1I am Micah from Moresheth. And this is the message about Samaria and Jerusalem that the LORD gave to me when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were the kings of Judah.
2Listen, all of you! Earth and everything on it, pay close attention. The LORD God accuses you from his holy temple.
3And he will come down to crush underfoot every pagan altar.
4Mountains will melt beneath his feet like wax beside a fire. Valleys will vanish like water rushing down a ravine.
5This will happen because of the terrible sins of Israel, the descendants of Jacob. Samaria has led Israel to sin, and pagan altars at Jerusalem have made Judah sin.
6So the LORD will leave Samaria in ruins-- merely an empty field where vineyards are planted. He will scatter its stones and destroy its foundations.
7Samaria's idols will be smashed, and the wages of temple prostitutes will be destroyed by fire. Silver and gold from those idols will then be used by foreigners as payment for prostitutes.
8Because of this tragedy, I go barefoot and naked. My crying and weeping sound like howling wolves or ostriches.
9The nation is fatally wounded. Judah is doomed. Jerusalem will fall.
10Don't tell it in Gath! Don't even cry. Instead, roll in the dust at Beth-Leaphrah.
11Depart naked and ashamed, you people of Shaphir. The town of Bethezel mourns because no one from Zaanan went out to help.
12Everyone in Maroth hoped for the best, but the LORD sent disaster down on Jerusalem.
13Get the war chariots ready, you people of Lachish. You led Jerusalem into sin, just as Israel did.
14Now you will have to give a going-away gift to Moresheth. Israel's kings will discover that they cannot trust the town of Achzib.
15People of Mareshah, the LORD will send someone to capture your town. Then Israel's glorious king will be forced to hide in Adullam Cave.
16Judah, shave your head as bald as a buzzard and start mourning. Your precious children will be dragged off to a foreign country.