Micah 2

1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, And contrive evil upon their beds; When the morning is light, they practise it, Because it is in the power of their hand.

Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

2 They covet fields, and take them by violence; Houses, and take them from their owners. They defraud a man of his house; Yea, a man of his inheritance.

And they covet fields, and take [them] by violence; and houses, and take [them] away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

3 Therefore, thus saith Jehovah: Behold, against this race do I meditate evil. From which ye shall not remove your necks, nor lift up your heads; For it shall be a time of evil.

Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time [is] evil.

4 In that day shall this song be uttered concerning thee. And this sad lamentation be made: “We are utterly laid waste; He hath changed the portion of my people; How hath he torn it from me! He hath taken away and distributed our fields.”

In that day shall [one] take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, [and] say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed [it] from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.

5 Behold, thou shalt have no one henceforth Who shall draw out a line for a portion, In the congregation of Jehovah.

Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.

6 “Prophesy not,” [[say they, ]] “O ye that prophesy!” If they prophesy not concerning these things, The shame will not depart.

Prophesy ye not, [say they to them that] prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, [that] they shall not take shame.

7 O ye that are called the house of Jacob, Is the spirit of Jehovah impatient? Are these his doings? Are not my words kind to him that walketh uprightly?

O [thou that art] named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? [are] these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

8 But long since hath my people risen against me, as an enemy; Ye strip the mantle from the garment of those that pass by securely, as men returning from war.

Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.

9 The women of my people ye cast out from their pleasant abodes; Ye deprive their children forever of the glory which I gave them.

The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.

10 Arise and depart; This land is not your rest! On account of its pollution shall it be wasted, And given to utter destruction.

Arise ye, and depart; for this [is] not [your] rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy [you], even with a sore destruction.

11 If a man follow wind, and invent falsehood, and say, “I will prophesy to thee of wine and strong drink!” He will be the prophet for this people.

If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, [saying], I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

12 Yet will I fully gather thee, O Jacob, I will surely assemble the residue of Israel! I will put them together like sheep in a fold; Like a flock in their fold shall they be in a tumult on account of the multitude of men.

I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of [the multitude of] men.

13 He that forceth a way goeth before them; They force their way, and pass through the gate, And go forth by it; And their king goeth before them, Even Jehovah at the head of them.

The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.