Micah 2

1 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.

How disastrous it will be for those who devise evil plans as they lie awake at night. They get up in the morning to carry them out, because they have the power to do just that.

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

They seize any fields they want. They take any houses they want. They cheat people of their houses, and steal their inheritance.

3 Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye walk haughtily: for it is an evil time.

So this is what the Lord says. Watch out! I am planning to bring disaster on such families. They won't be able to escape. You will no longer walk around arrogantly, for this will be a time of disaster.

4 In that day shall they take up a proverb concerning you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, [and] say, We are utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! He hath distributed our fields to the rebellious.

On that day they will make up a saying to taunt you. With a mocking lament they will say, “We are totally ruined! Our possessions are being sold off. They've taken everything away, and given our fields to your conquerors.”

5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the measuring line upon a lot, in the congregation of Jehovah.

Consequently at that time there will be none of you in the assembly of the Lord responsible for the division of the land.

6 Prophesy ye not, they prophesy. If they do not prophesy to these, the ignominy will not depart.

But you preach at me, saying, “Don't preach such things. Don't prophesy like this. Such a humiliation won't happen to us!”

7 O thou [that art] named the house of Jacob, Is Jehovah impatient? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

Should you talk like that, descendants of Jacob? You ask, “Can the Lord run out of patience? Is this what he does?” Are not my words good to those who do what is right? asks the Lord.

8 But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip off the mantle with the garment from them that pass by securely, that are averse from war.

Lately my people have risen up against me like an enemy. You steal the coats off the backs of those passing by, men returning from war who expect to be safe in their homeland.

9 The women of my people do ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children do ye take away my magnificence for ever.

You drive the women of my people from their comfortable homes; you have robbed their children of my blessings forever.

10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not the resting-place, because of defilement that bringeth destruction, even a grievous destruction.

Get up! Leave! For this is not a place for you to stay. It is defiled and totally ruined.

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

If a false prophet should come to you and lie, saying, “I'll preach to you about the virtues of wine and alcohol,” he would be the perfect prophet for your kind of people.

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

I will certainly gather all of you, descendants of Jacob, I will certainly bring back together those who are left, Israel. I will place them like sheep in the fold, like a flock in its pasture. The land will be filled with people celebrating.

13 One that breaketh through is gone up before them: they have broken forth, and have passed on to the gate, and are gone out by it; and their king passeth on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them.

The One who opens the way for them will lead them, breaking through the gate and going out. Their King will lead them; the Lord himself will be at their head.