¶ The word of the LORD that came to Micah¹ the Morasthite in the days of Jotham², Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which³ he saw concerning⁴ Samaria and Jerusalem.

Hear, all ye people⁵; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is:⁶ and let⁷ the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from⁸ his holy temple.

For, behold, the LORD cometh⁹ forth out of his place¹⁰, and will come down, and tread¹¹ upon the high¹² places of the earth.

And the mountains¹³ shall be molten under him, and the valleys¹⁴ shall be cleft, as wax¹⁵ before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place¹⁶.

For the transgression of Jacob¹⁷ is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it¹⁸ not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they¹⁹ not Jerusalem?

Therefore I will make²⁰ Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour²¹ down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.

And all the graven²² images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires²³ thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for²⁴ she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

¶ Therefore I will wail²⁵ and howl, I will go²⁶ stripped and naked: I will make a wailing²⁷ like the dragons, and mourning as the owls²⁸.

For her wound is incurable²⁹; for it³⁰ is come unto Judah; he³¹ is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

¶ Declare³² ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah³³ roll thyself in the dust.

Pass³⁵ ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir³⁶, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan³⁷ came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing.

For the inhabitant of Maroth³⁸ waited carefully³⁹ for good: but⁴⁰ evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.

O thou inhabitant of Lachish⁴¹, bind⁴² the chariot to the swift beast: she⁴³ is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for⁴⁴ the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.

Therefore shalt thou give⁴⁵ presents to⁴⁶ Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib⁴⁷ shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

Yet will⁴⁸ I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah⁴⁹: he⁵⁰ shall come unto Adullam⁵¹ the glory of Israel.

Make thee bald⁵², and poll thee for thy delicate⁵³ children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for⁵⁴ they are gone into captivity from thee.