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Beware, for disaster is coming to those who plan wickedness,
    who lie on their beds plotting evil.
When morning shines on them, they carry out their plans
    simply because they have the power to do so.
They see fields they want and take them.
    They see houses, and they grab them up.
They persecute each landowner, taking all that belongs to him—
    including his freedom and his children’s inheritance.

Eternal One: Look at what I am doing:
        I am preparing a calamity for you people,
    A yoke from which you will not be able to free your necks.
        You will not be able to walk with your noses in the air
    Because the times will be disastrous indeed.

On that day, you will be a subject of parodies;
    each of you land stealers will sing a dirge and say,
Oh no! We’re completely ruined!
    God has divided up my family’s inheritance.
And how has He taken it out of my hands?
    He has given my land to the conquerors.”
Because of this, you will have no descendant
    who can measure out your share in the Eternal’s community.

They say,
    “Don’t rattle on like this,”
But those same people preach falsehood themselves:
    “Calamity is not coming in our direction.”
Should it be said to the people of Jacob,
    “Has the Spirit of Eternal lost His patience with us?
Is this how He works?”

Eternal One: When I speak, don’t good things happen
        to the ones who uprightly follow My fair path?
    But recently My people became their own enemy.
        You strip the mantles off the clothes
    Of those just passing through, those who thought themselves safe,
        those who are opposed to war.
    You drive the women of My people from the homes they love.
        You steal My glory from their young children.
10     Get up and go! This is no place for you to rest,
        because when something is contaminated with evil,
    It destroys people painfully and completely.
11     If someone going on about nothing of worth wanders by and says,
        “I’ve come to preach to you of whiskey and wine,”
    Then these selfish people would hire him
        as their official speaker just because they like his message.

12     I will certainly gather you all together, people of Jacob;
        I will surely bring you together with the survivors of Israel’s decimation.
    I will gather them like sheep in a fold,
        and like a flock trapped in the center of their pasture,
    They will make a great noise, there will be so many of them.
13     Their leader breaks out first,
        then all break through the gate and escape.
    Their king will show the way, and the Eternal One will lead them.

Human Plans and God’s Plans

Woe to those who plan iniquity,
    to those who plot evil(A) on their beds!(B)
At morning’s light they carry it out
    because it is in their power to do it.
They covet fields(C) and seize them,(D)
    and houses, and take them.
They defraud(E) people of their homes,
    they rob them of their inheritance.(F)

Therefore, the Lord says:

“I am planning disaster(G) against this people,
    from which you cannot save yourselves.
You will no longer walk proudly,(H)
    for it will be a time of calamity.
In that day people will ridicule you;
    they will taunt you with this mournful song:
‘We are utterly ruined;(I)
    my people’s possession is divided up.(J)
He takes it from me!
    He assigns our fields to traitors.’”

Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the Lord
    to divide the land(K) by lot.(L)

False Prophets

“Do not prophesy,” their prophets say.
    “Do not prophesy about these things;
    disgrace(M) will not overtake us.(N)
You descendants of Jacob, should it be said,
    “Does the Lord become[a] impatient?
    Does he do such things?”

“Do not my words do good(O)
    to the one whose ways are upright?(P)
Lately my people have risen up
    like an enemy.
You strip off the rich robe
    from those who pass by without a care,
    like men returning from battle.
You drive the women of my people
    from their pleasant homes.(Q)
You take away my blessing
    from their children forever.
10 Get up, go away!
    For this is not your resting place,(R)
because it is defiled,(S)
    it is ruined, beyond all remedy.
11 If a liar and deceiver(T) comes and says,
    ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’(U)
    that would be just the prophet for this people!(V)

Deliverance Promised

12 “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob;
    I will surely bring together the remnant(W) of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
    like a flock in its pasture;
    the place will throng with people.(X)
13 The One who breaks open the way will go up before(Y) them;
    they will break through the gate(Z) and go out.
Their King will pass through before them,
    the Lord at their head.”

Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:7 Or Is the Spirit of the Lord