Woe to Oppressors

Woe to those who (A)devise wrongdoing,
Who practice evil on their beds!
[a](B)When morning comes, they do it,
Because it is in the (C)power of their hands.
They (D)covet fields, so they (E)seize them;
And houses, so they take them.
They [b](F)exploit a man and his house,
A person and his inheritance.

Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“Behold, I am (G)planning against this (H)family a catastrophe
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 [c]song of mocking
And [d](M)utter a song of mourning and say,
‘We are completely (N)destroyed!
He exchanges the share of my people;
How He removes it from me!
To the apostate He (O)apportions our fields.’
Therefore you will have no one [e](P)applying a measuring line
For you by lot in the assembly of the Lord.

(Q)Do not prophesy,’ so they prophesy.
But if [f]they do (R)not prophesy about these things,
(S)Insults will not be turned back.
Is it being said, house of Jacob:
‘Is the Spirit of the Lord (T)impatient?
Are these His works?’
Do My words not (U)do good
For the one (V)walking rightly?
[g]Recently My people have arisen as an (W)enemy—
You (X)strip the robe off the garment
From (Y)unsuspecting passers-by,
From those returned from war.
You (Z)evict the women of My people,
Each one from her pleasant house.
From her children you take My (AA)splendor forever.
10 Arise and go,
For this is no place (AB)of rest
Because of the (AC)uncleanness that brings on destruction,
A painful destruction.
11 If someone walking after wind and (AD)falsehood
Had lied and said,
‘I will prophesy to you about (AE)wine and liquor,’
He would become a prophet to (AF)this people.

12 “I will certainly (AG)assemble all of you, Jacob,
I will certainly 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 people.
13 The one who breaks through goes up before them;
They break through, pass through the gate, and go out by it.
So their king passes on before them,
And the Lord at their head.”

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:1 Lit In the light of the morning
  2. Micah 2:2 Or oppress
  3. Micah 2:4 Or proverb
  4. Micah 2:4 Lit lament
  5. Micah 2:5 Lit casting
  6. Micah 2:6 I.e., God’s prophets
  7. Micah 2:8 Lit And yesterday

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