Section 7:14–20
A prayer to the LORD for restoration, and praise for his mercy
This section has two main parts. The first part, 7:14–17, contains prayers to the LORD for the restoration of his people and the defeat of their enemies. The second part, 18–20, is a hymn of praise to the LORD for his compassion and his faithful relationship with Israel. These Notes and the Display will assume that the main speaker is Micah, who speaks as a representative of the people. However, in 7:15 and in 18–20 there are brief changes of speaker and/or addressee. See the notes under paragraph 7:14–17 and under paragraph 7:18–20 for more detailed discussion.
Here are some other examples of section headings:
Prayer and Praise (New International Version)
-or-
The Lord ’s compassion on Israel (New Living Translation (2004))
Paragraph 7:14–17
The Notes and the Display will follow the paragraph description below:
• In 7:14 Micah prayed to the LORD on behalf of the people.
• In 7:15 the LORD told how he would answer the prayer.
• In 7:16–17 Micah prayed again based on the answer that the LORD gave in 7:15.
• Some versions place paragraph headings here. These are some examples:
A prayer for the Confusion of Zion’s Enemies (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Micah’s Prayer and the Lord ’s Answer (Contemporary English Version)
7:14
In this verse Micah prayed to the LORD using agricultural figures of speech that the people at that time understood.
He asked the LORD to rule over his people and to restore the blessings that they enjoyed in the past.
7:14a
Shepherd with Your staff Your people: Here Micah used a metaphor to ask the LORD to rule over his people. This metaphor compares the activities of a ruler to those of a shepherd. A shepherd cared for his sheep by guiding, leading, feeding and protecting them.
Here are some ways to translate this metaphor:
• Keep the metaphor. For example:
Shepherd your people with your shepherd’s rod. (NET Bible)
• Keep part of the metaphor and make some of the meaning explicit. For example:
With your shepherd’s staff, take care of your people (God’s Word)
• Change the metaphor to a simile and make some of the meaning explicit. For example:
LORD, rule your people. Guide and protect them, like a shepherd with his staff.
• Translate the meaning directly. For example:
O Lord, come and rule your people (New Living Translation (1996)).
with Your staff: A staff was a rod that a shepherd used to guide his sheep and to protect them from wild animals. In this metaphor, the phrase with Your staff highlighted Micah’s request that the LORD would guide and protect his people.
7:14b
the flock of Your inheritance: This phrase continues the metaphor from 14a. In this part of the metaphor the LORD’s people are compared to a flock of sheep or other domesticated animal. The phrase of Your inheritance gives attention to the special relationship that the LORD has with Israel. They are the people he chose to be his own.
Here are some ways to translate this part of the metaphor:
• Keep the metaphor. For example:
Your very own flock (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
who are like your own flock ⌊of sheep⌋
• Translate the meaning directly. For example:
the people you have chosen (Good News Translation)
7:14c
They live alone in a woodland: This line describes the setting where the flock lives. There are two main interpretations of the phrase live alone in a woodland :
(1) The setting is undesirable. The people live in a wooded place that is not good for grazing or farming. The word alone implies that the area is isolated from other people. For example:
the one that lives alone in a thicket (NET Bible)
(2) The setting is desirable. The people live in a place with wood and pasture land. The word alone implies that the area is secure and protected from negative influences of other people. For example:
which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pasturelands (New International Version)
Some versions are ambiguous and have not been listed above. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with more versions and commentators. It provides a reason why Micah asked the LORD to allow the people to move from their present location to fertile pasturelands in 7:14d.
woodland: In Hebrew, this word means “thicket,” “undergrowth,” “wood.” Here the reference is probably to a thicket or other kind of poor land for grazing. Some versions make this meaning explicit. For example:
they live alone in a thicket (New Living Translation (2004))
7:14d
surrounded by pastures: This line is part of the clause that starts in 7:14c. It describes the location of the forest. There are two main interpretations of the phrase surrounded by :
(1) The forest is surrounded by good pasture land. The phrase pastures indicates a contrast to forest land, which is less fertile. For example:
Grasslands surround us (Contemporary English Version)
(2) The forest is part of the good pasture land. Both places are fertile. For example:
they live alone in the woods, in fertile pasturelands (God’s Word)
Some versions are ambiguous and have not been listed above. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with more versions and commentators.
pastures: There are two main interpretations of the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as pastures :
(1) The word means “ garden land.” It refers to land that is very fertile and good for pasture. For example:
Grasslands surround us (Contemporary English Version)
(2) The word means “Carmel/Mount Carmel.” It is a location in the northern part of Israel. For example:
…on the heights of Mount Carmel (New Living Translation (2004))
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with the majority of versions and commentators.
Here are some other ways to translate pastures :
farmland (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
fertile pastures (God’s Word)
-or-
meadows (Revised English Bible)
7:14e
Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old: In this line, Micah asks the LORD to restore to the people of Israel the prosperity and blessing that they enjoyed in the past. This line continues the metaphor in which the LORD’s people are compared to a flock of animals. In this part of the metaphor, the people’s experience of blessing is compared to the feeding of a flock of animals in good pasture.
Here are some ways to translate this part of the metaphor:
• Keep the metaphor. For example:
Allow them to graze in Bashan and Gilead as they did in the old days. (NET Bible)
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
like a flock ⌊of sheep⌋, let them feed ⌊again⌋ in Bashan and Gilead as in the past
• Translate the meaning directly. For example:
let the people you have chosen enjoy the abundance of your blessings as they did long ago
Bashan and Gilead: These two places were occupied by the people of Israel early in their history. They were known for their excellent pastures. Here they represent abundant prosperity and blessing.
the days of old: This phrase refers to the early time period in the history of Israel when they first began to occupy the land.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
As in days long ago (New International Version)
-or-
as in days gone by (Revised English Bible)
-or-
as they did long ago (Good News Translation)
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