Michoh
Introduction
From this book, it is important to note that Moshiach, in spite of his humble birth is not a mere human being, as it says of Moshiach in 5:2 that he shall “come forth unto Me [Hashem] that is to be Moshel Yisroel; whose goings forth (i.e. origins) have been mikedem, (from everlasting; see Hab 1:12), mimei olam (from the days of eternity).”
1
1 The Devar Hashem that came to Michah HaMorashti in the yamim of Yotam, Achaz, and Yechizkiyah, melachim of Yehudah, which he saw concerning Shomron and Yerushalayim:
2 Hear, all ye peoples;
hearken, O Eretz (earth), and all that is therein;
and let Adonoi Hashem be witness against you,
Adonoi from His Heikhal Kodesh.
3 For, hinei, Hashem cometh forth out of His dwelling place,
and will come down, and tread upon the high places of ha'aretz.
4 And the mountains shall melt under Him,
and the valleys shall be split apart,
like wax before the eish,
and like mayim that are poured down a steep place.
5 Because of the peysha (transgression) of Ya'akov is all this,
and because of the chattot Bais Yisroel.
What is the peysha of Ya'akov?
Is it not Shomron?
And what are the high places of Yehudah?
Are they not Yerushalayim?
6 Therefore I will make Shomron like a rubble heap of the sadeh,
and like a place for planting a kerem (vineyard);
and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley,
and I will lay bare her foundations.
7 And all the pesilim thereof shall be beaten to pieces,
and all the etnan (temple proceeds of cult prostitution) shall be burned with the eish,
and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate;
for she* gathered of the etnan (wage) of a zonah,
and they shall revert to the etnan (wage) of a zonah.
8 Therefore I will weep and wail,
I will go barefoot and arom (half-naked);
I will wail like the jackals,
and mourn like the ostriches.
9 For her wound is incurable;
for it is come unto Yehudah;
it is come unto the sha'ar ami (gate of my people)
even to Yerushalayim.
10 Declare ye it not at Gat,
weep ye not at all;
at Beit L'aphrah (House of Dust) roll thyself in the aphar (dust).
11 Pass ye on your way, thou inhabitant of Shaphir,
in nakedness and shame;
the inhabitants of Tza'anan dare not come out.
Beit-Ha'etzel is in mourning;
it withdraws from you its support.
12 For the inhabitant of Marot waited anxiously for relief;
but rah (evil) came down from Hashem unto the sha'ar Yerushalayim.
13 O thou inhabitant of Lakhish,
harness the merkavah to the swift horses;
it was the reshit chattat (beginning of sin) to Bat Tziyon;
for the transgressions of Yisroel
were found in thee.
14 Therefore shalt thou give shilluchim (parting gifts) to Moreshet-Gat;
the batim (houses) of Achziv shall be a deception
to the melachim of Yisroel.
15 Yet will I bring HaYoresh (The Heir, the one who takes possession) unto thee,
O inhabitant of Mareshah;
the kavod Yisroel shall come unto Adullam.
16 Shave your head in mourning
for the children who were your delight;
make yourselves as bald as the nesher (vulture);
for they are gone into the golus from thee.
* 1:7 i.e., Shomron