Mikha 6:13
Konteks6:13 I will strike you brutally 1
and destroy you because of your sin.
Mikha 3:7
Konteks3:7 The prophets 2 will be ashamed;
the omen readers will be humiliated.
All of them will cover their mouths, 3
for they will receive no divine oracles.” 4
Mikha 3:12
Konteks3:12 Therefore, because of you, 5 Zion will be plowed up like 6 a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins,
and the Temple Mount 7 will become a hill overgrown with brush! 8
Mikha 5:10
Konteks5:10 “In that day,” says the Lord,
“I will destroy 9 your horses from your midst,
and smash your chariots.
Mikha 5:5
KonteksShould the Assyrians try to invade our land
and attempt to set foot in our fortresses, 11
we will send 12 against them seven 13 shepherd-rulers, 14
make that eight commanders. 15
Mikha 4:7
Konteks4:7 I will transform the lame into the nucleus of a new nation, 16
and those far off 17 into a mighty nation.
The Lord will reign over them on Mount Zion,
from that day forward and forevermore.” 18
Mikha 4:9
Konteks4:9 Jerusalem, why are you 19 now shouting so loudly? 20
Has your king disappeared? 21
Has your wise leader 22 been destroyed?
Is this why 23 pain grips 24 you as if you were a woman in labor?
Mikha 5:3
Konteks5:3 So the Lord 25 will hand the people of Israel 26 over to their enemies 27
until the time when the woman in labor 28 gives birth. 29
Then the rest of the king’s 30 countrymen will return
to be reunited with the people of Israel. 31
Mikha 7:10
Konteks7:10 When my enemies see this, they will be covered with shame.
They say 32 to me, “Where is the Lord your God?”
I will gloat over them. 33
Then they will be trampled down 34
like mud in the streets.
Mikha 2:12
Konteks2:12 I will certainly gather all of you, O Jacob,
I will certainly assemble those Israelites who remain. 35
I will bring them together like sheep in a fold, 36
like a flock in the middle of a pasture; 37
they will be so numerous that they will make a lot of noise. 38
Mikha 5:7
Konteks5:7 Those survivors from 39 Jacob will live 40
in the midst of many nations. 41
They will be like the dew the Lord sends,
like the rain on the grass,
that does not hope for men to come
or wait around for humans to arrive. 42
Mikha 4:3
Konteks4:3 He will arbitrate 43 between many peoples
and settle disputes between many 44 distant nations. 45
They will beat their swords into plowshares, 46
and their spears into pruning hooks. 47
Nations will not use weapons 48 against other nations,
and they will no longer train for war.
Mikha 5:4
Konteks5:4 He will assume his post 49 and shepherd the people 50 by the Lord’s strength,
by the sovereign authority of the Lord his God. 51
They will live securely, 52 for at that time he will be honored 53
even in the distant regions of 54 the earth.
Mikha 5:8
Konteks5:8 Those survivors from Jacob will live among the nations,
in the midst of many peoples.
They will be like a lion among the animals of the forest,
like a young lion among the flocks of sheep,
which attacks when it passes through;
it rips its prey 55 and there is no one to stop it. 56
Mikha 1:8
Konteks1:8 For this reason I 57 will mourn and wail;
I will walk around barefoot 58 and without my outer garments. 59
I will howl 60 like a wild dog, 61
and screech 62 like an owl. 63
Mikha 2:11
Konteks2:11 If a lying windbag should come and say, 64
‘I’ll promise you blessings of wine and beer,’ 65
he would be just the right preacher for these people! 66
Mikha 2:13
Konteks2:13 The one who can break through barriers will lead them out 67
they will break out, pass through the gate, and leave. 68
Their king will advance 69 before them,
The Lord himself will lead them. 70
Mikha 3:5
Konteks3:5 This is what the Lord says: “The prophets who mislead my people
are as good as dead. 71
If someone gives them enough to eat,
they offer an oracle of peace. 72
But if someone does not give them food,
they are ready to declare war on him. 73
Mikha 1:5
Konteks1:5 All this is because of Jacob’s rebellion
and 74 the sins of the nation 75 of Israel.
How has Jacob rebelled, you ask? 76
Samaria epitomizes their rebellion! 77
Where are Judah’s pagan worship centers, you ask? 78
They are right in Jerusalem! 79
Mikha 2:2
Konteks2:2 They confiscate the fields they desire,
and seize the houses they want. 80
They defraud people of their homes, 81
and deprive people of the land they have inherited. 82
Mikha 7:3
Konteks7:3 They are determined to be experts at doing evil; 83
government officials and judges take bribes, 84
prominent men make demands,
and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them. 85
Mikha 1:14
Konteks1:14 Therefore you 86 will have to say farewell 87 to Moresheth Gath.
The residents 88 of Achzib 89 will be as disappointing
as a dried up well 90 to the kings of Israel. 91
Mikha 2:6
Konteks2:6 ‘Don’t preach with such impassioned rhetoric,’ they say excitedly. 92
‘These prophets should not preach of such things;
we will not be overtaken by humiliation.’ 93
Mikha 2:10
Konteks2:10 But you are the ones who will be forced to leave! 94
For this land is not secure! 95
Sin will thoroughly destroy it! 96
Mikha 4:6
Konteks4:6 “In that day,” says the Lord, “I will gather the lame,
and assemble the outcasts whom I injured. 97
Mikha 5:13
Konteks5:13 I will remove your idols and sacred pillars from your midst;
you will no longer worship what your own hands made.
Mikha 7:7
Konteks7:7 But I will keep watching for the Lord;
I will wait for the God who delivers me.
My God will hear my lament. 98
Mikha 3:10
Konteks3:10 You 99 build Zion through bloody crimes, 100
Jerusalem 101 through unjust violence.
Mikha 7:9
Konteks7:9 I must endure 102 the Lord’s anger,
for I have sinned against him.
But then 103 he will defend my cause, 104
and accomplish justice on my behalf.
He will lead me out into the light;
I will experience firsthand 105 his deliverance. 106
Mikha 1:6
Konteks1:6 “I will turn Samaria 107 into a heap of ruins in an open field –
vineyards will be planted there! 108
I will tumble 109 the rubble of her stone walls 110 down into the valley,
and tear down her fortifications to their foundations. 111
Mikha 2:1
Konteks2:1 Those who devise sinful plans are as good as dead, 112
those who dream about doing evil as they lie in bed. 113
As soon as morning dawns they carry out their plans, 114
because they have the power to do so.
Mikha 5:6
Konteks5:6 They will rule 115 the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod 116 with a drawn sword. 117
Our king 118 will rescue us from the Assyrians
should they attempt to invade our land
and try to set foot in our territory.
Mikha 7:8
Konteks7:8 My enemies, 119 do not gloat 120 over me!
Though I have fallen, I will get up.
Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. 121
Mikha 7:12
Konteks7:12 In that day people 122 will come to you 123
from Assyria as far as 124 Egypt,
from Egypt as far as the Euphrates River, 125
from the seacoasts 126 and the mountains. 127
Mikha 7:16
Konteks7:16 Nations will see this and be disappointed by 128 all their strength,
they will put their hands over their mouths,
and act as if they were deaf. 129
Mikha 5:11
Konteks5:11 I will destroy the cities of your land,
and tear down all your fortresses.
Mikha 5:14
Konteks5:14 I will uproot your images of Asherah 130 from your midst,
and destroy your idols. 131
Mikha 7:11
Konteks7:11 It will be a day for rebuilding your walls;
in that day your boundary will be extended. 132
Mikha 7:13
Konteks7:13 The earth will become desolate 133
because of what its inhabitants have done. 134
Mikha 7:15
Konteks7:15 “As in the days when you departed from the land of Egypt,
I will show you 135 miraculous deeds.” 136
Mikha 2:4
Konteks2:4 In that day people will sing this taunt song to you –
they will mock you with this lament: 137
‘We are completely destroyed;
they sell off 138 the property of my people.
How they remove it from me! 139
They assign our fields to the conqueror.’ 140
Mikha 5:2
Konteks5:2 (5:1) As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, 141
seemingly insignificant 142 among the clans of Judah –
from you a king will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf, 143
one whose origins 144 are in the distant past. 145
Mikha 6:14
Konteks6:14 You will eat, but not be satisfied.
Even if you have the strength 146 to overtake some prey, 147
you will not be able to carry it away; 148
if you do happen to carry away something,
I will deliver it over to the sword.
Mikha 7:4
Konteks7:4 The best of them is like a thorn;
the most godly among them are more dangerous than a row of thorn bushes. 149
The day you try to avoid by posting watchmen –
your appointed time of punishment – is on the way, 150
and then you will experience confusion. 151
Mikha 1:9-10
Konteks1:9 For Samaria’s 152 disease 153 is incurable.
It has infected 154 Judah;
it has spread to 155 the leadership 156 of my people
and has even contaminated Jerusalem! 157
1:10 Don’t spread the news in Gath! 158
Don’t shed even a single tear! 159
In Beth Leaphrah sit in the dust! 160
Mikha 1:15
Konteks1:15 Residents of Mareshah, 161 a conqueror will attack you, 162
the leaders of Israel shall flee to Adullam. 163
Mikha 3:1
Konteks3:1 I said,
“Listen, you leaders 164 of Jacob,
you rulers of the nation 165 of Israel!
You ought to know what is just, 166
Mikha 3:9
Konteks3:9 Listen to this, you leaders of the family 167 of Jacob,
you rulers of the nation 168 of Israel!
You 169 hate justice
and pervert all that is right.
Mikha 4:11
Konteks4:11 Many nations have now assembled against you.
They say, “Jerusalem must be desecrated, 170
so we can gloat over Zion!” 171
Mikha 5:15--6:1
Konteks5:15 I will angrily seek vengeance
on the nations that do not obey me.” 172
6:1 Listen to what the Lord says:
“Get up! Defend yourself 173 before the mountains! 174
Present your case before the hills!” 175
Mikha 7:19
Konteks7:19 You will once again 176 have mercy on us;
you will conquer 177 our evil deeds;
you will hurl our 178 sins into the depths of the sea. 179
Mikha 4:2
Konteks4:2 Many nations will come, saying,
“Come on! Let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain,
to the temple 180 of Jacob’s God,
so he can teach us his commands 181
and we can live by his laws.” 182
For Zion will be the source of instruction;
the Lord’s teachings will proceed from Jerusalem. 183
Mikha 4:13
Konteks4:13 “Get up and thresh, Daughter Zion!
For I will give you iron horns; 184
I will give you bronze hooves,
and you will crush many nations.” 185
You will devote to the Lord the spoils you take from them,
and dedicate their wealth to the sovereign Ruler 186 of the whole earth. 187
Mikha 7:17
Konteks7:17 They will lick the dust like a snake,
like serpents crawling on the ground. 188
They will come trembling from their strongholds
to the Lord our God; 189
they will be terrified 190 of you. 191
Mikha 1:4
Konteks1:4 The mountains will disintegrate 192 beneath him,
and the valleys will be split in two. 193
The mountains will melt 194 like wax in a fire,
the rocks will slide down like water cascading down a steep slope. 195
Mikha 1:7
Konteks1:7 All her carved idols will be smashed to pieces;
all her metal cult statues will be destroyed by fire. 196
I will make a waste heap 197 of all her images.
Since 198 she gathered the metal 199 as a prostitute collects her wages,
the idols will become a prostitute’s wages again.” 200
Mikha 1:11
Konteks1:11 Residents 201 of Shaphir, 202 pass by in nakedness and humiliation! 203
The residents of Zaanan can’t leave their city. 204
“He takes from you what he desires.” 207
Mikha 1:13
Konteks1:13 Residents of Lachish, 208 hitch the horses to the chariots!
You 209 influenced Daughter Zion 210 to sin, 211
for Israel’s rebellious deeds can be traced back 212 to you!
Mikha 2:7-9
Konteks2:7 Does the family 213 of Jacob say, 214
‘The Lord’s patience 215 can’t be exhausted –
he would never do such things’? 216
To be sure, my commands bring a reward
for those who obey them, 217
2:8 but you rise up as an enemy against my people. 218
You steal a robe from a friend, 219
from those who pass by peacefully as if returning from a war. 220
2:9 You wrongly evict widows 221 among my people from their cherished homes.
You defraud their children 222 of their prized inheritance. 223
Mikha 3:4
Konteks3:4 Someday these sinners will cry to the Lord for help, 224
but he will not answer them.
He will hide his face from them at that time,
because they have done such wicked deeds.”
Mikha 3:6
Konteks3:6 Therefore night will fall, and you will receive no visions; 225
it will grow dark, and you will no longer be able to read the omens. 226
The sun will set on these prophets,
and the daylight will turn to darkness over their heads. 227
Mikha 3:8
Konteks3:8 But I 228 am full of the courage that the Lord’s Spirit gives,
and have a strong commitment to justice. 229
This enables me to confront Jacob with its rebellion,
and Israel with its sin. 230
Mikha 4:1
Konteks4:1 In the future 231 the Lord’s Temple Mount will be the most important mountain of all; 232
it will be more prominent than other hills. 233
People will stream to it.
Mikha 4:8
Konteks4:8 As for you, watchtower for the flock, 234
fortress of Daughter Zion 235 –
your former dominion will be restored, 236
the sovereignty that belongs to Daughter Jerusalem.
Mikha 5:1
Konteks5:1 (4:14) 237 But now slash yourself, 238 daughter surrounded by soldiers! 239
We are besieged!
With a scepter 240 they strike Israel’s ruler 241
on the side of his face.
Mikha 6:6
Konteks6:6 With what should I 242 enter the Lord’s presence?
With what 243 should I bow before the sovereign God? 244
Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings,
with year-old calves?
Mikha 6:8
Konteks6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good,
and what the Lord really wants from you: 245
He wants you to 246 promote 247 justice, to be faithful, 248
and to live obediently before 249 your God.
Mikha 6:15
Konteks6:15 You will plant crops, but will not harvest them;
you will squeeze oil from the olives, 250 but you will have no oil to rub on your bodies; 251
you will squeeze juice from the grapes, but you will have no wine to drink. 252
Mikha 7:2
Konteks7:2 Faithful men have disappeared 253 from the land;
there are no godly men left. 254
They all wait in ambush so they can shed blood; 255
they hunt their own brother with a net. 256
Mikha 7:18
Konteks7:18 There is no other God like you! 257
You 258 forgive sin
and pardon 259 the rebellion
of those who remain among your people. 260
You do not remain angry forever, 261
but delight in showing loyal love.
Mikha 7:20
Konteks7:20 You will be loyal to Jacob
and extend your loyal love to Abraham, 262
which you promised on oath to our ancestors 263
in ancient times. 264
Mikha 2:3
Konteks2:3 Therefore the Lord says this: “Look, I am devising disaster for this nation! 265
It will be like a yoke from which you cannot free your neck. 266
You will no longer 267 walk proudly,
for it will be a time of catastrophe.
Mikha 3:11
Konteks3:11 Her 268 leaders take bribes when they decide legal cases, 269
her priests proclaim rulings for profit,
and her prophets read omens for pay.
Yet they claim to trust 270 the Lord and say,
“The Lord is among us. 271
Disaster will not overtake 272 us!”
Mikha 4:10
Konteks4:10 Twist and strain, 273 Daughter Zion, as if you were in labor!
For you will leave the city
and live in the open field.
You will go to Babylon,
but there you will be rescued.
There the Lord will deliver 274 you
from the power 275 of your enemies.
Mikha 6:16
Konteks6:16 You implement the regulations of Omri,
and all the practices of Ahab’s dynasty; 276
you follow their policies. 277
Therefore I will make you an appalling sight, 278
the city’s 279 inhabitants will be taunted derisively, 280
and nations will mock all of you.” 281
[6:13] 1 tn Heb “and also I, I will make you sick, striking you.”
[3:7] 3 tn Or “the mustache,” or perhaps “the beard.” Cf. KJV, NAB, NRSV “cover their lips.”
[3:7] 4 tn Heb “for there will be no answer from God.”
[3:12] 5 tn The plural pronoun refers to the leaders, priests, and prophets mentioned in the preceding verse.
[3:12] 6 tn Or “into” (an adverbial accusative of result).
[3:12] 7 tn Heb “the mountain of the house” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV).
[3:12] 8 tn Heb “a high place of overgrowth.”
[5:10] 9 tn Heb “cut off” (also in the following verse).
[5:5] 10 tn Heb “and this one will be peace”; ASV “and this man shall be our peace” (cf. Eph 2:14).
[5:5] 11 tc Some prefer to read “in our land,” emending the text to בְּאַדְמָתֵנוּ (bÿ’admatenu).
[5:5] 13 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] 15 tn Heb “and eight leaders of men.”
[4:7] 16 tn Heb “make the lame into a remnant.”
[4:7] 17 tn The precise meaning of this difficult form is uncertain. The present translation assumes the form is a Niphal participle of an otherwise unattested denominative verb הָלָא (hala’, “to be far off”; see BDB 229 s.v.), but attractive emendations include הַנַּחֲלָה (hannakhalah, “the sick one[s]”) from חָלָה (khalah) and הַנִּלְאָה (hannil’ah, “the weary one[s]”) from לָאָה (la’ah).
[4:7] 18 tn Heb “from now until forever.”
[4:9] 19 tn The Hebrew form is feminine singular, indicating that Jerusalem, personified as a young woman, is now addressed (see v. 10). In v. 8 the tower/fortress was addressed with masculine forms, so there is clearly a shift in addressee here. “Jerusalem” has been supplied in the translation at the beginning of v. 9 to make this shift apparent.
[4:9] 20 tn Heb “Now why are you shouting [with] a shout.”
[4:9] 21 tn Heb “Is there no king over you?”
[4:9] 22 tn Traditionally, “counselor” (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV). This refers to the king mentioned in the previous line; the title points to the king’s roles as chief strategist and policy maker, both of which required extraordinary wisdom.
[4:9] 23 tn Heb “that.” The Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) is used here in a resultative sense; for this use see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 73, §450.
[4:9] 24 tn Heb “grabs hold of, seizes.”
[5:3] 25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[5:3] 26 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people of Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:3] 27 tn The words “to their enemies” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:3] 28 sn The woman in labor. Personified, suffering Jerusalem is the referent. See 4:9-10.
[5:3] 29 sn Gives birth. The point of the figurative language is that Jerusalem finally finds relief from her suffering. See 4:10.
[5:3] 30 tn Heb “his”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:3] 31 tn Heb “to the sons of Israel.” The words “be reunited with” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[5:3] sn The rest of the king’s brothers are the coming king’s fellow Judahites, while the sons of Israel are the northern tribes. The verse pictures the reunification of the nation under the Davidic king. See Isa 11:12-13; Jer 31:2-6, 15-20; Ezek 37; Hos 1:11; 3:5.
[7:10] 32 tn Heb “who say.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[7:10] 33 tn Heb “My eyes will look on them.”
[7:10] 34 tn Heb “a trampled-down place.”
[2:12] 35 tn Heb “the remnant of Israel.”
[2:12] 36 tc The MT reads בָּצְרָה (batsrah, “Bozrah”) but the form should be emended to בַּצִּרָה (batsirah, “into the fold”). See D. R. Hillers, Micah (Hermeneia), 38.
[2:12] 37 tc The MT reads “its pasture,” but the final vav (ו) belongs with the following verb. See GKC 413 §127.i.
[2:12] 38 tn Heb “and they will be noisy [or perhaps, “excited”] from men.” The subject of the third feminine plural verb תְּהִימֶנָה (tÿhimenah, “they will be noisy”) is probably the feminine singular צֹאן (tso’n, “flock”). (For another example of this collective singular noun with a feminine plural verb, see Gen 30:38.) In the construction מֵאָדָם (me’adam, “from men”) the preposition is probably causal. L. C. Allen translates “bleating in fear of men” (Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah [NICOT], 300), but it is possible to take the causal sense as “because of the large quantity of men.” In this case the sheep metaphor and the underlying reality are mixed.
[5:7] 39 tn Heb “the remnant of” (also in v. 8).
[5:7] 41 tn This could mean “(scattered) among the nations” (cf. CEV, NLT) or “surrounded by many nations” (cf. NRSV).
[5:7] 42 tn Heb “that does not hope for man, and does not wait for the sons of men.”
[5:7] sn Men wait eagerly for the dew and the rain, not vice versa. Just as the dew and rain are subject to the
[4:3] 44 tn Or “mighty” (NASB); KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV “strong”; TEV “among the great powers.”
[4:3] 45 tn Heb “[for many nations] to a distance.”
[4:3] 46 sn Instead of referring to the large plow as a whole, the plowshare is simply the metal tip which actually breaks the earth and cuts the furrow.
[4:3] 47 sn This implement was used to prune the vines, i.e., to cut off extra leaves and young shoots (M. Klingbeil, NIDOTTE 1:1117-18). It was a short knife with a curved hook at the end sharpened on the inside like a sickle.
[4:3] 48 tn Heb “take up the sword.”
[5:4] 49 tn Heb “stand up”; NAB “stand firm”; NASB “will arise.”
[5:4] 50 tn The words “the people” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:4] 51 tn Heb “by the majesty of the name of the
[5:4] 52 tn The words “in peace” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Perhaps וְיָשָׁבוּ (vÿyashavu, “and they will live”) should be emended to וְשָׁבוּ (vÿshavu, “and they will return”).
[5:4] 54 tn Or “to the ends of.”
[5:8] 55 tn The words “its prey” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[5:8] 56 tn Heb “and there is no deliverer.”
[1:8] 57 tn The prophet is probably the speaker here.
[1:8] 58 tn 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).
[1:8] 59 tn 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.
[1:8] 60 tn Heb “I will make lamentation.”
[1:8] 61 tn Or “a jackal”; CEV “howling wolves.”
[1:8] 62 tn Heb “[make] a mourning.”
[1:8] 63 tn Or perhaps “ostrich” (cf. ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT).
[2:11] 64 tn Heb “if a man, coming [as] wind and falsehood, should lie”; NASB “walking after wind and falsehood”; NIV “a liar and a deceiver.”
[2:11] 65 tn Heb “I will foam at the mouth concerning wine and beer.”
[2:11] 66 tn Heb “he would be the foamer at the mouth for this people.”
[2:13] 67 tn Heb “the one who breaks through goes up before them.” The verb form is understood as a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of this coming event.
[2:13] 68 tn The three verb forms (a perfect and two preterites with vav [ו] consecutive) indicate certitude.
[2:13] sn The “fold” from which the sheep/people break out is probably a reference to their place of exile.
[2:13] 69 tn The verb form (a preterite with vav [ו] consecutive) indicates certitude.
[2:13] 70 tn Heb “the
[3:5] 71 tn Heb “concerning the prophets, those who mislead my people.” The first person pronominal suffix is awkward in a quotation formula that introduces the words of the
[3:5] 72 tn Heb “those who bite with their teeth and cry out, ‘peace.’” The phrase “bite with the teeth” is taken here as idiomatic for eating. Apparently these prophets were driven by mercenary motives. If they were paid well, they gave positive oracles to their clients, but if someone could not afford to pay them, they were hostile and delivered oracles of doom.
[3:5] 73 tn Heb “but [as for the one] who does not place [food] in their mouths, they prepare for war against him.”
[1:5] 74 tn Heb “and because of.” This was simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:5] 76 tn Heb “What is the rebellion of Jacob?”
[1:5] 77 tn 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.
[1:5] 78 tn Heb “What are Judah’s high places?”
[1:5] 79 tn Heb “Is it not Jerusalem?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “It certainly is!”
[1:5] 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).
[1:5] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:2] 80 tn Heb “they desire fields and rob [them], and houses and take [them] away.”
[2:2] 81 tn Heb “and they oppress a man and his home.”
[2:2] 82 tn Heb “and a man and his inheritance.” The verb עָשַׁק (’ashaq, “to oppress”; “to wrong”) does double duty in the parallel structure and is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
[7:3] 83 tn Heb “upon evil [are their] hands to do [it] well.”
[7:3] 84 tn Heb “the official asks – and the judge – for a bribe.”
[7:3] 85 tn More literally, “the great one announces what his appetite desires and they weave it together.” Apparently this means that subordinates plot and maneuver to make sure the prominent man’s desires materialize.
[1:14] 86 tn The subject of the feminine singular verb is probably Lachish.
[1:14] 87 tn 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.
[1:14] 88 tn Heb “houses.” By metonymy this refers to the people who live in them.
[1:14] 89 sn 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.
[1:14] 90 tn 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.
[1:14] 91 sn Because of the enemy invasion, Achzib would not be able to deliver soldiers for the army and/or services normally rendered to the crown.
[2:6] 92 tn Heb “‘Do not foam at the mouth,’ they foam at the mouth.” The verb נָטַף (nataf) means “to drip.” When used of speech it probably has the nuance “to drivel, to foam at the mouth” (HALOT 694 s.v. נטף). The sinful people tell the
[2:6] 93 tc If one follows the MT as it stands, it would appear that the
[2:6] tn Heb “they should not foam at the mouth concerning these things, humiliation will not be removed.”
[2:10] 94 tn Heb “Arise and go!” These imperatives are rhetorical. Those who wrongly drove widows and orphans from their homes and land inheritances will themselves be driven out of the land (cf. Isa 5:8-17). This is an example of poetic justice.
[2:10] 95 tn Heb “for this is no resting place.” The
[2:10] 96 tn Heb “uncleanness will destroy, and destruction will be severe.”
[4:6] 97 sn The exiles of the nation are compared to lame and injured sheep.
[7:7] 98 tn Heb “me.” In the interest of clarity the nature of the prophet’s cry has been specified as “my lament” in the translation.
[3:10] 100 tn Heb “bloodshed” (so NAB, NASB, NIV); NLT “murder.”
[3:10] 101 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[7:9] 102 tn Heb “lift, bear.”
[7:9] 104 tn Or “plead my case” (NASB and NIV both similar); NRSV “until he takes my side.”
[7:9] 106 tn Or “justice, vindication.”
[1:6] 107 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[1:6] 108 tn Heb “into a planting place for vineyards.”
[1:6] 109 tn Heb “pour” (so NASB, NIV); KJV, NRSV “pour down”; NAB “throw down”; NLT “roll.”
[1:6] 110 tn Heb “her stones.” The term stones is a metonymy for the city walls whose foundations were constructed of stone masonry.
[1:6] 111 tn Heb “I will uncover her foundations.” The term “foundations” refers to the lower courses of the stones of the city’s outer fortification walls.
[2:1] 112 tn Heb “Woe to those who plan sin.” The Hebrew term הוֹי (hoy, “woe”; “ah”) was a cry used in mourning the dead.
[2:1] 113 tn Heb “those who do evil upon their beds.”
[2:1] 114 tn Heb “at the light of morning they do it.”
[5:6] 115 tn Or perhaps “break”; or “defeat.”
[5:6] 116 sn According to Gen 10:8-12, Nimrod, who was famous as a warrior and hunter, founded Assyria.
[5:6] 117 tc The MT reads “in her gates,” but the text should be emended to בַּפְּתִיחָה (baptikhah, “with a drawn sword”).
[5:6] 118 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the coming king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:8] 119 tn The singular form is understood as collective.
[7:8] 120 tn Or “rejoice” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); NCV “don’t laugh at me.”
[7:8] 121 sn Darkness represents judgment; light (also in v. 9) symbolizes deliverance. The
[7:12] 122 tn Heb “they.” The referent has been specified as “people,” referring either to the nations (coming to God with their tribute) or to the exiles of Israel (returning to the
[7:12] 123 tn The masculine pronominal suffix suggests the
[7:12] 124 tc The MT reads וְעָרֵי (vÿ’arey, “and the cities [of Egypt]”), but the parallel line indicates this is a corruption of וְעַד (vÿ’ad, “even to”).
[7:12] 125 tn Heb “the River,” referring to the Euphrates River. This has been specified in the translation for clarity (so also NASB, NIV).
[7:12] 126 tn Heb “and sea from sea.” Many prefer to emend this to מִיָּם עַד יָם (miyyam ’ad yam, “from sea to sea”).
[7:12] 127 tn Heb “and mountain of the mountain.” Many prefer to emend this to וּמֵהַר עַד הַר (umehar ’ad har, “and mountain to mountain”).
[7:16] 128 tn Or “be ashamed of.”
[7:16] 129 tn Heb “and their ears will be deaf.” Apparently this means the opposing nations will be left dumbfounded by the
[5:14] 130 tn Or “Asherah poles.”
[5:14] sn Asherah was a leading deity of the Canaanite pantheon, wife/sister of El and goddess of fertility. She was commonly worshiped at shrines in or near groves of evergreen trees, or, failing that, at places marked by wooden poles. These were to be burned or cut down (Deut 12:3; 16:21; Judg 6:25, 28, 30; 2 Kgs 18:4). The
[5:14] 131 tn The MT reads “your cities,” but many emend the text to צִרֶיךָ (tsirekha, “your images”) or עֲצַבֶּיךָ (’atsbbekha, “your idols”).
[7:11] 132 sn Personified Jerusalem declares her confidence in vv. 8-10; in this verse she is assured that she will indeed be vindicated.
[7:13] 133 tn Or “will be ruined.”
[7:13] 134 tn Heb “on account of its inhabitants, because of the fruit of their deeds.”
[7:15] 135 tn Heb “him.” This probably refers to Israel in a collective sense. Because the switch from direct address to the third person is awkward, some prefer to emend the suffix to a second person form. In any case, it is necessary to employ a second person pronoun in the translation to maintain the connection for the English reader.
[7:15] 136 sn I will show you miraculous deeds. In this verse the
[2:4] 137 tc The form נִהְיָה (nihyah) should be omitted as dittographic (note the preceding וְנָהָה נְהִי vÿnahah nÿhiy).
[2:4] tn Heb “one will lament [with] a lamentation [and] say.”
[2:4] 138 tn Or “exchange.” The LXX suggests a reading יִמַּד (yimmad) from מָדַד (madad, “to measure”). In this case one could translate, “the property of my people is measured out [i.e., for resale].”
[2:4] 139 tn Heb “how one removes for me.” Apparently the preposition has the nuance “from” here (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[2:4] 140 tc The Hebrew term שׁוֹבֵב (shovev, “the one turning back”) elsewhere has the nuance “apostate” (cf. NASB) or “traitor” (cf. NIV). The translation assumes an emendation to שָׁבָה (shavah, “captor”).
[2:4] tn Heb “to the one turning back he assigns our fields.”
[5:2] 141 sn Ephrathah is either an alternate name for Bethlehem or the name of the district in which Bethlehem was located. See Ruth 4:11.
[5:2] map For location of Bethlehem see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[5:2] 142 tn Heb “being small.” Some omit לִהְיוֹת (lihyot, “being”) because it fits awkwardly and appears again in the next line.
[5:2] 143 tn Heb “from you for me one will go out to be a ruler over Israel.”
[5:2] 144 tn Heb “his goings out.” The term may refer to the ruler’s origins (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT) or to his activities.
[5:2] 145 tn Heb “from the past, from the days of antiquity.” Elsewhere both phrases refer to the early periods in the history of the world or of the nation of Israel. For מִקֶּדֶם (miqqedem, “from the past”) see Neh 12:46; Pss 74:12; 77:11; Isa 45:21; 46:10. For מִימֵי עוֹלָם (mimey ’olam, “from the days of antiquity”) see Isa 63:9, 11; Amos 9:11; Mic 7:14; Mal 3:4. In Neh 12:46 and Amos 9:11 the Davidic era is in view.
[5:2] sn In riddle-like fashion this verse alludes to David, as the references to Bethlehem and to his ancient origins/activities indicate. The passage anticipates the second coming of the great king to usher in a new era of national glory for Israel. Other prophets are more direct and name this coming ideal ruler “David” (Jer 30:9; Ezek 34:23-24; 37:24-25; Hos 3:5). Of course, this prophecy of “David’s” second coming is actually fulfilled through his descendant, the Messiah, who will rule in the spirit and power of his famous ancestor and bring to realization the Davidic royal ideal in an even greater way than the historical David (see Isa 11:1, 10; Jer 33:15).
[6:14] 146 tc The first Hebrew term in the line (וְיֶשְׁחֲךָ, vÿyeshkhakha) is obscure. HALOT 446 s.v. יֶשַׁח understands a noun meaning “filth,” which would yield the translation, “and your filth is inside you.” The translation assumes an emendation to כֹּחַ-וְיֶשׁ (vÿyesh-koakh, “and [if] there is strength inside you”).
[6:14] 147 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term וְתַסֵּג (vÿtasseg) is unclear. The translation assumes it is a Hiphal imperfect from נָסַג/נָשַׂג (nasag/nasag, “reach; overtake”) and that hunting imagery is employed. (Note the reference to hunger in the first line of the verse.) See D. R. Hillers, Micah (Hermeneia), 80.
[6:14] 148 tn The Hiphal of פָּלַט (palat) is used in Isa 5:29 of an animal carrying its prey to a secure place.
[7:4] 149 tn Heb “[the] godly from a row of thorn bushes.” The preposition מִן (min) is comparative and the comparative element (perhaps “sharper” is the idea) is omitted. See BDB 582 s.v. 6 and GKC 431 §133.e.
[7:4] 150 tn Heb “the day of your watchmen, your appointed [time], is coming.” The present translation takes “watchmen” to refer to actual sentries. However, the “watchmen” could refer figuratively to the prophets who had warned Judah of approaching judgment. In this case one could translate, “The day your prophets warned about – your appointed time of punishment – is on the way.”
[7:4] 151 tn Heb “and now will be their confusion.”
[1:9] 152 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Samaria) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:9] 153 tc The MT reads the plural “wounds”; the singular is read by the LXX, Syriac, and Vg.
[1:9] tn Or “wound.”
[1:9] 156 tn 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.
[1:9] 157 tn 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.
[1:9] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:10] 158 tn Heb “Tell it not in Gath.” The Hebrew word for “tell” (נָגַד, nagad) sounds like the name of the city, Gath (גַּת, gat).
[1:10] 159 tn The Hebrew infinitive absolute before the negated jussive emphasizes the prohibition.
[1:10] 160 tc 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.”
[1:10] 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.
[1:10] sn To sit in the dust was an outward sign of mourning. The name Beth Leaphrah means “house of dust.”
[1:15] 161 sn The place name Mareshah sounds like the Hebrew word for “conqueror.”
[1:15] 162 tn Heb “Again a conqueror I will bring to you, residents of Mareshah.” The first person verb is problematic, for the
[1:15] 163 tn 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.
[3:1] 166 tn Heb “Should you not know justice?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course you should!”
[3:9] 169 tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons (also at the beginning of v. 10).
[4:11] 170 tn Heb “let her be desecrated.” the referent (Jerusalem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:11] 171 tn Heb “and let our eye look upon Zion.”
[5:15] 172 tn Heb “I will accomplish in anger and in rage, vengeance on the nations who do not listen.”
[6:1] 173 tn Or “plead your case” (NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “present your plea”; NLT “state your case.”
[6:1] sn Defend yourself. The
[6:1] 174 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] 175 tn Heb “let the hills hear your voice.”
[7:19] 176 tn The verb יָשׁוּב (yashuv, “he will return”) is here used adverbially in relation to the following verb, indicating that the
[7:19] 177 tn Some prefer to read יִכְבֹּס (yikhbos, “he will cleanse”; see HALOT 459 s.v. כבס pi). If the MT is taken as it stands, sin is personified as an enemy that the
[7:19] 178 tn Heb “their sins,” but the final mem (ם) may be enclitic rather than a pronominal suffix. In this case the suffix from the preceding line (“our”) may be understood as doing double duty.
[7:19] 179 sn In this metaphor the
[4:2] 182 tn Heb “and we can walk in his paths.”
[4:2] 183 tn Heb “instruction [or, “law”] will go out from Zion, and the word of the
[4:2] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[4:13] 184 tn Heb “I will make your horn iron.”
[4:13] 185 sn Jerusalem (Daughter Zion at the beginning of the verse; cf. 4:8) is here compared to a powerful ox which crushes the grain on the threshing floor with its hooves.
[4:13] 186 tn Or “the Lord” (so many English versions); Heb “the master.”
[4:13] 187 tn Heb “and their wealth to the master of all the earth.” The verb “devote” does double duty in the parallelism and is supplied in the second line for clarification.
[4:13] sn In vv. 11-13 the prophet jumps from the present crisis (which will result in exile, v. 10) to a time beyond the restoration of the exiles when God will protect his city from invaders. The
[7:17] 188 tn Heb “like crawling things on the ground.” The parallelism suggests snakes are in view.
[7:17] 189 tn Thetranslationassumesthatthe phrase אֶל־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ (’el-yÿhvah ’elohenu, “to the
[7:17] 190 tn Heb “they will be in dread and afraid.”
[7:17] 191 tn The
[1:4] 192 tn 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).
[1:4] 193 sn The mountains will disintegrate…the valleys will be split in two. This imagery pictures an earthquake and accompanying landslide.
[1:4] 194 tn The words “the mountains will melt” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The simile extends back to the first line of the verse.
[1:4] 195 tn 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.
[1:7] 196 tn Heb “and all her prostitute’s wages will be burned with fire.”
[1:7] 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
[1:7] 197 tn Heb “I will make desolate” (so NASB).
[1:7] 198 tn Or “for” (KJV, NASB, NRSV).
[1:7] 199 tn No object is specified in the Hebrew text; the words “the metal” are supplied from the context.
[1:7] 200 tn 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
[1:11] 201 tn 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.
[1:11] 202 sn The place name Shaphir means “pleasant” in Hebrew.
[1:11] 203 tn The imperatival form is used rhetorically, emphasizing that the inhabitants of Shaphir will pass by into exile.
[1:11] 204 tn Heb “have not come out”; NIV “will not come out”; NLT “dare not come outside.”
[1:11] 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.
[1:11] 205 sn The place name Beth Ezel means “house of nearness” or “house of proximity” in Hebrew.
[1:11] 206 tn 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).
[1:11] 207 tc The form עֶמְדָּתוֹ (’emdato) should be emended to חֲמַדְּתוֹ (khamadto, “his (the conqueror’s) desire”).
[1:11] 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.”
[1:13] 208 sn The place name Lachish sounds like the Hebrew word for “team [of horses].”
[1:13] 209 tn 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.
[1:13] 210 sn The epithet Daughter Zion pictures the city of Jerusalem as a young lady.
[1:13] 211 tn Heb “She was the beginning of sin for Daughter Zion.”
[1:13] 212 tn Heb “for in you was found the transgressions of Israel.”
[2:7] 213 tn Heb “house” (so many English versions); CEV “descendants.’
[2:7] 214 tc The MT has אָמוּר (’amur), an otherwise unattested passive participle, which is better emended to אָמוֹר (’amor), an infinitive absolute functioning as a finite verb (see BDB 55 s.v. אָמַר).
[2:7] 215 tn The Hebrew word רוּחַ (ruach) often means “Spirit” when used of the
[2:7] 216 tn Heb “Has the patience of the
[2:7] 217 tn Heb “Do not my words accomplish good for the one who walks uprightly?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course they do!” The
[2:8] 218 tc Heb “Recently my people rise up as an enemy.” The MT is problematic in light of v. 9, where “my people” are the object of oppression, not the perpetrators of it. The form וְאֶתְמוּל (vÿ’etmul, “and recently”) is probably the product of fusion and subsequent suppression of an (ע) ayin. The translation assumes an emendation to וְאַתֶּם עַל (vÿ’attem ’al, “and you against [my people]”). The second person plural pronoun fits well with the second plural verb forms of vv. 8b-10. If this emendation is accepted, then יְקוֹמֵם (yÿqomem, the imperfect of קוּם [qum]) should be emended to קָמִים (qamim; a participle from the same root).
[2:8] 219 tc Heb “From the front of a garment glory [or perhaps, “a robe”] you strip off,” but this makes little if any sense. The term מִמּוּל (mimmul, “from the front of”) is probably the product of dittography (note the preceding word, which ends in [ם] mem) and subsequent suppression of ע (ayin). The translation assumes an emendation to מֵעַל (me’al, “from upon”). The translation also assumes an emendation of שַׂלְמָה אֶדֶר (salmah ’eder, “a garment, glory [or robe]”) to שֹׁלְמִים אֲדֶרֶת (sholÿmim ’aderet, “[from] a friend the robe [you strip off]”). The MT’s אֶדֶר (’eder) is the result of misdivision (the article has erroneously been attached to the preceding word) and haplography (of the final tav, which also begins the following word).
[2:8] 220 tc The passive participle שׁוּבֵי (shuvey) is unattested elsewhere and should be emended to a participle שָׁבִים (shavim).
[2:8] tn Heb “from those passing by peacefully, returnees from war.” Actual refugees, however, are probably not in view. The second line compares those who pass by peacefully with individuals returning from war. The battle is over and they do not expect their own countrymen to attack them.
[2:9] 221 tn Heb “women.” This may be a synecdoche of the whole (women) for the part (widows).
[2:9] 222 tn Heb “her little children” or “her infants”; ASV, NRSV “young children.”
[2:9] 223 tn Heb “from their children you take my glory forever.” The yod (י) ending on הֲדָרִי (hadariy) is usually taken as a first person common singular suffix (“my glory”). But it may be the archaic genitive ending (“glory of”) in the construct expression “glory of perpetuity,” that is, “perpetual glory.” In either case, this probably refers to the dignity or honor the
[3:4] 224 tn Heb “then they will cry out to the
[3:6] 225 tn Heb “it will be night for you without a vision.”
[3:6] sn The coming of night (and darkness in the following line) symbolizes the cessation of revelation.
[3:6] 226 tn Heb “it will be dark for you without divination.”
[3:6] sn The reading of omens (Heb “divination”) was forbidden in the law (Deut 18:10), so this probably reflects the prophets’ view of how they received divine revelation.
[3:6] 227 tn Heb “and the day will be dark over them.”
[3:8] 228 sn The prophet Micah speaks here and contrasts himself with the mercenaries just denounced by the
[3:8] 229 tn Heb “am full of power, the Spirit of the
[3:8] 230 tn Heb “to declare to Jacob his rebellion and to Israel his sin.” The words “this enables me” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[4:1] 231 tn Heb “at the end of days.”
[4:1] 232 tn Heb “will be established as the head of the mountains.”
[4:1] 233 tn Heb “it will be lifted up above the hills.”
[4:8] 234 tn Heb “Migdal-eder.” Some English versions transliterate this phrase, apparently because they view it as a place name (cf. NAB).
[4:8] 235 sn The city of David, located within Jerusalem, is addressed as Daughter Zion. As the home of the Davidic king, who was Israel’s shepherd (Ps 78:70-72), the royal citadel could be viewed metaphorically as the watchtower of the flock.
[4:8] 236 tn Heb “to you it will come, the former dominion will arrive.”
[5:1] 237 sn Beginning with 5:1, the verse numbers through 5:15 in the English Bible differ by one from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 5:1 ET = 4:14 HT, 5:2 ET = 5:1 HT, 5:3 ET = 5:2 HT, etc., through 5:15 ET = 5:14 HT. From 6:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.
[5:1] 238 tn The Hebrew verb גָדַד (gadad) can be translated “slash yourself” or “gather in troops.” A number of English translations are based on the latter meaning (e.g., NASB, NIV, NLT).
[5:1] sn Slash yourself. Slashing one’s body was a form of mourning. See Deut 14:1; 1 Kgs 18:28; Jer 16:6; 41:5; 47:5.
[5:1] 239 tn Heb “daughter of a troop of warriors.”
[5:1] sn The daughter surrounded by soldiers is an image of the city of Jerusalem under siege (note the address “Daughter Jerusalem” in 4:8).
[5:1] 240 tn Or “staff”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “rod”; CEV “stick”; NCV “club.”
[5:1] sn Striking a king with a scepter, a symbol of rulership, would be especially ironic and humiliating.
[5:1] 241 tn Traditionally, “the judge of Israel” (so KJV, NASB).
[6:6] 242 sn With what should I enter the
[6:6] 243 tn The words “with what” do double duty in the parallelism and are supplied in the second line of the translation for clarification.
[6:6] 244 tn Or “the exalted God.”
[6:8] 245 sn What the
[6:8] 246 tn Heb “except.” This statement is actually linked with what precedes, “What does he want from you except….”
[6:8] 247 tn Heb “to do,” in the sense of “promote.”
[6:8] 248 tn Heb “to love faithfulness.”
[6:8] 249 tn Heb “to walk humbly [or perhaps, “carefully”] with.”
[6:15] 250 tn Heb “you will tread olives.” Literally treading on olives with one’s feet could be harmful and would not supply the necessary pressure to release the oil. See O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 119. The Hebrew term דָּרַךְ (darakh) may have an idiomatic sense of “press” here, or perhaps the imagery of the following parallel line (referring to treading grapes) has dictated the word choice.
[6:15] 251 tn Heb “but you will not rub yourselves with oil.”
[6:15] 252 tn Heb “and juice, but you will not drink wine.” The verb תִדְרֹךְ (tidrokh, “you will tread”) must be supplied from the preceding line.
[7:2] 253 tn Or “have perished”; “have been destroyed.”
[7:2] 254 tn Heb “and an upright one among men there is not.”
[7:2] 255 tn Heb “for bloodshed” (so NASB); TEV “for a chance to commit murder.”
[7:2] 256 sn Micah compares these ungodly people to hunters trying to capture their prey with a net.
[7:18] 257 tn Heb “Who is a God like you?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “No one!”
[7:18] 258 tn Heb “one who.” The prayer moves from direct address (second person) in v. 18a to a descriptive (third person) style in vv. 18b-19a and then back to direct address (second person) in vv. 19b-20. Due to considerations of English style and the unfamiliarity of the modern reader with alternation of persons in Hebrew poetry, the entire section has been rendered as direct address (second person) in the translation.
[7:18] 259 tn Heb “pass over.”
[7:18] 260 tn Heb “of the remnant of his inheritance.”
[7:18] 261 tn Heb “he does not keep hold of his anger forever.”
[7:20] 262 tn More literally, “You will extend loyalty to Jacob, and loyal love to Abraham.
[7:20] 263 tn Heb “our fathers.” The Hebrew term refers here to more distant ancestors, not immediate parents.
[7:20] 264 tn Heb “which you swore [or, “pledged”] to our fathers from days of old.”
[2:3] 265 tn Heb “clan” or “extended family.”
[2:3] 266 tn Heb “from which you will not remove your neck.” The words “It will be like a yoke” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[2:3] 267 tn Or “you will not.”
[3:11] 268 sn The pronoun Her refers to Jerusalem (note the previous line).
[3:11] 269 tn Heb “judge for a bribe.”
[3:11] 270 tn Heb “they lean upon” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV); NAB “rely on.”
[3:11] 271 tn Heb “Is not the
[3:11] 272 tn Or “come upon” (so many English versions); NCV “happen to us”; CEV “come to us.”
[4:10] 273 tn Or perhaps “scream”; NRSV, TEV, NLT “groan.”
[4:10] 274 tn Or “redeem” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[4:10] 275 tn Heb “hand.” The Hebrew idiom is a metonymy for power or control.
[6:16] 276 tn Heb “the edicts of Omri are kept, and all the deeds of the house of Ahab.”
[6:16] 277 tn Heb “and you walk in their plans.”
[6:16] sn The Omride dynasty, of which Ahab was the most infamous king, had a reputation for implementing unjust and oppressive measures. See 1 Kgs 21.
[6:16] 278 tn The Hebrew term שַׁמָּה (shammah) can refer to “destruction; ruin,” or to the reaction it produces in those who witness the destruction.
[6:16] 279 tn Heb “her”; the referent (the city) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:16] 280 tn Heb “[an object] of hissing,” which was a way of taunting someone.
[6:16] 281 tc The translation assumes an emendation of the MT’s עַמִּי (’ammi, “my people”) to עַמִּים (’ammim, “nations”).
[6:16] tn Heb “and the reproach of my people you will bear.” The second person verb is plural here, in contrast to the singular forms used in vv. 13-15.
