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Micah

Foretells judgment and restoration for Jerusalem and emphasizes doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God.

Chapter 3

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1 And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?

*I asked, "Please listen, leaders of Jacob and rulers of Israel's household, isn't it your duty to understand justice?"

2 Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;

*Who dislike what is good and prefer what is bad; who remove their skin and flesh from their bodies.

3 Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.

*Who not only eat my people's flesh but also remove their skin and break their bones into pieces, like meat in a pot or cooking in a cauldron.

4 Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

*Then they will call out to God, but he won't listen. He will turn away from them at that time because they've been bad in what they've done.

5 Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

*This is what God says about the false prophets leading His people astray, who bite like dogs and say 'peace,' and those who don't obey them, they start a war against them.

6 Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.

*So, when it's night, you won't see clearly or understand things. It will be dark for you to know more. The sun will set for the people who speak for God, and their day will be dark too.

7 Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.

*Then, the people who predict the future will be embarrassed, and those who try to communicate with the spirit world will be confused. Everyone will hide their mouths because God has nothing to say.

8 But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

*But really, I have the power from the LORD's Spirit to judge, be strong, and tell Jacob about their wrongdoing and Israel about their sins.

9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

*Listen carefully, leaders of Jacob's family and rulers of Israel's family. Do not dislike fairness and twist everything that is right.

10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

*They construct Zion using bloodshed and establish Jerusalem based on wrongdoing.

11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

*The leaders decide for a reward, the priests teach for payment, and the prophets predict for money. They trust in God and claim, "Isn't God with us? Nothing bad will happen to us."

12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

*So, Zion will be turned into farmland for you, while Jerusalem will become rubble, and the temple mountain will be like a forest's tall spots.

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* work in progress, there will be mistakes

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