Micah 6

The Lord’s Case Against Israel

6Listen to what the Lord says:

“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;^m

let the hills hear what you have to say.

²“Hear,ⁿ you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;^o

listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.

For the Lord has a case^p against his people;

he is lodging a charge^q against Israel.

³“My people, what have I done to you?

How have I burdened^r you?^s Answer me.

⁴I brought you up out of Egypt^t

and redeemed you from the land of slavery.^u

I sent Moses^v to lead you,

also Aaron^w and Miriam.^x

⁵My people, remember

what Balak^y king of Moab plotted

and what Balaam son of Beor answered.

Remember your journey from Shittim^z to Gilgal,^a

that you may know the righteous acts^b of the Lord.”

⁶With what shall I come before^c the Lord

and bow down before the exalted God?

Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,

with calves a year old?^d

⁷Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,^e

with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?^f

Shall I offer my firstborn^g for my transgression,

the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?^h

⁸He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justlyⁱ and to love mercy

and to walk humbly^aj with your God.^k

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

⁹Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—

and to fear your name is wisdom—

“Heed the rod^l and the One who appointed it.^b

¹⁰Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house,

and the short ephah,^c which is accursed?^m

¹¹Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales,ⁿ

with a bag of false weights?^o

¹²Your rich people are violent;^p

your inhabitants are liars^q

and their tongues speak deceitfully.^r

¹³Therefore, I have begun to destroy^s you,

to ruin^d you because of your sins.

¹⁴You will eat but not be satisfied;^t

your stomach will still be empty.^e

You will store up but save nothing,^u

because what you save^f I will give to the sword.

¹⁵You will plant but not harvest;^v

you will press olives but not use the oil,

you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.^w

¹⁶You have observed the statutes of Omri^x

and all the practices of Ahab’s^y house;

you have followed their traditions.^z

Therefore I will give you over to ruin^a

and your people to derision;

you will bear the scorn^b of the nations.^g”