Micah 2
1 Woe to those who lie awake planning evil, who in the light of morning carry out their plan because they have the power to do it.
Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds! When the morning is light they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.
2 They covet fields and seize them, desire houses and take them, they crush householder and his household, people and their possessions.
And they covet fields, and seize them, and houses, and take them away. And they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
3 Therefore the Lord says: ‘I am planning disaster from which you cannot save your neck, nor walk proudly because it will be a terrible time.
Therefore thus says Jehovah: Behold, I devise an evil against this family, from which ye shall not remove your necks, nor shall ye walk haughtily, for it is an evil time.
4 On that day they will sing a taunt-song to you, this mocking lament: “My people’s estate is being measured for sale, our captors are dividing our fields. We are completely undone.”
In that day they shall take up a taunt against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation. And say, We are utterly ruined. He changes the portion of my people. How he removes it from me! He divides our fields to the rebellious.
5 There will be no one to measure out land for you from the Lord’s community.
Therefore thou shall have nobody to cast the line by lot in the assembly of Jehovah.
6 ‘“Don’t rant!” they urge, “Of such things one does not prophesy! Shame will not overtake us!
Prophesy ye not, they prophesy. They shall not prophesy to these, so reproaches shall not depart.
7 Is the Lord impatient, or are such things his deeds? Are not his words favourable to the family of Jacob?” Aren’t my commands good for those who obey them?
Shall it be said, O house of Jacob, Is the Spirit of Jehovah restricted? Are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly?
8 But you, you stand up as a foe against those who are peaceful; you strip the robe from those who pass by quietly, averse to conflict.
But of late my people have risen up as an enemy. Ye strip off the robe with the garment from those who pass by securely as men turning back from war.
9 Women of my people you drive out from their happy homes, from their young children you take away my glory forever.
Ye cast out the women of my people from their pleasant houses. Ye take away my glory from their young sons forever.
10 Rise and begone, for this is no place to rest. Your uncleanness brings destruction, severe destruction.
Arise ye, and depart, for this is not your resting-place, because of uncleanness that destroys, even with a grievous destruction.
11 If a person walking in wine and falsehood were to say, “I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink,” then he would be the perfect prophet for this people!’
If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies, saying, I will prophesy to thee of wine and of strong drink, he shall even be the prophet of this people.
12 ‘I will assuredly assemble all of Jacob, I will surely gather the survivors of Israel. I will herd them together as sheep in a fold, like a flock in the pasture, and the land will resound with the sounds of multitudes.
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 a flock in the midst of their pasture. They shall make great noise because of the multitude of men.
13 ‘The one who breaks out goes first. They have broken forth and passed by the gate and through it have they gone out. Their king leads before them, the Lord at their head.’
The breaker has gone up before them. They have broken forth and passed on to the gate, and have gone out there. And their king has passed on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them.
