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The Lord’s Case against Israel

Listen to what the Lord is saying:

“Stand up and state your case against me.
    Let the mountains and hills be called to witness your complaints.
And now, O mountains,
    listen to the Lord’s complaint!
He has a case against his people.
    He will bring charges against Israel.

“O my people, what have I done to you?
    What have I done to make you tired of me?
    Answer me!
For I brought you out of Egypt
    and redeemed you from slavery.
    I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you.
Don’t you remember, my people,
    how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed
    and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead?
And remember your journey from Acacia Grove[a] to Gilgal,
    when I, the Lord, did everything I could
    to teach you about my faithfulness.”

What can we bring to the Lord?
    Should we bring him burnt offerings?
Should we bow before God Most High
    with offerings of yearling calves?
Should we offer him thousands of rams
    and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Should we sacrifice our firstborn children
    to pay for our sins?

No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
    and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
    and to walk humbly with your God.

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

Fear the Lord if you are wise!
    His voice calls to everyone in Jerusalem:
“The armies of destruction are coming;
    the Lord is sending them.[b]
10 What shall I say about the homes of the wicked
    filled with treasures gained by cheating?
What about the disgusting practice
    of measuring out grain with dishonest measures?[c]
11 How can I tolerate your merchants
    who use dishonest scales and weights?
12 The rich among you have become wealthy
    through extortion and violence.
Your citizens are so used to lying
    that their tongues can no longer tell the truth.

13 “Therefore, I will wound you!
    I will bring you to ruin for all your sins.
14 You will eat but never have enough.
    Your hunger pangs and emptiness will remain.
And though you try to save your money,
    it will come to nothing in the end.
You will save a little,
    but I will give it to those who conquer you.
15 You will plant crops
    but not harvest them.
You will press your olives
    but not get enough oil to anoint yourselves.
You will trample the grapes
    but get no juice to make your wine.
16 You keep only the laws of evil King Omri;
    you follow only the example of wicked King Ahab!
Therefore, I will make an example of you,
    bringing you to complete ruin.
You will be treated with contempt,
    mocked by all who see you.”

Notas al pie

  1. 6:5 Hebrew Shittim.
  2. 6:9 Hebrew “Listen to the rod. / Who appointed it?”
  3. 6:10 Hebrew of using the short ephah? The ephah was a unit for measuring grain.

God Pleads with Israel

Hear now what the Lord says:

“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
And let the hills hear your voice.
(A)Hear, O you mountains, (B)the Lord’s complaint,
And you strong foundations of the earth;
For (C)the Lord has a complaint against His people,
And He will [a]contend with Israel.

“O My people, what (D)have I done to you?
And how have I (E)wearied you?
Testify against Me.
(F)For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage;
And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
O My people, remember now
What (G)Balak king of Moab counseled,
And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
From [b]Acacia Grove to Gilgal,
That you may know (H)the righteousness of the Lord.”

With what shall I come before the Lord,
And bow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
(I)Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand (J)rivers of oil?
(K)Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
[c]The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

He has (L)shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But (M)to do justly,
To love [d]mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

Punishment of Israel’s Injustice

The Lord’s voice cries to the city—
Wisdom shall see Your name:

“Hear the rod!
Who has appointed it?
10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness
In the house of the wicked,
And the short measure that is an abomination?
11 Shall I count pure those with (N)the wicked scales,
And with the bag of deceitful weights?
12 For her rich men are full of (O)violence,
Her inhabitants have spoken lies,
And (P)their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

13 “Therefore I will also (Q)make you sick by striking you,
By making you desolate because of your sins.
14 (R)You shall eat, but not be satisfied;
[e]Hunger shall be in your midst.
You may carry some away,[f] but shall not save them;
And what you do rescue I will give over to the sword.

15 “You shall (S)sow, but not reap;
You shall tread the olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil;
And make sweet wine, but not drink wine.
16 For the statutes of (T)Omri are (U)kept;
All the works of Ahab’s house are done;
And you walk in their counsels,
That I may make you a [g]desolation,
And your inhabitants a hissing.
Therefore you shall bear the (V)reproach of [h]My people.”

Notas al pie

  1. Micah 6:2 bring charges against
  2. Micah 6:5 Heb. Shittim, Num. 25:1; Josh. 2:1; 3:1
  3. Micah 6:7 My own child
  4. Micah 6:8 Or lovingkindness
  5. Micah 6:14 Or Emptiness or Humiliation
  6. Micah 6:14 Tg., Vg. You shall take hold
  7. Micah 6:16 Or object of horror
  8. Micah 6:16 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX nations

God’s Lawsuit against Judah

Now listen to what the Lord is saying:

Rise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your complaint.[a]
Listen to the Lord’s lawsuit,(A)
you mountains and enduring foundations of the earth,(B)
because the Lord has a case against his people,(C)
and he will argue it against Israel.
My people,(D) what have I done to you,(E)
or how have I wearied you?(F)
Testify against me!
Indeed, I brought you up(G) from the land of Egypt
and redeemed you(H) from that place of slavery.(I)
I sent Moses,(J) Aaron, and Miriam(K) ahead of you.
My people,
remember what King Balak of Moab(L) proposed,
what Balaam son of Beor answered him,(M)
and what happened from the Acacia Grove[b](N) to Gilgal(O)
so that you may acknowledge
the Lord’s righteous acts.(P)

What should I bring before the Lord(Q)
when I come to bow before God on high?
Should I come before him with burnt offerings,(R)
with year-old calves?
Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams(S)
or with ten thousand streams of oil?
Should I give my firstborn for my transgression,(T)
the offspring of my body for my own sin?

Mankind, he has told each of you what is good(U)
and what it is the Lord requires of you:(V)
to act justly,(W)
to love faithfulness,(X)
and to walk humbly with your God.(Y)

Verdict of Judgment

The voice of the Lord calls out to the city[c]
(and it is wise to fear your name):
“Pay attention to the rod
and the one who ordained it.[d]
10 Are there still[e] the treasures of wickedness(Z)
and the accursed short measure(AA)
in the house of the wicked?
11 Can I excuse wicked scales
or bags of deceptive weights?(AB)
12 For the wealthy of the city are full of violence,(AC)
and its residents speak lies;(AD)
the tongues in their mouths are deceitful.(AE)

13 “As a result, I have begun to strike you severely,[f](AF)
bringing desolation because of your sins.(AG)
14 You will eat but not be satisfied,(AH)
for there will be hunger within you.
What you acquire, you cannot save,(AI)
and what you do save,
I will give to the sword.[g]
15 You will sow but not reap;(AJ)
you will press olives
but not anoint yourself with oil;
and you will tread grapes
but not drink the wine.(AK)
16 The statutes of Omri
and all the practices of Ahab’s house
have been observed;
you have followed their policies.(AL)
Therefore, I will make you a desolate place(AM)
and the city’s[h] residents an object of contempt;[i](AN)
you will bear the scorn of my people.”[j](AO)

Notas al pie

  1. 6:1 Lit voice
  2. 6:5 Or from Shittim
  3. 6:9 = Jerusalem
  4. 6:9 Or attention, you tribe. Who has ordained it?; Hb obscure
  5. 6:10 Hb obscure
  6. 6:13 LXX, Aq, Theod, Syr, Vg; MT reads I have made you sick by striking you down
  7. 6:14 Hb obscure
  8. 6:16 Lit and its
  9. 6:16 Lit residents a hissing
  10. 6:16 LXX reads of the peoples

The Lord’s Case Against Israel

Listen to what the Lord says:

“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;(A)
    let the hills hear what you have to say.

“Hear,(B) you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;(C)
    listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the Lord has a case(D) against his people;
    he is lodging a charge(E) against Israel.

“My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened(F) you?(G) Answer me.
I brought you up out of Egypt(H)
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.(I)
I sent Moses(J) to lead you,
    also Aaron(K) and Miriam.(L)
My people, remember
    what Balak(M) king of Moab plotted
    and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim(N) to Gilgal,(O)
    that you may know the righteous acts(P) of the Lord.”

With what shall I come before(Q) the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?(R)
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,(S)
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?(T)
Shall I offer my firstborn(U) for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?(V)
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly(W) and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[a](X) with your God.(Y)

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—
    and to fear your name is wisdom—
    “Heed the rod(Z) and the One who appointed it.[b]
10 Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house,
    and the short ephah,[c] which is accursed?(AA)
11 Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales,(AB)
    with a bag of false weights?(AC)
12 Your rich people are violent;(AD)
    your inhabitants are liars(AE)
    and their tongues speak deceitfully.(AF)
13 Therefore, I have begun to destroy(AG) you,
    to ruin[d] you because of your sins.
14 You will eat but not be satisfied;(AH)
    your stomach will still be empty.[e]
You will store up but save nothing,(AI)
    because what you save[f] I will give to the sword.
15 You will plant but not harvest;(AJ)
    you will press olives but not use the oil,
    you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.(AK)
16 You have observed the statutes of Omri(AL)
    and all the practices of Ahab’s(AM) house;
    you have followed their traditions.(AN)
Therefore I will give you over to ruin(AO)
    and your people to derision;
    you will bear the scorn(AP) of the nations.[g]

Notas al pie

  1. Micah 6:8 Or prudently
  2. Micah 6:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
  3. Micah 6:10 An ephah was a dry measure.
  4. Micah 6:13 Or Therefore, I will make you ill and destroy you; / I will ruin
  5. Micah 6:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  6. Micah 6:14 Or You will press toward birth but not give birth, / and what you bring to birth
  7. Micah 6:16 Septuagint; Hebrew scorn due my people

This is the fourth time in Micah’s prophecy that the city leaders and general population of Judah are called to “listen up” (Micah 1:2; 3:1; 3:9; 6:1). Each time the prophet has something very important to say to those in Judah.

Listen to what the Eternal is saying.
    People of Israel, stand up and plead your case to the mountains;
Let the hills hear what you have to say.
Listen, jury of mountains, to the complaint of the Eternal One;
    listen, you enduring foundations of the earth,
For He brings a charge against His people and argues against Israel.

Eternal One: My people, what have I done against you?
        How have I made you tired of Me? Answer Me!
    I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, paid your ransom,
        freed you from that place of slavery, and sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.[a]
    O My people, remember how King Balak of Moab plotted against you,
        how Balaam (Beor’s son) answered him, refusing to curse you?[b]
    Everything happened between Shittim and Gilgal
        as you took possession of the lands I promised you,
    So that you might remember all the saving acts of the Eternal.

Israel: What should I bring into the presence of the Eternal One
        to pay homage to the God Most High?
    Should I come into His presence with burnt offerings,
        with year-old calves to sacrifice?
    Would the Eternal be pleased by thousands of sacrificial rams,
        by ten thousand swollen rivers of sweet olive oil?
    Should I offer my oldest son for my wrongdoing,
        the child of my body to cover the sins of my life?

No. He has told you, mortals, what is good in His sight.
    What else does the Eternal ask of you
But to live justly and to love kindness
    and to walk with your True God in all humility?
The voice of the Eternal cries out to the city of Jerusalem,
    and the wise fear Your name.

Many Christians wonder what God wants from faithful followers. Does He want them to sacrifice everything for Him? Does He want them to keep strict codes of behavior—refuse to do this or always do that? People in the past and people today have all sorts of opinions about how the faithful should act; and in several other places in the Bible, all of the so-called laws, rules, regulations, and suggestions are boiled down to their simplest form: in order to make God happy, do what is right, love kindness, and live with compassion toward others; walk in right relation to the God of Abraham, and do so humbly. By doing these things, Micah says, God’s followers will please Him and live happy lives. In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus similarly says people are to worship only one God; to love that God with heart, mind, body, and soul; and to love their neighbors as themselves.

Eternal One: Listen, all of you gathered there, (tribe and people):[c]
10         Can I overlook the treasures of wickedness
    Stored away in the house of the wicked,
        the dishonest scales and measures that I hate?
11     Can I overlook the one who uses crooked scales
        and bags of dishonest weights to cheat the innocent?
12     Her rich are filled with violence, her citizens speak lies,
        and the words of their mouths can never be trusted.
13     That is why I will strike you down with disease,[d]
        destroy you because of your wrongdoing.
14     You will eat, but you will never be satisfied;[e]
        you will always feel the gnawing pangs of hunger.
    You will store away but never keep safe;
        what you have put aside I will destroy with the sword.
15     You will sow grain but never reap it;
        you will plant olives but never anoint yourself with their sweet oil;
    You will harvest vineyards for juice but never drink the wine.
16     For you have followed the ways of Omri
        and all the works of the kingdom of Ahab,
    And you have followed their paths of wickedness.
        That is why I can justifiably decimate you.
    Your citizens will be the subject of satire and mockery,
        and you will bear the scorn My people deserve.[f]

Notas al pie

  1. 6:4 Exodus 13–15
  2. 6:5 Numbers 22:5–6
  3. 6:9 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  4. 6:13 Other ancient manuscripts read, “I have begun to strike you down.”
  5. 6:14 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  6. 6:16 Greek manuscripts read, “the scorn of the nations.”