Micah 3

Unjust Leaders Judged

1 Then I said, "Now listen,  * 3:1 Is 1:10; Mc 3:9 leaders of Jacob,

you rulers of the house of Israel.

Aren’t you supposed to know what is just?  * 3:1 Ps 82:1–5; Jr 5:5

2 You hate good and love evil.

You tear off people’s skin  * 3:2 Ps 53:4; Ezk 22:27; Mc 2:8; 7:2–3

and strip their flesh from their bones.

3 You eat the flesh  * 3:3 Ps 14:4; 27:2; Zph 3:3 of my people

after you strip their skin from them

and break their bones.

You chop them up  * 3:3 Ezk 11:3,6–7

like flesh for the cooking pot,

like meat in a cauldron."

4 Then they will cry out  * 3:4 Ps 18:41; Pr 1:28; Is 1:15; Jr 11:11 to the  Lord,

but he will not answer them.

He will hide his face from them at that time  * 3:4 Dt 31:17; Is 59:2

because of the crimes they have committed.

False Prophets Judged

5 This is what the  Lord  says

concerning the prophets

who lead my people astray,  * 3:5 Is 3:12; 9:15–16; Jr 14:14–15

who proclaim  * 3:5 Jr 6:14 peace

when they have food to sink their teeth into

but declare war against the one

who puts nothing in their mouths.

6 Therefore, it will be night  * 3:6 Is 8:20–22; 29:10–12 for you —

without visions;

it will grow dark for you —

without divination.  * 3:6 Dt 18:10; Jos 13:22

The sun will set  * 3:6 Is 59:10 on these prophets,

and the daylight will turn black over them.

7 Then the seers will be ashamed  * 3:7 Zch 13:4

and the diviners disappointed.  * 3:7 Is 44:25; 47:12–14

They will all cover their mouths  * 3:7 Lit mustache,* 3:7 Lv 13:45; Lm 4:13–15; Ezk 24:17,22; Mc 7:16

because there will be no answer from God.  * 3:7 1Sm 28:6; Is 29:9–12; Mc 3:4

8 As for me, however, I am filled with power  * 3:8 Is 61:1–2; Jr 1:18

by the Spirit of the  Lord,

with justice and courage,

to proclaim to Jacob his rebellion

and to Israel his sin.  * 3:8 Is 58:1

Zion’s Destruction

9 Listen to this, leaders of the house of Jacob,  * 3:9 Mc 3:1

you rulers of the house of Israel,

who abhor justice  * 3:9 Ps 58:1–2; Is 1:23

and pervert everything that is right,

10 who build Zion with bloodshed  * 3:10 Jr 22:13,17; Hab 2:12

and Jerusalem with injustice.

11 Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe,  * 3:11 Is 1:23; Mc 7:3

her priests teach for payment,  * 3:11 Jr 6:13

and her prophets practice divination for silver.

Yet they lean on the  Lord, saying,

"Isn’t the Lord* 3:11 Is 48:2 among us?

No disaster will overtake us."

12 Therefore, because of you,

Zion will be plowed like a field,

Jerusalem will become ruins,  * 3:12 Jr 9:11

and the temple’s mountain  * 3:12 Mc 4:1

will be a high thicket.  * 3:12 Jr 26:18