Woe to the Oppressors of God’s People

Micah 2 Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, then take them away. They oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. Therefore YHWH says: “Look! I am planning evil for this family, from which y’al cannot free your necks. Then y’all will not walk proudly, for it is an time of evil. In that day they will take up a parable against y’all, and lament with a mournful lamentation, saying, ‘We are destroyed-destroyed! My people’s possession is divided up. Indeed he takes it from me and assigns our fields to traitors!’” Therefore you will have no one who divides the land by lot in YHWH’s assembly. “Y’all must not prophesy!”—they prophesy. “Don’t prophesy about these things. Disgrace won’t overtake us.” Should it be said, O house of Jacob, “Is the Spirit of YHWH angry? Are these his doings? Don’t my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?” But lately my people have risen up as an enemy. Y’all strip the robe and clothing from those who pass by without a care, returning from battle. Y’all are forcing the women of my people out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away my blessing forever. Y’all must get up go! For this is not a resting place, because uncleanness destroys with a grievous destruction. If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies, saying, “I will prophesy to you of wine and beer,” he would be the prophet of this people. I will assemble-assemble all of you, Jacob. I will gather-gather the remnant of Israel. I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the middle of their pasture. They will swarm with people. He who breaks open the way goes up before them. They break through the gate, and go out. Their king passes on before them, with YHWH at their head.