Micah Chapter 1

Conversational Yahveh Version

¹ A Message from Yahveh to Micah from Moresheth

at the Time of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, Kings of Judah.

What He Saw About Samaria and Jerusalem

Judgment Against Samaria and Jerusalem

² Listen, every nation;

      listen, world and everybody in it.

Let the Lord Yahveh testify against you from his holy Temple.

³ He’s coming down from his place

      to walk on the mountaintops.

⁴ The mountains will mash down under his feet

      and cascade into the valleys—

                  like wax in fire or

water on a slope.

Mic 1:1-4

⁵ That’s because Jacob rebelled

                  and Israel sinned.

      Where’s Jacob’s rebellion?

                  Isn’t it in Samaria?

      Where’s Judah’s main high place?

                  Isn’t it in Jerusalem?

⁶ I’ll make Samaria a pile of ruins in the countryside,

                  a place to plant vineyards.

      I’ll drag the stones of its walls down to the valley

                  and expose its foundations.

         ⁷I’ll smash its idols

                  and burn everything in it.

      I’ll destroy its images

                  because they came from a prostitute’s pay;

                  that’s all they’ll be.

Mic 1:5-7

⁸ Because of this, I’ll mourn and wail,

                  and walk around barefoot and naked.

      I’ll howl like a jackal

                  and moan like an owl.

⁹ My people’s wound is too deep to heal;

it’s penetrated into Judah

                  all the way up to Jerusalem’s gates.

¹⁰ Don’t “tell” it in Gath;

      don’t weep at all;

      roll in the “dust” at Beth-leaphrah.

¹¹ Just move on into captivity

                  naked and embarrassed, residents of Shaphir;

      the people in Zaaman don’t dare “come outside” its wall;

      there’s mourning in Beth-ezel

            because its people have no back up.

Mic 1:8-11

¹² Those living in Maroth grow weak waiting for relief,

      because “bitter” calamity from Yahveh

                  is reaching the gates of Jerusalem.

¹³ Harness a “team of horses” to a chariot and flee,

      people in Lachish, where Zion’s sin came from,

      where Israel’s rebellious acts spread from into Judah.

¹⁴ Send farewell gifts to Moresheth-gath;

      the houses in Achzib have “deceived” the kings in Israel.

¹⁵ I’ll bring a “conqueror” on you, people of Mareshah;

      Israel’s leaders will flee to the cave of Adullam.

¹⁶ Shave off your hair in despair for the children you delight in;

      make yourself as bald as an eagle

      because they’re going into exile.                               

Mic 1:12-16