| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1This is the word of the LORD that came to Micah the Moreshite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem: | 1The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Moreshite--what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. |
| 2Hear, O peoples, all of you; listen, O earth, and everyone in it! May the Lord GOD bear witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple. | 2Listen, all you peoples; pay attention, earth and everyone in it! The Lord GOD will be a witness against you, the Lord, from His holy temple. |
| 3For behold, the LORD comes forth from His dwelling place; He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth. | 3Look, the LORD is leaving His place and coming down to trample the heights of the earth. |
| 4The mountains will melt beneath Him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope. | 4The mountains will melt beneath Him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax near a fire, like water cascading down a mountainside. |
| 5All this is for the transgression of Jacob and the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what is the high place of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem? | 5All this will happen because of Jacob's rebellion and the sins of the house of Israel. What is the rebellion of Jacob? Isn't it Samaria? And what is the high place of Judah? Isn't it Jerusalem? |
| 6Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble in the open field, a planting area for a vineyard. I will pour her stones into the valley and expose her foundations. | 6Therefore, I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the countryside, a planting area for a vineyard. I will roll her stones into the valley and expose her foundations. |
| 7All her carved images will be smashed to pieces; all her wages will be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols. Since she collected the wages of a prostitute, they will be used again on a prostitute. | 7All her carved images will be smashed to pieces; all her wages will be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols. Since she collected the wages of a prostitute, they will be used again for a prostitute. |
| 8Because of this I will lament and wail; I will walk barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich. | 8Because of this I will lament and wail; I will walk barefoot and naked. I will howl like the jackals and mourn like ostriches. |
| 9For her wound is incurable; it has reached even Judah; it has approached the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem itself. | 9For her wound is incurable and has reached even Judah; it has approached the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem. |
| 10Do not tell it in Gath; do not weep at all. Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah. | 10Don't announce it in Gath, don't weep at all. Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah. |
| 11Depart in shameful nakedness, O dwellers of Shaphir. The dwellers of Zaanan will not come out. Beth-ezel is in mourning; its support is taken from you. | 11Depart in shameful nakedness, you residents of Shaphir; the residents of Zaanan will not come out. Beth-ezel is lamenting; its support is taken from you. |
| 12For the dwellers of Maroth pined for good, but calamity came down from the LORD, even to the gate of Jerusalem. | 12Though the residents of Maroth anxiously wait for something good, disaster has come from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem. |
| 13Harness your chariot horses, O dweller of Lachish. You were the beginning of sin to the Daughter of Zion, for the transgressions of Israel were found in you. | 13Harness the horses to the chariot, you residents of Lachish. This was the beginning of sin for Daughter Zion, because Israel's acts of rebellion can be traced to you. |
| 14Therefore, send farewell gifts to Moresheth-gath; the houses of Achzib will prove deceptive to the kings of Israel. | 14Therefore, send farewell gifts to Moresheth-gath; the houses of Achzib are a deception to the kings of Israel. |
| 15I will again bring a conqueror against you, O dweller of Mareshah. The glory of Israel will come to Adullam. | 15I will again bring a conqueror against you who live in Mareshah. The nobility of Israel will come to Adullam. |
| 16Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair in mourning for your precious children; make yourselves as bald as an eagle, for they will go from you into exile. | 16Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair in sorrow for your precious children; make yourselves as bald as an eagle, for they have been taken from you into exile. |
|
