Chapter 1

  The 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. 

  Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 

  For behold, the LORD cometh forth from his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 

  And the mountains shall be melted under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. 

  For 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? 

  Therefore I will make Samaria as a heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down her stones into the valley, and I will lay bare her foundations. 

  And all her graven images shall be beaten to pieces, and all her hires shall be burned with the fire, and all her idols will I lay desolate: for she gathered it from the hire of a harlot, and they shall return to the hire of a harlot. 

  Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls. 

  For her wound is incurable; for it is come to Judah; he is come to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem. 

  Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust. 

  Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame exposed: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive from you his standing. 

  For the inhabitant of Maroth waited anxiously for good: but evil came down from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem. 

  O 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. 

  Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. 

  Yet will I bring an heir to thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come to Adullam the glory of Israel. 

  Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.