Micah 2

1  WOE TO those who devise iniquity and work out evil upon their beds! When the morning is light, they perform and practice it because it is in their power.2  They covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away; they oppress and crush a man and his house, a man and his inheritance. 3  Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, against this family I am planning a disaster from which you cannot remove your necks, nor will you be able to walk erect; for it will be an evil time.4  In that day shall they take up a [taunting] parable against you and wail with a doleful and bitter lamentation and say, We are utterly ruined and laid waste! [God] changes the portion of my people. How He removes it from me! He divides our fields [to the rebellious, our captors].5  Therefore you shall have no one to cast a line by lot upon a plot [of ground] in the assembly of the Lord. 6  Do not preach, say the prophesying false prophets; one should not babble and harp on such things; disgrace will not overtake us [the reviling has no end].7  O house of Jacob, shall it be said, Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted, impatient, and shortened? Or are these [prophesied plagues] His doings? Do not My words do good to him who walks uprightly?8  But lately (yesterday) My people have stood up as an enemy [and have made Me their antagonist]. Off from the garment you strip the cloak of those who pass by in secure confidence of safety and are averse to war.9  The women of My people you cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away My glory forever.10  Arise and depart, for this is not the rest [which was promised to the righteous in Canaan], because of uncleanness that works destruction, even a sharp and grievous destruction.11  If a man walking in a spirit [of vanity] and in falsehood should lie and say, I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink, O Israel, he would even be the acceptable prophet of this people! 12  I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will surely collect the remnant of Israel. I will bring them [Israel] together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in the midst of their pasture. They [the fold and the pasture] shall swarm with men and hum with much noise.13  The Breaker [the Messiah] will go up before them. They will break through, pass in through the gate and go out through it, and their King will pass on before them, the Lord at their head.

Micah 2

Man's Plans and God's

1 Woe to those who plan iniquity,
to those who plot evil on their beds!
At morning's light they carry it out
because it is in their power to do it.

2 They covet fields and seize them,
and houses, and take them.
They defraud a man of his home,
a fellowman of his inheritance.

3 Therefore, the Lord says:
“I am planning disaster against this people,
from which you cannot save yourselves.
You will no longer walk proudly,
for it will be a time of calamity.

4 In that day men will ridicule you;
they will taunt you with this mournful song:
‘We are utterly ruined;
my people's possession is divided up.
He takes it from me!
He assigns our fields to traitors.’ ”

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

False Prophets

6 “Do not prophesy,” their prophets say.
“Do not prophesy about these things;
disgrace will not overtake us.”

7 Should it be said, O house of Jacob:
“Is the Spirit of the Lord angry?
Does he do such things?”

“Do not my words do good
to him whose ways are upright?

8 Lately my people have risen up
like an enemy.
You strip off the rich robe
from those who pass by without a care,
like men returning from battle.

9 You drive the women of my people
from their pleasant homes.
You take away my blessing
from their children forever.

10 Get up, go away!
For this is not your resting place,
because it is defiled,
it is ruined, beyond all remedy.

11 If a liar and deceiver comes and says,
‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’
he would be just the prophet for this people!

Deliverance Promised

12 “I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob;
I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
like a flock in its pasture;
the place will throng with people.

13 One who breaks open the way will go up before them;
they will break through the gate and go out.
Their king will pass through before them,
the Lord at their head.”