The big picture
Micah 2 opens in verse 1 with “Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 7 with “O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are…”, and closes in verse 13 with “The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, people, prophesy, evil, devise. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Micah · King James Version · 13Micah 2:1-7
1–7: Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when…
Micah 2:1–7 opens with “Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they…” and reaches “O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Powerful landowners plotting at night and seizing family fields, followed by the promise of a gathered remnant, with particular weight carried by evil, LORD, prophesy.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because…” Naming Woe keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house…” The line’s distinctive content terms include covet, fields, heritage. Its relationship to verses 1 and 3 shows what work it does in this passage.
Micah 2:1-7
King James Version1Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
2And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
3Therefore thus saith the LORD ; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
4In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.
5Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD .
6Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
7O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
Micah 2:8-13
8–13: Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe…
Micah 2:8–13 opens with “Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them…” and reaches “The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Powerful landowners plotting at night and seizing family fields, followed by the promise of a gathered remnant, with particular weight carried by people, surely, Arise.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely…” Naming Even keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory…” The line’s distinctive content terms include children, glory, houses. Its relationship to verses 8 and 10 shows what work it does in this passage.
Micah 2:8-13
King James Version8Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
9The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
10Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
11If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
12I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
13The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Micah 2:1 begins with “Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.”
Where the chapter turns
Micah 2:7 forms a natural hinge: “O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh…”
The final note
Micah 2:13 leaves the reader with “The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, people, prophesy, evil, devise, fields help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
Which gifts come before the prohibition?
Life, the garden, food and meaningful work. The command occurs inside generosity.
How does chapter 2 deepen chapter 1?
It concentrates on dependence, partnership and responsibility within the shared human calling.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.