Micah 1
Samaria for her sins shall be destroyed by the Assyrians; they shall also invade Juda and Jerusalem.
1The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Moreshethite, in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw about Samaria and Jerusalem. 2All peoples, listen. And may the earth and its fullness pay attention. And may the Lord God be a witness to you, the Lord from his holy temple. 3For behold, the Lord will go forth from his place. And he will descend, and he will trample over the high places of the earth. ▼ 4And the mountains will be consumed under him, and the valleys will be torn apart, like wax before the face of fire, and like waters that rush swiftly downward. 5All this is for the wickedness of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the wickedness of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what is the loftiness of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem? ▼▼1:5The word ‘excelsa’ has a dual meaning. It can mean height, as in elevation, and it can mean height as in excellence. In this verse, in Latin, it means both. Jerusalem is a city built on a hill. Jerusalem is (and represents) also the excellence of faith in God. The translation uses ‘loftiness’ because this English word also has the same dual meaning.(Conte)
6And I will place Samaria like a pile of stones in the field, when a vineyard is planted. And I will pull down its stones into the valley, and I will reveal her foundations. 7And all her graven images will be cut to pieces, and all her rewards will be burned with fire, and I will place all her idols in perdition. For they have been gathered together from the pay of a kept woman, and even to the pay of a kept woman, they will return. ▼
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▼ 8I will lament and wail about this. I will go out despoiled and naked. I will make a howl like the dragons, and a mourning like the ostriches. 9For her wound has been in despair. For it has come even to Judah. It has touched the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem. ▼ 10Do not be willing to announce it in Gath; may you not lament with tears. In the house of Dust, besprinkle yourselves with dust. ▼
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▼▼1:10 Weep ye not, etc: Keep in your tears, that you may not give your enemies an occasion of insulting over you; but in your own houses, or in your house of dust, your earthly habitation, sprinkle yourselves with dust, and put on the habit of penitents. Some take the house of dust (in Hebrew, Aphrah) to be the proper name of a city.(Challoner)
11And cross over to your dwelling place, Beauty, bewildered by disgrace. She did not depart, who dwells at the place of departure. The House nearby, which remained firm by herself, will receive mourning from you. ▼▼1:11These two verses contain a play on words in Latin: Pulveris (dust) and Pulchra (beauty) are compared, making a link between the two terms. This play on words between Dust and Beauty does not continue in the English. However, ‘besprinkle’ and ‘bewildered’ is used in compensation, so as to maintain the connection between those two verses.(Conte)
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▼ 12For she has been weakened in goodness, who dwells in bitterness. For disaster has descended from the Lord to the gate of Jerusalem. ▼ 13A tumult of four-horse chariots has stupefied the inhabitants of Lachish. The beginning has been sin for the daughter of Zion, because in you have been found the evil deeds of Israel. ▼ 14Because of this, she will send emissaries to the inheritance of Gath: the house of Lying in order to deceive the kings of Israel. ▼ 15Nevertheless, I will lead an heir to you, who dwell in Mareshah: the glory of Israel will reach all the way to Adullam. ▼▼1:15 An heir, etc: Maresa (which was the name of a city of Juda) signifies inheritance: but here God by his prophet tells the Jews, that he will bring them an heir to take possession of their inheritance: and that the glory of Israel shall be obliged to give place, and to retire even to Odollam, a city in the extremity of their dominions. And therefore he exhorts them to penance in the following verse.(Challoner)
16Become bald and shaved for your delicate sons. Increase your baldness like the eagle. For they have been carried into captivity from you.
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