God’s Coming Judgment

1This message from the LORD came to Micaha of Moresheth during the reigns ofb the Judean kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah concerning the vision he saw about Samaria and Jerusalem:

2“Listen, people! All of you!

Earth! Pay attention, and all you inhabitants of it!

May the Lord GOD be a witness against you—

the Lord from his holy Temple.

3Look here! The LORD is coming from his place!

He will come down

and will trample down the high placesc throughout the land.

4The mountains will melt under him

and the valleys will split apart,

like wax in the presence of fire

and like water gushing down a steep incline.

5All this comes about due to the transgression of Jacob,

and due to the sins of the house of Israel.

What is Jacob’s sin? It’s Samaria, isn’t it?

And what’s Judah’s high place?d It’s Jerusalem, isn’t it?

6“So I will turn Samaria into a mound of dirt in a field,

a place to plant vineyards.

And I will dump her building stones into the valley,

uncovering her foundation.

7All of her carved images will be crushed to pieces,

all the earnings of her prostitution will be burned up,

and I will destroy all her idols;

because she collected the wages of prostitution,

and to the wages of prostitution they will return.”

The Coming Destruction

8“Therefore I will cry out and grieve loudly;

I will walk around stripped and naked.

I will cry out like a jackal

and mourn like a company of ostriches.

9For Samaria’se injury is fatal,

reaching all the way to Judah,

extending even to the gate of my people—to Jerusalem.”

10“Don’t discuss it in Gath!f

Don’t cry bitterly in Akim!g

Roll in the ashes, Beth-leaphrah!

11Run away, you residents of Shaphir,

displaying your shameful nakedness.

Don’t come out, you residents of Zaanan!h

Your firm standing will disappear as Beth-ezel mourns.

12Even though the inhabitants of Maroth long for success,

nevertheless evil descended from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem.

13“You inhabitants of Lachish, harness your chariot to your swiftest steed—

the daughter of Zion has begun to sin—

because within you the transgressions of Israel were revealed.

14Therefore give your gifts to Moresheth-gath;

that is, the houses of Achzib as a deceitful symboli to the kings of Israel.

15Nevertheless, I will deliver an heir to you, inhabitants of Mareshah—

to Adullam the glory of Israel will come.

16“Shave your head

and cut off your locks as you mourn your beloved children.

Make yourself bald as an eagle,

because they will go from you into exile!”