Micah 2
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 2
Those Who Covet Fields and Homes
1 Woe to those who plot evil,
who lie in their beds planning iniquity.
When morning dawns they perform their wicked deeds
since they have the power to do so.
2 They seize the fields that they covet;
they confiscate houses as well.
They lay hands on the owner of a house,
and take his inheritance as well.
3 Therefore, thus says the Lord:
Behold, I am planning against this people an evil
from which you will not be able to save your necks.
Nor will you walk proudly,
for it will be a time of disaster.
4 On that day they will ridicule you,
and your mournful dirge will be heard:
“We are utterly ruined;
our land has been appropriated by our captors.
Our fields have been awarded to renegades,
and no one can retrieve them.”
5 Therefore, you will have no one
to divide the land by lot
in the assembly of the Lord.
Against Prophets of Ease
6 “Do not preach,” they advise;
“one should not expound on such matters;
disgrace will not overtake us.”
7 O house of Jacob, should it be said:
“Has the Lord’s patience been exhausted?
Does he do such things?
His words only prophesy good
to those who are upright.”
8 But now you have risen up
as an enemy to my people.
You strip the cloaks from travelers
who pass by peacefully,
or from soldiers returning from battle.
9 The women of my people you drive forth
from their pleasant homes
and deprive their children
of my glory forever,
10 commanding them, “Get up and depart,
for you cannot stay here.”
To obtain something worthless for yourselves,
you do not hesitate to practice extortion.
I Will Assemble the Remnant of Israel
11 If someone were to go about
uttering falsehoods and lies, and saying,
“I prophesy that you will have your fill
of wine and strong drink,”
such a man would be the perfect prophet
for a people like this.
12 I will gather all of you together, O Jacob;
I will assemble the remnant of Israel.
I will gather them together
like sheep into a fold,
like a flock in a pasture;
no longer will they be filled with panic.
13 With their leader proceeding before them,
they shall break through the gate and go out.
Their king will go forth before them,
the Lord at their head.
Micah 2
King James Version
2 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
3 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.
5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the Lord.
6 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the Lord straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
8 Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
9 The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them.
Micah 2
English Standard Version
Woe to the Oppressors
2 (A)Woe to those who devise wickedness
and work evil (B)on their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
because it is in the power of their hand.
2 They covet fields and (C)seize them,
and houses, and take them away;
they oppress a man and his house,
a man and his inheritance.
3 Therefore thus says the Lord:
behold, against (D)this family I am devising disaster,[a]
from which you cannot remove your necks,
and you (E)shall not walk haughtily,
(F)for it will be a time of disaster.
4 In that day (G)they shall take up a taunt song against you
and moan bitterly,
and say, “We are utterly ruined;
(H)he changes the portion of my people;
(I)how he removes it from me!
(J)To an apostate he allots our fields.”
5 Therefore you will have none (K)to cast the line by lot
in the assembly of the Lord.
6 (L)“Do not preach”—thus they preach—
(M)“one should not preach of such things;
(N)disgrace will not overtake us.”
7 Should this be said, O house of Jacob?
(O)Has the Lord grown impatient?[b]
Are these his deeds?
Do not my words do good
to him who walks uprightly?
8 But lately (P)my people have risen up as an enemy;
you strip the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly
with no thought of war.[c]
9 The women of my people you drive out
from their delightful houses;
from their young children you take away
my splendor forever.
10 (Q)Arise and go,
for this is no (R)place to rest,
because of (S)uncleanness that destroys
with a grievous destruction.
11 If a man should go about and (T)utter wind and lies,
saying, “I will preach to you (U)of wine and strong drink,”
he would be the preacher for this people!
12 I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob;
(V)I will gather (W)the remnant of Israel;
I will set them together
like sheep in a fold,
(X)like a flock in its pasture,
a noisy multitude of men.
13 (Y)He who opens the breach goes up before them;
they break through and pass the gate,
(Z)going out by it.
Their king passes on before them,
(AA)the Lord at their head.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
