Micah 7
New Life Version
Sorrow for Israel’s Sins
7 It is bad for me! For I am like those who pick fruit and gather grapes. There are no grapes to eat, or any of the early figs that I want so much. 2 There is not a God-like person left in the land. There is no good person among men. All of them lie in wait to kill. Each one hunts the other with a net. 3 Both hands are very able in doing sinful things. The ruler and the judge ask for pay in secret to do what is wrong. The powerful man tells what he wants, and they all make plans together. 4 The best of them is like a thistle. The most honest of them is like a thorn bush. The day you have a watchman, you will be punished. Then their trouble will come. 5 Do not trust a neighbor. Do not put trust in a friend. Be careful what you say even with her who lies in your arms. 6 For a son does not honor his father. A daughter rises up against her mother. And a daughter-in-law turns against her mother-in-law. Those of a man’s own house hate him.
7 But as for me, I will watch for the Lord. I will wait for the God Who saves me. My God will hear me.
The Lord Saves
8 Do not have joy over me, you who hate me. When I fall, I will rise. Even though I am in darkness, the Lord will be my light. 9 I will suffer under the Lord’s anger, because I have sinned against Him, until He speaks for me and does what is fair for me. He will bring me out to the light, and I will see His saving power. 10 Then the one who hated me will see, and shame will cover her who said to me, “Where is the Lord your God?” My eyes will look on her, and she will be crushed under foot like mud in the streets. 11 It will be a day for building your walls. At that time your land will be made larger. 12 In that day people will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, from Egypt to the Euphrates River, from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain. 13 The earth will be laid waste because of its people and the things they have done.
The Lord’s Loving-Kindness for Israel
14 Shepherd Your people with Your power. Take care of Your chosen flock which lives by itself in the woods, in a field of much fruit. Let them eat in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago. 15 “As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show you powerful works.” 16 Nations will see and be ashamed of all their power. They will put their hands on their mouths, and will not be able to hear with their ears. 17 They will eat the dust like a snake, like animals that move along the ground. They will come out of their strong-places shaking with fear. They will come in much fear to the Lord our God, and they will be afraid of You. 18 Who is a God like You, Who forgives sin and the wrong-doing of Your chosen people who are left? He does not stay angry forever because He is happy to show loving-kindness. 19 He will again have loving-pity on us. He will crush our sins under foot. Yes, You will throw all our sins into the deep sea. 20 You will be true to Jacob and show loving-kindness to Abraham, as You promised our fathers in days long ago.
Micah 7
Revised Geneva Translation
7 Woe is me, for I am as the summer gatherings, as the grapes of the vintage. There is no cluster to eat. My soul desired the first ripe fruits.
2 The good man has perished from the Earth, and there is no one righteous among men. They all lie in wait for blood. Every man hunts his brother with a net.
3 To make good for the evil of both their hands, the prince asks and the judge judges for a reward. And the great man speaks out the corruption of his soul. So they weave it together.
4 The best of them is as a brier. And the most righteous of them is sharper than a thorn-hedge. The day of your watchmen and your visitation comes. Then shall be their confusion.
5 Do not trust in a friend, or put confidence in a counselor. Keep the doors of your mouth from she who lies in your bosom.
6 For the son reviles the father. The daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
7 Therefore, I will look to the LORD. I will wait for God my Savior. My God will hear me.
8 Do not rejoice against me, O my enemy! Though I fall, I shall rise. When I shall sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light to me.
9 I will bear the wrath of the LORD, because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case and executes judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light. And I shall see His righteousness.
10 Then she who is my enemy shall look upon it. And shame shall cover her who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes shall behold her. Now she shall be trampled down as the mire of the streets.
11 This is the day that your walls shall be built. This day shall drive the decree far away.
12 Also at this time they shall come to you from Assyria and the strong cities, and from the strongholds to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
13 Nevertheless, the land shall be desolate because of those who dwell in it, for the fruits of their inventions.
14 Feed Your people with Your rod, the flock of Your heritage (who dwell solitarily in the forest) in the midst of Carmel. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in days of old.
15 “According to the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt, I will show to him marvelous things.”
16 The nations shall see and be confounded for all their power. They shall lay their hand upon their mouth. Their ears shall be deaf.
17 They shall lick the dust like a serpent. They shall move out of their holes like worms. They shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of You.
18 Who is a God like You, Who takes away iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage! He does not retain His wrath forever, because mercy pleases Him.
19 He will turn again and have compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sins into the bottom of the sea.
20 You will perform truth to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, as You have sworn to our fathers in days of old.
Micah 7
1599 Geneva Bible
7 1 A complaint for the small number of the righteous. 4 The wickedness of those times. 14 The prosperity of the Church.
1 Woe is me, for I am as the [a]Summer gatherings, and as the grapes of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the first ripe fruits.
2 The good man is perished out of the earth, and there is none righteous among men: [b]they all lie in wait for blood: every man hunteth his brother with a net.
3 To make good for the evil of their hands, the prince asked, and the judge judgeth for a reward: therefore the [c]great man he speaketh out the corruption of his soul: so [d]they wrapped it up.
4 The best of them is as [e]a brier, and the most righteous of them is sharper than a thorn-hedge: the day of [f]thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh: then shall be their confusion.
5 Trust ye not in a friend, neither put ye confidence in a counselor: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
6 For the son revileth the father: the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
7 Therefore [g]I will look unto the Lord: I will wait for God my Savior: my God will hear me.
8 Rejoice not against me, [h]O mine enemy: though I fall, I shall arise, when I shall sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.
9 I will bear the wrath of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: then will he bring me forth to the light, and I shall see his righteousness.
10 Then she that is mine enemy, shall look upon it, and shame shall cover her, which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? Mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.
11 This is [i]the day, that thy walls shall be built: this day shall drive far away [j]the decree.
12 In this day also they shall come unto thee from [k]Assyria, and from the strong cities, and from the strongholds even unto the river, and from Sea to Sea, and from mountain to mountain.
13 Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, and for the fruits of [l]their inventions.
14 [m]Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage (which dwell solitary in the wood) as in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in old time.
15 [n]According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt, will I show unto him marvelous things.
16 The nations shall see, and be confounded for all their power: they shall [o]lay their hand upon their mouth: [p]their ears shall be deaf.
17 They shall [q]lick the dust like a serpent: they shall move out of their holes like worms: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee.
18 Who is a God like unto thee, that taketh away iniquity, and [r]passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage! He retaineth not his wrath forever, because mercy pleaseth him.
19 He will turn again, and have compassion upon us: he will subdue our iniquities, and cast all [s]their sins into the bottom of the sea.
20 Thou wilt perform thy [t]truth to Jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as thou hast sworn unto our fathers in old time.
Footnotes
- Micah 7:1 The Prophet taketh upon him the person of the earth, which complaineth that all her fruits are gone, so that none is left: that is, that there is no godly man remaining: for all are given to cruelty and deceit, so that none spareth his own brother.
- Micah 7:2 He showeth that the prince, the judge, and the rich man are linked together all to do evil, and to cloak the doings one of another.
- Micah 7:3 That is, the rich man that is able to give money, abstaineth from no wickedness nor injury.
- Micah 7:3 These men agree among themselves and conspire with one consent to do evil.
- Micah 7:4 They that are of most estimation and are counted most honest among them, are but thorns and briers to prick.
- Micah 7:4 Meaning of the Prophets and governors.
- Micah 7:7 The Prophet showeth that the only remedy for the godly in desperate evils, is to flee unto God for succor.
- Micah 7:8 This is spoken in the person of the Church which calleth the malignant Church her enemy.
- Micah 7:11 To wit, when God shall show himself a deliverer of his Church, and a destroyer of his enemies.
- Micah 7:11 Meaning, the cruel empire of the Babylonians.
- Micah 7:12 When the Church shall be restored, they that were enemies afore, shall come out of all the corners of the world unto her, so that neither holds, rivers, seas, nor mountains shall be able to let them.
- Micah 7:13 Afore this grace appear, he showeth how grievously the hypocrites themselves shall be punished, seeing that the earth itself, which cannot sin shall be made waste because of their wickedness.
- Micah 7:14 The Prophet prayeth to God to be merciful unto his Church, when they should be scattered abroad as in solitary places in Babylon, and to be beneficial unto them as in times past.
- Micah 7:15 God promiseth to be favorable to his people, as he had been afore time.
- Micah 7:16 They shall be as dumb men, and dare brag no more.
- Micah 7:16 They shall be astonished and afraid to hear men speak, lest they should hear of their destruction.
- Micah 7:17 They shall fall flat on the ground for fear.
- Micah 7:18 As though he would not see it, but wink at it.
- Micah 7:19 Meaning of his elect.
- Micah 7:20 The Church is assured, that God will declare in effect the truth of his merciful promise, which he had made of old to Abraham, and to all that should apprehend the promise by faith.
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