Paragraph 1:10–16

In this paragraph, Micah mentioned the names of eleven towns in Judah in addition to the city of Jerusalem (v.12). These towns were located in the foothills between the low coastal area and the mountains of Judah.

In many English versions as well as TN, 1:10–16 forms one paragraph. Some versions divide it into two or three paragraphs. For example, the Good News Translation has two paragraphs (10–14 and 15–16). The New Living Translation (2004) has three paragraphs (10–12, 13–15, and 16). Use whatever paragraph structure is appropriate for your language.

Here are some of the poetic variations of Micah’s lament in 1:10–16:

(a) In some verses, he spoke to the people in a particular town. In other verses, he spoke about them.

(b) Sometimes he used plural nouns or pronouns to refer to the people in a particular town. At other times, he used singular nouns or pronouns.

English versions consistently use either plural or singular forms throughout these verses. For example, in 1:11b, the New Jerusalem Bible uses singular pronouns:

She has not left her city, she who lives in Zanaan. (New Jerusalem Bible)

The New International Version uses a plural pronoun:

Those who live in Zaanan will not come out. (New International Version)

You may use either singular or plural forms or a combination of the two, depending on what is natural and appropriate in your language.

In 1:10–16, Micah used past tense verbs to describe what was still in the future. See the notes on 1:9b and 1:9c for more details.

Micah also made puns with the names of several of the towns or cities. A pun is a figure of speech in which a person uses a word that has two meanings or a word that sounds like another word.

(a) In some verses, he used a word that sounded like the name of that town.

(b) In other verses, he said something about a town that was related to the meaning of its name.

Here is a brief summary of the puns in each verse and some general advice on how to translate puns. Complete notes on each verse will start with 1:10a.

Beth-leaphrah (1:10b): The name of this city sounds like the Hebrew words that mean “house of dust.” Micah commanded those who live in that town to roll in the dust.

Shaphir (1:11a): This name means “beautiful” or “pleasant” in Hebrew. Micah said that the lives of the people in that town will not be pleasant.

Zaanan (1:11b): This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “come out.” Micah said that the people there will not come out of their city.

Beth-ezel (1:11c): This name probably means “nearby house” in Hebrew. Micah said that Beth-ezel would no longer be nearby to serve as a “standing place” (protection, refuge) for Jerusalem.

Maroth (1:12a): This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “bitter.” Micah said that the people in that town will suffer bitterly.

Lachish (1:13): This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “team of horses.” Micah told the people in that town to flee like running horses.

Moresheth (-gath) (1:14a): This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “betrothed” (engaged to be married). Just like a young woman departs from her family when she gets married, so the people in that town would soon depart from Judah.

Achzib (1:14b): This name means “deception” in Hebrew. That town will be a deception to the kings of Israel. These kings had hoped in vain that the people of Achzib would help them fight the enemy.

Mareshah (1:15a): This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “conqueror.” The LORD will bring an enemy to that town who will conquer them.

In addition to the above puns, Micah also included the names of two places (Gath 1:10a) and Adullam (1:15b) that are famous in Jewish history. Their significance will be discussed in the notes on those verses.

The people to whom Micah spoke over 2,700 years ago understood the puns. They also understood the historical significance of Gath and Adullam. But most people today do not understand these things. That is the reason it is difficult to translate these verses clearly. Here are some general options to consider in translating the puns:

• Ignore the puns. Most English versions do this in the actual translation. Just translate the name in the Hebrew text. Those who read your translation will understand the basic meaning of each verse, but they will not know that there was a pun in Hebrew.

• Use footnotes to explain the puns. Many English versions with footnotes do this. For example, the New International Version uses footnotes at 1:10a, 11b, 12a, 13a, and 15a to explain that a name sounds like another Hebrew word. It uses other footnotes at 1:10b, 11a, and 14b to explain the meaning of the name of a town.

• Explain in your translation the meaning or the sound of the names for the cities. If you use this option, you will need to clearly indicate in some way that this information is not part of your translation.

Choose an option that is appropriate for the readers in your language area.

1:10a

Do not tell it in Gath:
Micah spoke the words in 1:10a to the people in Judah. In some languages, it may be helpful to make this information explicit. For example:

You people of Judah! Don’t tell our enemies in Gath how we have been defeated.

it: This word refers to the news that God would punish his people. Some versions make this explicit. For example:

Don’t tell our enemies in Gath about our defeat (Good News Translation)

Gath:
Gath was one of the five main cities of the Philistines. The Philistines were enemies of the Jews. Some versions make this explicit. For example:

Don’t tell our enemies in Gath about our defeat (Good News Translation)

In 2 Samuel 1:20–27, David sang a song to mourn the death of King Saul and Jonathan. David’s song began: “Tell it not in Gath.” David did not want anybody to tell the Philistine people in Gath about Saul’s death, because he did not want the Philistines to be happy about it. Micah deliberately quoted the first verse of David’s song here with a similar meaning.

If you use cross references in your translation, you may want to cross-reference that verse here. You may also want to include a footnote to explain some of the background information. For example:

Gath was a Philistine city (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
The people in Gath were Philistines, enemies of the Jews. Micah did not want them to hear about the terrible things that would happen to the cities in Judah. He did not want them to be glad about it. This part of the verse is a quote from David’s words in 2 Samuel 1:20.

do not weep at all: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “weeping do not weep.” This repetition gives additional emphasis. Here are some other ways to emphasize this command:

Don’t even cry. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Don’t shed even a single tear! (NET Bible)

1:10b

Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah: Micah spoke these words to the people who lived in the city of Beth-leaphrah. The last part of the name Beth-leaphrah sounds like the Hebrew word for dust (ʿapar). Some scholars think that this name means “House of Dust.” Many English versions supply a footnote to explain this pun. For example:

Beth Ophrah means house of dust. (New International Version)
-or-
Beth-Leaphrah is unknown, but in Hebrew it sounds like “House of Dust.” (Contemporary English Version)

If you do not use footnotes, you may want to include this information in your translation. For example:

You people in Beth-leaphrah! ⌊The name of your town means “house of dust,”⌋ so you will roll in the dust.

Roll in the dust: This is a symbolic action that shows extreme sadness. When the Jews mourned, they sometimes scattered dust or ashes on their heads and bodies. Sometimes they lay down in the dust or ashes and rolled around to cover themselves with the substance.

If people who read your translation do not understand this symbolic action as a sign of mourning, you may want to make the purpose of the action explicit in your translation. For example:

People of Beth Leaphrah, show your despair by rolling in the dust! (Good News Translation)

Another option is to use a footnote instead. For example:

To sit in the dust was an outward sign of mourning. The name Beth Leaphra means “house of dust.” (NET Bible footnote)

Beth-leaphrah: The name of this town is spelled in several ways in English versions. For example:

Bethleaphrah (Revised Standard Version)

Beth Leaphrah (Good News Translation)

Beth Leaphra (NET Bible)

Beth-Leaphrah (New Jerusalem Bible)

Beth-le-aphrah (English Standard Version)

Beth Ophrah (New International Version)

Beth-aphrah (Revised English Bible)

You may want to use a spelling that fits the phonetic rules of your language or a spelling that is used in a language of wider communication in your country.

© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Paragraph 7:11–13

In this paragraph, Micah gives a prophecy about the restoration of Jerusalem. The prophecy may also have a secondary reference to the future salvation of individuals from all the peoples of earth.

Some versions place a heading here. For example:

A Prophecy of Restoration (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
A Bright Future (Contemporary English Version)

7:11a

The day for rebuilding your walls will come: In this clause, Micah tells the city of Jerusalem that a time will come when she will build her walls.

The day: In Hebrew, the word day means “day” or “time.” There are two main interpretations of the day or time indicated in this clause:

(1) The day for building walls is left implied. It may or may not be the same day as the downfall of the enemy in 7:10. For example:

The time will come when your walls will be built again (New Century Version)

(2) The day for building walls is the same day as the downfall of the enemy in 7:10. For example:

That will be the day for rebuilding your walls! (New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with a majority of English versions. In Hebrew, the specific day is not made explicit here. It is best to leave it implied.

rebuilding: In Hebrew, this word can mean either “build” or “rebuild.” Here the word may be used in a general way that refers to either action. Either translation is acceptable. For example:

It is the day for building your walls (New American Bible)
-or-
It will be a day for rebuilding your walls (NET Bible)

your walls: In Hebrew, this phrase has a collective singular pronoun your (sing). This form suggests that the city of Jerusalem is the addressee. However, the addressee, “city of Jerusalem,” actually refers to the people of Jerusalem. Some versions make this information explicit. For example:

People of Jerusalem, the time to rebuild… (Good News Translation)

In some languages, it may be unnatural for a person to address a city. In those languages, this (Good News Translation) translation example may be a good option to follow.

walls: In Hebrew, the word walls means a “wall,” “fence,” “wall made of loose stones from the field without mortar.” The word usually refers to a stone wall around a vineyard or other property. Some scholars propose that the word refers here to the walls that surround the city of Jerusalem. However, it is possible that more than one kind of wall is meant. For that reason, it is recommended that you leave the specific referent implied in your translation. Some examples are the Berean Standard Bible and the two examples under the previous note on “rebuilding.”

7:11b

the day for extending your boundary: There are three main interpretations of this clause:

(1) On that day the city of Jerusalem will become larger in size. For example:

At that time your territory will be enlarged. (Good News Translation)

(2) On that day a law will be rescinded/removed. For example:

In that day shall the decree be far removed (King James Version)

(3) That day is far in the future. For example:

That is a far-off day. (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with the majority of versions.

the day: In Hebrew, there is a pronoun “that” in this phrase makes explicit that it refers to the same day as in 7:11a.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

On that day (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
At that time (Good News Translation)

for extending your boundary: In Hebrew, the word boundary means “prescribed limit,” “boundary.” In Hebrew, the word extending means “be/become far,” “distant.” In this clause part these words refer to the territory being enlarged.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause part:

expanding your frontiers! (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
your borders will be extended (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
your boundaries enlarged (Contemporary English Version)

General Comment on 7:11a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these lines. For example:

The day for rebuilding your walls and extending your borders is coming. (God’s Word)

© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

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)
-or-
What God requires (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
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)

© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Section 7:1–7

Micah lamented about the wickedness of God’s people

This section is a lament of Micah that expresses his sorrow about the lack of righteous people in the land. In 7:1–6, he talked about the wickedness of the people using a combination of figures of speech and direct speech. In 7:7, he concluded the lament by expressing his own hope in the LORD.

Some scholars and versions place 7:7 in the next section. However, expressions of both sorrow and hope are features in some other laments, such as in the Psalms. Also, both 7:1 and 7:7 have first-person pronouns and verbs that enclose third-person descriptions in 7:2–6. This change of word forms probably indicates the start and end of the lament.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

The Total Corruption of the People (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Israel’s Misery (New International Version)
-or-
Misery Turned to Hope (New Living Translation (2004))

Paragraph 7:1–7

7:1

This verse begins Micah’s lament. He uses similes to describe his disappointment that he cannot find any fruit at harvest time.

There are two main interpretations of the situation depicted by the similes:

(1) There was no fruit left to pick after the fruit and grapes were harvested. For example:

I am depressed! indeed, it is as if the summer fruit has been gathered, and the grapes have been harvested. There is no grape cluster to eat, no fresh figs that I crave so much. (NET Bible)

(2) There was no harvest of fruit and grapes. For example:

Woe is me! For I am like the fruit pickers, like the grape gatherers. There is not a cluster of grapes to eat, Or a first-ripe fig which I crave. (New American Standard Bible)

(God’s Word, New American Standard Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It has support from most commentators and versions.

7:1a

Woe is me!: This expression indicates despair. Here are some other ways to express the meaning:

I am depressed! (NET Bible)
-or-
It’s hopeless! (Good News Translation)
-or-
I feel very sad

7:1b–e

The English Standard Version has been used as the source line for 7:1b–c because it maintains both similes and follows the recommended interpretation.

Notice the two sets of parallel lines that follow the underlined part. The lines in bold have similar meaning and the lines in italics have similar meaning:

1b For I have become as when the summer fruit has been gathered, (English Standard Version)

1c
as when the grapes have been gleaned : (English Standard Version)

1d
there is no cluster to eat, (English Standard Version, Berean Standard Bible)

1e
no early fig that I crave. (Berean Standard Bible)

There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 7:1c. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 7:1b. For example:

1c
⌊I have become⌋ as when the grapes have been gleaned :

There are two similes in 7:1b–e. The lines are arranged as a chiasm. Lines 7:1b and 7:1e are parts of a simile about summer fruit. Lines 7:1c and 7:1d are parts of a simile about grapes.

In each simile, Micah compares himself to a person who looks for fruit that is left behind after the fruit harvests are done. In the first simile he looks for summer fruit. In the second simile he looks for grapes.

Some versions combine the two similes into one. See the General Comment on 7:1 for examples.

7:1b

For: The word For introduces the reason why Micah is in despair. He explains the reason in the verses that follow, 7:1b–6.

(English Standard Version) I have become as…: In Hebrew, this phrase is more literally “I have become like harvests of summer fruit…” The implied meaning of the phrase is that Micah compared himself to a person who found no fruit to eat following a harvest. The way they are similar is that both feel despair.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

• Keep the simile. For example:

I am like the fruit pickers (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
I am like a hungry person who… (Good News Translation)
-or-
I am like those gathering… (God’s Word)

• Change the simile into a metaphor. For example:

How wretched I am, a harvester… (New Jerusalem Bible)

(English Standard Version) when the summer fruit has been gathered: This line describes the setting or situation of the simile. The harvest of summer fruit has already been completed.

The phrase summer fruit may refer to fruit that grew in the summer season or it may refer to ripe fruit in general. Some versions leave the word summer implied.

Here are some other ways to translate this line:

and all the summer fruit has been picked (New Century Version)
-or-
when the fruit is gathered (New American Bible)

7:1c

(English Standard Version) as when the grapes have been gleaned: This line is more literally “like gleanings of [the] grape harvest.” It describes the setting or situation of the second simile. The harvest of grapes has already been completed.

The word gleaned means that the grapes have been picked a second time after the main harvest.

Here are some other ways to translate this line:

and the grapes have been harvested (NET Bible)
-or-
as when the vines have been gleaned (New American Bible)

7:1d

there is no cluster to eat: This line is the final part of the simile about the grape harvest. The person looks for grapes to eat, but he does not find any.

The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as cluster means “a cluster/bunch of grapes.”

Here are some other ways to translate this line:

• Make the word “grapes” explicit along with cluster. For example:

not a cluster of grapes (New Living Translation (2004))

• Translate the word “grapes” instead of cluster. For example:

there are no grapes left to eat (New Century Version)

1:11a

Depart in shameful nakedness, O dwellers of Shaphir: Grammatically, Micah’s words Depart in shameful nakedness… are a command. However, his intention is not to command them to do something, but to predict what will happen to them. The people of Shaphir will be forced to leave their city in shame. In some languages, it may be clearer to express this as a future event. For example:

You inhabitants of Shaphir! You will depart naked and ashamed.

There is implied information in this verse. An enemy army will capture the people in Shaphir and take them away as slaves or as prisoners of war.

Here are some ways to make this implied information explicit:

You people of Shaphir, go into exile, naked and ashamed. (Good News Translation)
-or-
You people of Shaphir, go as captives into exile —naked and ashamed. (New Living Translation (2004))

Depart:
In Hebrew, the verb phrase used here means that the people in Shaphir will leave their city. Here are some other ways to translate it:

Pass on your way (English Standard Version)
-or-
Take to the road (Revised English Bible)

in shameful nakedness: In Hebrew, both these words are nouns (“nakedness and shame” (New Revised Standard Version)). In many languages, it may be clearer to translate these nouns as adjectives or verbs. The Berean Standard Bible took a mixed approach. For example:

naked and ashamed (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Your captors will strip off your clothes and humiliate you.

When the enemy army captures the people in Shaphir, they will strip off the people’s clothes and lead the people away as captives. That is why the people will be naked and ashamed.

Shaphir: This name means “beautiful” or “pleasant” in Hebrew. But what will happen there will not be pleasant. It will be horrible. You may want to use a footnote to explain the implied information in 1:11a. For example:

1:11a Shaphir means “pleasant.” (New Living Translation (2004) footnote)
-or-
The place name Shaphir means “pleasant” in Hebrew. (NET Bible footnote)

See the third meaning line in the Display for a way to explain the meaning of the pun in the translation itself.

1:11b

The dwellers of Zaanan will not come out: In 1:11a, Micah talked to the people in Shaphir. But here in 1:11b, he talked about the people in Zaanan.

Zaanan: The name Zaanan sounds like the Hebrew word that means “come out” or “come forth.” But even though the name of their town sounds like “come out,” the people there will not come out. They will remain inside their town.

You may want to use a footnote to make explicit the pun in 1:11b. For example:

[Zanaan] This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “come out.” (New Century Version footnote)

In some languages, it may be better to make this meaning explicit in the translation itself. For example:

As for the people in Zaanan, ⌊the name of their town sounds like “come out,” but⌋ they will not go out of their town.

will not come out: Zaanan probably had a wall around the town. The phrase will not come out means that the people will not go outside the wall. Hebrew and most English versions do not supply a reason for their staying inside. The implied reason is that an enemy army will be outside, so the people will be unable or unwilling to face them. In some languages, it may be helpful to make a reason explicit. For example:

Those who live in Zaanan do not dare to come out of their city. (Good News Translation)
-or-
The residents of Zaanan can’t leave their city. (NET Bible)

1:11c

Beth-ezel is in mourning; its support is taken from you: There are at least three ways to interpret this sentence:

(1) Beth-ezel will no longer help protect the people of Judah. It will withdraw its support, because it is in mourning. For example:

Beth Ezel is in mourning; it no longer protects you. (New International Version (2011))
-or-
When you hear the people of Bethezel mourn, you will know that there is no refuge there. (Good News Translation)

(2) Beth-ezel’s foundations will be destroyed. For example:

Beth-Ezel is torn from its foundations, from its strong supports. (New Jerusalem Bible)

(New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004))

(3) Verse 1:11c is a direct quote. It is what the people in Beth-ezel will say :

The lamentation of Beth-ezel: “He will take from you its support.” (New American Standard Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions and commentaries.

Beth-ezel: The name of this town is spelled in several ways in different versions. For example:

Beth-ezel (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

Beth Ezel (New International Version)

Beth-Ezel (New Jerusalem Bible)

Bethezel (Good News Translation)

You may want to use a spelling that fits the phonetic rules of your language or a spelling that is used in a language of wider communication in your country.

The literal meaning of Beth-ezel in Hebrew is probably “house of nearness,” meaning “nearby house” or “house next door.” We do not know for sure whether Micah used a pun here. If he did, the probable meaning is that people in nearby towns hoped that the inhabitants of Beth-ezel would help them if an enemy attacked.

It may be helpful to use a footnote to help your readers understand the meaning of the possible pun. For example:

[Beth Ezel] This name means “house by the side of another,” suggesting help or support. (New Century Version footnote)
-or-
The place name Beth Ezel means “house of nearness” or “house of proximity” in Hebrew. (NET Bible footnote)

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 people in Beth-ezel will wail. ⌊The name of their city means “nearby house,” but⌋ they will no longer be nearby to protect/help you.

its support is taken from you:
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

its protection is taken from you (New International Version)
-or-
they will not give you any support (New Century Version)
-or-
you will know that there is no refuge there (Good News Translation)

Notice that the Berean Standard Bible and the New International Version use a present tense verb. Remember that Micah spoke about a disaster that would happen to these cities in the future. When Micah spoke these words, this disaster had not yet happened. You should translate all the verses in 1:10–16 in a way that makes this meaning clear.

from you: The pronoun you is plural in Hebrew. It probably refers to the people of Judah in general.

© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

7:12a

On that day: This phrase refers to the same day, or time period, as in 7:11a and 7:11b. See the note on the same phrase under 7:11b for other translation examples.

they will come to you: In Hebrew, the word come means either come or “return.” In Hebrew, the word they is literally indefinite “someone/he.” In this verse the word refers collectively to people from various locations. There are three main interpretations of who the people are:

(1) The reference is to Gentiles and/or to Jewish exiles. For example:

In that day people will come to you. (NET Bible)

(2) The reference is to Jewish exiles. For example:

At that time your people will come back to you (New Century Version)

(3) The reference is to Gentiles. For example:

The day when others come to you. (New Jerusalem Bible)

(New Jerusalem Bible, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). All the versions listed under interpretation (1) leave the identity of the people implied. These versions translate the word they either as they or as “people.” The implied reference could be either “Gentiles,” “Jewish exiles,” or both groups.

to you: The referent of you in this phrase is probably the city of Jerusalem as in the phrase “your walls” in 7:11a. See the note there for more details.

7:12b–e

Notice the similarity between these parallel lines:

12b
from Assyria and the cities of Egypt,

12c even from Egypt to the Euphrates,

12d
from sea to sea

12e and mountain to mountain.

Each of these four lines describes a separate large region. Travelers from each of these regions will journey to Jerusalem. If readers are unfamiliar with these places, it may be helpful to include a map.

from…to: In Hebrew, these words, used together, are an expression that indicates the boundaries of an area. In Hebrew, the word from means “from/from out of” a place. In Hebrew, the word to means “to/as far as” a place. The place names of each boundary are also part of the expression, as shown in each of the examples above.

7:12b

from Assyria and the cities of Egypt:
There is a textual issue regarding this phrase:

(1) Some scholars think that the original text was “from Assyria to Egypt.” For example:

from Assyria to Egypt (Revised English Bible)

(2) Some scholars think that the original text was “from Assyria and [from] Egypt.” For example:

all the way from Assyria, from Egypt (New Jerusalem Bible)

(3) The Masoretic Text has “from Assyria and the cities of Egypt.” For example:

From Assyria and the towns of Egypt (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). It is the best match to the parallel line 12c.

The nation of Assyria was northeast of Jerusalem. The nation of Egypt was southwest of Jerusalem. In some languages it may be helpful to include these directions. For example:

from Assyria in the east, from Egypt in the south (Good News Translation)

7:12c

even from Egypt to the Euphrates: There is a textual issue regarding this phrase:

(1) The Masoretic Text has “and from Egypt and to [the] River.” For example:

and from Egypt to the River (English Standard Version)

(2) The LXX and the Peshitta have “from Tyre as far as the river.” For example:

from Tyre even to the River (New American Bible)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with the majority of versions. This line refers to the entire region from Egypt to the Euphrates river.

Here is another way to translate this referent:

From [every land from] Egypt to the Euphrates (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

the Euphrates: This phrase is literally “the river.” It may be helpful to make this referent explicit in your translation as in the Berean Standard Bible. Here is another example:

the Euphrates River (NET Bible)

7:12d

from sea to sea and mountain to mountain: These phrases are more literally “and sea from sea and mountain the mountain.” These phrases probably do not refer to specific seas or mountains. Rather they refer to any seas and any mountains. Most versions supply extra words to make these phrases sound more natural. For example:

from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain (English Standard Version)
-or-
from the seacoasts and the mountains (NET Bible)
-or-
from distant seas and far-off mountains (Good News Translation)

© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

6:7

In this verse, the people continued to ask Micah what offerings would please the LORD. However, the amounts and kinds of offerings they asked about were extreme. These questions suggest that the people thought devotion to the LORD was limited to the offering of sacrifices.

6:7a–b

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

7a
Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,

7b
with ten thousands of rivers of oil?

There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 6:7b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 6:7a. For example:

7b
⌊Would the LORD be pleased⌋ with ten thousands of rivers of oil?

In these lines, the people asked if large numbers of offerings would please the LORD. These amounts indicate costly gifts that were far beyond the ability of most worshipers to give.

thousands…ten thousand: The numbers thousands and ten thousand were figures of speech (hyperbole) that indicated a very large number.

In some languages, it may be more natural to use a different word or phrase in place of one or both of these numerical expressions. For example:

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriad streams of oil? (New American Bible)
-or-
Will the LORD be pleased if I bring him large herds of sheep or endless rivers of olive oil?

6:7a

rams: rams were animals used for sin offerings. See Leviticus 5:15. A ram is a male sheep. In your language group, you may want to add a picture. In some language groups, it may also be necessary to make this information explicit. For example:

Will the Lord be pleased with a thousand male sheep? (New Century Version)

6:7b

rivers of oil: This phrase refers to large amounts of olive oil. Olive oil was used to accompany other offerings, such as grain offerings. See Numbers 15:1–16. In Hebrew, the word rivers refers to a large amount of water that fills a dry river bed or ravine in the rainy season.

If olive oil is unknown in your language, you may want to choose a word that refers to oil used in cooking. Also choose a word or expression in your language that suggests a large amount of liquid. For examples, see the note on “thousands…ten thousand” above.

General Comment on 6:7a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these parallel lines. For example:

Will the LORD be pleased if I bring him sheep and oil in amounts beyond what a person can measure?

6:7c–d

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

7c
Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression,

7d
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 6:7d. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 6:7c. For example:

7c
⌊Shall I present⌋ the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

This question was about the sacrifice of a firstborn child. Would that sacrifice be enough to atone for sin? This question shows that the people did not truly know the will of the LORD. Human sacrifice was forbidden by the LORD. See Deuteronomy 18:10.

It is possible that some readers may misinterpret this question to be about the dedication of a child to the LORD or something similar. Make sure that the meaning of human sacrifice is clear in your translation. For example:

Shall I kill my firstborn child as an offering?

my firstborn…the fruit of my body: Both phrases refer to a person’s oldest son. A firstborn son was a person’s most valuable possession.

Here are some other ways to translate these phrases:

my eldest son…the child of my own body (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
my firstborn child…my offspring—my own flesh and blood (NET Bible)

for my transgression…for the sin of my soul: Both phrases refer to making a payment to atone for sin. The meaning of the phrases is similar. The word transgression means to do wrong by acts that break relationships in a community or with God. The word sin means to disobey God’s will and/or to disregard the rights of other people.

The word soul means “person as a whole: self or body.” The phrase sin of my soul probably means “my own personal sin.”

Here are some other ways to translate these phrases:

as payment for my rebellion…for my sin (NET Bible)
-or-
for my wrongdoing…for the sin I have committed (Revised English Bible)
-or-
for the evil I have done…for my sin (New Century Version)

General Comment on 6:7c–d

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these parallel lines. For example:

Shall I offer him my first-born child to pay for my sins? (Good News Translation)
-or-
Should I sacrifice to the Lord my first-born child as payment for my terrible sins? (Contemporary English Version)

© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Section 1:1

Heading/Introduction

The first verse of the book of Micah serves as an introductory summary for the entire book. It identifies the prophet’s name, the subject of his message, and the time period during which he lived and prophesied. Most English versions have a separate book title, such as “Micah,” followed directly by 1:1. There are two main ways to show the relationship of 1:1 to the rest of the book:

• Place a section heading before 1:1. Here are some other examples of section headings:

The beginning of the book
-or-
The LORD revealed his words to Micah

• Do not place any heading before 1:1. Instead, place the first heading before 1:2. See the examples in the note on Section 1:2–7. The Notes and many English versions follow this approach. You may follow either approach in your translation.

Micah 1:1 is similar to the first verses of books by other prophets. For example see Hosea 1:1, Joel 1:1, Zephaniah 1:1, Haggai 1:1, Zechariah 1:1, and Isaiah 1:1. If you have already translated some of these verses, consider using a similar style here.

1:1

This is the word of the LORD that came to Micah the Moreshite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—what he saw regarding Samaria and Jerusalem: This book contains the words spoken by Micah. Because of that, some translators have translated this verse using the pronouns “I” or “me.” For example:

I am Micah from Moresheth. And this is the message about Samaria and Jerusalem that the Lord gave to me when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were the kings of Judah. (Contemporary English Version)

This translation is not recommended, because some scholars believe that an editor added this verse after Micah’s messages had been written down. For more details, see “The author, the date, and Micah’s audience” in the introduction.

1:1a

This is the word of the LORD that came to Micah the Moreshite: This verse part indicates that Micah’s messages were from the LORD. In Hebrew, the phrase the word of the LORD is emphasized by its position at the beginning of the verse. Try to keep this emphasis in your translation.

In the Hebrew, this clause is more literally, “the word of the LORD which was to Micah the Moreshite.” In some languages, it may be more natural to translate this verse as a complete sentence, as in the Berean Standard Bible. Here are some other ways to translate this:

The Lord spoke his word to Micah, who was from Moresheth… (God’s Word)
-or-
This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to Micah of Moresheth. (NET Bible)

word: In some languages, it may be more natural to use plural forms. For example:

These are the words of the Eternal One (Voice)
-or-
The Lord gave these messages to Micah of Moresheth… (New Living Translation (1996))

LORD: The word LORD represents the Hebrew word “Yahweh,” the personal name of God. In Hebrew, this is a proper name, not a title or general noun. See the discussion of Yahweh, the LORD, in the Introduction.

came: In Hebrew, this word is a form of the verb “to be.” It is more literally “became” or “happened.” It indicates here that Micah experienced messages from the LORD as powerful events that occurred in his life. In some languages, it may be possible to translate this idea with a word or expression other than came, “gave,” or “spoke.” For example:

happened to Micah
-or-
Micah experienced

Micah: This is the name of the prophet who spoke these messages to the people. Micah is a shortened form of Micaiah, which means “Who is like the LORD?” in Hebrew.

the Moreshite: Micah’s home town is named Moresheth. Most scholars think that it was a small town about 35 kilometers southwest of Jerusalem. Translate this phrase in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

Micah, who was from the town of Moresheth (Good News Translation)
-or-
Micah the Moresheth person.

1:1b

in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah: Micah proclaimed messages from the LORD at various times during the rule of these three kings. They ruled one after the other. They did not rule at the same time. If this is not clear in your translation, you may want to make this information explicit. For example:

⌊He told/spoke these messages⌋ during the time that King Jotham ruled in Judah, until the time that King Ahaz ruled, and then during the time that King Hezekiah ruled.

in the days of: In this context, the Hebrew phrase in the days of refers to the period of time during which these particular kings ruled. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this information clearer. Here are some possible ways to do this:

• Use a noun other than days. For example:

…during the reigns/governing of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

…during the time of…

…during the years of….

• Use a verb. For example:

…when kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah ruled/reigned in Judah.

Use an expression that is natural in your language.

Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah: If it is more natural in your language, you can use the title “king” with each name, “King Jotham, King Ahaz, and King Hezekiah in Judah.”

Judah: The name Judah here refers to the southern kingdom of Judah. In some languages, it may be helpful to identify Judah more explicitly. For example:

land of Judah
-or-
country of Judah

1:1c

what he saw: There are two ways to interpret the referent of this relative clause:

(1) The words what he saw refer to “The word of the LORD that came to Micah.” (1:1a). This (referring back) is what Micah saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. For example:

he received it in visions about Samaria and Jerusalem (Revised English Bible)

(2) The words what he saw refer forward to Micah’s vision about Samaria and Jerusalem. There is no explicit connection with “The word of the LORD…” For example:

The visions he saw concerned both Samaria and Jerusalem. (New Living Translation (2004))
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions and commentaries.

It is important to understand the sense in which Micah saw the word that came to him from the LORD. There are different ways to interpret the meaning of the word in this context:

(1) The word saw indicates that Micah saw the messages in the form of visions.

“…the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.” (New International Version)
-or-
His visions about Samaria and Jerusalem. (New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) The word saw indicates in a general way that Micah received the messages. In other words, the LORD revealed them to Micah in some way that is not stated.

“The Lord revealed to Micah all these things about Samaria and Jerusalem.” (Good News Translation)
-or-
These words/messages were made known to Micah about Samaria and Jerusalem.

(3) The word saw indicates that Micah “prophesied.”

“…who prophesied concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.” (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

(4) The word saw indicates that Micah “heard” the messages. No versions follow this interpretation, but it supported by several commentaries.

The Display will follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. You may follow either interpretation (1) or (2). There is little difference in meaning between them.

regarding Samaria and Jerusalem:

• Micah talked about those two cities. He said that Samaria would be destroyed (1:6–7). He said that Jerusalem would be destroyed (3:12).

• Micah also talked to the people who lived in those two cities. He accused them of sinning. He warned them that the LORD would punish them. He also told them that the LORD would bless them again in the future.

• Samaria was the capital of Israel (the northern kingdom). Jerusalem was the capital of Judah (the southern kingdom). So Micah’s message was for all the people in those two countries.

You will probably want to translate the names Samaria and Jerusalem literally. For example:

about Samaria and Jerusalem
-or-
the cities of Samaria and Jerusalem

General Comment on 1:1a–d

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder the parts of this verse. Here are two ways to do this:

• Put the time phrase (1:1b) at the beginning of the sentence. For example:

1b During the time when kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah ruled over ⌊the nation of⌋ Judah, 1a the LORD gave the following message to Micah from ⌊the village of⌋ Moresheth. 1c This is the message that the LORD showed him ⌊in a vision⌋ about ⌊the cities of⌋ Samaria and Jerusalem.

• Put the time phrase (1:1b) at the end of the sentence. For example:

1a These are messages from the LORD that Micah from Moresheth experienced. 1c He saw them ⌊in a vision⌋ and he spoke/prophesied concerning Samaria and Jerusalem 1b during the reigns of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah.

© 2023 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.