1The word of the LORD that came to Micah, the Morasthite, in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that is in it {therein is}; and let the LORD God be witness against you, the LORD from His holy temple. 3For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of His place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4And the mountains shall be melted {molten} under Him, and the valleys shall be cleft, like {as} wax before the fire, and like {as} the waters that are poured down a steep place. 5For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem? 6Therefore, I will make Samaria like {as} an heap of the field, and like {as} plantings of a vineyard; and I will pour down its {the} stones {thereof} into the valley, and I will uncover {discover} the foundations of it {thereof}. 7And all the carved {graven} images of it {thereof} shall be beaten to pieces, and all its {the} hires {thereof} shall be burned with the fire, and all its {the} idols {thereof} will I lay desolate; for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

8Therefore, I (Micah) will lament {howl} and wail {howl}, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing {howling} like the jackals {dragons}, and mourning like {as} the ostriches {owls}.

9For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he (Sennacherib) is come unto the gate of My people, even to Jerusalem. 10Declare {ye} it not at Gath, weep ye not at all; in the house of Aphrah, roll thyself in the dust. 11Pass {ye} away, thou inhabitant of Shaphir, having thy shame naked; the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth; in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of you his standing. 12For the inhabitant of Maroth waited anxiously {carefully} for good; but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem. 13O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast; she is the beginning of {the} sin to the daughter of Zion; for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee. 14Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath; the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. 15Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah; he shall come unto Adullam, the glory of Israel. 16Make thee bald, and cut off the hair of {poll thee for} thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.