Micah 2

God will punish wicked people

1  Terrible trouble will happen to people who do wicked things.

They lie awake at night as they make evil plans.

When morning comes, they do those wicked things.

They have the power to do what they want.

2 They take from other people the fields that they want for themselves.

They also take the houses that they want.

They cheat people to take their homes and their land.

It is land that belongs to those people's families.

3 So the Lord says this:

‘I am preparing to bring great trouble to you.

You will not be able to escape.

It will be a time when you suffer very much.

So you will no longer live as proud people.

4 At that time, your enemies will laugh at you.

They will sing this funeral song to insult you:

“Great trouble has completely destroyed us!

God is taking our land away from us.

He has divided our land into pieces

and he is giving it to our enemies.” ’

5 A time will come when the Lord's people receive their land again.

But you will not receive any part for yourselves.

The people do not want to hear God's true message

6 The people answered me,

‘Do not prophesy such bad things against us!

Do not say that the Lord will cause trouble for us

and make us ashamed!’

7 You descendants of Jacob should not talk like that!

Do you think that the Lord will always be patient with you?

But people who do things that are right

will be happy when they hear my message.

8 The Lord says:

‘You have become like enemies among my people.

You take shirts from people who think they are safe.

You rob soldiers who are returning home from war.

9 You take for yourselves the beautiful homes of my people's women.

You cheat their children

and you take away the good things that I have given to them.

10 Get up and go away!

You can no longer live safely in this place.

You have caused it to become an unclean place

and that will completely destroy it.

11 A prophet might come to you

and deceive you with lies.

He might say to you,

“I bring you a message about wine and strong drink!”

That is the kind of prophet that would make you happy.

God promises to bring his people back together

12  Descendants of Jacob, I will bring you all together again.

I promise to bring back together all Israel's people who remain.

I will bring them to a safe place,

as a shepherd takes care of his sheep.

They will be like many sheep in a field of grass,

a large crowd that makes a loud noise!

13 The one who has power to open a way will lead them out.

They will leave the cities of their enemies.

Their king will go in front of them.

Yes. I, the Lord, will be their guide.’