HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1190
MIC A H 2
10
11
12
page 820
Don’t tell our enemies in Gath*;
don’t weep at all.
You people in Beth-leaphrah,*
roll in the dust to show your despair.
You 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.
The people of Maroth* anxiously wait
for relief,
but only bitterness awaits them
as the Lord’s judgment reaches
even to the gates of Jerusalem.
you take it by fraud and violence.
You cheat a man of his property,
stealing his family’s inheritance.
3
But this is what the Lord says:
“I will reward your evil with evil;
you won’t be able to pull your neck out
of the noose.
You will no longer walk around proudly,
for it will be a terrible time.”
4
In that day your enemies will make fun
of you
by singing this song of despair
about you:
“We are finished,
completely ruined!
God has confiscated our land,
taking it from us.
He has given our fields
to those who betrayed us.*”
Others will set your boundaries then,
and the Lord’s people will have
no say
in how the land is divided.
— promises —
from God
“Your king will lead you;
the Lord himself will
guide you.”
M I C A H 2 :1 3
13
14
15
16
Harness 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.
Send farewell gifts to Moresheth-gath*;
there is no hope of saving it.
The town of Aczib*
has deceived the kings of Israel.
O people of Mareshah,*
I will bring a conqueror to capture
your town.
And the leaders* of Israel
will go to Adullam.
Oh, 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.
Judgment against Wealthy Oppressors
1 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.
2 When you want a piece of land,
you find a way to seize it.
When you want someone’s house,
2
5
True and False Prophets
6 “Don’t say such things,”
the people respond.*
“Don’t prophesy like that.
Such disasters will never come our way!”
7
8
9
10
Should you talk that way, O family of
Israel?*
Will the Lord’s Spirit have patience
with such behavior?
If you would do what is right,
you would find my words comforting.
Yet to this very hour
my people rise against me like an
enemy!
You steal the shirts right off the backs
of those who trusted you,
making them as ragged as men
returning from battle.
You have evicted women from their
pleasant homes
and forever stripped their children of
all that God would give them.
Up! Begone!
This is no longer your land and home,
for you have filled it with sin
and ruined it completely.
1:10a Gath sounds like the Hebrew term for “tell.”
1:10b Beth-leaphrah means “house of dust.” 1:11a Shaphir
means “pleasant.” 1:11b Zaanan sounds like the Hebrew
term for “come out.” 1:11c Beth-ezel means “adjoining
house.” 1:12 Maroth sounds like the Hebrew term for
“bitter.” 1:13a Lachish sounds like the Hebrew term for
“team of horses.” 1:13b Hebrew the daughter of Zion.
1:14a Moresheth sounds like the Hebrew term for “gift” or
“dowry.” 1:14b Aczib means “deception.” 1:15a Mareshah
sounds like the Hebrew term for “conqueror.” 1:15b Hebrew
the glory. 2:4 Or to those who took us captive. 2:6 Or the
prophets respond; Hebrew reads they prophesy. 2:7 Hebrew
O house of Jacob? See note on 1:5a.