Micah 5-7

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Micah 5:1 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.
2. Micah 5:1 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).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.
3. Micah 5:1 tn Heb “daughter of a troop of warriors.”sn The daughter surrounded by soldiers is an image of the city of Jerusalem under siege (note the address “Daughter Jerusalem” in 4:8).
4. Micah 5:1 tn Or “staff”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “rod”; CEV “stick”; NCV “club.”sn Striking a king with a scepter, a symbol of rulership, would be especially ironic and humiliating.
5. Micah 5:1 tn Traditionally, “the judge of Israel” (so KJV, NASB).
6. Micah 5:2 sn Ephrathah is either an alternate name for Bethlehem or the name of the district in which Bethlehem was located. See Ruth 4:11.
7. Micah 5:2 tn Heb “being small.” Some omit לִהְיוֹת (lih^eyot, “being”) because it fits awkwardly and appears again in the next line.
8. Micah 5:2 tn Heb “from you for me one will go out to be a ruler over Israel.”
9. Micah 5:2 tn Heb “his goings out.” The term may refer to the ruler’s origins (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT) or to his activities.
10. Micah 5:2 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 (mime ʿolam, “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.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).
11. Micah 5:3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12. Micah 5:3 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people of Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13. Micah 5:3 tn The words “to their enemies” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
14. Micah 5:3 sn The woman in labor. Personified, suffering Jerusalem is the referent. See 4:9-10.
15. Micah 5:3 sn Gives birth. The point of the figurative language is that Jerusalem finally finds relief from her suffering. See 4:10.
16. Micah 5:3 tn Heb “his”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
17. Micah 5:3 tn Heb “to the sons of Israel.” The words “be reunited with” are supplied in the translation for clarity.sn The rest of the king’s countrymen are the coming king’s fellow Judahites, while the people 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.
18. Micah 5:4 tn Heb “stand up”; NAB “stand firm”; NASB “will arise.”
19. Micah 5:4 tn The words “the people” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
20. Micah 5:4 tn Heb “by the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.”
21. Micah 5:4 tn The words “in peace” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Perhaps וְיָשָׁבוּ (v^eyashavu, “and they will live”) should be emended to וְשָׁבוּ (v^eshavu, “and they will return”).
22. Micah 5:4 tn Heb “be great.”
23. Micah 5:4 tn Or “to the ends of.”
24. Micah 5:5 tn Heb “and this one will be peace”; ASV “and this man shall be our peace” (cf. Eph 2:14).
25. Micah 5:5 tc Some prefer to read “in our land,” emending the text to בְּאַדְמָתֵנוּ (b^eʾadmatenu).
26. Micah 5:5 tn Heb “raise up.”
27. Micah 5:5 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.
28. Micah 5:5 tn Heb “shepherds.”
29. Micah 5:5 tn Heb “and eight leaders of men.”
30. Micah 5:6 tn Or perhaps “break”; or “defeat.”
31. Micah 5:6 sn According to Gen 10:8-12, Nimrod, who was famous as a warrior and hunter, founded Assyria.
32. Micah 5:6 tc The MT reads בִּפְתָחֶיהָ (biftakheha) “in her gates,” but the text should be emended to בַּפְּתִיחָה (bapp^etikhah) “with a drawn sword.”
33. Micah 5:6 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the coming king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
34. Micah 5:7 tn Heb “the remnant of” (also in v. 8).
35. Micah 5:7 tn Heb “will be.”
36. Micah 5:7 tn This could mean “(scattered) among the nations” (cf. CEV, NLT) or “surrounded by many nations” (cf. NRSV).
37. Micah 5:7 tn Heb “that does not hope for man, and does not wait for the sons of men.”sn Men wait eagerly for the dew and the rain, not vice versa. Just as the dew and rain are subject to the Lord, not men, so the remnant of Israel will succeed by the supernatural power of God and not need the support of other nations. There may even be a military metaphor here. Israel will overwhelm their enemies, just as the dew completely covers the grass (see 2 Sam 17:12). This interpretation would be consistent with the image of v. 7.
38. Micah 5:8 tn The words “its prey” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
39. Micah 5:8 tn Heb “and there is no deliverer.”
40. Micah 5:9 tn Heb “let your hand be lifted against your adversaries.”
41. Micah 5:9 tn Heb “be cut off.”
42. Micah 5:10 tn Heb “cut off” (also in the following verse).
43. Micah 5:12 tn Heb “magic charms” (so NCV, TEV); NIV, NLT “witchcraft”; NAB “the means of divination.” The precise meaning of this Hebrew word is uncertain, but note its use in Isa 47:9, 12.
44. Micah 5:12 tn Heb “from your hands.”
45. Micah 5:12 tn Heb “and you will not have omen-readers.”
46. Micah 5:14 tn Or “Asherah poles.”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 Lord states that he will destroy these images, something the Israelites themselves should have done but failed to do.
47. Micah 5:14 tn The MT reads “your cities,” but many emend the text to צִרֶיךָ (tsirekha, “your images”) or עֲצַבֶּיךָ (ʿatsbbekha, “your idols”).
48. Micah 6:1 tn Or “plead your case” (NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “present your plea”; NLT “state your case.”sn Defend yourself. The Lord challenges Israel to defend itself against the charges he is bringing.
49. Micah 6:1 sn As in some ancient Near Eastern treaties, the mountains are personified as legal witnesses that will settle the dispute between God and Israel.
50. Micah 6:1 tn Heb “let the hills hear your voice.”
51. Micah 6:2 tn The prophet briefly interrupts the Lord’s statement (see vv. 1, 3) to summon the mountains as witnesses. Though the prophet speaks, the quotation marks have been omitted to clarify that it is not the Lord still speaking.
52. Micah 6:3 tn Heb “My people, what have I done to you?”
53. Micah 6:4 tn Heb “before you.”
54. Micah 6:5 tn Heb “remember what Balak…planned.”
55. Micah 6:5 tn Heb “From Shittim to Gilgal, in order to know the just acts of the Lord.” Something appears to be missing at the beginning of the line. The present translation supplies the words, “Recall how you went.” This apparently refers to how Israel crossed the Jordan River (see Josh 3:1; 4:19-24).
56. Micah 6:6 sn With what should I enter the Lord’s presence? The prophet speaks again, playing the role of an inquisitive worshiper who wants to know what God really desires from his followers.
57. Micah 6:6 tn The words “with what” do double duty in the parallelism and are supplied in the second line of the translation for clarification.
58. Micah 6:6 tn Or “the exalted God.”
59. Micah 6:7 tn Heb “the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is often translated “soul,” but the word usually refers to the whole person; here “the sin of my soul” = “my sin.” sn Since child sacrifice is forbidden in scripture (Deut 12:31; 18:10), the speaker is revealed to not be in earnest but perhaps sarcastic.
60. Micah 6:8 sn Now the prophet switches roles and answers the question of the hypothetical worshiper. He rebukes the extravagant surface remark by pointing to general character qualities that are lacking in Israel.
61. Micah 6:8 tn Heb “is seeking from you.”
62. Micah 6:8 tn Heb “except.” This statement is actually linked with what precedes, “What does he want from you except….”
63. Micah 6:8 tn Or “to act justly.”
64. Micah 6:8 tn Or “to love faithfully.” The Hebrew word חֶסֶד (khesed) is complex, sometimes translated “lovingkindness,” faithfulness,” or “loyal love.” It has also been understood as covenant loyalty. חֶסֶד is either the object or the manner of the infinitive “to love.”
65. Micah 6:8 tn Heb “to walk humbly [or perhaps, “carefully”] with.”
66. Micah 6:9 tn Or “the voice of the Lord is calling.” The translation understands קוֹל (qol, “voice”) as equivalent to an imperative.
67. Micah 6:9 tn Heb “one who sees your name is wisdom.” It is probably better to emend יִרְאֶה (yirʾeh, “he sees”) to יִרְאָה (yirʾah, “fearing”). One may then translate, “fearing your name is wisdom.” The Lord’s “name” here stands by metonymy for his authority.
68. Micah 6:9 tc The MT reads, “Listen, tribe (or staff) and who appointed it.” Verse 10 then begins with עוֹד (ʿod, “still” or “again”). The LXX reads, “who will set the city in order?” The translation assumes an emendation of וּמִי יְעָדָהּ. עוֹד (umi y^eʿadah. ʿod…, “and who appointed it. Still…”) to וּמוֹעֵד הָעִיר(umoʿed haʿir, “and the assembly of the city”).
69. Micah 6:10 tn The meaning of the first Hebrew word in the line is unclear. Possibly it is a combination of the interrogative particle and אִשׁ (ʾish), an alternate form of יֵשׁ (yesh, “there is/are”). One could then translate literally, “Are there treasures of sin [in] the house of the sinful?” The translation assumes an emendation to הַאֶשֶּׁה (haʾesheh, from נָשָׁא, nashaʾ, “to forget”), “Will I forget?” The rhetorical question expects an answer, “No, I will not forget.”
70. Micah 6:10 tn Heb “the treasures of sin”; NASB “treasures of wickedness”; NIV “ill-gotten treasures.”
71. Micah 6:10 tn Heb “the accursed scant measure.”sn Merchants would use a smaller than standard measure so they could give the customer less than he thought he was paying for.
72. Micah 6:11 tn Heb “Do I acquit sinful scales, and a bag of deceptive weights?” The rhetorical question expects an answer, “No, I do not,” and has been translated as a declarative statement for clarity and emphasis.sn Merchants also used rigged scales and deceptive weights to cheat their customers. See the note at Amos 8:5.
73. Micah 6:12 tn Heb “are full of violence.”
74. Micah 6:12 tn Heb “and their tongue is deceptive in their mouth.”
75. Micah 6:13 tn Heb “and I, even I, will make you sick, [by] striking you.”
76. Micah 6:14 tc The first Hebrew term in the line (וְיֶשְׁחֲךָ, v^eyeshkhakha) 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 כֹּחַוְיֶשׁ (v^eyesh koakh, “and [if] there is strength inside you”).
77. Micah 6:14 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term וְתַסֵּג (v^etasseg) 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.
78. Micah 6:14 tn The Hiphal of פָּלַט (palat) is used in Isa 5:29 of an animal carrying its prey to a secure place.
79. Micah 6:15 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.
80. Micah 6:15 tn Heb “but you will not rub yourselves with oil.”
81. Micah 6:15 tn Heb “and juice, but you will not drink wine.” The verb תִדְרֹךְ (tidrokh, “you will tread”) must be supplied from the preceding line.
82. Micah 6:16 tn Heb “the edicts of Omri are kept.”
83. Micah 6:16 tn Heb “the house of Ahab.”
84. Micah 6:16 tn Heb “and you walk in their plans.”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.
85. Micah 6:16 tn The Hebrew term שַׁמָּה (shammah) can refer to “destruction; ruin,” or to the reaction it produces in those who witness the destruction.
86. Micah 6:16 tn Heb “her.”
87. Micah 6:16 tn Heb “[an object] of hissing,” which was a way of taunting someone.
88. Micah 6:16 tc The translation assumes an emendation of the MT’s עַמִּי (ʿammi, “my people”) to עַמִּים (ʿammim, “nations”).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.
89. Micah 7:1 tn Heb “appetite, soul.”
90. Micah 7:2 tn Or “have perished.”
91. Micah 7:2 tn Heb “and an upright one among men there is not.”
92. Micah 7:2 tn Heb “for bloodshed” (so NASB); TEV “for a chance to commit murder.”
93. Micah 7:3 tn Heb “their hands [reach] to evil to do [it] well,” or with slight emendation “their hands are skillful at doing evil.”
94. Micah 7:3 tn Heb “the official asks—and the judge—for a bribe.”
95. Micah 7:3 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.
96. Micah 7:4 tc The MT reads יָשָׁר מִמְּסוּכָה (yashar mimm^esukhah) “a godly [person] from a thorn bush.” Theoretically the preposition מִן (min, “from”) could be comparative (“more than”), but it would need an attributive adjective for this meaning. Most likely this is a case of wrong word division, where the מ (mem) is not מִן (min, “from”), but is actually a third masculine plural pronominal suffix, similar to the first clause (“their best”). The line would read יְשָׁרָם מְסוּכָה (y^esharam m^esukhah) “their upright person is a thorn bush.”
97. Micah 7:4 tc The text is uncertain at several points. Where the MT reads יוֹם (yom, “day [of]”), the LXX reads οὐαὶ (ouai, “woe”) implying הוֹי (hoi, “woe”). The watchmen may be actual sentries or symbolic of true of false prophets. If reading with the MT, the “day of your watchmen,” might be the day they are on the lookout for, or the day they have announced. Reading “woe” either warns the sentries on the lookout or rebukes false prophets.
98. Micah 7:4 tn Or “has come.”
99. Micah 7:4 tn Heb “Now will be their confusion.”
100. Micah 7:5 tn Heb “guard the doors of your mouth.”
101. Micah 7:6 tn Heb “rises up against.”
102. Micah 7:6 tn Heb “his house.” Household may include servants as well as family.
103. Micah 7:8 tn The singular form is understood as collective.
104. Micah 7:8 tn Or “rejoice” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV); NCV “don’t laugh at me.”
105. Micah 7:8 sn Darkness represents judgment; light (also in v. 9) symbolizes deliverance.
106. Micah 7:9 tn Heb “bear, carry.”
107. Micah 7:9 tn Heb “until.”
108. Micah 7:9 tn Or “plead my case” (NASB and NIV both similar); NRSV “until he takes my side.”
109. Micah 7:9 tn Or “justice, vindication.”
110. Micah 7:10 tn Heb “who say.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
111. Micah 7:10 tn Heb “My eyes will look on them.”
112. Micah 7:10 tn Heb “a trampled-down place.”
113. Micah 7:11 sn Personified Jerusalem declares her confidence in vv. 8-10; in this verse she is assured that she will indeed be vindicated.
114. Micah 7:12 tn Heb “he.” 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 Lord).
115. Micah 7:12 tn The masculine pronominal suffix suggests the Lord is addressed. Some emend to a feminine form and take Jerusalem as the addressee.
116. Micah 7:12 tc The MT reads וְעָרֵי (v^eʿarey, “and the cities [of Egypt]”), but the parallel line indicates this needs emendation to וְעַד (v^eʿad, “even to”).
117. Micah 7:12 tn Heb “the River,” referring to the Euphrates River (so also NASB, NIV).
118. Micah 7:12 tn Heb “and sea from sea.” Many prefer to emend this to מִיָּם עַד יָם (miyyam ʿad yam, “from sea to sea”).
119. Micah 7:12 tn Heb “and mountain of the mountain.” Many prefer to emend this to וּמֵהַר עַד הַר (umehar ʿad har, “and mountain to mountain”).
120. Micah 7:13 tn Heb “on account of its inhabitants, because of the fruit of their deeds.”
121. Micah 7:14 tn The Hebrew term שֵׁבֶט (shevet) can refer to a rod, such as a ṣhepherd’s rod, or a “scepter.”
122. Micah 7:14 tn Heb “the flock of your inheritance.”
123. Micah 7:14 tn Or “in the midst of Carmel.” The Hebrew term translated “pastureland” may be a place name.sn The point seems to be that Israel is in a vulnerable position, like sheep in a thicket populated by predators, while rich pastureland (their homeland and God’s blessings) is in view.
124. Micah 7:14 sn The regions of Bashan and Gilead, located in Transjordan, were noted for their rich grazing lands.
125. Micah 7:14 tn Heb “as in the days of antiquity.”
126. Micah 7:15 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.
127. Micah 7:15 sn I will show you miraculous deeds. In this verse the Lord responds to the petition of v. 14 with a brief promise of deliverance.
128. Micah 7:16 tn Or “be ashamed of.”
129. Micah 7:16 tn Heb “and their ears will be deaf.” Apparently this means the opposing nations will be left dumbfounded by the Lord’s power. Their inability to respond will make them appear to be deaf mutes.
130. Micah 7:17 tn Heb “like crawling things on the ground.” The parallelism suggests snakes are in view.
131. Micah 7:17 tn The translation assumes that the phrase אֶל־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ (ʾel y^ehvah ʾelohenu, “to the Lord our God”) goes with what precedes. Another option is to take the phrase with the following verb, in which case one could translate, “to the Lord our God they will turn in dread.”
132. Micah 7:17 tn Heb “they will be in dread and afraid.”
133. Micah 7:17 tn The Lord is addressed directly using the second person.
134. Micah 7:18 sn The rhetorical question expects the answer, “No one!” The claim is supported by the following description.
135. Micah 7:18 tn Heb “one who,” a substantival participle. The descriptions in the rest of vv. 18-19 fill out the rhetorical question, “Who is a God like you?” That is, they provide descriptions of God as reasons that make him without equal. This context uses two participles, e.g. “who forgives” and “who pardons,” and then independent clauses with third person verbs. A similar construction occurs in Ps 113:5-9, with participles and a third person finite verb in v. 7. Here, making the two participles grammatically dependent on the rhetorical question and then switching to the third person is confusing English style. It masks that all these descriptions are serving the same function as a list of unique qualities of God, who is addressed in the second person. To tie these together in English, all the descriptions can be made into second person statements (so NIV), though this does not clarify the distinction of when the original text deliberately switches back to second person in v. 20. Another approach would be to translate the third person clauses as indefinite and dependent, e.g. “Who is…like you, someone who does X, someone who does Y?” Or the interrogative force can be be extended, e.g. “Who is the one who does not stay angry?”
136. Micah 7:18 tn Heb “passes over.”
137. Micah 7:18 tn Heb “of the remnant of his inheritance.”
138. Micah 7:19 tn The interrogative force of the previous verse is continued here, part of a list of attributes reinforcing the question, “Who is like God?”
139. Micah 7:19 tn The verb יָשׁוּב (yashuv, “he will return”) is here used adverbially in relation to the following verb, indicating that the Lord will again show mercy.
140. Micah 7:19 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 Lord subdues.
141. Micah 7:19 tc The MT reads וְתַשְׁלִיך (v^etashlik, “and you will throw”), while the LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate read “he will throw,” implying וְהַשְׁלִיך (v^ehashlik). Being conceptually tied to the previous verb, this one should be part of the list begun in v. 18, so the third person form is expected. Also the vav plus perfect consecutive is more typical than vav plus imperfect in this setting.
142. Micah 7:19 tc Heb “their sins.” The LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate read “our sins.” The shape of the letters in the first person plural suffix נו (nun and vav) look very much like ם (a final mem), which makes the third person plural suffix. Confusing the two is not an uncommon copying error. It may also be an enclitic ם rather than a pronominal suffix. In that case the suffix from the preceding line (“our”) may be understood as doing double duty.
143. Micah 7:19 sn In this metaphor the Lord disposes of Israel’s sins by throwing them into the waters of the sea (here symbolic of chaos).
144. Micah 7:20 tn More literally, “You will extend loyalty to Jacob, and loyal love to Abraham.”
145. Micah 7:20 tn Heb “our fathers,” meaning “our forefathers.”
146. Micah 7:20 tn Heb “from days of old.”