Micah 2

¹A curse on the designers of evil, working on their beds! in the morning light they do it, because it is in their power.

²They have a desire for fields and take them by force; and for houses and take them away: they are cruel to a man and his family, even to a man and his heritage.

³For this cause the Lord has said, See, against this family I am purposing an evil from which you will not be able to take your necks away, and you will be weighted down by it; for it is an evil time.

⁴In that day this saying will be said about you, and this song of grief will be made: The heritage of my people is measured out, and there is no one to give it back; those who have made us prisoners have taken our fields from us, and complete destruction has come to us.

⁵For this cause you will have no one to make the decision by the measuring line in the meeting of the Lord.

⁶Let not words like these be dropped, they say: Shame and the curse will not come to the family of Jacob!

⁷Is the Lord quickly made angry? are these his doings? do not his words do good to his people Israel?

⁸As for you, you have become haters of those who were at peace with you: you take the clothing of those who go by without fear, and make them prisoners of war.

⁹The women of my people you have been driving away from their dearly loved children; from their young ones you are taking my glory for ever.

¹⁰Up! and go; for this is not your rest: because it has been made unclean, the destruction ordered will come on you.

¹¹If a man came with a false spirit of deceit, saying, I will be a prophet to you of wine and strong drink: he would be the sort of prophet for this people.

¹²I will certainly make all of you, O Jacob, come together; I will get together the rest of Israel; I will put them together like the sheep in their circle: like a flock in their green field; they will be full of the noise of men.

¹³The opener of the way will go up before them: forcing their way out they will go on to the doorway and out through it: their king will go on before them, and the Lord at their head.

Micah 2

¹Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.

²They covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and take them away: and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

³Therefore thus says the Lord: "Behold, I am planning against these people a disaster, from which you will not remove your necks, neither will you walk haughtily; for it is an evil time.

⁴In that day they will take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, saying, 'We are utterly ruined! My people's possession is divided up. Indeed he takes it from me and assigns our fields to traitors!'"

⁵Therefore you will have no one who divides the land by lot in the assembly of the Lord.

⁶"Do not prophesy!" They prophesy. "Do not prophesy about these things. Disgrace won't overtake us."

⁷Shall it be said, O house of Jacob: "Is the Spirit of the Lord angry? Are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?"

⁸But lately my people have risen up as an enemy. You strip the robe and clothing from those who pass by without a care, returning from battle.

⁹You drive the women of my people out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away my blessing forever.

¹⁰Arise, and depart! For this is not your resting place, because of uncleanness that destroys, even with a grievous destruction.

¹¹If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies: "I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink;" he would be the prophet of this people.

¹²I will surely assemble, Jacob, all of you; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the midst of their pasture; they will swarm with people.

¹³He who breaks open the way goes up before them. They break through the gate, and go out. And their king passes on before them, with the Lord at their head.