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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

Oppressors will themselves be ruined

Doom to those who devise wickedness,
        to those who plan evil when they are in bed.
    By the light of morning they do it,
        for they are very powerful.
They covet fields and seize them,
        houses and take them away.
    They oppress a householder and those in his house,
        a man and his estate.
Therefore, the Lord proclaims:
    I myself am devising an evil against this family
        from which you will not be able to remove your necks!
    You will no longer be able to go about arrogantly,
        for it will be an evil time.
On that day, a taunt will be raised against you;
        someone will wail bitterly:
        “We are utterly destroyed!
        He exchanges the portion of my people;
            he removes what belongs to me;
            he gives away our fields to a rebel.”
Therefore, you will have no one to set boundary lines
    by lot in the Lord’s assembly.

Leaders unwilling to hear God’s word

“They mustn’t preach!” so they preach.
        “They mustn’t preach of such things!
            Disgrace won’t overtake us.”
    (Should this be said, house of Jacob?)
        “Is the Lord’s patience cut short? Are these his deeds?”
            Don’t my words help the one who behaves righteously?
But yesterday, my people, the Lord rose up as an enemy.[a]
        You strip off the glorious clothes[b]
            from trusting passersby, those who reject war.
You drive out the women of my people,
        each from her cherished house;
        from their young children
            you take away my splendor forever.
10 Rise up and go! This can’t be the resting place;
        because of its uncleanness,
            it destroys and the destruction is horrific.
11 If someone were to go about inspired and say deceitfully:
        “I will preach to you for wine and liquor,”
            such a one would be the preacher for this people!

The false prophet’s “peace” will be destruction

12 I’ll surely gather Jacob—all of you!
        I’ll surely assemble you, those who are left of Israel!
        I’ll put them together like sheep in Bozrah,[c]
            like a flock in its pen,
            noisy with people.
13 The one who breaks out will go before them;
        they will break out and pass through the gate;
        they will leave by it.
        They will pass on,
            their king before them,
            the Lord at their head.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:8 Heb lacks the Lord.
  2. Micah 2:8 Heb uncertain
  3. Micah 2:12 See Isa 34:6; 63:1.

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