Scholarly comments are given in brackets after each verse.
Chapter 1
1 The word of the Lord, which came to Micah Morasfitin in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, the kings of Judah, and which was revealed to him concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. (There is a verbal suggestion on the part of the hypnotist priest. Perhaps this is a later insertion. We learn from it that Micah lived under the same kings as Isaiah, that is, from about 750 to 790 BC, and that Micah was from Moresheth, a small town in the southwest of Judea, in the neighborhood of the larger city of Lachish.These lands suffered greatly from the raids of neighboring tribes, and especially during the campaign of Senacherib against Palestine in 701: they were captured, plundered, and a large part of their population was taken into captivity Micah, therefore, unlike Isaiah from the capital, was a "provincial", which may partly explain why he regards Jerusalem as the center of sins (1:5; 3:10) and predicts that Jerusalem will be turned into a heap of ruins, while Isaiah, on the contrary, foretold that Jerusalem will be preserved as "a city of righteousness, a faithful capital" (Isaiah 1:26).).
2 Hear, all nations, listen, earth and all that fills it! May the Lord God be a witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple! (Appeal to the flock. Simultaneously with Isaiah, another prophet preached in Judea, whose speeches were also included in the Old Testament. His name was Micah or Micah).
3 For, behold, the Lord proceeds out of his place, and descends and treads on the high places of the earth—(The high places had a "sacred" status).
4 and the mountains will melt under him, the valleys will fall apart, like wax from fire, like waters flowing from the steep. (God is capable of everything).
5 All this is for the wickedness of Jacob, for the sin of the house of Israel. From whom is Jacob's wickedness? is it not from Samaria? Who [arranged] heights in Judah? isn't it Jerusalem? (Sinners are residents of both Samaria and Jerusalem).
6 Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the field, a place for growing grapes; I will cast down its stones into the valley, and I will lay bare its foundations. (The imminent fall of Samaria).
7 All her idols will be broken, and all her adulterous gifts will be burned with fire, and all her idols I will put to destruction, for she made them out of adulterous gifts, and they will be turned into adulterous gifts. (The idol idols that were given adulterous gifts will be destroyed.)
8 For this I will weep and wail, I will walk like a robbed and naked, howl like jackals, and weep like ostriches, (Comparison with animals).
9 because her defeat is painful, it has reached Judah, it has even reached the gates of my people, even Jerusalem. (The gate had a "sacred" status).
10 Do not announce it in Gath, do not cry loudly there; but in the village of Ofra cover yourself with ashes. (Crying, sprinkling ashes on the head – an expression of grief).
11 Move, inhabitants of Shafir, shamefully naked; she who dwells in Zaan will not run away; weeping in the village of Etzel will not allow you to stay there. (Proposal for resettlement, as a difficult time has come).