The Lantern

Micah1

Judgment to Come

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 you people; listen, O earth, and all that is in it: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

For, look, the LORD comes out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

And the mountains shall be cast 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 its stones into the valley, and I will uncover its foundations.

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

Weeping and Mourning

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

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

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

Pass you away, you inhabitant of Saphir, having your shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of 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 you 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 you.

Therefore shall you 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 you, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come to Adullam the glory of Israel.

Make bald, and cut your hair for your delicate children; enlarge your baldness as the eagle; for they have gone into captivity from you.