Mikha 4:5

4:5 Though all the nations follow their respective gods, ¹ 

we will follow ²  the Lord our God forever.

Mikha 6:1

The Lord Demands Justice, not Ritual

6:1 Listen to what the Lord says:

“Get up! Defend yourself ³  before the mountains! ⁴ 

Present your case before the hills!” ⁵ 

Mikha 6:12

6:12 The city’s rich men think nothing of resorting to violence; ⁶ 

her inhabitants lie, ⁷ 

their tongues speak deceptive words. ⁸ 

[4:5]  ¹ tn Heb “walk each in the name of his god.” The term “name” here has the idea of “authority.” To “walk in the name” of a god is to recognize the god’s authority as binding over one’s life.

[4:5]  ² tn Heb “walk in the name of.”

[6:1]  ³ tn Or “plead your case” (NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “present your plea”; NLT “state your case.”

[6:1]  sn Defend yourself. The Lord challenges Israel to defend itself against the charges he is bringing.

[6:1]  ⁴ sn As in some ancient Near Eastern treaties, the mountains are personified as legal witnesses that will settle the dispute between God and Israel.

[6:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “let the hills hear your voice.”

[6:12]  ⁶ tn Heb “because her rich are full of violence.”

[6:12]  ⁷ tn Heb “speak lies.”

[6:12]  ⁸ tn Heb “and their tongue is deceptive in their mouth.”