1 The message of the Eternal that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah--his visions of Samaria and Jerusalem.

2 

Attend, all nations,

listen, O earth and all on earth!

The Eternal has a warning for you,

the Lord from his sacred temple on high.

3 

Look, the Eternal descends from his place,

he strides on the heights of the earth!

4 

Mountains melt away before him,

valleys split asunder,

like wax before a fire,

like water pouring over a fall--

5 

“and all this for Jacob’s transgression,

for the sins of the house of Judah!

Jacob’s transgression? is it not in Samaria?

Judah’s sin? is it not in Jerusalem?

6 

So I will have Samaria ploughed up,

planted out with vines;

her stones I will pour down into the valley,

and lay bare her foundations,

7 

shattering all her metal gods,

burning all her idols,

and ruining her shrines--

once the prize of faithless living,

now the prey of faithless foes.”

8 

I will bewail this and lament,

I will go barefoot and unclad,

howling like a jackal,

wailing hoarsely like an ostrich;

9 

for Samaria’s is a deadly stroke,

her doom shall reach to Judah,

to the very gates of my own folk,

even to Jerusalem.

10 

Weep tears at Teartown (Bochim),

grovel in the dust at Dustown (Beth-ophrah)

11 

fare forth stripped, O Fairtown (Saphir)!

Stirtown (Zaanan) dare not stir,

Beth-esel . . .

12 

and Maroth hopes in vain;

for doom descends from the Eternal

to the very gates of Jerusalem.

13 

To horse and drive away, O Horsetown (Lakhish),

O source of Sion’s sin,

where the crimes of Israel centre!

14 

O maiden Sion, you must part with

Moresheth of Gath;

and Israel’s kings are ever balked

at Balkton (Achzib).

15 

I will march the conqueror on you yet,

O men of Mareshah;

and Israel’s pomp shall perish utterly.

16 

Israel, shave your head and hair,

in mourning for your children dear,

shave it like a vulture’s, bare;

for they are lost to you.