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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”

An Evil Time

Woe to those who (A)devise wickedness,
Who work out evil on their beds!
(B)When the light of the morning comes, they do it,
For it is in the (C)power of their hands.
And they (D)covet fields and then (E)tear them away,
And houses, and take them away.
And they (F)oppress a man and his house,
A man and his inheritance.

Therefore thus says Yahweh,

“Behold, I am (G)devising against this (H)family an evil demise
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 [a]taunt
And [b](M)utter a bitter wailing and say,
‘We are completely (N)devastated!
He exchanges the portion of my people;
How He removes it from me!
To the faithless one, He (O)apportions our fields.’
Therefore you will have no one [c](P)stretching a measuring line
For you by lot in the assembly of Yahweh.

(Q)Do not speak, dripping out words,’ they say while dripping out words.
But if [d]they do (R)not drip out words concerning these things,
(S)Dishonor will not be turned back.
Is it being said, O house of Jacob:
‘Is the Spirit of Yahweh (T)impatient?
Are these His deeds?’
Do not My words (U)do good
To the one (V)walking uprightly?
[e]And recently My people have arisen as an (W)enemy—
You (X)strip the [f]robe off the garment
From (Y)unsuspecting passers-by,
From those returned from war.
The women of My people you (Z)drive out,
Each one from her pleasant house.
From her infants you take My (AA)splendor forever.
10 Arise and go,
For this is no place (AB)of rest
Because of the (AC)uncleanness that wreaks destruction,
A painful destruction.
11 If a man walking after wind and (AD)lying
Had acted falsely and said,
‘I will speak, dripping out words to you concerning (AE)wine and liquor,’
He would be one who drips out words as a spokesman to (AF)this people.

12 “I will surely (AG)assemble all of you, Jacob;
I will surely 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 men.
13 The breaker goes up before them;
They break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it.
So their king goes on before them,
And Yahweh at their head.”

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:4 Or proverb
  2. Micah 2:4 Lit lament
  3. Micah 2:5 Lit casting
  4. Micah 2:6 God’s prophets
  5. Micah 2:8 Lit And yesterday
  6. Micah 2:8 Or ornaments

Human Plans and God’s Plans

Woe to those who plan iniquity,
    to those who plot evil(A) on their beds!(B)
At morning’s light they carry it out
    because it is in their power to do it.
They covet fields(C) and seize them,(D)
    and houses, and take them.
They defraud(E) people of their homes,
    they rob them of their inheritance.(F)

Therefore, the Lord says:

“I am planning disaster(G) against this people,
    from which you cannot save yourselves.
You will no longer walk proudly,(H)
    for it will be a time of calamity.
In that day people will ridicule you;
    they will taunt you with this mournful song:
‘We are utterly ruined;(I)
    my people’s possession is divided up.(J)
He takes it from me!
    He assigns our fields to traitors.’”

Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the Lord
    to divide the land(K) by lot.(L)

False Prophets

“Do not prophesy,” their prophets say.
    “Do not prophesy about these things;
    disgrace(M) will not overtake us.(N)
You descendants of Jacob, should it be said,
    “Does the Lord become[a] impatient?
    Does he do such things?”

“Do not my words do good(O)
    to the one whose ways are upright?(P)
Lately my people have risen up
    like an enemy.
You strip off the rich robe
    from those who pass by without a care,
    like men returning from battle.
You drive the women of my people
    from their pleasant homes.(Q)
You take away my blessing
    from their children forever.
10 Get up, go away!
    For this is not your resting place,(R)
because it is defiled,(S)
    it is ruined, beyond all remedy.
11 If a liar and deceiver(T) comes and says,
    ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’(U)
    that would be just the prophet for this people!(V)

Deliverance Promised

12 “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob;
    I will surely bring together the remnant(W) of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
    like a flock in its pasture;
    the place will throng with people.(X)
13 The One who breaks open the way will go up before(Y) them;
    they will break through the gate(Z) and go out.
Their King will pass through before them,
    the Lord at their head.”

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:7 Or Is the Spirit of the Lord