1 * I am Micah from Moresheth.* And this is the message about Samaria and Jerusalem* that the Lord gave to me when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah* were the kings of Judah.

2 Listen, all of you!

Earth and everything on it,

pay close attention.

The Lord God accuses you

from his holy temple.*

3 And he will come down

to crush underfoot

every pagan altar.

4 Mountains will melt

beneath his feet

like wax beside a fire.

Valleys will vanish like water

rushing down a ravine.

5 This will happen because of

the terrible sins of Israel,

the descendants of Jacob.

Samaria has led Israel to sin,

and pagan altars at Jerusalem

have made Judah sin.

6 So the Lord will leave Samaria

in ruins—

merely an empty field

where vineyards are planted.

He will scatter its stones

and destroy its foundations.

7 Samaria's idols will be smashed,

and the wages

of temple prostitutes*

will be destroyed by fire.

Silver and gold from those idols

will then be used by foreigners

as payment for prostitutes.

8 Because of this tragedy,*

I go barefoot and naked.

My crying and weeping

sound like howling wolves

or ostriches.

9 The nation is fatally wounded.

Judah is doomed.

Jerusalem will fall.

10 Don't tell it in Gath!

Don't even cry.

Instead, roll in the dust

at Beth-Leaphrah.*

11 Depart naked and ashamed,

you people of Shaphir.*

The town of Bethezel* mourns

because no one from Zaanan*

went out to help.*

12 Everyone in Maroth*

hoped for the best,

but the Lord sent disaster

down on Jerusalem.

13 Get the war chariots ready,

you people of Lachish.*

You led Jerusalem into sin,

just as Israel did.*

14 Now you will have to give

a going-away gift*

to Moresheth.*

Israel's kings will discover

that they cannot trust

the town of Achzib.*

15 People of Mareshah,*

the Lord will send someone

to capture your town.

Then Israel's glorious king

will be forced to hide

in Adullam Cave.*

16 Judah, shave your head

as bald as a vulture

and start mourning.

Your precious children*

will be dragged off

to a foreign country.