Micah 2:8-11 - Compare All Versions

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Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning from battle. You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes. You take away my blessing from their children forever. Get up, go away! For this is not your resting place, because it is defiled, it is ruined, beyond all remedy. If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ that would be just the prophet for this people!

But lately my people have risen up as an enemy; you strip the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly with no thought of war. The women of my people you drive out from their delightful houses; from their young children you take away my splendor forever. Arise and go, for this is no place to rest, because of uncleanness that destroys with a grievous destruction. If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be the preacher for this people!

Yet to this very hour my people rise against me like an enemy! You steal the shirts right off the backs of those who trusted you, making them as ragged as men returning from battle. You have evicted women from their pleasant homes and forever stripped their children of all that God would give them. Up! Begone! This is no longer your land and home, for you have filled it with sin and ruined it completely. Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you, “I’ll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!” That’s just the kind of prophet you would like!

But recently my people have risen up like an enemy:  You strip off the splendid robe  from those who are passing through confidently,  like those returning from war. You force  the women of my people out of their comfortable homes, and you take my blessing  , from their children forever. Get up and leave, for this is not your place of rest  because defilement  brings destruction — a grievous destruction!  If a man comes and utters empty lies   — “I will preach to you about wine and beer”   — he would be just the preacher for this people!

Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war. The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever. Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction. If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

“Lately My people have risen up as an enemy— You pull off the robe with the garment From those who trust you, as they pass by, Like men returned from war. The women of My people you cast out From their pleasant houses; From their children You have taken away My glory forever. “Arise and depart, For this is not your rest; Because it is defiled, it shall destroy, Yes, with utter destruction. If a man should walk in a false spirit And speak a lie, saying, ‘I will prophesy to you of wine and drink,’ Even he would be the prattler of this people.

“What do you mean, ‘good people’! You’re the enemy of my people! You rob unsuspecting people out for an evening stroll. You take their coats off their backs like soldiers who plunder the defenseless. You drive the women of my people out of their ample homes. You make victims of the children and leave them vulnerable to violence and vice. Get out of here, the lot of you. You can’t take it easy here! You’ve polluted this place, and now you’re polluted—ruined! If someone showed up with a good smile and glib tongue and told lies from morning to night— ‘I’ll preach sermons that will tell you how you can get anything you want from God: More money, the best wines . . . you name it’— you’d hire him on the spot as your preacher! * * *

“Recently My people have arisen as an enemy— You strip the robe off the garment From unsuspecting passers-by, From those returned from war. “You evict the women of My people, Each one from her pleasant house. From her children you take My splendor forever. “Arise and go, For this is no place of rest Because of the uncleanness that brings on destruction, A painful destruction. “If someone walking after wind and falsehood Had lied and said, ‘I will prophesy to you about wine and liquor,’ He would become a prophet to this people.

“But lately My people have stood up as an enemy [and have made Me their antagonist]. You strip the ornaments off the garment Of those unsuspecting passers-by, Like those returned from war. “You evict the women (widows) of My people, Each one from her pleasant house; From her [young, fatherless] children you take away My splendor and blessing forever [by putting them among the pagans, away from Me]. “Arise and depart [because the captivity is inevitable], For this [land] is not the place of rest Because of the defilement that brings destruction, A painful and terrible destruction. “If a man walking in a false spirit [spouting deception] Should lie and say, ‘I will prophesy to you [O Israel] of wine and liquor (greed, sensual pleasure),’ He would be the acceptable spokesman of this people. [Jer 5:31]

but you rise up as an enemy against my people. You steal a robe from a friend, from those who pass by peacefully as if returning from a war. You wrongly evict widows among my people from their cherished homes. You defraud their children of their prized inheritance. But you are the ones who will be forced to leave! For this land is not secure! Sin will thoroughly destroy it! If a lying windbag should come and say, ‘I’ll promise you blessings of wine and beer,’ he would be just the right preacher for these people!