| New Living Translation | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The LORD gave this message to Micah of Moresheth during the years when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. The visions he saw concerned both Samaria and Jerusalem. Grief over 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. |
| 2Attention! Let all the people of the world listen! Let the earth and everything in it hear. The Sovereign LORD is making accusations against you; the Lord speaks 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. |
| 3Look! The LORD is coming! He leaves his throne in heaven and tramples the heights of the earth. | 3Look, the LORD is leaving His place and coming down to trample the heights of the earth. |
| 4The mountains melt beneath his feet and flow into the valleys like wax in a fire, like water pouring down a hill. | 4The mountains will melt beneath Him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax near a fire, like water cascading down a mountainside. |
| 5And why is this happening? Because of the rebellion of Israel — yes, the sins of the whole nation. Who is to blame for Israel’s rebellion? Samaria, its capital city! Where is the center of idolatry in Judah? In Jerusalem, its capital! | 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? |
| 6“So I, the LORD, will make the city of Samaria a heap of ruins. Her streets will be plowed up for planting vineyards. I will roll the stones of her walls into the valley below, exposing 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. All her sacred treasures will be burned. These things were bought with the money earned by her prostitution, and they will now be carried away to pay prostitutes elsewhere.” | 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. |
| 8Therefore, I will mourn and lament. I will walk around barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl. | 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 my people’s wound is too deep to heal. It has reached into Judah, even to the gates of Jerusalem. | 9For her wound is incurable and has reached even Judah; it has approached the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem. |
| 10Don’t tell our enemies in Gath ; don’t weep at all. You people in Beth-leaphrah, roll in the dust to show your despair. | 10Don't announce it in Gath, don't weep at all. Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah. |
| 11You people in Shaphir, go as captives into exile—naked and ashamed. The people of Zaanan dare not come outside their walls. The people of Beth-ezel mourn, for their house has no support. | 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. |
| 12The people of Maroth anxiously wait for relief, but only bitterness awaits them as the LORD’s judgment reaches even to the gates 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 and flee, you people of Lachish. You were the first city in Judah to follow Israel in her rebellion, and you led Jerusalem into sin. | 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. |
| 14Send farewell gifts to Moresheth-gath ; there is no hope of saving it. The town of Aczib has deceived the kings of Israel. | 14Therefore, send farewell gifts to Moresheth-gath; the houses of Achzib are a deception to the kings of Israel. |
| 15O people of Mareshah, I will bring a conqueror to capture your town. And the leaders of Israel will go to Adullam. | 15I will again bring a conqueror against you who live in Mareshah. The nobility of Israel will come to Adullam. |
| 16Oh, people of Judah, shave your heads in sorrow, for the children you love will be snatched away. Make yourselves as bald as a vulture, for your little ones will be exiled to distant lands. | 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. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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