Mikha 5:5

5:5 He will give us peace. ¹ 

Should the Assyrians try to invade our land

and attempt to set foot in our fortresses, ² 

we will send ³  against them seven ⁴  shepherd-rulers, ⁵ 

make that eight commanders. ⁶ 

Mikha 6:1

The Lord Demands Justice, not Ritual

6:1 Listen to what the Lord says:

“Get up! Defend yourself ⁷  before the mountains! ⁸ 

Present your case before the hills!” ⁹ 

Mikha 7:6

7:6 For a son thinks his father is a fool,

a daughter challenges ¹⁰  her mother,

and a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law;

a man’s enemies are his own servants. ¹¹ 

Mikha 7:8

Jerusalem Will Be Vindicated

7:8 My enemies, ¹²  do not gloat ¹³  over me!

Though I have fallen, I will get up.

Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. ¹⁴ 

[5:5]  ¹ tn Heb “and this one will be peace”; ASV “and this man shall be our peace” (cf. Eph 2:14).

[5:5]  ² tc Some prefer to read “in our land,” emending the text to בְּאַדְמָתֵנוּ (bÿ’admatenu).

[5:5]  ³ tn Heb “raise up.”

[5:5]  ⁴ sn The numbers seven and eight here symbolize completeness and emphasize that Israel will have more than enough military leadership and strength to withstand the Assyrian advance.

[5:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “shepherds.”

[5:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “and eight leaders of men.”

[6:1]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Heb “let the hills hear your voice.”

[7:6]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “rises up against.”

[7:6]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the enemies of a man are the men of his house.”

[7:8]  ¹² tn The singular form is understood as collective.

[7:8]  ¹³ tn Or “rejoice” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); NCV “don’t laugh at me.”

[7:8]  ¹⁴ sn Darkness represents judgment; light (also in v. 9) symbolizes deliverance. The Lord is the source of the latter.