Micah Chapter 2 – Land Seizers and a Promised Remnant
Those who steal fields and houses by violence are warned they cannot escape judgment.
Following the town-by-town lament of Micah 1, this chapter turns to those who "devise iniquity" in their beds and wake to seize fields and houses by violence, oppressing families out of their own inheritance.
Alas for them who devise iniquity and work wickedness upon their beds,—in the light of the morning, they will execute it, for it is in the power of their hand.
Thus do they covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away,—and so they oppress the master and his household, the man and his inheritance.
Therefore,—Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! devising, against this family, a calamity,—from which ye shall not remove your neck, neither shall ye walk loftily, for, a time of calamity, shall it be.
In that day, shall one take up against you a by-word, and lament a lamentable lamentation, saying—we are made, utterly desolate, the portion of my people, he passeth to others,—How doth he set me aside! To an apostate, our fields, doth he apportion.
Therefore, shalt thou have none to throw a measuring-line by lot,—in the convocation of Yahweh.
Do not sputter—So they sputter! They must not sputter as to these things, Must he not put away reproaches?
O thou who art said to be the house of Jacob, Is the spirit of Yahweh, impatient? Or are, these, his doings? Are not, his words, pleasant to him who is upright in his walk?
But, against my people, as an enemy, he setteth himself, from off the robe, they tear away, the cloak,—from such as are passing by with confidence, as men averse from war.
The wives of my people, ye do even drive out, each from the house of her darlings,—from over her children, ye do take away mine ornament, as long as life shall last.
Arise ye and depart, for, this, is not the place of rest,—Because it is defiled, it shall make desolate with a desolation that is ruthless.
If there be a man, who goeth after wind, and, falsehood, hath woven, [saying] —I will discourse to thee, concerning wine and strong drink, then shall he become a fountain of discourse unto this people.
I will, surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee, I will, surely gather, the remnant of Israel, at once, will I make them like sheep in distress,—Like a flock in the midst of its pasture, shall they hum with men,
One making a breach, hath gone up, before them, they have broken in, and passed through, and, by the gate, have departed,—and their king, hath passed through, before them, with, Yahweh, at their head!