Micah 2

1Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

2And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.footnote a

3Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.

4In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.footnote bfootnote c

5Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.

6Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.footnote d

7O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?footnote efootnote f

8Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.footnote gfootnote h

9The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.footnote i

10Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.

11If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.footnote j

12I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.

13The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.

Woe to Oppressors

1Woe to those who devise iniquityand plot evil on their beds!At morning’s light they accomplish itbecause the power is in their hands. 2They covet fields and seize them;they take away houses.They deprive a man of his home,a fellow man of his inheritance.

3Therefore this is what the LORD says:“I am planning against this nation a disasterfrom which you cannot free your necks.Then you will not walk so proudly,for it will be a time of calamity. 4In that day they will take up a proverb against youand taunt you with this bitter lamentation:‘We are utterly ruined!He has changed the portion of my people.How He has removed it from me!He has allotted our fields to traitors.’”

5Therefore, you will have no one in the assembly of the LORDto divide the land by lot.

Reproof of False Prophets

6“Do not preach,” they preach.“Do not preach these things;disgrace will not overtake us.” 7Should it be said, O house of Jacob,“Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient?Are these the things He does?”Do not My words bring goodto him who walks uprightly? 8But of late My people have risen uplike an enemy:You strip off the splendid robefrom unsuspecting passersbylike men returning from battle. 9You drive the women of My peoplefrom their pleasant homes.You take away My blessingfrom their children forever.

10Arise and depart,for this is not your place of rest,because its defilement brings destruction—a grievous destruction! 11If a man of wind were to comeand say falsely,“I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”footnote ahe would be just the preacher for this people!

The Remnant of Israel

12I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob;I will collect the remnant of Israel.I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,like a flock in the midst of its pasture—a noisy throng. 13One who breaks open the waywill go up before them;they will break through the gate,and go out by it.Their King will pass through before them,the LORD as their leader.