Micah 2 - Modern English Version

Woe to the Wicked

¹ Woe to those who conceive wickedness, to those who devise evil on their beds! At morning’s light they execute it, because it is in the power of their hand.

² They covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them. They defraud a man of his house, and a fellow man of his inheritance.

³ Therefore, thus says the Lord: Behold, I am devising disaster against this family, from which you cannot remove your necks; and you will not walk haughtily, for it will be a time of calamity.

⁴ In that day they will take up a taunt against you, and they will wail a wailing lament, and say: “We are totally ruined! He diminishes the portion of my people; how He removes it from me! To a traitor He reassigns our fields!”

⁵ Therefore you will not have anyone to apportion the land by lot in the assembly of the Lord.

Prophets of Deceit

⁶ “Do not prophesy,” they say. “One should not prophesy about these things. Disgrace will not overtake us.”

⁷ Should it be said, O house of Jacob, “Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient? Are these His deeds?” Do not My words benefit him who walks uprightly?

⁸ But lately My people rise up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly, like men returning from war.

⁹ The women of My people you drive out from their delightful homes; from their children you take My adornment forever.

¹⁰ Get up and go, for this is not the resting place, because uncleanness ruins, and ruin sickens.

¹¹ If a man, going about vapidly and deceitfully, lies, “I will preach for you wine and beer,” he would be just the preacher for this people.

The Restoration of Israel

¹² I will indeed assemble Jacob—all of you; I will indeed gather the remnant of Israel. I will place them together like sheep in a fold, like a herd in its pasture— thronging with people.

¹³ He who breaks through has gone up before them; they will break through and pass the gate and go out by it. Then their king will pass on before them, the Lord at their head.