The Prophet’s Lament over Samaria (1:8-9):

1:8–9 Micah now breaks into a lament over the destruction of Samaria that he has announced. Because of this, because the northern kingdom will be destroyed, he must mourn Israel’s fate, stripping himself of his usual clothing, walking about barefoot, as was the custom in grief (cf. Isa. 20:2; 2 Sam. 15:30), and crying out with howls like those of jackals at night or with screeches like those of ostriches. (The NIV improperly reads jackal, singular, and has owl instead of “ostriches.”)

But why should Micah mourn the destruction of Samaria’s idols and Yahweh’s just punishment of its rebellion against his lordship? Is it only because Micah knows that the same fate will come also upon Judah and that the conquering armies of Assyria’s Sennacherib will so…