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They confiscate the fields they desire
and seize the houses they want.[a]
They defraud people of their homes[b]
and deprive people of the land they have inherited.[c]

Therefore the Lord says this:

“Look, I am devising disaster for this nation![d]
It will be like a yoke from which you cannot free your neck.[e]
You will no longer[f] walk proudly,
for it will be a time of catastrophe.
In that day people will sing this taunt song to you—
they will mock you with this lament:[g]
‘We are completely destroyed;
they sell off[h] the property of my people.
How they remove it from me![i]
They assign our fields to the conqueror.’”[j]

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Footnotes

  1. Micah 2:2 tn Heb “they desire fields and rob [them], and houses and take [them] away.”
  2. Micah 2:2 tn Heb “and they oppress a man and his home.”
  3. Micah 2:2 tn Heb “and a man and his inheritance.” The verb עָשַׁק (ʿashaq, “to oppress”; “to wrong”) does double duty in the parallel structure and is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
  4. Micah 2:3 tn Heb “clan” or “extended family.”
  5. Micah 2:3 tn Heb “from which you will not remove your neck.” The words “It will be like a yoke” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  6. Micah 2:3 tn Or “you will not.”
  7. Micah 2:4 tc The form נִהְיָה (nihyah) should be omitted as dittographic (note the preceding וְנָהָה נְהִי venahah nehi).tn Heb “one will lament [with] a lamentation [and] say.”
  8. Micah 2:4 tn Or “exchange.” The LXX suggests a reading יִמַּד (yimmad) from מָדַד (madad, “to measure”). In this case one could translate, “the property of my people is measured out [i.e., for resale].”
  9. Micah 2:4 tn Heb “how one removes for me.” Apparently the preposition has the nuance “from” here (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
  10. Micah 2:4 tc The Hebrew term שׁוֹבֵב (shovev, “the one turning back”) elsewhere has the nuance “apostate” (cf. NASB) or “traitor” (cf. NIV). The translation assumes an emendation to שָׁבָה (shavah, “captor”).tn Heb “to the one turning back he assigns our fields.”

They covet fields(A) and seize them,(B)
    and houses, and take them.
They defraud(C) people of their homes,
    they rob them of their inheritance.(D)

Therefore, the Lord says:

“I am planning disaster(E) against this people,
    from which you cannot save yourselves.
You will no longer walk proudly,(F)
    for it will be a time of calamity.
In that day people will ridicule you;
    they will taunt you with this mournful song:
‘We are utterly ruined;(G)
    my people’s possession is divided up.(H)
He takes it from me!
    He assigns our fields to traitors.’”

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