(1) The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah--the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

(2) Hear, O peoples, all of you, listen, O earth and all who are in it, that the Sovereign LORD may witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

(3) Look! The LORD is coming from his dwelling place; he comes down and treads the high places of the earth.

(4) The mountains melt beneath him and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.

(5) All this is because of Jacob's transgression, because of the sins of the house of Israel. What is Jacob's transgression? Is it not Samaria? What is Judah's high place? Is it not Jerusalem?

(6) "Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble, a place for planting vineyards. I will pour her stones into the valley and lay bare her foundations.

(7) All her idols will be broken to pieces; all her temple gifts will be burned with fire; I will destroy all her images. Since she gathered her gifts from the wages of prostitutes, as the wages of prostitutes they will again be used."

(8) Because of this I will weep and wail; I will go about barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl.

(9) For her wound is incurable; it has come to Judah. It[1] has reached the very gate of my people, even to Jerusalem itself.

(10) Tell it not in Gath[2] ; weep not at all.[3] In Beth Ophrah[4] roll in the dust.

(11) Pass on in nakedness and shame, you who live in Shaphir.[5] Those who live in Zaanan[6] will not come out. Beth Ezel is in mourning; its protection is taken from you.

(12) Those who live in Maroth[7] writhe in pain, waiting for relief, because disaster has come from the LORD, even to the gate of Jerusalem.

(13) You who live in Lachish,[8] harness the team to the chariot. You were the beginning of sin to the Daughter of Zion, for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.

(14) Therefore you will give parting gifts to Moresheth Gath. The town of Aczib[9] will prove deceptive to the kings of Israel.

(15) I will bring a conqueror against you who live in Mareshah.[10] He who is the glory of Israel will come to Adullam.

(16) Shave your heads in mourning for the children in whom you delight; make yourselves as bald as the vulture, for they will go from you into exile.

1. [9] Or He
2. [10] Gath sounds like the Hebrew for tell.
3. [10] Hebrew; Septuagint may suggest not in Acco. The Hebrew for in Acco sounds like the Hebrew for weep.
4. [10] Beth Ophrah means house of dust.
5. [11] Shaphir means pleasant.
6. [11] Zaanan sounds like the Hebrew for come out.
7. [12] Maroth sounds like the Hebrew for bitter.
8. [13] Lachish sounds like the Hebrew for team.
9. [14] Aczib means deception.
10. [15] Mareshah sounds like the Hebrew for conqueror.