Judgment on Samaria and Jerusalem

Micah 1

The word of the Lord comes to Michaeas concerning Samaria and Jerusalem, describing the Lord's coming in judgment for the sins of both Israel and Judah. Samaria's idols and ill-gotten wealth will be destroyed, and the coming calamity is traced through a series of towns of Judah as the prophet calls the people to mourning.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonA WORD of the Lord came to Micah* the Morasthite in the days of Joatham and Achaz and Ezekias, kings of Juda, with regard to those things which he saw touching Samaria and touching Jerusalem:

BrentonAnd the word of the Lord came to Michæas the son of Morasthi, in the days of Joatham, and Achaz, and Ezekias, kings of Juda, concerning what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem.

GreekΚΑΙ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς Μιχαίαν τὸν τοῦ Μωρασθεὶ, ἐν ἡμέραις Ἰωάθαμ, καὶ Ἄχαζ, καὶ Ἐζεκίου βασιλέων Ἰούδα, ὑπὲρ ὧν εἶδε περὶ Σαμαρείας καὶ περὶ Ἱερουσαλήμ.

KJVThe word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

JPSThe word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

ThomsonHear, O peoples, words! and let this land attend and all who are in it. And let the Lord, Lord among you be a witness—the Lord from His holy temple.

BrentonHear these words, ye people; and let the earth give heed, and all that are in it: and the Lord God shall be among you for a testimony, the Lord out of his holy habitation.

GreekἈκούσατε λαοὶ λόγους, καὶ προσεχέτω ἡ γῆ, καὶ πάντες οἱ ἐν αὐτῇ· καὶ ἔσται Κύριος Κύριος ἐν ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτύριον, Κύριος ἐξ οἴκου ἁγίου αὐτοῦ.

KJVHear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the LORD from his holy temple.

JPSHear, ye peoples, all of you; Hearken, O earth, and all that therein is; And let the Lord GOD be witness against you, The Lord from His holy temple.

ThomsonFor behold, the Lord is coming forth from His place; and He will come down and walk on the heights of this land;

BrentonFor, behold, the Lord comes forth out of his place, and will come down, and will go upon the high places of the earth.

GreekΔιότι ἰδοὺ Κύριος ἐκπορεύεται ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτοῦ, καὶ καταβήσεται, καὶ ἐπιβήσεται ἐπὶ τὰ ὕψη τῆς γῆς,

KJVFor, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

JPSFor, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of His place, And will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

Thomsonand under Him the mountains will tremble, and the valleys shall melt like wax before fire, and be like water rolling down a precipice.

BrentonAnd the mountains shall be shaken under him, and the valleys shall melt like wax before the fire, and as water rushing down a declivity.

Greekκαὶ σαλευθήσεται τὰ ὄρη ὑποκάτωθεν αὐτοῦ, καὶ αἱ κοιλάδες τακήσονται ὡσεὶ κηρὸς ἀπὸ προσώπου πυρὸς, καὶ ὡς ὕδωρ καταφερόμενον ἐν καταβάσει.

KJVAnd the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.

JPSAnd the mountains shall be molten under Him, And the valleys shall be cleft, As wax before the fire, As waters that are poured down a steep place.

Thomson(J) All this is on account of the impiety of Jacob, and for the sin of the house of Israel. What is the impiety of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what is the sin of the house of Juda? Is it not Jerusalem?

BrentonAll these calamities are for the transgression of Jacob, and for the sin of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what is the sin of the house of Juda? is it not Jerusalem?

GreekΔιʼ ἀσέβειαν Ἰακὼβ πάντα ταῦτα, καὶ διʼ ἁμαρτίαν οἴκου Ἰσραήλ· τίς ἡ ἀσέβεια τοῦ Ἰακώβ; οὐχ ἡ Σαμάρεια; καὶ τίς ἡ ἁμαρτία οἴκου Ἰούδα; οὐχὶ Ἱερουσαλήμ;

KJVFor the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?

JPSFor the transgression of Jacob is all this, And for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?

ThomsonTherefore I will make Samaria like a hut of a field and like a plant of a vineyard, and I will drag the stones thereof into a ditch and lay her foundations bare.

BrentonTherefore I will make Samaria as a store-house of the fruits of the field, and as a planting of a vineyard: and I will utterly demolish her stones, and I will expose her foundations.

GreekΚαὶ θήσομαι Σαμάρειαν εἰς ὀπωροφυλάκιον ἀγροῦ, καὶ εἰς φυτείαν ἀμπελῶνος, καὶ κατασπάσω εἰς χάος τοὺς λίθους αὐτῆς, καὶ τὰ θεμέλια αὐτῆς ἀποκαλύψω.

KJVTherefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.

JPSTherefore I will make Samaria a heap in the field, A place for the planting of vineyards; And I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, And I will uncover the foundations thereof.

ThomsonAnd all her graven images shall be hacked to pieces; and all her earnings shall be burned with fire; and all her idols I will utterly destroy. Because she collected from the earnings of fornication, and from the earnings of fornication, amassed;

BrentonAnd they shall cut in pieces all the graven images, and all that she has hired they shall burn with fire, and I will utterly destroy all her idols: because she has gathered of the hires of fornication, and of the hires of fornication has she amassed wealth.

GreekΚαὶ πάντα τὰ γλυπτὰ αὐτῆς κατακόψουσι, καὶ πάντα τὰ μισθώματα αὐτῆς ἐμπρήσουσιν ἐν πυρὶ, καὶ πάντα τὰ εἴδωλα αὐτῆς θήσομαι εἰς ἀφανισμόν· διότι ἐκ μισθωμάτων πορνείας συνήγαγε, καὶ ἐκ μισθωμάτων πορνείας συνέστρεψεν.

KJVAnd all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

JPSAnd all her graven images shall be beaten to pieces, And all her hires shall be burned with fire, And all her idols will I lay desolate; For of the hire of a harlot hath she gathered them, And unto the hire of a harlot shall they return.

Thomsontherefore she shall wail and utter lamentations: she shall walk barefoot and naked; she shall utter a wailing like that of jackals; and moanings like the daughters of the ostrich,

BrentonTherefore shall she lament and wail, she shall go barefooted, and being naked she shall make lamentation as that of serpents, and mourning as of the daughters of sirens.

GreekἝνεκεν τούτου κόψεται, καὶ θρηνήσει, πορεύσεται ἀνυπόδετος, καὶ γυμνὴ ποιήσεται κοπετὸν ὡς δρακόντων, καὶ πένθος ὡς θυγατέρων σειρήνων.

KJVTherefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.

JPSFor this will I wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals, And a mourning like the ostriches.

Thomsonbecause her wound is large; because it hath come even to Juda and reached the gate of My people, even to Jerusalem.

BrentonFor her plague has become grievous; for it has come even to Juda; and has reached to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

GreekὍτι κατεκράτησεν ἡ πληγὴ αὐτῆς, διότι ἦλθεν ἕως Ἰούδα, καὶ ἥψατο ἕως πύλης λαοῦ μου, ἕως Ἱερουσαλήμ.

KJVFor her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

JPSFor her wound is incurable; For it is come even unto Judah; It reacheth unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

ThomsonMagnify not yourselves ye men of Gath, and ye Enakims, rebuild not from a [ruined] house, in derision. According to your derision you shall sprinkle yourselves with dust.

BrentonYe that are in Geth, exalt not yourselves, and ye Enakim, do not rebuild from the ruins of the house in derision: sprinkle dust in the place of your laughter.

GreekΟἱ ἐν Γὲθ μὴ μεγαλύνεσθε, καὶ οἱ Ἐνακεὶμ μὴ ἀνοικοδομεῖτε ἐξ οἴκου κατὰ γέλωτα, γῆν καταπάσασθε καταγέλωτα ὑμῶν,

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonSennaar, who dwelt at ease in her cities, went not forth to bewail a neighbouring house; from you she shall receive a painful wound.

BrentonThe inhabitant of Sennaar, fairly inhabiting her cities, came not forth to mourn for the house next to her: she shall receive of you the stroke of grief.

Greekκατοικοῦσα καλῶς τὰς πόλεις αὐτῆς, οὐκ ἐξῆλθε κατοικοῦσα Σενναὰρ, κόψασθαι οἶκον ἐχόμενον αὐτῆς, λήψεται ἐξ ὑμῶν πληγὴν ὀδύνης.

KJVPass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing.

JPS—

ThomsonWho led the way to good for her who was dwelling in sorrows, because evils from the Lord, a sound of chariots and horsemen came down against the gates of Jerusalem?

BrentonWho has begun to act for good to her that dwells in sorrow? for calamities have come down from the Lord upon the gates of Jerusalem,

GreekΤίς ἥρξατο εἰς ἀγαθὰ κατοικούσῃ ὀδύνας; ὅτι κατέβη κακὰ παρὰ Κυρίου ἐπὶ πύλας Ἱερουσαλὴμ,

KJVFor the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.

JPSFor the inhabitant of Maroth waiteth anxiously for good; Because evil is come down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.

ThomsonWas it the inhabitant of Lachis? She is a leader to sin for the daughter of Sion. Because in thee have been found the impieties of Israel,

Brentoneven a sound of chariots and horsemen: the inhabitants of Lachis, she is the leader of sin to the daughter of Sion: for in thee were found the transgressions of Israel.

Greekψόφος ἁρμάτων καὶ ἱππευόντων· κατοικοῦσα Λαχεὶς, ἀρχηγὸς ἁμαρτίας αὕτη ἐστὶ τῇ θυγατρὶ Σιὼν, ὅτι ἐν σοὶ εὑρέθησαν ἀσέβειαι τοῦ Ἰσραήλ.

KJVO thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.

JPSBind the chariots to the swift steeds, O inhabitant of Lachish; She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; For the transgressions of Israel are found in thee.

Thomsontherefore even to the inheritance of Gath he will give up idolatrous houses as abandoned. To the kings of Israel they were of no avail.

BrentonTherefore shall he cause men to be sent forth as far as the inheritance of Geth, even vain houses; they are become vanity to the kings of Israel;

GreekΔιατοῦτο δώσει ἐξαποστελλομένους ἕως κληρονομίας Γὲθ, οἴκους ματαίους, εἰς κενὸν ἐγένοντο τοῖς βασιλεῦσι τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ,

KJVTherefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

JPSTherefore shalt thou give a parting gift to Moresheth-gath; The houses of Achzib shall be a deceitful thing unto the kings of Israel.

ThomsonO inhabitant of Lachis! until the true heirs shall be brought in—O, Odollam! until an inheritance, the glory of the daughter of Israel, shall come,—

Brentonuntil they bring the heirs, O inhabitant of Lachis: the inheritance shall reach to Odollam, even the glory of the daughter of Israel.

Greekἕως τοὺς κληρονόμους ἀγάγωσι, κατοικοῦσα Λαχείς· κληρονομία ἕως Ὀδολλὰμ ἥξει, ἡ δόξα τὴς θυγατρὸς Ἰσραήλ.

KJVYet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.

JPSI will yet bring unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah, him that shall possess thee; The glory of Israel shall come even unto Adullam.

Thomsonshave thy locks and make thyself bald for thy delicate children; lengthen out thy widowhood like an eagle, for they shall be carried from thee into captivity.

BrentonShave thine hair, and make thyself bald for thy delicate children; increase thy widowhood as an eagle; for thy people are gone into captivity from thee.

GreekΞύρησαι, καὶ κεῖραι ἐπὶ τὰ τέκνα τὰ τρυφερά σου, ἐμπλάτυνον τὴν χηρείαν σου ὡς ἀετὸς, ὅτι ᾐχμαλωτεύθησαν ἀπὸ σοῦ.

KJVMake thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

JPSMake thee bald, and poll thee for the children of thy delight; Enlarge thy baldness as the vulture; For they are gone into captivity from thee.