UST MIC Chapter 6

Yahweh accuses his people

6 Listen, everyone, because Yahweh has something to say:

“Micah, stand up and present my case,

and let the mountains and the hills be witnesses to what you say.”

2 You mountains, listen as Yahweh contends against his people.

You enduring foundations of the earth, pay attention,

because Yahweh is bringing charges against

his people;

he is arguing his case against Israel:

3 Yahweh says,“My people, you act as though I have harmed you!

You treat me as though I have made things difficult for you!

If you can accuse me of anything, then do it now!

4 Instead of doing bad things,

I brought

your ancestors out of Egypt,

rescuing them from the place where they had lived as slaves.

I sent Moses to lead them,

along with his older brother Aaron and his older sister Miriam.

5 My people, remember when Balak, the king of Moab, wanted to conspire with Balaam son of Beor to curse your ancestors,

and think about how Balaam answered him.

Remember what happened as your ancestors traveled from Shittim to Gilgal,

so that you may recognize that I, Yahweh, have always done the right things for you.”

6 An Israelite asks, “What should I bring when I come to Yahweh, the God who lives in the highest heaven,

and bow down before him?

Should I bring offerings to burn;

should I bring one-year-old calves as sacrifices?

7 Will Yahweh accept thousands of rams

or vast quantities of olive oil?

Should I sacrifice my firstborn child to pay for my sin?

Can a sacrifice from my physical body compensate for my spiritual sin?”

8 No! Yahweh has already told you, human person, what is good

and that he wants from you only this:

He wants you to do what is just, to love being faithful to others,

and to conduct yourself humbly as you live before your God.

The people of Israel are guilty and Yahweh must punish them

9 Yahweh is calling out a message to the city of Jerusalem.

(Truly wise people revere you, Yahweh.)

Listen carefully, you tribe of Israel and all leaders that Yahweh has appointed!

10 It disgusts me that wicked people still have wealth in their houses

that they got by cheating others and

that they use measures that are smaller than they should be.

This is something that I have cursed.

11 No one is innocent who uses dishonest scales

or a bag of deceptive weights.

12 The rich people in this city always act violently to others.

All of the people who live here tell lies.

Yes, they always speak deceitfully.

13 For my part, I will attack you severely.

I will ruin you because of your sins.

14 As for you, you will eat food, but it will not satisfy you

because it will rush right through you.

You will try to save people,

but you will not be able to rescue anyone

and even if you do rescue a few, I will allow enemies to kill them.

15 As for you, you will plant crops,

but you will not harvest them.

As for you, you will press olives,

but you will not get to use the olive oil.

Yes, also with the wine—you will crush grapes,

but you will not get to drink any of it.

16 These things will happen because you follow the wicked laws that King Omri established

and do all of the evil things that King Ahab and his descendants practiced.

You have lived according to what they advised,

so I will destroy your city

and cause people of other nations to scorn everyone who lives there.

Other peoples will detest you, because that is what my people deserve.”