they will (S)go from you into exile.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:10 I.e., house of dust
  2. Micah 1:11 I.e., Go into captivity
  3. Micah 1:11 I.e., pleasantness
  4. Micah 1:11 I.e., going out
  5. Micah 1:11 Lit go out
  6. Micah 1:11 I.e., the house beside
  7. Micah 1:11 Lit standing place
  8. Micah 1:12 I.e., bitterness
  9. Micah 1:12 Or possibly has been in agony for
  10. Micah 1:14 Heb achzab, wordplay on Achzib
  11. Micah 1:15 I.e., possession

The Doom of the Cities of Judah

For this I will lament and wail;
    I will go stripped and naked;
I will make lamentation like the jackals,
    and mourning like the ostriches.
For her wound[a] is incurable;
    and it has come to Judah,
it has reached to the gate of my people,
    to Jerusalem.

10 Tell it not in Gath,
    weep not at all;
in Beth-le-aph′rah
    roll yourselves in the dust.
11 Pass on your way,
    inhabitants of Shaphir,
    in nakedness and shame;
the inhabitants of Za′anan
    do not come forth;
the wailing of Beth-e′zel
    shall take away from you its standing place.
12 For the inhabitants of Maroth
    wait anxiously for good,
because evil has come down from the Lord
    to the gate of Jerusalem.
13 Harness the steeds to the chariots,
    inhabitants of Lachish;
you were[b] the beginning of sin
    to the daughter of Zion,
for in you were found
    the transgressions of Israel.
14 Therefore you shall give parting gifts
    to Mo′resheth-gath;
the houses of Achzib shall be a deceitful thing
    to the kings of Israel.
15 I will again bring a conqueror upon you,
    inhabitants of Mare′shah;
the glory of Israel
    shall come to Adullam.
16 Make yourselves bald and cut off your hair,
    for the children of your delight;
make yourselves as bald as the eagle,
    for they shall go from you into exile.

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 1:9 Gk Syr Vg: Heb wounds
  2. Micah 1:13 Cn: Heb it was