Micah 2

Chapter 2

Judgment against Wealthy Oppressors

1 What sorrow awaits you who lie awake at night,
thinking up evil plans.
You rise at dawn and hurry to carry them out,
simply because you have the power to do so.2 When you want a piece of land,
you find a way to seize it.
When you want someone’s house,
you take it by fraud and violence.
You cheat a man of his property,
stealing his family’s inheritance.3 But this is what the LORD says:
“I will reward your evil with evil;
you won’t be able to pull your neck out of the noose.
You will no longer walk around proudly,
for it will be a terrible time.”4 In that day your enemies will make fun of you
by singing this song of despair about you:
“We are finished,
completely ruined!
God has confiscated our land,
taking it from us.
He has given our fields
to those who betrayed us.t”5 Others will set your boundaries then,
and the LORD’s people will have no say
in how the land is divided.

True and False Prophets

6 “Don’t say such things,”
the people respond.t
“Don’t prophesy like that.
Such disasters will never come our way!”7 Should you talk that way, O family of Israel?t
Will the LORD’s Spirit have patience with such behavior?
If you would do what is right,
you would find my words comforting.8 Yet to this very hour
my people rise against me like an enemy!
You steal the shirts right off the backs
of those who trusted you,
making them as ragged as men
returning from battle.9 You have evicted women from their pleasant homes
and forever stripped their children of all that God would give them.10 Up! Begone!
This is no longer your land and home,
for you have filled it with sin
and ruined it completely.11 Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you,
“I’ll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!”
That’s just the kind of prophet you would like!

Hope for Restoration

12 “Someday, O Israel, I will gather you;
I will gather the remnant who are left.
I will bring you together again like sheep in a pen,
like a flock in its pasture.
Yes, your land will again
be filled with noisy crowds!13 Your leader will break out
and lead you out of exile,
out through the gates of the enemy cities,
back to your own land.
Your king will lead you;
the LORD himself will guide you.”

MICAH 2

Punishment for Those //Who Abuse //Their Power

1 Doomed! You're doomed!
At night you lie in bed,
making evil plans.
And when morning comes,
you do what you've planned
because you have the power.

2 You grab any field or house
that you want;
you cheat families
out of homes and land.

3 But here is what the [Lord] says:
“I am planning trouble for you.
Your necks will be caught
in a noose,
and you will be disgraced
in this time of disaster.”

4 When that happens,
this sorrowful song
will be sung about you:
“Ruined! Completely ruined!
The [Lord] has taken our land
and given it to traitors.”t

5 And so you will never again
own property
among the [Lord]'s people.

6 “Enough of your preaching!”
That's what you tell me.
“We won't be disgraced,
so stop preaching!”

7 Descendants of Jacob,
is it right for you to claim
that the [Lord] did what he did
because he was angry?
Doesn't he always bless
those who do right?

8 My people, you have turned against
one another!
You have even stolen
clothes right off the backs
of innocent neighbors
who pass by in peace.t

9 You take over lovely homes
that belong to the women
of my nation.
Then you cheat their children
out of the inheritance
that comes from the [Lord].t

10 Get out of here, you crooks!
You'll find no rest here.
You're not fit to belong
to the [Lord]'s people,
and you will be destroyed.t

11 The only prophet you want
is a liar who will say,
“Drink and get drunk!”

A Promise of Hope

12 I, the [Lord], promise
to bring together
the people of Israel
who have survived.
I will gather them,
just as a shepherd
brings sheep together,
and there will be many.

13 I will break down the gate
and lead them out—
then I will be their king.