Micah 3

1 Then I said: “Hear now [please listen, I pray you], O leaders [heads, chiefs] of Jacob [Israel, the chosen people], you rulers [princes, chiefs] of the house [family, descendants] of Israel. Should you not know [be aware of, understand] justice [judgment, what is right]? word study 2 You [hate with intense dislike] hate good [what is pleasant, beneficial] and love [have affection for] evil [what is bad, morally harmful]. You tear [plucking off violently] the skin [human skin, like animal hide] from my people and strip [taking away by force] the flesh [body, physical being] from their bones [the substance, essence of their being]. word study 3 You eat [devour, consume] the flesh [body, physical being] of my people [nation, community] after stripping off [removing, flaying] their skin [outer covering, hide] and breaking [shattering, crushing] their bones [framework, structure]. You chop them up [cut, divide] like flesh [meat, food] for the cooking pot [kettle, vessel], like meat [food, provision] in a cauldron [large pot, container].” word study 4 Then [at that time, in the future] they will cry out [plead for help, shout loudly] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], but He will not answer [respond, give an answer] them. At that time [in that moment, when it is too late] He will hide [conceal, turn away] His face [presence, countenance] from them because of the evil [wicked, harmful] they have done [committed, practiced]. word study 5 This is what the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] says: “As for the prophets [false spokesmen for God] who lead My people [nation, Amaw] astray [to go astray, wander], who proclaim [cry out, declare] peace [shalom, completeness, wellness] while they chew [bite] with their teeth, but declare [prepare, consecrate] war [battle] against one who puts [gives, sets] nothing in their mouths [lips, edge of something]: word study 6 Therefore [thus, in this manner] night [a time of darkness, adversity] will come over you without [lacking, devoid of] visions [revelations from God, prophetic insights], and darkness [a state of spiritual blindness, ignorance] without [absent, lacking] divination [the practice of seeking guidance through supernatural means, prophecy]. The sun [the sun; the east or the west] will set [come to an end, cease] on these prophets [those who speak on behalf of God, messengers], and the daylight [a period of spiritual understanding, illumination] will turn [become, change to] black [dark, devoid of light] over them. word study 7 Then the seers [prophets, visionaries] will be ashamed [disgraced, humiliated] and the diviners [fortune-tellers, magicians] will be disgraced [confounded, put to shame]. They will all cover their mouths [lips, faces] because there is no answer [response, reply] from God [Elohim, the supreme deity].” word study 8 As for me, however, I am filled [completely satisfied, made full] with power [strength, might] by the Spirit [the breath of life] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], with justice [judgment] and courage [might], to declare [to tell, to stand boldly] to Jacob [the son of Isaac and Rebekah] his transgression [rebellion, revolt] and to Israel [the descendants of Jacob] his sin [guilt, punishment for sin]. word study 9 Now hear this [please listen, give ear to this], O leaders [heads, chiefs] of the house [family, dwelling place] of Jacob [the father of the Israelites] and rulers [princes, commanders] of the house of Israel, who despise [abhor, hate] justice [righteous judgment, moral integrity] and pervert [twist, distort] all that is right [straight, upright, just], word study 10 who build [construct, establish] Zion [the city of God, the mountain of His holiness] with bloodshed [violent slaughter, shedding of innocent blood] and Jerusalem [the city of peace, the capital of Israel] with iniquity [wickedness, moral evil, unrighteousness]. word study 11 Her leaders [heads, chiefs, or princes] judge for a bribe [for reward, to influence their decisions], her priests teach for a price [for hire, for payment], and her prophets practice divination [prophecy, fortune-telling] for money [silver, wealth]. Yet they lean [support themselves, trust] upon the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], saying, “Is not the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] among us [in our midst, with us]? No disaster [evil, calamity] can come upon us [harm us, overtake us].” word study 12 Therefore [so, thus], because of you [on account of your actions], Zion [the city of God, a mountain in Jerusalem] will be plowed [cultivated, scratched] like a field [a flat area of land], Jerusalem [the city of peace] will become a heap [a pile, a mass] of rubble [broken stones, ruins], and the temple mount [the mountain of the house] a wooded [forest-like, overgrown] ridge [a high place, an elevation]. word study