Micah’s prayer and Yahweh’s answer

14 Yahweh, protect your people like [MET] a shepherd protects his sheep by using his walking stick;

lead your people [MET] whom you have chosen to belong to you.

Even though some of them live by themselves in a forest,

give them the fertile pastureland

in the Bashan and Gilead regions

that they possessed long ago.

15 Yahweh says/replies,

“Yes, I will perform miracles for you

like the miracles that I performed when I rescued your ancestors from being slaves in Egypt.”

16 People from many nations will see what Yahweh does for you,

and they will be ashamed

because they do not have any power.

They will put their hands over their mouths and their ears because they will be very amazed because of what Yahweh does,

and they will not be able to say anything or hear anything.

17 Being very humiliated, they will crawl on the ground [MTY] like [SIM] snakes.

They will come out of their homes trembling,

and stand revering Yahweh our God.

They will be very afraid of him,

and will tremble in front of him.

18 Yahweh, there is no [RHQ] God like you;

you forgive the sins [DOU] that were committed by the people who have survived,

the people who belong to you.

You do not remain angry forever;

you are very happy to show us that you faithfully love us.

19 You will again act kindly/compassionately toward us.

You will get rid of the scroll on which you have written the sins that we have committed

as though you were trampling it under your feet

or throwing it into the deep ocean.

20 You will show that you faithfully do what you promised for us and faithfully love us,

just like you solemnly promised long ago to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob that you would do.