| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1This message from the LORD came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of the Judean kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah concerning the vision he saw about 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. |
| 2"Listen, people! All of you! Earth! Pay attention, and all you inhabitants of it! May the Lord GOD be a 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. |
| 3Look here! The LORD is coming from his place! He will come down and will trample down the high places throughout the land. | 3Look, the LORD is leaving His place and coming down to trample the heights of the earth. |
| 4The mountains will melt under him and the valleys will split apart, like wax in the presence of fire and like water gushing down a steep incline. | 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 comes about due to the transgression of Jacob, and due to the sins of the house of Israel. What is Jacob's sin? It's Samaria, isn't it? And what's Judah's high place? It's Jerusalem, isn't it? | 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 will turn Samaria into a mound of dirt in a field, a place to plant vineyards. And I will dump her building stones into the valley, uncovering her foundation. | 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 of her carved images will be crushed to pieces, all the earnings of her prostitution will be burned up, and I will destroy all her idols; because she collected the wages of prostitution, and to the wages of prostitution they will return." | 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. |
| 8"Therefore I will cry out and grieve loudly; I will walk around stripped and naked. I will cry out like a jackal and mourn like a company of ostriches. | 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 Samaria's injury is fatal, reaching all the way to Judah, extending even to the gate of my people—to Jerusalem." | 9For her wound is incurable and has reached even Judah; it has approached the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem. |
| 10"Don't discuss it in Gath! Don't cry bitterly in Akim! Roll in the ashes, Beth-leaphrah! | 10Don't announce it in Gath, don't weep at all. Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah. |
| 11Run away, you residents of Shaphir, displaying your shameful nakedness. Don't come out, you residents of Zaanan! Your firm standing will disappear as Beth-ezel mourns. | 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. |
| 12Even though the inhabitants of Maroth long for success, nevertheless evil descended from the LORD 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. |
| 13"You inhabitants of Lachish, harness your chariot to your swiftest steed— the daughter of Zion has begun to sin— because within you the transgressions of Israel were revealed. | 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 give your gifts to Moresheth-gath; that is, the houses of Achzib as a deceitful symbol to the kings of Israel. | 14Therefore, send farewell gifts to Moresheth-gath; the houses of Achzib are a deception to the kings of Israel. |
| 15Nevertheless, I will deliver an heir to you, inhabitants of Mareshah— to Adullam the glory of Israel will come. | 15I will again bring a conqueror against you who live in Mareshah. The nobility of Israel will come to Adullam. |
| 16"Shave your head and cut off your locks as you mourn your beloved children. Make yourself bald as an eagle, because 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. |
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