Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Habakkuk+001   HABAKKUK INTRODUCTION Near the time of the transition from the Assyrian to the Babylonian empires (late 7th century BC), the prophet Habakkuk engaged in a profound dialogue with Israel’s God. The form of his book is a short series of complaints, or laments, followed by the divine responses. When…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Nahum+003   Nahum 3 (ESV) Woe to Nineveh 1 Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and plunder— no end to the prey! 2 The crack of the whip, and rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot! 3 Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, hosts of slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end—…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Nahum+002   Nahum 2 (ESV) The Destruction of Nineveh 1 The scatterer has come up against you. Man the ramparts; watch the road; dress for battle; collect all your strength. 2 For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob as the majesty of Israel, for plunderers have plundered them and ruined their branches. 3 The shield of his…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Nahum+001   NAHUM INTRODUCTION In 612 BC the Assyrian Empire was nearing collapse. Its capital Nineveh was about to fall before a combined invasion of Babylonian, Medean and Scythian forces. But those living in the nations that Assyria had cruelly oppressed felt little pity. In their view, the Assyrians were simply…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Micah+007   Micah 7 (ESV) God’s Steadfast Love and Compassion 18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. 19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot.…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Micah+006   Micah 6 (ESV) What Does the Lord Require? 6 “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Micah+005   Micah 5 (ESV) 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. 3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time when…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Micah+004   Micah 4 (ESV) The Mountain of the Lord 1 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, 2     and many nations…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Micah+003   Micah 3 (ESV) 9 Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight, 10 who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. 11 Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a…

Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Micah+002   Micah 2 (ESV) 6 “Do not preach”—thus they preach— “one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us.” 7 Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Has the Lord grown impatient? Are these his deeds? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly? 8 But lately my people have…