SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 6:7

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.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 1:1

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.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 7:2

7:2a–b

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

2a
The godly man has perished from the earth ;

2b
there is no one upright among men.

These parallel lines explain why Micah was in despair. The lack of fruit he described in the similes of 7:1 represented the lack of faithful people in the land.

Here are some other ways to translate these phrases:

The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains. (New International Version)
-or-
The faithful are gone from the earth, among men the upright are no more! (New American Bible)
-or-
The godly people have all disappeared; not one honest person is left on the earth. (New Living Translation (2004))

The godly…upright: In Hebrew, the words godly and upright are two ways to describe a person who followed the standards of Yahweh’s covenant.

The word godly means “a person who obeys God and shows mercy toward others.” The phrase the godly means “faithful people.”

The word upright means “a person who is morally straight and deals fairly with others.”

Here are some other ways to translate these words:

faithful…honest (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
godly people…fair-minded (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
loyal to God…does right (Contemporary English Version)

has perished from the earth…there is no one upright among men: Both phrases mean that there are no faithful, upright people. These phrases do not specify the way that the people disappeared, only that there are none.

7:2a

from the earth: There are two main interpretations of the referent of earth in this phrase:

(1) The referent of the word earth is left implied. Here it probably refers to the land of Israel. For example:

the faithful have vanished from the land (Revised English Bible)

(2) The referent of the word earth is the earth. For example:

The godly has perished from the earth (English Standard Version)

Either interpretation is acceptable. Interpretation (1) fits well with the similes in 7:1 that depict a local, agricultural setting of fig and grape harvests, and with the description of Micah’s contemporaries in 7:3–6. However, interpretation (2) fits well with the parallel line that may have an application beyond Israel. (See the next note).

7:2b

there is no one upright among men: In Hebrew, this phrase is more literally “and an upright [person] among humankind there [is] not.” The phrase may refer to the absence of upright people among humans. Or, it may be a figure of speech (hyperbole) that refers to the people of Israel. It is acceptable to translate the phrase either way.

Here are some examples:

• Translate the phrase more literally. For example:

there is no one upright among mankind (English Standard Version)

• Leave implied the words “among humankind.” For example:

no one does right (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
not one honest person is to be found (Revised English Bible)

7:2c–d

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

2c
They all lie in wait for blood ;

2d
they hunt one other with a net.

In these parallel lines Micah gives examples of the people’s evil behavior to show that the people in the land are not faithful or upright.

They all…they: The phrase They all and the word they refer to the same people. The reference is probably to every person in the land. Micah highlights especially the officials, judges and powerful people in 7:3. It may be that the corruption began in these groups and spread to the entire population.

Here are some other ways to translate these pronouns:

Everyone…everyone (New Century Version)
-or-
All people…They (God’s Word)
-or-
All of them…every man (New Jerusalem Bible)

lie in wait for blood…hunt one another with a net: These parallel expressions are both figures of speech. The expression lie in wait for blood means “to attack and kill someone.” The expression hunt one another with a net is more literally “each hunts his brother [with] a net.” It compares how a person captured a fellow Israelite to the way a hunter trapped and killed animals.

These expressions describe the behavior of the people of Israel at that time. The expressions may refer to people who killed others for personal gain. It is also possible that they are hyperboles (exaggerations) that refer to people who took advantage of others to benefit themselves in various ways.

Here are some ways to translate these expressions:

• Keep the figures of speech. For example:

They all wait in ambush so they can shed blood…they hunt their own brother with a net (NET Bible)

• Translate the meaning of the expressions more directly. The first example shows that the meaning is evil behavior, but not necessarily murder. The second example regards the meaning to be actual murder. For example:

Everyone is brutal and eager to deceive everyone else. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Everyone is waiting for a chance to commit murder. Everyone hunts down their own people. (Good News Translation)

blood: In Hebrew, this word means “blood that is shed through violence.”

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

shed blood (New International Version)
-or-
commit murder (Good News Translation)

net: In Hebrew, this word means “a device with holes that is used to capture fish or other animals.”

Here are some ways to translate this word:

• Translate as net or something similar. For example:

net (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
trap (New Century Version)

• Translate as behavior associated with the use of a net. For example:

hunts down (Good News Translation)
-or-
ensnares (New American Bible)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 1:12

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⌋.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 7:13

7:13a–b

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

13a Then the earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants,

13b
as the fruit of their deeds.

There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 7:13b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 7:13a. For example:

13b
⌊the earth will become desolate⌋ as the fruit of their deeds.

These lines talk about a future desolation of the earth. The reason for the desolation is because of the doings/actions of the people. This verse is probably a description of a future judgment from the LORD, since only he has authority and power to know and to judge people’s actions in this way. The first line is a summary statement. The second line gives more detail.

7:13a

Then the earth will become desolate: In Hebrew, the word become indicates the action of change from its present condition into a desolate condition.

Then…will become: In Hebrew, this word is more literally “and it will become.” The function of the Hebrew word form is to introduce the next event after the preceding event.

Here are some ways to translate this word:

• Use a word or phrase that introduces contrast between this verse and the preceding material. For example:

But the earth will be desolate (English Standard Version)
-or-

In contrast, the earth will become a desolate wasteland

• Use a word that introduces the next event and leaves contrast implied. For example:

And the earth will become desolate (New American Standard Bible)
-or-

Then the earth will be ruined

• Let the context imply that this is the next event. For example:

The earth will become desolate (New International Version)
-or-
The earth will become a wasteland (God’s Word)

the earth: In Hebrew, this word has various meanings. Here it follows the list of regions in 7:12. In this context, the word earth probably refers to the various regions of the earth outside of Israel. Most versions translate this word as the earth or “the land.”

desolate: In Hebrew, this word means “desolation,” “ruin,” “wasteland.”

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

a desolation (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
a wasteland (God’s Word)
-or-
a disaster (Contemporary English Version)

because of its inhabitants: In this clause part, the word because introduces the reason why the earth will become desolate. It is on account of its inhabitants. In 7:13a, the details of what the inhabitants have done to deserve desolation is left implied.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause part:

Because of those who dwell in it (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
by reason of its inhabitants (New Jerusalem Bible)

7:13b

as the fruit of their deeds: This clause makes more explicit what the inhabitants did to deserve punishment. Here the word as introduces the reason. It is because of the fruit of their doings. The phrase fruit of their deeds refers to the consequences of their “actions.” Here the phrase refers to their evil deeds.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause part:

as the fruit of their misdeeds (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
because of their deeds (New Century Version)
-or-
as their deeds deserve (Revised English Bible)

General Comment on 7:13a–b

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

But the land will become empty and desolate because of the wickedness of those who live there. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
The earth will become desolate because of what its inhabitants have done. (NET Bible)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 6:8

6:8

In this verse, Micah answered the questions that the people asked in 6:6–7. His answer was to remind the people what the LORD required of them.

Some versions begin this verse with the word “No,” to make the connection of this verse to the previous questions more explicit. For example:

No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good (New Living Translation (2004))

There are three main ways to translate the structure of the clauses in this verse:

• Translate 6:8a as a statement. Translate 6:8b–c as a rhetorical question. For example:

8a He has told you, O man, what is good;

8b–c and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (English Standard Version)

• Translate 6:8a as a statement. Translate 6:8b as a question and 6:8c as the answer to the question. For example:

8a He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

8b And what does the Lord require of you?

8c To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (New International Version)

• Translate 6:8a–c as parallel statements. For example:

8a
The Lord has told you, human, what is good ;

8b
he has told you what he wants from you :

8c
to do what is right to other people, love being kind to others, and live humbly, obeying your God. (New Century Version)

6:8a

He has shown you, O man, what is good: In this clause Micah reminded the people that the LORD had already made known the good that he wanted from them. He had told it to them through his law, the prophets, and priests.

O man: Here Micah addressed the questioner(s) directly. Some versions have added the word O to make it clear that O man is a term of address (vocative). Use a vocative that is natural in your language when a person speaks to a group of people or a representative of a group.

In Hebrew, the phrase O man is literally the word “adam.” Here “adam” is the word for “human.” It is not a name. This vocative may imply a contrast between finite human beings and the infinite God.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

He has told you, O mortal, what is good (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
The Lord has told you, human, what is good (New Century Version)

what is good: This phrase means “that which is good.” In Hebrew, the word good has a wide range of meaning. Here it probably means “moral good.” It is the kind of good that is described in the rest of this verse.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

what is right (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
what is good for us to do

6:8b

And what does the LORD require of you: This clause introduces the answer to the people’s questions about what will please the LORD.

In Hebrew, this clause is more literally “and what Yahweh asking from you.” It is ambiguous whether it is a question or a statement. For examples of each form of the clause, see the Note on 6:8 “three main ways to translate the structure of the clauses.”

The connecting word And begins this clause. It may indicate that the phrase in 6:8a “He has told you” applies to this clause as well. Not only has the LORD told the people what is good, he has also told them what he requires of them. For example:

8b and ⌊he has told you⌋ what he requires of you:

Some versions leave this connection implied. For example:

What he requires of us is this: (Good News Translation)

Indicate the connection of this clause to the previous one in a natural way in your language.

require: This word can mean “ask for,” “require,” or “demand.” For example:

wants (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
require (English Standard Version)
-or-
demands (Contemporary English Version)

6:8c

but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?: In this clause, Micah reminded the people of the LORD’s requirements by giving examples.

The people thought that the LORD required only sacrifices. However he also required good, moral attitudes and behavior. In this clause the word but contrasts these two thoughts. Most versions leave this contrast implicit.

If you wish to make this contrast more explicit in your translation, here are some examples:

So what does the Lord require of you? He requires not only sacrifices but/rather for you to be just, to love mercy, and to live humbly with your God.
-or-
He has told you what he wants from you. He does not want more offerings, but for you to do what is right, to love being kind to others, and to live in humble obedience to your God.

act justly: In Hebrew, the word translated as act justly has a broad range of meanings related to actions that are right and just. It can refer to judicial process as well as an attribute of man in general. In this phrase, it may refer especially to fair and honest treatment of those who are weak or powerless.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

do what is right (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
do what is just (Good News Translation)
-or-
promote justice (NET Bible)

love mercy: This phrase means to show kindness even when it is not required or deserved. It refers to both activities and attitudes.

The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as love means to “like” or “love” a thing. It can refer to love for either physical/concrete or abstract things. Here the meaning is to love to do kind deeds.

In Hebrew, the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as mercy has several aspects of meaning:

(a) steadfastness, loyalty

(b) kindness, mercy

Translate this phrase in a way that fits naturally in the context. Here it may refer particularly to showing a concern for the needs of others. The LORD’s covenant with Israel required them to have this concern in response to the love that the LORD had shown to them.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

let mercy be your first concern (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
show constant love (Good News Translation)
-or-
love being kind to others (New Century Version)

walk humbly with your God: In this phrase the word walk is a figure of speech that means “follow a pattern of conduct or a lifestyle.”

In Hebrew, the word humbly has a range of meanings related to being careful, wise, and prudent. These qualities depend upon a person having an attitude of submission/humility to God and a desire to conform to his will.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

humbly obey your God (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
live in humble fellowship with our God (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 1:2

Division 1:2–2:13

First message: The LORD will punish his people, but later he will gather them together again.

See “Overall structure of the book” in the Introduction for more details about the three divisions.

Section 1:2–7

The LORD will punish the people in Samaria

In the first paragraph of this section (1:2–5), Micah is the speaker. He began by telling the entire earth, with all its inhabitants, (1:2) to listen because the LORD would soon come down from heaven to accuse them. In 1:3–4, he continued to use vivid, figurative language to describe the LORD’s coming. In 1:5, he warned the whole nation of Israel, naming both Samaria and Jerusalem, that the LORD would judge them because of their idolatry and other sins. In the second paragraph (1:6–7), the speaker is the LORD. The LORD warned Samaria that he would completely destroy the city.

The Notes have separate section headings for 1:2–7 and 1:8–16. Here are some other examples of section headings for 1:2–7:

Judgment on Samaria (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Judgment pronounced against Samaria (New Revised Standard Version)

Several other English versions use a section heading for 1:2–16. You may follow either pattern. Here are some other examples of section headings for 1:2–16:

The Coming Destruction (English Standard Version)
-or-
Grief over Samaria and Jerusalem (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
The capital cities of Israel and Judah destroyed (God’s Word)

Paragraph 1:2–5

1:2

Verses 1:2a and 1:2b are parallel commands. Verse 1:2c gives the reason for the commands in 1:2a–b.

1:2a–b

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

a
Hear, O peoples, all of you ;

b
listen, O earth, and everyone in it !

Hear…listen: These parallel commands both mean “listen carefully” or “pay attention.” Micah used the same Hebrew word for Hear in 3:1, 3:9, 6:1, and 6:2.

all of you…and everyone in it!: These phrases emphasize and/or clarify the commands to “Hear” and “listen.”

1:2a

Hear, O peoples, all of you: In Hebrew, the first phrase is literally “Hear, peoples.” The second phrase, all of you, adds emphasis. It refers here to all the people groups or nations of the world. In some cases, these “people groups” may be described in terms of different languages. For example:

groups of people who speak mutually different languages

Many English versions supply a word such as “you” (New International Version) or O to indicate that Micah is addressing the peoples directly and wants them to start listening to his words.

In some languages, it may not be natural to address people groups in this way. Here are some ways to address the people directly as well as to emphasize all of them:

All of you people must listen!
-or-
Listen, everybody!

In some languages, it may be necessary for a verb like “hear” to have an object. If that is true in your language, here are some ways to make an object explicit:

Hear this message …
-or-
Listen to what God says …

1:2b

listen, O earth, and everyone in it: The phrase and everyone in it is literally “and its fullness” or “and what fills it.” There are two main ways to interpret this verse part:

(1) Micah is using a poetic way to address all the people on the earth. For example:

…listen, earth and all who live in it. (New International Version (2011))
-or-
…earth and everyone on it (New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) Micah is addressing the earth and all created things on it, including people, animals, mountains, trees, rivers, etc. For example:

listen, O earth, and all it contains (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
Earth and everything on it, pay close attention. (Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). There are at least two reasons:

(a) The parallel line (1:2a) clearly refers to the people groups or nations of the world rather than to the earth or other created things. With interpretation (1), the parallel parts in 1:2b have the same reference.

(b) The context that follows these parallel commands deals primarily with Israel and Judah and with other nations. It assumes that Micah’s audience will be able to pay attention and respond to this first message.

General Comment on 1:2a–b

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

All you people on earth, you from all the nations, listen carefully.

1:2c

May the Lord GOD bear witness against you: In this verse part, Micah implied that the people should listen to the testimony that the Lord was about to give. Some of these words are found in 1:6–7.

There are textual and interpretation issues that affect the function of this verse part and its relationship to Micah’s commands in 1:2a–b to listen carefully. The Notes will discuss these issues together. Here are the main interpretations:

(1) This verse part is a statement that the Lord GOD will testify against the people. For example:

The Lord GOD will be a witness against you (New Century Version)

(2) This verse part is an indirect, third-person request. It expresses Micah’s prayer or desire that the Lord GOD will testify against the people. For example:

and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you (English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. In this context, this kind of jussive constructive (“and let…”) normally functions like an imperfect (non-past) verb. With both interpretations, it is implied from 2:1a–b that the people should listen carefully to the Lord’s testimony against them.

There is more than one way to interpret the relationship between Micah’s commands in 1:2a–b that the people listen and the statement in 1:2c that the Lord GOD would testify against them:

(1) The connection is not explicit. It should be left implied. For example:

Yahweh intends to give evidence against you (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
The Sovereign Lord will testify against you. (Good News Translation)

(2) The statement in 1:2c gives the reason why Micah told the people to listen in 1:2a–b. For example:

for I AM will become a witness against you

(3) The statement in 1:2c gives the purpose why the people should heed the commands in 1:2a–b. For example:

that the Sovereign Lord may witness against you (New International Version)

The Display will follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. It will leave the relationship unspecified. You may follow either interpretation (1) or (2). In many languages, a reason will be implied whether or not 1:2c is introduced with a word such as “for” or “because.”

One reason not to follow interpretation (3) is that a purpose word or phrase like “that” or “so that” may wrongly imply that if the people did not listen, the LORD would not testify.

Lord GOD: In Hebrew, this double name, ʿadonay yhwh, is used over 280 times in the Old Testament to refer to God. The word ʿadonay means “lord/master.” The word yhwh is God’s personal name.

Most English versions follow the tradition of using “LORD” instead of “Yahweh” (yhwh). Since it is awkward to have an expression such as Lord LORD, most English versions use one expression to indicate God’s authority and another one to translate his own name. For example:

Sovereign Lord (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Lord GOD (New Century Version)
-or-
Almighty Lord (God’s Word)

See the note on “Yahweh, the LORD” in the Introduction.

bear witness against you: This phrase is usually used in a courtroom. It figuratively describes God as a lawyer who is presenting a case in a trial. Micah told all people to listen to the evidence that God will present. This evidence will prove that all people were guilty of doing evil.

In some languages, this courtroom language may be confusing, because God is the judge as well as the lawyer. If this is true in your language, you may want to use a more general expression. For example:

The Almighty LORD accuses/judges you
-or-
The Lord Yahweh will declare that what you have done wrong

the Lord from His holy temple: The word Lord here is ʿadonay, the same as in the first part of 1:2c. The Lord was in His holy temple when he spoke as a witness against the people. He would speak from that location.

This phrase contains implied information from the first part of 1:2c. In some languages, it may be more natural to make this information explicit. For example:

The Lord will be a witness from his holy temple. (God’s Word)
-or-
Listen! He speaks from his holy temple. (adapted from Good News Translation)

His holy temple: This phrase refers here to heaven, the LORD’s dwelling place, not to the temple in Jerusalem. In 1:3, Micah described God leaving “his place” (“his home” in the New Jerusalem Bible) and coming down to the earth. So it is logical that the phrase His holy temple in 1:2c also refers to heaven, the place where God lives. If possible, do not specify in your translation that the temple is in heaven or in Jerusalem.

holy: God’s temple is called holy because it is special, set apart to be his dwelling place. In most languages, you will be able to use the same term for holy that you used for “holy temple” or “holy place” elsewhere in Scripture.

temple: The Hebrew word that is translated here as temple refers to a large magnificent building. In some OT passages, it refers to a palace, the home of a king. In this verse, where it refers to the home of the great king, God, there is little practical difference between “palace” and temple. Almost all English versions translate it as temple. Here are some other ways to translate “his holy temple”:

his holy house/home
-or-
the holy place where he lives
-or-
the special place that is set apart as his own home

General Comment on 1:2c

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine the first and last phrases of this verse part. For example:

The Lord Yahweh accuses you from his holy temple. (adapted from the Contemporary English Version).

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 7:3

7:3

In this verse Micah continued to describe the evil behavior of the people of Israel. He gives three examples of corrupt people of influence: officials, judges and powerful people.

7:3a

Both hands are skilled at evil: This clause introduces the three examples of corrupt types of people in 3b–d.

The word hands has a figurative meaning of the use of power. That is probably the meaning here. The word skilled is literally “do well.” The full clause means that the people in each example were experts at using their power to do evil. They were clever and successful at it.

7:3b

the prince and the judge demand a bribe: This clause combines two examples. Both the prince and the judge ask for bribes. The phrases the prince and the judge refer to two classes/types of people. Their roles in society provided them with many opportunities to influence and manipulate people. In some languages it may be more natural to translate these phrases as plural forms. For example:

Officials and judges alike demand bribes. (New Living Translation (2004))

prince: In Hebrew, the word prince means “a leader in government, the military or religion.”

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

official (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
rulers (New Century Version)

judge: In Hebrew, the word judge is a person who makes decisions or arbitrates disagreements of various kinds.

bribe: See the note on “for a bribe” in 3:11a.

7:3c

When the powerful utters his evil desire: This clause gives the third example of an influential class/type of person. It may be more natural in some languages to translate the phrase the powerful with plural word forms. for example:

Powerful people dictate what they want. (God’s Word)

powerful: In Hebrew, this word means “great” or “distinguished.” In this context it probably refers to a rich person who was able to influence others.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

prominent men (NET Bible)
-or-
people with influence (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Rich people (New Century Version)
-or-
the important man

utters his evil desire: In Hebrew, the word utters means “say,” “tell” or “command.” People with power could get what they want simply by telling someone that they want it.

The phrase his evil desire means more literally “mischief or lust of his soul.” It refers to the hurt or destruction or other kind of evil that the powerful person wants to happen so that he can attain his selfish goals.

Here are some ways to translate this clause part:

• Translate the action of speaking, and make explicit that the desire is for evil. For example:

the great man utters the evil desire of his soul (English Standard Version)
-or-
The rich man makes his crooked plea (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)

• Translate the end result. Leave implied the action of speaking and that the desire is for evil. For example:

The people with influence get what they want (New Living Translation (2004))

they all conspire together: In Hebrew, this clause is literally “he and they weave it.” Here this expression means that corrupt officials, judges and powerful people scheme together to give the powerful people what they want. The Hebrew expression “he and they weave it” leaves implicit that the evil scheming is unjust. Other translations of the clause make this aspect of meaning explicit. For example:

they pervert justice (New Revised Standard Version)

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

And they grant it. (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
-or-
and they do what is necessary to satisfy them (NET Bible)
-or-
they all conspire together (New International Version)
-or-
So they scheme together. (God’s Word)
-or-
and together they scheme to twist justice (New Living Translation (2004))

Step into the multitudes of languages of the Bible and join the worldwide conversation!

Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 6:7

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 1:1

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 7:2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 1:12

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 7:13

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 6:8

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 1:2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Micah 7:3

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American Bible Society