Micah 1:1

¹⁸“Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies says: “‘Zion will be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem will become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.’

¹The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

¹The LORD’s ^[+] word that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

¹The words of Amos, who was among the herdsmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

¹Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. ²He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, according to all that his father Uzziah had done. However he didn’t enter into the LORD’s temple. The people still acted corruptly. ³He built the upper gate of the LORD’s house, and he built much on the wall of Ophel. ⁴Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built fortresses and towers. ⁵He also fought with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents^[+] of silver, ten thousand cors^[+] of wheat, and ten thousand cors of barley.^[+] The children of Ammon also gave that much to him in the second year, and in the third. ⁶So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God. ⁷Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. ⁹Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city; and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

¹⁰In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. There is prostitution in Ephraim. Israel is defiled. ¹¹“Also, Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I restore the fortunes of my people.

⁹The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established.’”

⁵The pride of Israel testifies to his face. Therefore Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their iniquity. Judah also will stumble with them. ⁶They will go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD, but they won’t find him. He has withdrawn himself from them. ⁷They are unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the new moon will devour them with their fields. ⁸“Blow the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah! Sound a battle cry at Beth Aven, behind you, Benjamin! ⁹Ephraim will become a desolation in the day of rebuke. Among the tribes of Israel, I have made known that which will surely be. ¹⁰The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark. I will pour out my wrath on them like water. ¹¹Ephraim is oppressed, he is crushed in judgment, because he is intent in his pursuit of idols. ¹²Therefore I am to Ephraim like a moth, and to the house of Judah like rottenness. ¹³“When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to King Jareb: but he is not able to heal you, neither will he cure you of your wound. ¹⁴For I will be to Ephraim like a lion, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I myself will tear in pieces and go away. I will carry off, and there will be no one to deliver.

¹Ephraim feeds on wind, and chases the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and desolation. They make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt. ²The LORD also has a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his deeds he will repay him.

¹⁴For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses.”