Aa
1The word of the Lord that came1:1 Hs 1:1; Jl 1:1; Zph 1:1 to Micah1:1 2Ch 29:5–11; 32:24–26; Jr 26:18 the Moreshite1:1 Mc 1:14 — what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem in the days of Jotham,1:1 2Kg 15:5,32–38; 2Ch 27:1–9; Is 1:1; Hs 1:1 Ahaz,1:1 2Kg 16:1–20; 2Ch 28:1–27; Is 7:1–12 and Hezekiah,1:1 2Kg 18:1–20; 2Ch 29:1–31 kings of Judah.
Coming Judgment on Israel
2Listen, all you peoples;1:2 1Kg 22:28; 2Ch 18:27; Jr 6:19; 22:29
pay attention, earth1:2 Or land and everyone in it!1:2 Ps 24:1; Is 34:1; Jr 47:2
The Lord God will be a witness against you,1:2 1Sm 12:5–6; Ps 50:7; Jr 42:5; Mal 3:5
the Lord, from his holy temple.1:2 Ps 11:4; Hab 2:20
3Look, the Lord is leaving his place1:3 Is 26:21
and coming down to trample
the heights1:3 Or high places of the earth.1:3 Am 4:13
4The mountains will melt beneath him,
and the valleys will split apart,
like wax near a fire,1:4 Ps 97:5; Is 64:1–2; Nah 1:5
like water cascading down a mountainside.
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?1:5 Is 7:9; Am 8:14
And what is the high place of Judah?1:5 2Ch 34:3–4
Isn’t it Jerusalem?
6Therefore, I will make Samaria
a heap of ruins1:6 Mc 3:12 in the countryside,
a planting area1:6 Jr 31:5; Am 5:11 for a vineyard.
I will roll her stones1:6 Lm 4:1 into the valley
and expose her foundations.1:6 Ezk 13:14
7All her carved images will be smashed1:7 Dt 9:21; 2Ch 34:7 to pieces;
all her wages1:7 Dt 23:18 will be burned in the fire,
and I will destroy all her idols.
Since she collected the wages of a prostitute,1:7 Dt 23:18
they will be used again for a prostitute.
Micah’s Lament
8Because of this I will lament and wail;
I will walk barefoot and naked.1:8 Is 20:2–4; 32:11
I will howl like the jackals1:8 Is 13:21–22
and mourn like ostriches.1:8 Or eagle owls; lit daughters of the desert
9For her wound is incurable1:9 Is 3:26; Jr 30:12,15
and has reached even Judah;1:9 2Kg 18:13–16; 19:31–37; Is 8:7–8
it has approached my people’s city gate,1:9 Mc 1:12
as far as Jerusalem.

10Don’t announce it in Gath,1:10 2Sm 1:20
don’t weep at all.
Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah.
11Depart in shameful nakedness,1:11 Ezk 23:29
you residents of Shaphir;
the residents of Zaanan1:11 Jos 15:37 will not come out.
Beth-ezel is lamenting;
its support1:11 Lit its standing place; Hb obscure is taken from you.
12Though the residents of Maroth
anxiously wait for something good,1:12 Is 59:9–11; Jr 14:19
disaster has come from the Lord1:12 Jdg 2:15; 2Kg 17:7; 21:12; Is 45:7; Mc 2:3
to the gate of Jerusalem.
13Harness the horses to the chariot,
you residents of Lachish.1:13 Jos 10:3; 2Kg 14:19; Is 36:2
This was the beginning of sin for Daughter Zion
because Israel’s acts of rebellion1:13 Mc 1:5 can be traced to you.
14Therefore, send farewell gifts1:14 2Kg 16:8 to Moresheth-gath;
the houses of Achzib1:14 Jos 15:44 are a deception1:14 Jr 15:18
to the kings of Israel.
15I will again bring a conqueror
against you who live in Mareshah.1:15 Jos 15:44
The nobility1:15 Lit glory of Israel will come to Adullam.1:15 Jos 12:15; 15:35; 1Sm 22:1; 2Sm 23:13
16Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair1:16 Jb 1:20; Is 22:12; Jr 7:29
in sorrow for your precious children;
make yourselves as bald as an eagle,
for they have been taken from you into exile.1:16 2Kg 17:6; Am 7:11,17