Net English TranslationMicah 1 =
Micah
Introduction
1

1 This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to1 Micah of Moresheth. He delivered this message2 during the reigns of3 Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. The prophecies pertain to4 Samaria5 and Jerusalem.6

The Judge is Coming
2 Listen, all you nations!7
Pay attention, all inhabitants of earth!8
The sovereign Lord will testify9 against you;
the Lord will accuse you10 from his majestic palace.11
3 Look,12 the Lord is coming out of his dwelling place!
He will descend and march on the earth’s mountaintops!13
4 The mountains will disintegrate14 beneath him,
and the valleys will be split in two.15
The mountains will melt16 like wax in a fire,
the rocks will slide down like water cascading down a steep slope.17
5 All this is because of Jacob’s rebellion
and18 the sins of the nation19 of Israel.
How has Jacob rebelled, you ask?20
Samaria epitomizes their rebellion!21
Where are Judah’s pagan worship centers, you ask?22
They are right in Jerusalem!23
6 “I will turn Samaria24 into a heap of ruins in an open field –
vineyards will be planted there!25
I will tumble26 the rubble of her stone walls27 down into the valley,
and tear down her fortifications to their foundations.28
7 All her carved idols will be smashed to pieces;
all her metal cult statues will be destroyed by fire.29
I will make a waste heap30 of all her images.
Since31 she gathered the metal32 as a prostitute collects her wages,
the idols will become a prostitute’s wages again.”33
8 For this reason I34 will mourn and wail;
I will walk around barefoot35 and without my outer garments.36
I will howl37 like a wild dog,38
and screech39 like an owl.40
9 For Samaria’s41 disease42 is incurable.
It has infected43 Judah;
it has spread to44 the leadership45 of my people
and has even contaminated Jerusalem!46
10 Don’t spread the news in Gath!47
Don’t shed even a single tear!48
In Beth Leaphrah sit in the dust!49
11 Residents50 of Shaphir,51 pass by in nakedness and humiliation!52
The residents of Zaanan can’t leave their city.53
Beth Ezel54 mourns,55
“He takes from you what he desires.”56
12 Indeed, the residents of Maroth57 hope for something good to happen,58
though the Lord has sent disaster against the city of Jerusalem.59
13 Residents of Lachish,60 hitch the horses to the chariots!
You61 influenced Daughter Zion62 to sin,63
for Israel’s rebellious deeds can be traced back64 to you!
14 Therefore you65 will have to say farewell66 to Moresheth Gath.
The residents67 of Achzib68 will be as disappointing
as a dried up well69 to the kings of Israel.70
15 Residents of Mareshah,71 a conqueror will attack you,72
the leaders of Israel shall flee to Adullam.73
16 Shave your heads bald as you mourn for the children you love;74
shave your foreheads as bald75 as an eagle,76
for they are taken from you into exile.
1tn Heb “The word of the Lord which came to.” 2tn The words “he delivered this message” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification. 3tn Heb “in the days of” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV). 4tn Heb “which he saw concerning.” 5map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1. 6map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. 7tn Heb “O peoples, all of them.” 8tn Heb “O earth and all its fullness”; KJV “and all that therein is.” 9tn Heb “May the sovereign Lord testify against you.” The verb וִיהִי (vihiy) is jussive, which normally conveys a volitional sense of an urgent request or prayer (“may he testify!”). However, GKC 325-26 §109.k notes that here the jussive form is used without any volitional sense for the ordinary imperfect, as a rhythmic shortening at the beginning of a sentence, thus removed as far as possible from the principal accent (cf. Gen 49:17; Deut 28:8; 1 Sam 10:5; 2 Sam 5:24; Hos 6:1; 11:4; Amos 5:14; Zeph 2:13; Zech 9:5; Pss 72:16-17; 104:31; Job 18:12; 20:23, 26, 28; 27:8; 33:21; 34:37; Ruth 3:4). Thus, the translation here renders the jussive as an ordinary imperfect. Some translations render it in a traditional jussive sense: (1) urgent request: “And let my Lord God be your accuser” (NJPS); or (2) dependent purpose/result: “that the Sovereign Lord may witness against you” (NIV). 10tn Heb “the Lord from his majestic palace.” Since the verb is omitted it is unclear whether the implied term be supplied from the preceding line (“he will testify against you”) or the following line (“he is leaving”). So the line may be rendered “the Lord will accuse you from his majestic temple” or “the Lord will come forth from his majestic temple.” Most translations render it literally, but some remove the ambiguity: “the Lord God accuses you from his holy temple” (CEV); “He speaks from his holy temple” (TEV). 11tn Or “his holy temple” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). This refers to the Lord’s dwelling in heaven, however, rather than the temple in Jerusalem (note the following verse, which describes a theophany). 12tn Or “For look.” The expression כִּי־הִנֵּה (ki-hinneh) may function as an explanatory introduction (“For look!”; Isa 26:21; 60:2; 65:17, 18: 66:15; Jer 1:15; 25:29; 30:10; 45:5; 46:27; 50:9; Ezek 30:9; 36:9; Zech 2:10; 3:8), or as an emphatic introduction (“Look!”; Jdgs 3:15; Isa 3:1; Jer 8:17; 30:3; 49:15; Hos 9:6; Joel 3:1 [HT 4:1]; Amos 4:2, 13; 6:11, 14; 9:9; Hab 1:6; Zech 2:9 [HT 2:13]; Zech 3:9; 11:16). 13tn Or “high places” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). 14tn Or “melt” (NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). This is a figurative description of earthquakes, landslides, and collapse of the mountains, rather than some sort of volcanic activity (note the remainder of the verse). 15sn The mountains will disintegrate…the valleys will be split in two. This imagery pictures an earthquake and accompanying landslide. 16tn The words “the mountains will melt” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The simile extends back to the first line of the verse. 17tn The words “the rocks will slide down” are supplied in the translation for clarification. This simile elaborates on the prior one and further develops the imagery of the verse’s first line. 18tn Heb “and because of.” This was simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons. 19tn Heb “house.” 20tn Heb “What is the rebellion of Jacob?” 21tn Heb “Is it not Samaria?” The negated rhetorical question expects the answer, “It certainly is!” To make this clear the question has been translated as a strong affirmative statement. 22tn Heb “What are Judah’s high places?” 23tn Heb “Is it not Jerusalem?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “It certainly is!”sn In vv. 2-5 Micah narrows the scope of God’s judgment from the nations (vv. 2-4) to his covenant people (v. 5). Universal judgment is coming, but ironically Israel is the focal point of God’s anger. In v. 5c the prophet includes Judah within the scope of divine judgment, for it has followed in the pagan steps of the northern kingdom. He accomplishes this with rhetorical skill. In v. 5b he develops the first assertion of v. 5a (“All of this is because of Jacob’s rebellion”). One expects in v. 5c an elaboration of the second assertion in v. 5a (“and the sins of the nation of Israel”), which one assumes, in light of v. 5b, pertains to the northern kingdom. But the prophet specifies the “sins” as “high places” and makes it clear that “the nation of Israel” includes Judah. Verses 6-7 further develop v. 5b (judgment on the northern kingdom), while vv. 8-16 expand on v. 5c (judgment on Judah).map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. 24map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1. 25tn Heb “into a planting place for vineyards.” 26tn Heb “pour” (so NASB, NIV); KJV, NRSV “pour down”; NAB “throw down”; NLT “roll.” 27tn Heb “her stones.” The term stones is a metonymy for the city walls whose foundations were constructed of stone masonry. 28tn Heb “I will uncover her foundations.” The term “foundations” refers to the lower courses of the stones of the city’s outer fortification walls. 29tn Heb “and all her prostitute’s wages will be burned with fire.”sn The precious metal used by Samaria’s pagan worship centers to make idols are here compared to a prostitute’s wages because Samaria had been unfaithful to the Lord and prostituted herself to pagan gods, such as Baal. 30tn Heb “I will make desolate” (so NASB). 31tn Or “for” (KJV, NASB, NRSV). 32tn No object is specified in the Hebrew text; the words “the metal” are supplied from the context. 33tn Heb “for from a prostitute’s wages she gathered, and to a prostitute’s wages they will return.” When the metal was first collected it was comparable to the coins a prostitute would receive for her services. The metal was then formed into idols, but now the Lord’s fiery judgment would reduce the metal images to their original condition. 34tn The prophet is probably the speaker here. 35tn Or “stripped.” The precise meaning of this Hebrew word is unclear. It may refer to walking barefoot (see 2 Sam 15:30) or to partially stripping oneself (see Job 12:17-19). 36tn Heb “naked.” This probably does not refer to complete nudity, but to stripping off one’s outer garments as an outward sign of the destitution felt by the mourner. 37tn Heb “I will make lamentation.” 38tn Or “a jackal”; CEV “howling wolves.” 39tn Heb “[make] a mourning.” 40tn Or perhaps “ostrich” (cf. ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT). 41tn Heb “her”; the referent (Samaria) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 42tc The MT reads the plural “wounds”; the singular is read by the LXX, Syriac, and Vg.tn Or “wound.” 43tn Heb “come to.” 44tn Or “reached.” 45tn Heb “the gate.” Kings and civic leaders typically conducted important business at the city gate (see 1 Kgs 22:10 for an example), and the term is understood here to refer by metonymy to the leadership who would be present at the gate. 46tn Heb “to Jerusalem.” The expression “it has contaminated” do not appear in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied to fill out the parallelism with the preceding line.map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. 47tn Heb “Tell it not in Gath.” The Hebrew word for “tell” (נָגַד, nagad) sounds like the name of the city, Gath (גַּת, gat). 48tn The Hebrew infinitive absolute before the negated jussive emphasizes the prohibition. 49tc The translation assumes a masculine plural imperative. If one were to emend בְּבֵית (bÿvet) to בֵית (vet), Beth Leaphrah would then be the addressee and the feminine singular imperative (see Qere) could be retained, “O Beth Leaphrah, sit in the dust.”tn Heb “roll about in mourning in the dust”; or “wallow about in mourning in the dust.” The verb פָּלַשׁ (palash, “roll about in mourning [in dust]”; HALOT 935 s.v. פלשׁ) is figurative (metonymy) for sitting as an outward sign of mourning.sn To sit in the dust was an outward sign of mourning. The name Beth Leaphrah means “house of dust.” 50tn The Hebrew participial form, which is feminine singular, is here used in a collective sense for the all the residents of the town. See GKC 394 §122.s. 51sn The place name Shaphir means “pleasant” in Hebrew. 52tn The imperatival form is used rhetorically, emphasizing that the inhabitants of Shaphir will pass by into exile. 53tn Heb “have not come out”; NIV “will not come out”; NLT “dare not come outside.”sn The expression can’t leave their city alludes to a siege of the town. The place name Zaanan sounds like the verb “come out” (i.e., “can’t leave”) in Hebrew. 54sn The place name Beth Ezel means “house of nearness” or “house of proximity” in Hebrew. 55tn Heb “the lamentation of Beth Ezel.” The following words could be the lamentation offered up by Beth Ezel (subjective genitive) or the mourning song sung over it (objective genitive). 56tc The form עֶמְדָּתוֹ (’emdato) should be emended to חֲמַדְּתוֹ (khamadto, “his (the conqueror’s) desire”).tn The precise meaning of the line is uncertain. The translation assumes: (a) the subject of the third masculine singular verb יִקַּח (yiqqakh, “he/it takes”) is the conqueror, (b) the second masculine plural suffix (“you”) on the preposition מִן (min, “from”) refers to the residents of Shaphir and Zaanan, (c) the final form עֶמְדָּתוֹ should be emended to חֲמַדְּתוֹ, “his (the conqueror’s) desire.” 57sn The place name Maroth sounds like the Hebrew word for “bitter.” 58tc The translation assumes an emendation of חָלָה (khalah; from חִיל, khil, “to writhe”) to יִחֲלָה (yikhalah; from יָחַל, yakhal, “to wait”).tn Heb “[the residents of Maroth] writhe [= “anxiously long for”?] good.” 59tn Heb “though disaster has come down from the Lord to the gate of Jerusalem.” 60sn The place name Lachish sounds like the Hebrew word for “team [of horses].” 61tn Heb “she”; this has been translated as second person (“you”) in keeping with the direct address to the residents of Lachish in the previous line. 62sn The epithet Daughter Zion pictures the city of Jerusalem as a young lady. 63tn Heb “She was the beginning of sin for Daughter Zion.” 64tn Heb “for in you was found the transgressions of Israel.” 65tn The subject of the feminine singular verb is probably Lachish. 66tn Heb “you will give a dowry to”; NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “give parting gifts to.” Lachish is compared to a father who presents wedding gifts to his daughter as she leaves her father’s home to take up residence with her husband. In similar fashion Lachish will bid farewell to Moresheth Gath, for the latter will be taken by the invader. 67tn Heb “houses.” By metonymy this refers to the people who live in them. 68sn The place name Achzib (אַכְזִיב, ’akhziv, “place on the dried up river”; see HALOT 45 s.v. אַכְזָב) creates a word play on the similar sounding term כָּזָב (kazav, “lie, deception”; HALOT 468 s.v. כָּזָב). Like the dried up river upon which its name was based, the city of Achzib would fail to help the kings of Israel in their time of need. 69tn Or “will be a deception.” The term אַכְזָב (’akhzav) is often translated “deception,” as derived from the verb I כָּזָב (“to deceive, lie”; HALOT 467-68 s.v. I כזב). However, it probably means “what is dried up,” since (1) the noun elsewhere refers to an empty well or dried river in summer (Jer 15:18; cf. Job 6:15-20) (HALOT 45 s.v. אַכְזָב); (2) the place-name “Achzib” (אַכְזִיב) literally means “place on the אַכְזָב [dried up river]” (HALOT 45 s.v. אַכְזָב); and (3) it is derived from the verb II כָּזָב (“to dry up [brook]”; Isa 58:11), which also appears in Mishnaic Hebrew and Arabic. The point of the metaphor is that Achzib will be as disappointing to the kings of Israel as a dried up spring in the summer is to a thirsty traveler in the Jordanian desert. 70sn Because of the enemy invasion, Achzib would not be able to deliver soldiers for the army and/or services normally rendered to the crown. 71sn The place name Mareshah sounds like the Hebrew word for “conqueror.” 72tn Heb “Again a conqueror I will bring to you, residents of Mareshah.” The first person verb is problematic, for the Lord would have to be the subject (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). But the prophet appears to be delivering this lament and the Lord is referred to in the third person in v. 12. Consequently many emend the verb to a third person form (יָבוֹא, yavo’) and understand the “conqueror” as subject. 73tn Heb “to Adullam the glory of Israel will go.” This probably means that the nation’s leadership will run for their lives and, like David of old, hide from their enemy in the caves of Adullam. Cf. NIV’s “He who is the glory of Israel will come to Adullam,” which sounds as if an individual is in view, and could be understood as a messianic reference. 74tn Heb “over the sons of your delight.” 75tn Heb “make wide your baldness.” 76tn Or “a vulture” (cf. NIV, TEV); CEV “a buzzard.” The Hebrew term נֶשֶׁר (nesher) refers to the griffon vulture or eagle.
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