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.
Deep dive
The movement opens with “Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light…” By verse 4, the text has turned to “In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation…” It lands on “O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 question, 3 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.
Accusation, warning, invitation to return, judgment, and hope each do different work. The prophet’s first audience anchors later questions about fulfillment. Words such as evil, LORD, prophesy, devise, fields, house tie the complete block together. The central idea, “Powerful landowners plotting at night and seizing family fields, followed by the promise of a gathered remnant,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.
Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Jacob, Prophesy, Woe. Its number language includes one. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 3: “Therefore thus saith the LORD ; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.
Words to trace: evil, LORD, prophesy, devise, fields, house
Verse-by-verse path
- Micah 2:1
“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.
- Micah 2:2
“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 2:3
“Therefore thus saith the LORD ; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
- Micah 2:4
“In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
- Micah 2:5
“Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD .” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
- Micah 2:6
“Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
- Micah 2:7
“O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
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.
Deep dive
The movement opens with “Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from…” By verse 10, the text has turned to “Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy…” It lands on “The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 verse naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.
Accusation, warning, invitation to return, judgment, and hope each do different work. The prophet’s first audience anchors later questions about fulfillment. Words such as people, surely, Arise, assemble, averse, Bozrah tie the complete block together. The central idea, “Powerful landowners plotting at night and seizing family fields, followed by the promise of a gathered remnant,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.
Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Arise, Bozrah, Even, Israel, Jacob. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 10: “Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.
Words to trace: people, surely, Arise, assemble, averse, Bozrah
Verse-by-verse path
- Micah 2:8
“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.
- Micah 2:9
“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 2:10
“Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
- Micah 2:11
“If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
- Micah 2:12
“I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
- Micah 2:13
“The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
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.
Questions to keep in mind while reading
- Identify the historical crisis, covenant failure, warning, and promised hope.
- Distinguish the prophet’s immediate audience from later biblical connections.
- Do not turn present-day headlines into confident fulfillment claims without textual evidence.
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.
Questions beneath the surface
- What account of God, human freedom, responsibility, and the good life emerges from Micah 2?
- Which tension does the chapter refuse to resolve quickly?
- What changes when the chapter is read as part of the whole canon rather than as an isolated moral story?
- Where might a sincere reader confuse a familiar tradition with something the text states directly?
Questions for serious personal contemplation
These open-ended questions make room for tension, honest response, prayer, and conclusions that remain accountable to the chapter.
Observe without rushing
What part of Micah 2 makes you stop, feel unsettled, or feel surprised, and why?
Which detail in the passage would be easiest to overlook? How does that detail change your understanding?
Where do you see tension between what happens and this focus: Powerful landowners plotting at night and seizing family fields, followed by the promise of a gathered remnant?
What important question does the passage leave open instead of resolving quickly?
Examine your inner life honestly
Which person, response, fear, or desire in the passage feels most like your own life right now?
What assumption about God, other people, or yourself does this text challenge?
Which part would you rather soften, avoid, or explain away too quickly? What might that reaction reveal?
If this Scripture could ask you one direct question, what do you think it would ask?
Respond with wisdom and courage
What do you need to remember, confess, grieve, thank God for, or trust after reading this passage?
How might another faithful person read this situation differently without ignoring the text?
What obedient response would be costly, uncomfortable, or slow, yet still faithful to Scripture?
What question will you carry into prayer this week, and which verses will you keep in front of you?