4 Yahweh asked, "What right do you have to be angry?"

5 Jonah left the city and sat down east of it. He made himself a shelter there. He sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Yahweh Elohim made a plant grow up beside Jonah to give him shade and make him more comfortable. Jonah was very happy with the plant.

7 At dawn the next day, Elohim sent a worm to attack the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, Elohim made a hot east wind blow. The sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he was about to faint. He wanted to die. So he said, "I'd rather be dead than alive."

9 Then Elohim asked Jonah, "What right do you have to be angry over this plant?"

Jonah answered, "I have every right to be angry-so angry that I want to die."

10 Yahweh replied, "This plant grew up overnight and died overnight. You didn't plant it or make it grow. Yet, you feel sorry for this plant. 11 Shouldn't I feel sorry for this important city, Nineveh? It has more than 120,000 people in it as well as many animals. These people couldn't tell their right hand from their left."

a 1:16 Jonah 1:17 in English Bibles is Jonah 2:1 in the Hebrew Bible.

b 2:1 Jonah 2:1-10 in English Bibles is Jonah 2:2-11 in the Hebrew Bible.

c 3:3 Or "around."

Introduction to MICAH.

The eighth century BC was a time of turmoil for the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Pagan fertility cults were popular everywhere. Israel's monarchy ended in a rapid series of assassinations. Though some of Judah's kings feared God, most allowed idolatry to continue. Assyrian armies continually plagued both kingdoms, finally destroying Israel in 722 BC. Thanks to good King Hezekiah's reforms, Judah was spared for a time, though prophets warned that its judgment was coming. (You can read more historical background for this period in 2 Kings 15:32-20:21 and 2 Chronicles 27-32.) In the midst of the upheaval, four biblical prophets spoke God's truth to the leaders in Israel and Judah. In the north, Amos emphasized God's justice while Hosea pleaded with the people to accept God's loving care. In the south, the great prophet Isaiah preached about judgment and mercy, the gentle Messiah, and the new earth. Micah, also from the south, often sounds a lot like Isaiah. Like Isaiah, Micah writes of a Messiah who will "become the shepherd of his flock," adding the additional detail that he will come from Bethlehem (5:2-5). Micah's picture of the redeemed Israel living at peace closely resembles Isaiah's (compare 4:1-5 with Isaiah 2:2-4).

Micah warns Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom, and Jerusalem, capital of Judah, that their incessant idolatry will lead to destruction and exile. God will judge them for oppressing the poor through predatory lending practices, foreclosing on fields and houses, cheating, taking bribes, and obstructing justice. God's judgment, however, is not intended to wipe them out, but to teach them to love what is good. Micah summarizes what God wants of his people: "You mortals, Yahweh has told you what is good. This is what Yahweh requires from you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to live humbly with your Elohim" (6:8).

Micah sprinkles his warnings with hope. A remnant-that is, a small group of survivors-will return from exile, and God will turn them into a strong nation. "Who is an El like you?" he writes (and incidentally, this question is the meaning of Micah's name). "You forgive sin and overlook the rebellion of your faithful people. You will not be angry forever, because you would rather show mercy" (7:18).

Key Names of God in Micah Yahweh LORD Adonay Lord, Master Ruach Spirit Elohim, El God Yahweh Tsebaoth the LORD Almighty, the LORD of Armies, the LORD of Hosts MICAH.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7.

The Prophet Micah 1 1 Yahweh spoke his word to Micah, who was from Moresheth, when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. This is the vision that Micah saw about Samaria and Jerusalem.

The Capital Cities of Israel and Judah Destroyed 2 Listen, all you people!

Pay attention, earth and all who are on it.

Adonay Yahweh will be a witness against you.

Adonay will be a witness from his holy temple.

3 Yahweh is going to come from his place.

He is going to come down and step on the worship places of the earth.

4 Mountains will melt under him like wax near a fire.

Valleys will split apart like water pouring down a steep hill.

5 All this is because of Jacob's crime and Israel's sin.

What is Jacob's crime? Isn't it Samaria?

What is Judah's worship place? Isn't it Jerusalem?

6 So I will turn Samaria into a pile of rubble, a place for planting vineyards.

I will roll its stones down into a valley and expose its foundations.

7 All its idols will be smashed to pieces.

All its wages for being a prostitute will be burned.

All its statues will be turned into a pile of rubble.

Samaria collected its wages for being a prostitute.

That money will again pay for prostitutes.

8 I will mourn and cry because of this.

I will walk around barefoot and naked.

I will cry like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich.

9 Samaria's wounds are incurable.

The news about Samaria will come to Judah.

It will reach the gates of my people in Jerusalem.

10 Don't report it in Gath. Don't cry there.

Roll in the dust of Beth Leaphrah.a 11 Pass by, naked and ashamed, inhabitants of Shaphir.

Don't come out, inhabitants of Zaanan.

Beth Ezel is in mourning.

It will take its support away from you.

12 Wait anxiously for good, inhabitants of Maroth.

From Yahweh disaster will come on the gates of Jerusalem.

13 Harness the horses to the chariots, inhabitants of Lachish.

You were the first to lead the people of Zion into sin.

The rebellious acts of Israel are found in you.

14 That is why you will give farewell gifts to Moresheth Gath.

The town of Achzib will betray the kings of Israel.

15 I will again bring a conqueror against the inhabitants of Mareshah.

The glory of Israel will come to Adullam.

16 Shave your head in mourning for the children you love.

Make yourselves as bald as vultures because your children will be taken from you into exile.

Israel's Sins Are Condemned 2 1 How horrible it will be for those who invent trouble and work out plans for disaster while in bed.

When the morning dawns, they carry out their plans because they are able to.

2 They desire other people's fields, so they seize them.

They desire people's houses, so they take them.

They cheat a man and his family, a man and his inheritance.

3 So this is what Yahweh says: I'm planning a disaster to punish your family.

You won't be able to rescue yourselves.

You will no longer be able to walk proudly.

This will be a time of disaster.

4 When that day comes, people will make fun of you.

They will sing this sad song about you: "We are completely ruined.

Yahweh gives our people's possessions to others.

He takes them from us.

He divides our fields among our captors."

5 That is why none of you in Yahweh's assembly will draw lots to divide your property.

6 Your prophets say, "Don't prophesy!

Don't prophesy such things!

Disgrace will never overtake us."

7 Should the descendants of Jacob be asked: Has the Ruach Yahweh become impatient with you?

Has he done these things?

Are his words good for those who live honestly?

8 Recently, my people have turned into enemies.

You take coats from those who pass by without a care as they return from war.

9 You force the women among my people out of their pleasant homes and take my glory away from their children forever.

10 Get up, and go away!

This is not a place to rest!

It will be destroyed, completely destroyed, because it offends me.

11 Liars and frauds may go around and say, "We will preach to you about wine and liquor."

They would be just the type of preacher you want.

Israel Will Be Gathered Again by the LORD 12 I will surely gather all of you, Jacob.

I will surely bring together the few people left in Israel.

I will gather them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture.

They will make a lot of noise because there will be so many people.

13 The LORD will open the way and lead them.

They will break out, go through the gate, and leave.

Their king will travel in front of them.

Yahweh will lead the people.

Israel's Sinful Leaders-Rulers, Prophets, and Priests 3 1 Then I said: Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel.

You should know justice.