Paragraph 6:6–8
In 6:4–5, the LORD presented evidence that he had not wronged the people. Rather, he had blessed them.
In 6:6–8, the people (or a representative of the people) gave their response to this evidence. Their response in 6:6a–b was to ask a general question about what to bring to the LORD to please him. In 6:6c–d through 6:7, they asked about specific offerings. The offerings in 6:7 had higher value than those in 6:6.
In 6:8, Micah answered the people’s questions by reminding them of the LORD’s requirements.
The number and kind of offerings talked about in 6:7 appear to be exaggerated and unrealistic. This exaggeration may indicate that the people were insincere, or that they were truly unaware of what the LORD desired of them. If possible, translate the questions in 6:6–7 in a way that allows either option to be understood.
If your readers will find it useful to have a paragraph heading here, here are some examples:
What the Lord Requires (Good News Translation)
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What God requires (New Revised Standard Version)
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True obedience (Contemporary English Version)
6:6a–b
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
6a
With what shall I come before the LORD
6b when I bow before the God on high?
There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 6:6b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 6:6a. For example:
6b
⌊what shall I bring⌋ when I bow myself before God on high?
In these parallel lines, the people of Israel asked Micah what offering was appropriate for them to bring to the LORD in their worship.
6:6a
With what: Here this phrase is a general question about the item(s) they need to bring to the LORD. In this line, the specific kind of item(s) is left implicit. However, 6:6c–d and 6:7 make clear that this phrase refers to sacrificial offerings.
shall I come before the LORD: This phrase means to spiritually “meet” with the LORD. Here it probably means to pray and worship him.
I: The pronoun I refers to the speaker of this question. The pronoun may refer to the people of Israel as a group or to a representative of the people.
In some languages, it may be necessary to make explicit that the speaker has changed from Micah to the people or a representative of the people. Many versions translate this line as a direct quote to indicate this change of speaker. For example:
You say, “ What can I bring with me when I come before the Lord (New Century Version)
6:6b
when I bow before the God on high?: This line is more literally “I will bow myself down to [the] God of height.” Both 6:6a and 6:6b describe the action of meeting with God through prayer and worship.
when: In Hebrew, this line does not start with the word when. Some other versions supply a word like “when” or “and” to make the line sound more natural in English. Translate this line in a way that makes clear that 6:6a and 6:6b are two descriptions of the same action.
bow before the God: This line describes a common posture of a worshiper in the Old Testament. The posture of bowing to God indicates humility.
God on high: This is an expression that refers to God in his dwelling place in heaven. In this expression, the Hebrew word for God is elohim and not YHWH. Some versions translate elohim as God instead of “LORD.” Use your general term for God here.
6:6c–d
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
6c
Should I come to Him with burnt offerings,
6d
with year-old calves?
There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 6:6d. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 6:6c. For example:
6d
⌊Should I come to Him⌋ with year-old calves?
In these lines, the people asked if burnt offerings, specifically burnt offerings of calves, were appropriate gifts to bring to the LORD.
6:6c
Should I come to Him: In Hebrew, the verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as come to is the same as “come before” in 6:6b. It also has the same meaning, which is to spiritually “meet” with the LORD.
with burnt offerings: This phrase refers to animal sacrifices that were completely burned as offerings to the LORD. A worshiper presented this kind of offering to show their total dedication and commitment to the LORD.
6:6d
with year-old calves: This line is similar to 6:6c, however it is even more specific regarding the kind of burnt offering to bring to the LORD. One year old calves represented the best, most desirable kind of animal to sacrifice.
General Comment on 6:6a–d
In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these parallel lines. For example:
6a–b What shall I bring to the Lord, the God of heaven, when I come to worship him? 6c–d Shall I bring the best calves to burn as offerings to him? (Good News Translation)
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