Covetous Schemers
2 Oy to them who scheme wickedness,
who work out evil upon their beds!
In the light of the morning, they do it,
for the power is in their hands.
2 They covet fields, so they seize them,
or houses, and take them away.
So they oppress a man and his house—
a man and his inheritance.
3 Therefore, thus said Adonai:
“Behold, I am scheming a calamity against this family
from which you cannot remove your necks.
Then you will not walk haughtily,
for it will be a time of distress.”
4 In that day He will lift up a parable for you,
and there will be wailing lamentation,
saying: “We have been utterly ruined!
He changes the portion of my people.
How He removes it from me!
To the faithless He apportions our fields!”
5 Therefore you will have no one casting for territory
by lot in the congregation of Adonai.
6 “Do not prophesy,” they prophesy.
Unless they prophesy about such things,
He will not turn back reproaches.”
7 Is it said, “O house of Jacob,
is the Ruach Adonai short of patience?
Are these His deeds?”
“Do not My words deal well
with one who walks uprightly?”
8 But recently My people arose as an enemy.
You strip off the outer robe of a garment
from those passing through confidently—
those returning from war.
9 The wives of My people you cast out
from their exquisite houses.
From her young children
you take away My splendor, forever.
10 Arise and go!
For this is not the resting place,
because of uncleanness that destroys—
a grievous destruction.
11 If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood speaks lies—
“I will prophesy for you of wine and strong drink”—
Then he would be a spokesman of this people.
12 “I will surely gather Jacob—all of you!
I will surely gather the remnant of Israel.
I will put them together like sheep in a pen,
like a flock within its pasture.
They will be noisy with people.
13 One breaking through will go up before them.[a]
They will break through,
pass through the gate and go out by it.[b]
Their King will pass through before them
—Adonai at their head!”
Footnotes
- Micah 2:13 cf. Matt. 11:12.
- Micah 2:13 cf. John 10:7, 9.