Micah 2

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

A curse on the designers of evil, working on their beds! in the morning light they do it, because it is in their power.

2 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.

They have a desire for fields and take them by force; and for houses and take them away: they are cruel to a man and his family, even to a man and his heritage.

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

For this cause the Lord has said, See, against this family I am purposing an evil from which you will not be able to take your necks away, and you will be weighted down by it; for it is an evil time.

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

In that day this saying will be said about you, and this song of grief will be made: The heritage of my people is measured out, and there is no one to give it back; those who have made us prisoners have taken our fields from us, and complete destruction has come to us.

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

For this cause you will have no one to make the decision by the measuring line in the meeting of the Lord.

6 Prophesy you not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.

Let not words like these be dropped, they say: Shame and the curse will not come to the family of Jacob!

7 O you that are 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 walks uprightly?

Is the Lord quickly made angry? are these his doings? do not his words do good to his people Israel?

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

As for you, you have become haters of those who were at peace with you: you take the clothing of those who go by without fear, and make them prisoners of war.

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

The women of my people you have been driving away from their dearly loved children; from their young ones you are taking my glory for ever.

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

Up! and go; for this is not your rest: because it has been made unclean, the destruction ordered will come on you.

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

If a man came with a false spirit of deceit, saying, I will be a prophet to you of wine and strong drink: he would be the sort of prophet for this people.

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

I will certainly make all of you, O Jacob, come together; I will get together the rest of Israel; I will put them together like the sheep in their circle: like a flock in their green field; they will be full of the noise of men.

13 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.

The opener of the way will go up before them: forcing their way out they will go on to the doorway and out through it: their king will go on before them, and the Lord at their head.