The answer is: Hear, all ye people

Micah 1:2 - Compare this to the last words of the prophet Micaiah in 1 Kings 22:28 - exactly the same Hebrew words Micah opens with. Micaiah also spoke of the scattered sheep of Israel that Micah picked up the theme of.

In the vivid tapestry of biblical prophecy, Micah's opening is particularly striking. "Hear, all ye people" is a call not just to be passive listeners but to engage deeply with the words of the prophet. This imperative echoes like a clarion call throughout the scriptures, demonstrating the urgency and importance of heeding God’s message.

Interestingly, the phrase Micah employs resonates back to similar instances within earlier texts—specifically, the closing cries of Micaiah in 1 Kings 22. Drawing connections between these two voices in Scripture enriches our understanding of the pressing issues of their time. Micaiah’s reference frames Micah’s own prophecy within a larger narrative of leadership, wandering, and vulnerable shepherds—the scattered sheep of Israel.

This imagery is shared throughout the prophetic literature; the shepherd motif speaks volumes! For instance, in Psalms 23, the serene walk through green pastures reflects on God as the Shepherd who cares for His flock. Yet, in a more somber sense, prophets like Micah categorize bad leadership as hunters, scattering sheep across desolate places.

Quite funnily—if we can call it that—the chapter immediately sets off formulaic judgment appeals common to many prophetic books: Israel’s missteps are exposed like the unleashed raucousness of an unraveling tapestry, compelling readers to reconsider their own lives and the nations around them.

In essence, Micah’s ethos of warning resounds throughout the ages, urging us all—even today—to lend an ear to the clarion calls toward justice and mercy so timelessly advocated in and through these pages.