Micah 2:1-13
1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppressa a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
3 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a dolefulb lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.
5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.
6 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
8 Even of latec my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
9 The womend of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
11 If a man walkinge in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.
Following this the prophet states the cause of the imminent judgment. The sin consists in devising evil at night and practicing it in the morning, and the abuse of authority. Covetousness, expressing itself in oppression, was the peculiar sin of the rulers. Against this Jehovah proceeds in just retribution, "I devise an evil."
The prophet then describes the mockery of observers who would imitate their sorrow, and finally declares that they will be utterly dispossessed. In the midst of his prophesying Micah was interrupted by false prophets, who charged him not to prophesy, protesting against his message, basing their objection to his announcement of judgment on the fact of God's goodness. To this objection Micah, in the name of Jehovah, answers that the changed attitude of His people toward Him accounts for Jehovah's change toward them. His people had risen up as an enemy.
He then charged the people to depart, declaring that such teaching could not give them rest, and then breaking out in indignant satire against the people who allowed themselves to be misled by false prophets.
This first message uttered in the hearing of the nations concerning the chosen people, closes with words spoken directly to Jacob. Its burden is evidently forthcoming deliverances, but as to detail it is undefined.