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Chapter 2

Those Who Covet Fields and Homes

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.
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.

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.
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.”
Therefore, you will have no one
    to divide the land by lot
    in the assembly of the Lord.

Against Prophets of Ease

“Do not preach,” they advise;
    “one should not expound on such matters;
    disgrace will not overtake us.”
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.”
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.
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.

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