Micah 2:1
New International Version
Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.

New Living Translation
What sorrow awaits you who lie awake at night, thinking up evil plans. You rise at dawn and hurry to carry them out, simply because you have the power to do so.

English Standard Version
Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand.

Berean Standard Bible
Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Woe to those who devise iniquity, And work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, Because it is in the power of their hand.

New American Standard Bible
Woe to those who devise wrongdoing, Who practice evil on their beds! When morning comes, they do it, Because it is in the power of their hands.

NASB 1995
Woe to those who scheme iniquity, Who work out evil on their beds! When morning comes, they do it, For it is in the power of their hands.

NASB 1977
Woe to those who scheme iniquity, Who work out evil on their beds! When morning comes, they do it, For it is in the power of their hands.

Legacy Standard Bible
Woe to those who devise wickedness, Who work out evil on their beds! When the light of the morning comes, they do it, For it is in the power of their hands.

Amplified Bible
Woe (judgment is coming) to those who devise wickedness And plot evil on their beds! When morning comes, they practice evil Because it is in the power of their hands.

Christian Standard Bible
Woe to those who dream up wickedness and prepare evil plans on their beds! At morning light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Woe to those who dream up wickedness and prepare evil plans on their beds! At morning light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
Doomed! You're doomed! At night you lie in bed, making evil plans. And when morning comes, you do what you've planned because you have the power.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
How horrible it will be for those who invent trouble and work out plans for disaster while in bed. When the morning dawns, they carry out their plans because they are able to.

Good News Translation
How terrible it will be for those who lie awake and plan evil! When morning comes, as soon as they have the chance, they do the evil they planned.

International Standard Version
"Woe to those who are crafting iniquity, planning evil well into the night! When morning's light comes, they carry out their plans because they have the power to do so.

Majority Standard Bible
Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.

NET Bible
Those who devise sinful plans are as good as dead, those who dream about doing evil as they lie in bed. As soon as morning dawns they carry out their plans, because they have the power to do so.

New Heart English Bible
Woe to those who 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.

World English Bible
Woe to those who 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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Woe [to] those devising iniquity, "" And working evil on their beds, "" In the morning light they do it, "" For their hand is—to God.

Young's Literal Translation
Woe to those devising iniquity, And working evil on their beds, In the light of the morning they do it, For their hand is -- to God.

Smith's Literal Translation
Wo to them purposing vanity, and working evil upon their beds! In the light of the morning they will do it because it is to the strength of their hand.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Woe to you that devise that which is unprofitable, and work evil in your beds: in the morning light they execute it, because their hand is against God.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Woe to you who devise useless things and who work evil in your beds. In the morning light, they undertake it, because their hand is against God.

New American Bible
Ah! you plotters of iniquity, who work out evil on your beds! In the morning light you carry it out for it lies within your power.

New Revised Standard Version
Alas for those who devise wickedness and evil deeds on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in their power.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
WOE to those who devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! They rise up early every morning and practice what they have devised; then they lift up their hands toward God to pray.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Woe to those that are plotting fraud and they do evil on their bed, and they arise at dawn and they do the thing that they have conceived, and they lift up their hands to God!
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Woe to them that devise iniquity And work evil upon their beds! When the morning is light, they execute it, Because it is in the power of their hand.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
They meditated troubles, and wrought wickedness on their beds, and they put it in execution with the daylight; for they have not lifted up their hands to God.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Woe to the Oppressors
1Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands. 2They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance.…

Cross References
Isaiah 5:8
Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field until no place is left and you live alone in the land.

Isaiah 10:1-2
Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, / to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.

Habakkuk 2:9-12
Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, to place his nest on high and escape the hand of disaster! / You have plotted shame for your house by cutting off many peoples and forfeiting your life. / For the stones will cry out from the wall, and the rafters will echo it from the woodwork. ...

Amos 8:4-6
Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land, / asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales. / Let us buy the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the wheat!”

James 5:1-6
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. / Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. / Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and consume your flesh like fire. You have hoarded treasure in the last days. ...

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: / haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, / a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, ...

Jeremiah 22:13-17
“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages, / who says, ‘I will build myself a great palace, with spacious upper rooms.’ So he cuts windows in it, panels it with cedar, and paints it with vermilion. / Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him. ...

Ezekiel 22:29
The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have exploited the foreign resident without justice.

Isaiah 59:6-8
Their cobwebs cannot be made into clothing, and they cannot cover themselves with their works. Their deeds are sinful deeds, and acts of violence are in their hands. / Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake. / The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their tracks. They have turned them into crooked paths; no one who treads on them will know peace.

Zephaniah 1:9
On that day I will punish all who leap over the threshold, who fill the house of their master with violence and deceit.

Matthew 23:14
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.

Luke 12:15
And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

1 Timothy 6:9-10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. / For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Psalm 36:4
Even on his bed he plots wickedness; he sets himself on a path that is not good; he fails to reject evil.

Isaiah 32:7
The weapons of the scoundrel are destructive; he hatches plots to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.


Treasury of Scripture

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.

Cir.

Esther 3:8
And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.

Esther 5:14
Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.

Esther 9:25
But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

work.

Psalm 36:4
He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

Proverbs 4:16
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

when.

Hosea 7:6,7
For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire…

Matthew 27:1,2
When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: …

Mark 15:1
And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate.

because.

Genesis 31:29
It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

Deuteronomy 28:32
Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand.

Proverbs 3:27
Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.

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Beds Carry Curse Dawns Designers Devise Devising Evil Execute Hand Hands Iniquity Light Morning Morning's Perform Plan Plot Power Practice Practise Scheme Wickedness Wo Woe Work Working
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Micah 2
1. Against oppression.
4. A lamentation.
7. A reproof of injustice and idolatry.
12. A promise to restore Jacob.














Woe to those
The word "woe" is a powerful expression of lament and impending judgment. In Hebrew, it is "הוֹי" (hoy), often used by prophets to signal divine displeasure and the serious consequences of sin. This opening sets a somber tone, indicating that the actions of the people have reached a level that demands divine intervention. It serves as a warning to the audience, urging them to reflect on their ways and repent.

who devise iniquity
The phrase "devise iniquity" refers to the intentional planning of sinful acts. The Hebrew word for "devise" is "חָשַׁב" (chashab), which means to think, plan, or calculate. This suggests a premeditated and deliberate engagement in wrongdoing. The term "iniquity" (עָוֶל, 'avon) implies moral perversity and injustice. This highlights the depth of corruption among the people, as they are not merely falling into sin but are actively plotting it.

and plot evil on their beds
"Plot evil" indicates a conscious and willful intention to do harm. The Hebrew word "פָּעַל" (pa'al) means to work or perform, emphasizing the active role in planning wickedness. The mention of "beds" suggests that these plans are made in private, during times of rest, when one should be at peace. This imagery underscores the pervasive nature of their sin, infiltrating even the most intimate and personal spaces of life.

At morning light they accomplish it
The phrase "at morning light" signifies the transition from planning to action. The Hebrew "בֹּקֶר" (boqer) means morning, symbolizing a new day and new opportunities. However, instead of using the morning for righteous pursuits, these individuals seize it to execute their evil schemes. This highlights their eagerness and determination to carry out their plans, showing a complete disregard for righteousness.

because it is in the power of their hand
This phrase reveals the underlying reason for their actions: the ability to do so. The Hebrew word "יָד" (yad) means hand, often symbolizing power and control. The people are exploiting their positions of authority and influence to perpetrate injustice. This reflects a broader theme in Micah and the prophetic literature, where those in power are often indicted for abusing their authority to oppress others. It serves as a reminder of the responsibility that comes with power and the divine expectation to use it justly.

II.

(1) Woe to them that devise.--The prophet proceeds to denounce the sins for which the country was to receive condign punishment at the hands of God. There is a gradation in the terms employed: they mark the deliberate character of the acts: there were no extenuating circumstances. In the night they formed the plan, they thought it out upon their beds, and carried it out into execution in the morning. So also the gradually increasing intercourse with the wicked is described, as reaching its culmination, in the first Psalm: Walking with the ungodly leads to standing among sinners, and at last sitting habitually in the seat of the scornful.

Verses 1-5. ? § 6. The prophet justifies his threat by recounting the sins of which the grandees and guilty. Verse 1. - The prophet, himself one of the people, first inveighs against the sins of injustice and oppression of the poor. Devise... work... practise. A gradation. They are not led into these sins by others; they themselves conceive the evil purpose in their own heart; then they prepare and mature their scheme by reflection; then they proceed to execute it. Work evil; i.e. prepare the means for carrying out their conception (comp Isaiah 41:4). Upon their beds. At night, the natural time for reflection (comp. Job 4:13; Psalm 4:4; Psalm 36:4). Is light. Far from shrinking from the light of day in putting into effect their evil projects, they set about their accomplishment as soon as ever the morning allows them. Because it is in the power of their hand. Their might makes their right. (For the phrase, comp. Genesis 31:29; Proverbs 3:27.) As the word el may be taken to mean "God" as well as "power," some render here, "For their hand is their god," comparing the boast of Mezentius in Virgil, 'AEneid,' 10:773 -

"Dextra mihi Deus et telum quod missile libro." The Vulgate has, Quoniam contra Deum est manus eorum; LXX., Διότιοὐκ η΅ραν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν χεῖρας αὐτῶν, Because they lifted not up their hands unto God." So the Syriac, with the omission of the negative.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Woe
ה֧וֹי (hō·w)
Interjection
Strong's 1945: Ah! alas! ha!

to those who devise
חֹֽשְׁבֵי־ (ḥō·šə·ḇê-)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2803: To think, account

iniquity
אָ֛וֶן (’ā·wen)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 205: Strictly nothingness, trouble, vanity, wickedness, an idol

and plot
וּפֹ֥עֲלֵי (ū·p̄ō·‘ă·lê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 6466: To do, make, to practise

evil
רָ֖ע (rā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

their beds!
מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָ֑ם (miš·kə·ḇō·w·ṯām)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4904: Place of lying, a couch, act of lying

At morning's
הַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ (hab·bō·qer)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1242: Dawn, morning

light
בְּא֤וֹר (bə·’ō·wr)
Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 216: Illumination, luminary

they accomplish it
יַעֲשׂ֔וּהָ (ya·‘ă·śū·hā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

because
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the power
לְאֵ֖ל (lə·’êl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 410: Strength -- as adjective, mighty, the Almighty

is
יֶשׁ־ (yeš-)
Adverb
Strong's 3426: Being, substance, existence, is

in their hands.
יָדָֽם׃ (yā·ḏām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3027: A hand


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OT Prophets: Micah 2:1 Woe to those who devise iniquity (Mc Mic. Mi)
Micah 1:16
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