Oppressors Judged

Woe to those who dream up wickedness
and prepare evil plans(A) on their beds!
At morning light(B) they accomplish it
because the power is in their hands.(C)
They covet fields(D) and seize them;(E)
they also take houses.
They deprive a man of his home,(F)
a person of his inheritance.(G)

Therefore, the Lord says:

I am now planning(H) a disaster
against this nation;(I)
you cannot free your necks from it.(J)
Then you will not walk so proudly(K)
because it will be an evil time.(L)
In that day one will take up(M) a taunt against you
and lament mournfully,(N) saying,
“We are totally ruined!(O)
He measures out the allotted land of my people.
How he removes it from me!
He allots our fields(P) to traitors.”
Therefore, there will be no one
in the assembly of the Lord
to divide the land by casting lots.[a](Q)

God’s Word Rejected

“Quit your preaching,”(R) they[b] preach.
“They should not preach these things;(S)
shame will not overtake us.”[c](T)
House of Jacob, should it be asked,
“Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient?(U)
Are these the things he does?”
Don’t my words bring good(V)
to the one who walks uprightly?(W)
But recently my people have risen up
like an enemy:(X)
You strip off the splendid robe(Y)
from those who are passing through confidently,(Z)
like those returning from war.
You force(AA) the women of my people
out of their comfortable homes,
and you take my blessing[d](AB)
from their children forever.
10 Get up and leave,
for this is not your place of rest(AC)
because defilement(AD) brings destruction—
a grievous destruction!(AE)
11 If a man comes
and utters empty lies(AF)
“I will preach to you about wine and beer”(AG)
he would be just the preacher for this people!(AH)

The Remnant Regathered

12 I will indeed gather(AI) all of you, Jacob;
I will collect the remnant of Israel.(AJ)
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
like a flock in the middle of its pasture.
It will be noisy with people.(AK)
13 One who breaks open the way
will advance before them;
they will break out, pass through the city gate,
and leave by it.
Their King will pass through before them,
the Lord as their leader.

Footnotes

  1. 2:5 Lit Lord stretching the measuring line by lot
  2. 2:6 = the prophets
  3. 2:6 Text emended; MT reads things. Shame will not depart
  4. 2:9 Perhaps the land

Social Evils Denounced

Woe to those who devise wickedness
    and work evil upon their beds!
When the morning dawns, they perform it,
    because it is in the power of their hand.
They covet fields, and seize them;
    and houses, and take them away;
they oppress a man and his house,
    a man and his inheritance.
Therefore thus says the Lord:
Behold, against this family I am devising evil,
    from which you cannot remove your necks;
and you shall not walk haughtily,
    for it will be an evil time.
In that day they shall take up a taunt song against you,
    and wail with bitter lamentation,
and say, “We are utterly ruined;
    he changes the portion of my people;
how he removes it from me!
    Among our captors[a] he divides our fields.”
Therefore you will have none to cast the line by lot
    in the assembly of the Lord.

“Do not preach”—thus they preach—
    “one should not preach of such things;
    disgrace will not overtake us.”
Should this be said, O house of Jacob?
    Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient?
    Are these his doings?
Do not my words do good
    to him who walks uprightly?
But you rise against my people[b] as an enemy;
    you strip the robe from the peaceful,[c]
from those who pass by trustingly
    with no thought of war.
The women of my people you drive out
    from their pleasant houses;
from their young children you take away
    my glory for ever.
10 Arise and go,
    for this is no place to rest;
because of uncleanness that destroys
    with a grievous destruction.
11 If a man should go about and utter wind and lies,
    saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”
    he would be the preacher for this people!

A Promise for the Remnant of Israel

12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob,
    I will gather the remnant of Israel;
I will set them together
    like sheep in a fold,
like a flock in its pasture,
    a noisy multitude of men.
13 He who opens the breach will go up before them;
    they will break through and pass the gate,
    going out by it.
Their king will pass on before them,
    the Lord at their head.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:4 Cn: Heb the rebellious
  2. Micah 2:8 Cn: Heb yesterday my people rose
  3. Micah 2:8 Cn: Heb from before a garment