Micah 2

Oppressors Judged

¹Woe to those who dream up wickedness

and prepare evil plans ^a on their beds!

At morning light ^b they accomplish it

because the power is in their hands. ^c

²They covet fields ^d and seize them; ^e

they also take houses.

They deprive a man of his home, ^f

a person of his inheritance. ^g

³Therefore, the Lord says:

I am now planning ^h a disaster

against this nation; ⁱ

you cannot free your necks from it. ^j

Then you will not walk so proudly ^k

because it will be an evil time. ^l

⁴In that day one will take up ^m a taunt against you

and lament mournfully, ⁿ saying,

“We are totally ruined! ^o

He measures out the allotted land of my people.

How he removes it from me!

He allots our fields ^p to traitors.”

⁵Therefore, there will be no one

in the assembly of the Lord

to divide the land by casting lots. ^q,^r

God’s Word Rejected

⁶“Quit your preaching,” ^s they ^t preach.

“They should not preach these things; ^u

shame will not overtake us.” ^v,^w

⁷House of Jacob, should it be asked,

“Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient? ^x

Are these the things he does? ”

Don’t my words bring good ^y

to the one who walks uprightly? ^z

⁸But recently my people have risen up

like an enemy: ^aa

You strip off the splendid robe ^ab

from those who are passing through confidently, ^ac

like those returning from war.

⁹You force ^ad the women of my people

out of their comfortable homes,

and you take my blessing ^ae,^af

from their children forever.

¹⁰Get up and leave,

for this is not your place of rest ^ag

because defilement ^ah brings destruction —

a grievous destruction! ^ai

¹¹If a man comes

and utters empty lies ^aj #—

“I will preach to you about wine and beer” ^ak —

he would be just the preacher for this people! ^al

The Remnant Regathered

¹²I will indeed gather ^am all of you, Jacob;

I will collect the remnant of Israel. ^an

I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,

like a flock in the middle of its pasture.

It will be noisy with people. ^ao

¹³One who breaks open the way

will advance before them;

they will break out, pass through the city gate,

and leave by it.

Their King will pass through before them,

the Lord as their leader.