Micah 2
Expanded Bible
The Evil Plans of People
2 ·How terrible it will be for people [L Woe to those] who plan wickedness,
who lie on their beds and make evil plans.
When the morning light comes, they do what they planned,
because they have the power to do so.
2 They ·want [covet] fields, so they take them;
they ·want [covet] houses, so they ·take them away [seize them].
They ·cheat [defraud; oppress] people to get their houses;
they rob them even of their ·property [inheritance].
3 That is why the Lord says:
“Look, I am planning ·trouble [disaster] against such people,
·and you won’t be able to save yourselves [L from which you cannot remove your necks; C like a yoke].
You will no longer walk ·proudly [arrogantly],
because it will be a ·terrible time [time of calamity/catastrophe/evil].
4 ·At that time [L In that day] people will ·make fun of [ridicule; sing a taunt against] you
and ·sing this sad song [L lament with a lamentation] about you:
‘We are completely ·ruined [destroyed];
the Lord has taken away my people’s ·land [possession; inheritance].
Yes, he has taken it away from me
and divided our fields among ·our enemies [renegades; or the traitors]!’”
5 So you will have no one from the Lord’s ·people [assembly]
to throw lots to divide the land.
Micah Is Asked Not to Prophesy
6 The ·prophets [or preachers] say, “Don’t ·prophesy [or preach] to us!
Don’t ·prophesy [preach] about these things!
·Nothing to make us feel bad will happen [L Disgrace/Humiliation will not overtake us]!”
7 But I must say this, ·people [L house] of Jacob:
·The Lord is becoming angry [or Does not the Lord grow impatient…?] about what you have done.
·My words are welcome [or Are not my words good…?]
to the person who ·does what is right [L walks uprightly].
8 But ·you are fighting against my people like an enemy [or my people have risen up against me as an enemy].
You ·take the coats [strip off the rich robe] from people who pass by peacefully;
·you plan war [or …like men returning from war].
9 You have ·forced [cast out; evicted] the women of my people
from their ·nice [pleasant] houses;
you have taken my glory
from their children forever.
10 ·Get up [Arise] and leave.
This is not your place of rest anymore.
You have made this place ·unclean [defiled],
and it is doomed to destruction.
11 ·But you people want a false prophet
who will tell you nothing but lies
[L If a man, coming as wind/spirit and lies,
should lie to you…].
You want one who ·promises to prophesy good things for you
if you give him wine and beer [or will prophesy wine and beer for you].
He’s just the prophet for you.
The Lord Promises to Rescue His People
12 “Yes, ·people of Jacob [L Jacob], I will ·bring [assemble] all of you together;
I will bring together ·all those left alive in [the remnant of] Israel.
I will put them together like sheep in a pen,
like a flock in its pasture;
the place will be filled with ·many people [or a noisy crowd].
13 Someone will ·open the way [break out] and ·lead the people out [L go up before them].
The people will break through the gate and ·leave the city where they were held captive [L go out].
Their king will ·go out in front of [pass through before] them,
and the Lord will lead them.”
Micah 2
1599 Geneva Bible
2 1 Threatenings against the wanton and dainty people. 6 They would teach the Prophets to preach.
1 Woe unto them that imagine iniquity, and work wickedness upon their beds: [a]when the morning is light they practice it, because their hand [b]hath power.
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 man and his heritage.
3 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, against this family have I devised a plague, whereout ye shall not pluck your necks, and ye shall not go so proudly, for this time is evil.
4 In that day shall they take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, [c]We be utterly wasted: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he taken it away to restore it unto me? he hath divided our fields.
5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in [d]the congregation of the Lord.
6 [e]They that prophesy, Prophesy ye not. [f]They shall not prophesy to them, neither shall they take shame.
7 O thou that art named of the house of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord shortened? [g]are these his works? are not my works good unto him [h]that walketh uprightly?
8 But he that was [i]yesterday my people, is risen up on the other side, as against an enemy: they spoil the [j]beautiful garment from them that pass by peaceably, as though they returned from the war.
9 The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses, and from their children have ye taken away [k]my glory continually.
10 Arise and depart, for this is not your [l]rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
11 If a man [m]walk in the spirit, and would lie falsely, saying, [n]I will prophesy unto thee of wine, and of strong drink, he shall even be the prophet of this people.
12 I will surely gather [o]thee wholly, O Jacob: I will surely gather the remnant of Israel: I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, even as the flock in the midst of their fold: the cities shall be full of brute of the men.
13 The [p]breaker up shall come up before them: they shall break out, and pass by the gate, and go out by it, and their king shall go before them, and the Lord shall be [q]upon their heads.
Footnotes
- Micah 2:1 As soon as they rise, they execute their wicked devices of the night, and according to their power hurt others.
- Micah 2:1 Hebrew, is in power.
- Micah 2:4 Thus the Jews lament and say that there is no hope of restitution, seeing their possessions are divided among the enemies.
- Micah 2:5 Ye shall have no more lands to divide as you had in times past, and as you used to measure them in the Jubilee.
- Micah 2:6 Thus the people warn the prophets that they speak to them no more, for they cannot abide their threatenings.
- Micah 2:6 God saith that they shall not prophesy, nor receive no more of their rebukes nor taunts.
- Micah 2:7 Are these your works according to his Law?
- Micah 2:7 Do not the godly find my words comfortable?
- Micah 2:8 That is, aforetime.
- Micah 2:8 The poor can have no commodity by them, but they spoil them, as though they were enemies.
- Micah 2:9 That is, their substance and living, which is God’s blessing, and as it were part of his glory.
- Micah 2:10 Jerusalem shall not be your safeguard: but the cause of your destruction.
- Micah 2:11 That is, show himself to be a Prophet.
- Micah 2:11 He showeth what prophets they delight in, that is, in flatterers, which tell them pleasant tales, and speak of their commodities.
- Micah 2:12 To destroy thee.
- Micah 2:13 The enemy shall break their gates and walls, and lead them into Chaldea.
- Micah 2:13 To drive them forward, and to help their enemies.
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
New King James Version
Woe to Evildoers
2 Woe to those who devise iniquity,
And [a]work out evil on their beds!
At (A)morning light they practice it,
Because it is in the power of their hand.
2 They (B)covet fields and take them by violence,
Also houses, and seize them.
So they oppress a man and his house,
A man and his inheritance.
3 Therefore thus says the Lord:
“Behold, against this (C)family I am devising (D)disaster,
From which you cannot remove your necks;
Nor shall you walk haughtily,
For this is an evil time.
4 In that day one shall take up a proverb against you,
And (E)lament with a bitter lamentation, saying:
‘We are utterly destroyed!
He has changed the [b]heritage of my people;
How He has removed it from me!
To [c]a turncoat He has divided our fields.’ ”
5 Therefore you will have no [d]one to determine boundaries by lot
In the assembly of the Lord.
Lying Prophets
6 “Do not prattle,” you say to those who [e]prophesy.
So they shall not prophesy [f]to you;
[g]They shall not return insult for insult.
7 You who are named the house of Jacob:
“Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted?
Are these His doings?
Do not My words do good
To him who walks uprightly?
8 “Lately My people have risen up as an enemy—
You pull off the robe with the garment
From those who trust you, as they pass by,
Like men returned from war.
9 The women of My people you cast out
From their pleasant houses;
From their children
You have taken away My glory forever.
10 “Arise and depart,
For this is not your (F)rest;
Because it is (G)defiled, it shall destroy,
Yes, with utter destruction.
11 If a man should walk in a false spirit
And speak a lie, saying,
‘I will [h]prophesy to you [i]of wine and drink,’
Even he would be the (H)prattler of this people.
Israel Restored
12 “I(I) will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob,
I will surely gather the remnant of Israel;
I will put them together (J)like sheep of [j]the fold,
Like a flock in the midst of their pasture;
(K)They shall make a loud noise because of so many people.
13 The one who breaks open will come up before them;
They will break out,
Pass through the gate,
And go out by it;
(L)Their king will pass before them,
(M)With the Lord at their head.”
Footnotes
- Micah 2:1 Plan
- Micah 2:4 Lit. portion
- Micah 2:4 Lit. one turning back, an apostate
- Micah 2:5 Lit. one casting a surveyor’s line
- Micah 2:6 Or preach, lit. drip words
- Micah 2:6 Lit. to these
- Micah 2:6 Vg. He shall not take shame
- Micah 2:11 Or preach, lit. drip
- Micah 2:11 concerning
- Micah 2:12 Heb. Bozrah
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
