The Prophet Micah

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 1 -

(Isaiah 7:17–25)

The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.(a)

(b)

For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.(c)

For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?

Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.

And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

Weeping and Mourning

Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.(d)

For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.(e)

Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.(f)

Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth–ezel; he shall receive of you his standing.(g)

(h)

(i)

(j)

For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem.(k)

(l)

O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.(m)

Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth–gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.(n)

(o)

Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.(p)

(q)

Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

Footnotes

(a)1:2 all ye…: Heb. ye people, all of them

(b)1:2 all that…: Heb. the fulness thereof

(d)1:8 owls: Heb. daughters of the owl

(e)1:9 her…: or, she is grievously sick of her wounds

(f)1:10 Aphrah: that is, Dust

(g)1:11 thou…: or, thou that dwellest fairly

(h)1:11 inhabitant: Heb. inhabitress

(i)1:11 Zaanan: or, The country of flocks

(j)1:11 Beth–ezel: or, A place near

(k)1:12 inhabitant: Heb. inhabitress

(l)1:12 waited…: or, was grieved

(m)1:13 inhabitant: Heb. inhabitress

(n)1:14 to…: or, for Moresheth–gath

(o)1:14 Achzib: that is, A lie

(p)1:15 inhabitant: Heb. inhabitress

(q)1:15 he…: or, the glory of Israel shall, etc

(Isaiah 7:17–25)

The LORD’s(a) word that came to Micah of Morasheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

Hear, you peoples, all of you! Listen, O earth, and all that is therein. Let the Lord

(b)

GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

For behold,(c) the LORD comes out of his place, and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.

The mountains melt under him, and the valleys split apart like wax before the fire, like waters that are poured down a steep place.

“All this is for the disobedience of Jacob, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the disobedience of Jacob? Isn’t it Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Aren’t they Jerusalem?

Therefore I will make Samaria like a rubble heap of the field, like places for planting vineyards; and I will pour down its stones into the valley, and I will uncover its foundations.

All her idols will be beaten to pieces, all her temple gifts will be burned with fire, and I will destroy all her images; for of the hire of a prostitute has she gathered them, and to the hire of a prostitute shall they return.”

Weeping and Mourning

For this I will lament and wail. I will go stripped and naked. I will howl like the jackals and mourn like the ostriches.

For her wounds are incurable; for it has come even to Judah. It reaches to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t weep at all. At Beth Ophrah(d) I have rolled myself in the dust.

Pass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. The inhabitant of Zaanan won’t come out. The wailing of Beth Ezel will take from you his protection.

For the inhabitant of Maroth waits anxiously for good, because evil has come down from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem.

Harness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish. She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.

Therefore you will give a parting gift to Moresheth Gath. The houses of Achzib will be a deceitful thing to the kings of Israel.

I will yet bring a conqueror to you, inhabitants of Mareshah. The glory of Israel will come to Adullam.

Shave your heads, and cut off your hair for the children of your delight. Enlarge your baldness like the vulture, for they have gone into captivity from you!

Footnotes

(a)1:1 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.

(b)1:2 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”

(c)1:3 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

(d)1:10 Beth Ophrah means literally “House of Dust.”