1:12a
For the dwellers of Maroth pined for good: Micah spoke here about the inhabitants of Maroth, another town in Judah.
For: In Hebrew, this word probably emphasizes here the certainty of the terrible disaster that would happen. It does not introduce a reason. One way to express this certainty is to begin the verse with a word such as “Indeed.” For example:
Indeed, the residents of Maroth hope for something good to happen. (NET Bible)
Many English versions begin this verse with no connecting word. For some examples, see the New International Version, Good News Translation, and Contemporary English Version quoted below.
Maroth: The name Maroth means “bitterness.” In Hebrew, bitterness was a symbol of sadness or unpleasant experiences. We do not know for sure whether Micah used a pun here. If he did, the probable meaning is that the people in Maroth “pined for good,” but what would happen to them would be bitter, that is, unpleasant.
The situation with the possible pun and its probable meaning is similar to the one with Beth-ezel in 1:11c. Consider using a similar approach here.
It may be helpful to use a footnote to help your readers understand the meaning of the possible pun. For example:
Maroth sounds like the Hebrew term for “bitter.” (New Living Translation (2004) footnote)
-or-
The name Maroth means “bitter.” Eating bitter things is unpleasant. Similarly, unpleasant things will happen to the people in Maroth.
If you do not use footnotes, you may decide to include the meaning of the place and possible pun in your translation. For example:
The inhabitants of Maroth ⌊The name of their town means “bitter.”⌋ will wait anxiously for someone to help them. Nothing good will happen to them.
pined: In Hebrew, this verb phrase can be interpreted in at least three ways:
(1) It means “wait anxiously.” The people of Maroth were worried. They were afraid that no one would help them. For example:
The people of Maroth anxiously wait for relief (Good News Translation)
(2) It means “writhe while waiting.” They twisted or contorted their bodies as they waited in extreme fear. For example:
Those who live in Maroth writhe in pain, waiting for relief… (New International Version)
(3) It means “hope.” The people hoped that someone would help them and that good would result. For example:
the residents of Maroth hope for something good to happen (NET Bible)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions and commentaries. Interpretation (2) also implies that the people are extremely anxious, but the translation “writhe” requires an unusual form of the original word. The meaning “writhe” is not supported by any commentaries or other versions.
To “pine” means to wait for something to happen and to be anxious (worried and afraid) that it will not happen. In some languages, the expression pined may need to be translated as two clauses or as a direct quote. For example:
The inhabitants of Maroth wait for something good to happen, but they are worried/afraid that nothing good will happen.
-or-
The inhabitants of Maroth wait and wait. They say, “Will anything good ever happen?”
for good: The implied information here is that an enemy army will attack Judah. The people in “Maroth” wait anxiously for good news to come or for something good to happen. Here are some other ways to translate “wait anxiously for good”:
will be anxious for good news to come (New Century Version)
-or-
wait for something good to happen (NET Bible)
See also the Good News Translation (quoted above).
1:12b
but calamity came down from the LORD, even to the gate of Jerusalem: This verse part also begins with the Hebrew word ki. In 1:12a, this word indicated certainty. Here in 1:12b, there are at least two ways to interpret its function:
(1) It indicates either the reason that the people of Maroth wait anxiously or else the reason that nothing good will happen. For example:
because trouble will come from the Lord, all the way to the gate of Jerusalem (New Century Version)
(2) It indicates contrast or concession. The people of Maroth wait anxiously, but/yet although that is the case, nothing good will happen. The reason is that even Jerusalem, the capital city, faced disaster and would need help. For example:
though the Lord has sent disaster against the city of Jerusalem (NET Bible)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. More commentaries follow interpretation (2), but this use of ki is extremely rare. The meaning “because” is much more common.
In some languages, the meaning of ki (“because”) may be clear without giving an explicit conjunction. For example:
From the Lord disaster will come on the gates of Jerusalem. (God’s Word)
Use a natural way in your language to make the correct relationship clear.
came down from the LORD: The verb came down is the same verb in Hebrew that Micah used in 1:3b (“the LORD…will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth”). Here in 1:12b, it means that the LORD will cause the disaster and that this disaster will soon happen.
In some languages, it may not be natural to say that a disaster came down. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
the Lord has sent disaster against the gate of Jerusalem (NET Bible)
-or-
The LORD will cause a disaster to happen in front of the gate of Jerusalem.
-or-
trouble will come from the Lord, all the way to the gate of Jerusalem (New Century Version)
to the gate of Jerusalem: In 1:9c, Micah said that the disaster would come “to the gate of my people, to Jerusalem.” Here in 1:12b, he used a shorter phrase, to the gate of Jerusalem. This phrase refers to the main gate in the wall around the city. An enemy army would normally come to the gate in order to break it down and enter the city. Several years after Micah said this, an enemy army did come to Jerusalem and attacked the city. For more details, see 2 Chronicles 32:1–22 and Isaiah 36:1–37:38.
General Comment on 1:12a–b
In some languages, it may be more natural to reverse the order of 1:12a and 1:12b. For example:
12b The LORD will cause disaster to come to the gate of Jerusalem. 12a That is why the people in the town of Maroth will wait anxiously for help ⌊but no help will come⌋.
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