Micah 4-6

1In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to it.

2And many nations will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

3Then He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for strong nations far and wide. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor will they train anymore for war.

4And each man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the LORD of Hosts has spoken.

5Though all the nations may walk in the name of their gods, yet we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

6“On that day,” declares the LORD, “I will gather the lame; I will assemble the outcast, even those whom I have afflicted.

7And I will make the lame into a remnant, the outcast into a strong nation. Then the LORD will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever.

8And you, O watchtower of the flock, O stronghold of the Daughter of Zion— the former dominion will be restored to you; sovereignty will come to the Daughter of Jerusalem.”

9Why do you now cry aloud? Is there no king among you? Has your counselor perished so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?

10Writhe in agony, O Daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you will leave the city and camp in the open fields. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued; there the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies!

11But now many nations have assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion.”

12But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD or understand His plan, for He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

13Rise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion, for I will give you horns of iron and hooves of bronze to break to pieces many peoples. Then you will devote their gain to the LORD, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

1Now, O daughter of troops, mobilize your troops; for a siege is laid against us! With a rod they will strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.

2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel — One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.

3Therefore Israel will be abandoned until she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of His brothers will return to the children of Israel.

4He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD His God. And they will dwell securely, for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth.

5And He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and tramples our citadels. We will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.

6And they will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with the blade drawn. So He will deliver us when Assyria invades our land and marches into our borders.

7Then the remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind.

8Then the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which tramples and tears as it passes through, with no one to rescue them.

9Your hand will be lifted over your foes, and all your enemies will be cut off.

10“In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will remove your horses from among you and wreck your chariots.

11I will remove the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds.

12I will cut the sorceries from your hand, and you will have no fortune-tellers.

13I will also cut off the carved images and sacred pillars from among you, so that you will no longer bow down to the work of your own hands.

14I will root out the Asherah poles from your midst and demolish your cities.

15I will take vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations that have not obeyed Me.”

1Hear now what the LORD says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.

2Hear, O mountains, the LORD’s indictment, you enduring foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against His people, and He will argue it against Israel:

3‘My people, what have I done to you? Testify against Me how I have wearied you!

4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery. I sent Moses before you, as well as Aaron and Miriam.

5My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”

6With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?

7Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

9The voice of the LORD calls out to the city (and it is sound wisdom to fear Your name): “Heed the rod and the One who ordained it.

10Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed?

11Can I excuse dishonest scales or bags of false weights?

12For the wealthy of the city are full of violence, and its residents speak lies; their tongues are deceitful in their mouths.

13Therefore I am striking you severely, to ruin you because of your sins.

14You will eat but not be satisfied, and your hunger will remain with you. What you acquire, you will not preserve; and what you save, I will give to the sword.

15You will sow but not reap; you will press olives but not anoint yourselves with oil; you will tread grapes but not drink the wine.

16You have kept the statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab’s house; you have followed their counsel. Therefore I will make you a desolation, and your inhabitants an object of contempt; you will bear the scorn of the nations.”