1Woe is me! For I have become as when the summer fruit has been gathered, as when the grapes have been gleaned: there is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig that my soul desires. (Isa 17:6; Isa 24:13; Ho 9:10)2The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one upright among mankind; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net. (Ps 10:9; Ps 12:1; Ps 14:1; Ps 14:3; Isa 9:19; Isa 57:1; Ho 6:8)3Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together. (Ps 82:1; Mic 3:11; Zep 3:7)4The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, of your punishment, has come; now their confusion is at hand. (2Sa 23:6; Isa 22:5; Eze 2:6; Eze 33:2; Mic 3:6; Na 1:10)5Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms;[1] (Ps 141:3; Jer 9:4)6for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. (Eze 22:7; Mt 10:21; Mt 10:35; Mt 10:36; Lu 12:53)7But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. (La 3:26)8Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. (Ps 37:24; Ps 112:4; Jer 50:11; La 4:21; Mic 7:10)9I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication. (1Sa 24:15; Ps 37:6; Jer 10:19)10Then my enemy will see, and shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is the Lord your God?” My eyes will look upon her; now she will be trampled down like the mire of the streets. (2Sa 22:43; Ps 18:42; Joe 2:17; Mic 4:11; Mic 7:8)11A day for the building of your walls! In that day the boundary shall be far extended. (Ps 102:13)12In that day they[2] will come to you, from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt to the River,[3] from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain. (Ge 31:21; Isa 11:11; Isa 11:16; Isa 19:23; Isa 27:13; Ho 11:11; Zec 9:10; Zec 10:10)13But the earth will be desolate because of its inhabitants, for the fruit of their deeds. (Mic 6:13)14Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, who dwell alone in a forest in the midst of a garden land;[4] let them graze in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old. (Jos 19:26; Ps 23:4; Ps 28:9; Jer 50:19; Mic 5:4; Zec 10:10)15As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them[5] marvelous things. (Ps 78:12; Isa 11:16)16The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall lay their hands on their mouths; their ears shall be deaf; (Jud 18:19; Isa 26:11; Isa 52:15)17they shall lick the dust like a serpent, like the crawling things of the earth; they shall come trembling out of their strongholds; they shall turn in dread to the Lord our God, and they shall be in fear of you. (Ps 18:45; Ps 72:9; Isa 49:23; Mic 4:1)
God’s Steadfast Love and Compassion
18Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. (Ex 15:11; Ex 34:7; Ps 103:9; Jer 50:20)19He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our[6] sins into the depths of the sea. (Ps 80:14; Isa 38:17; Ro 6:14)20You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. (Ps 105:9; Lu 1:72)
Micah 7
New International Version
Israel’s misery
1What misery is mine! I am like one who gathers summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard; there is no cluster of grapes to eat, none of the early figs that I crave.2The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains. Everyone lies in wait to shed blood; they hunt each other with nets.3Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire – they all conspire together.4The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day God visits you has come, the day your watchmen sound the alarm. Now is the time of your confusion.5Do not trust a neighbour; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips.6For a son dishonours his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.7But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me.
Israel will rise
8Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.9Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.10Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame, she who said to me, ‘Where is the Lord your God?’ My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled underfoot like mire in the streets.11The day for building your walls will come, the day for extending your boundaries.12In that day people will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, even from Egypt to the Euphrates and from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.13The earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants, as the result of their deeds.
Prayer and praise
14Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pasture-lands.[1] Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago.15‘As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show them my wonders.’16Nations will see and be ashamed, deprived of all their power. They will put their hands over their mouths and their ears will become deaf.17They will lick dust like a snake, like creatures that crawl on the ground. They will come trembling out of their dens; they will turn in fear to the Lord our God and will be afraid of you.18Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry for ever but delight to show mercy.19You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.20You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago.
Micah 7
King James Version
1Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.2The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.3That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man , he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.4The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.5Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.6For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man' enemies are the men of his own house.7Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.8Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.9I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.10Then she that is mine enemy shall see it , and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.11In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.12In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.13Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.14Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.15According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things .16The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.17They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee.18Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.19He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.20Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
Micah 7
New International Reader’s Version
Israel’s sin brings suffering
1I’m suffering very much! I’m like someone who gathers summer fruit in a vineyard after the good fruit has already been picked. No grapes are left to eat. None of the early figs I long for remain.2Faithful people have disappeared from the land. Those who are honest are gone. Everyone hides and waits to spill the blood of others. They use nets to try and trap one another.3They are very good at doing what is evil. Rulers require gifts. Judges accept money from people who want special favours. Those who are powerful always get what they want. All of them make evil plans together.4The best of these people are as harmful as thorns. The most honest of them are even worse. God has come to punish you. The time your prophets warned you about has come. Panic has taken hold of you.5Don’t trust your neighbours. Don’t put your faith in your friends. Be careful what you say even to your own wife.6Sons don’t honour their fathers. Daughters refuse to obey their mothers. Daughters-in-law are against their mothers-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own family.7But I will look to the LORD. I’ll put my trust in God my Saviour. He will hear me.
Jerusalem will be rebuilt
8The people of Jerusalem say, ‘Don’t laugh when we suffer, you enemies of ours! We have fallen. But we’ll get up. Even though we sit in the dark, the LORD will give us light.9We’ve sinned against the LORD. So he is angry with us. His anger will continue until he takes up our case. Then he’ll do what is right for us. He’ll bring us out into the light. Then we’ll see him save us.10Our enemies will see it too. And they will be put to shame. After all, they said to us, “Where is the LORD your God?” But we will see them destroyed. Soon they will be trampled on like mud in the streets.’11People of Jerusalem, the time will come when your walls will be rebuilt. Land will be added to your territory.12At that time your people will come back to you. They’ll return from Assyria and the cities of Egypt. They’ll come from the countries between Egypt and the River Euphrates. They’ll return from the lands between the seas. They’ll come back from the countries between the mountains.13But the rest of the earth will be deserted. The people who live in it have done many evil things.
Prayer and praise
14LORD, be like a shepherd to your people. Take good care of them. They are your flock. They live by themselves in the safety of a forest. Rich grasslands are all around them. Let them eat grass in Bashan and Gilead just as they did long ago.15The LORD says to his people, ‘I showed you my wonders when you came out of Egypt long ago. In the same way, I will show them to you again.’16When the nations see those wonders, they will be put to shame. All their power will be taken away from them. They will be so amazed that they won’t be able to speak or hear.17They’ll be forced to eat dust like a snake. They’ll be like creatures that have to crawl on the ground. They’ll come out of their dens trembling with fear. They’ll show respect for the LORD our God. They will also have respect for his people.18LORD, who is a God like you? You forgive sin. You forgive your people when they do what is wrong. You don’t stay angry for ever. Instead, you take delight in showing your faithful love to them.19Once again you will show loving concern for us. You will completely wipe out the evil things we’ve done. You will throw all our sins into the bottom of the sea.20You will be faithful to Jacob’s people. You will show your love to Abraham’s children. You will do what you promised to do for our people. You made that promise long ago.