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The Prophet Micah

Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

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- Chapter 7 -

(Matthew 10:34–39; Luke 12:49–53)
1
Woe is me! For me it is like when the harvest of summer fruit is over, and also even the gleaning of the leftover grapes in the vineyards: There are no more clusters of fruit to be found, none of the early figs that I crave.
2
Faithful people have disappeared from the land, there is no upright person in all mankind. They all lie in wait to shed blood; each one hunts his own brother with a net.
3
Their hands are very good at doing harm: The ruler asks for money, the judge is ready for bribes, and the powerful man is saying to others what he wants to obtain. Thus they plot together.
4
The best of them is like briers, the most upright is a hedge of thorns. It is the day foretold by your watchmen, the day of your punishment. Now is the time of their confusion.
5
Do not trust any neighbor; put no confidence in any friend. Be careful about what you say even to the woman who lies in your arms.
6
For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the people of his own house.

Israel’s Confession and Comfort

7
But as for me, I will look to Yahweh. I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.
8
Do not rejoice over me, my enemy. After I fall, I will rise. When I sit in darkness, Yahweh will be a light for me.
9
Because I sinned against Yahweh, I will bear his rage until he pleads my cause, and executes judgment for me. He will bring me to the light, and I will see him rescue me in his justice.
10
Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover the one who said to me, “Where is Yahweh your God?” My eyes will look at her; she will be trampled down like the mud in the streets.
11
A day to build your walls will come; on that day the boundaries will be extended very far.
12
On that day your people will come to you, from Assyria and the cities in Egypt, from Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates, from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
13
Those lands will be abandoned because of the people who are living there now, because of the fruit of their actions.

God’s Compassion on Israel

14
Shepherd your people with your rod, the flock of your inheritance. They live alone in a forest, in the midst of a plantation. Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead like in the old days.
15
As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders.
16
The nations will see and be ashamed of all their power. They will put their hands on their mouths; their ears will be deaf.
17
They will lick the dust like a snake, like creatures that crawl on the earth. They will come out of their dens with fear; they will come with fear to you, Yahweh our God, and they will be afraid because of you.
18
Who is a God like you, you who take away sin, you who pass over the transgression of the remnant of your inheritance? You do not keep your anger forever, because you love to show us your covenant faithfulness.
19
You will again have compassion on us; you will trample our iniquities under your feet. You will throw all our sins into the depths of the sea.
20
You will give truth to Jacob and covenant faithfulness to Abraham, as you swore to our ancestors in ancient days.
(Matthew 10:34–39; Luke 12:49–53)
1
Misery is mine! Indeed, I am like one who gathers the summer fruits, as gleanings of the vineyard. There is no cluster of grapes to eat. My soul desires to eat the early fig.
2
The godly man has perished out of the earth, and there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; every man hunts his brother with a net.
3
Their hands are on that which is evil to do it diligently. The ruler and judge ask for a bribe. The powerful man dictates the evil desire of his soul. Thus they conspire together.
4
The best of them is like a brier. The most upright is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, even your visitation, has come; now is the time of their confusion.
5
Don’t trust in a neighbor. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth!
6
For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.

Israel’s Confession and Comfort

7
But as for me, I will look to the LORD. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
8
Don’t rejoice against me, my enemy. When I fall, I will arise. When I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.
9
I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my case and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light. I will see his righteousness.
10
Then my enemy will see it, and shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will see her. Now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets.
11
A day to build your walls! In that day, he will extend your boundary.
12
In that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt even to the River, and from sea to sea, and mountain to mountain.
13
Yet the land will be desolate because of those who dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

God’s Compassion on Israel

14
Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your heritage, who dwell by themselves in a forest. Let them feed in the middle of fertile pasture land, in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
15
As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things.”
16
The nations will see and be ashamed of all their might. They will lay their hand on their mouth. Their ears will be deaf.
17
They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth, they will come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to the LORD our God, and will be afraid because of you.
18
Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.
19
He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20
You will give truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.