The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Micah 1:9:
Kupsabiny: “It is like that since the plagues/wounds of Samaria will not be healed/cured and (they/it) shall also reach to Judah. (It) shall pass over even to the gates of Jerusalem that city where my people are.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Samaria’s wounds cannot be healed. and their wound has reached Judah, it has reached the gates of Jerusalem.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “For the destruction of Samaria seems like a wound that can- no-longer -be-healed, and this will- also -happen to Juda. This-(destruction) will-reach Jerusalem, the capital city of my fellowmen/countrymen.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
In verse 9 the punishment of the people of Samaria is pictured as wounds that cannot be healed. A similar picture is used in Isa 1.5-6. In the expression “her wound” at the beginning of verse 9 (Revised Standard Version), “her” is taken by some commentators to refer to Jerusalem. However, the picture of spreading infection is more clear if the “her” refers to Samaria. This is the way Good News Translation understands it. The wound is the punishment sent by the Lord as described in the preceding verses. In some versions it is translated as a “blow” struck by the Lord (Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible).
This wound cannot be healed. The picture means that the destruction of Samaria is complete, as described in verse 6, and there is no hope for it to be built again or for the people to recover from their punishment.
The “it has come to Judah” of Revised Standard Version continues the metaphor, but in Good News Translation it is expressed in plain language as Judah is about to suffer in the same way. The expression “come to” may be intended to bring to mind the idea of a flood spreading over the land. Compare the use of the same expression in Psa 69.1.
About to suffer in the same way means that the terrible things that have happened to Samaria are about to happen to the southern kingdom of Judah. It may be expressed as “the same punishment is about to happen to Judah.” In fact it sounds as though the enemies are already in Judah, because they have reached the gates of Jerusalem itself. Jerusalem was not geographically in the center of the country. In fact it was near the northern border. However, it was the main town of the country, and if it were captured by the enemy, the whole country would be defeated.
The gates of the city are not only the place of entrance but also the center of business, legal, and social life. See for instance Ruth 4.1, 11; Psa 127.5; Amos 5.10, 12, 15. When Jerusalem is spoken of as “the gate of my people” (Revised Standard Version), this is a picture of the capital city as the center and focus of national life. Gates can be translated as “doors in the wall that surrounds the city.” They were of course strong doors that could be closed to keep the enemy out. When the enemy reached the gates, Jerusalem was in great danger of being conquered. In many languages the word “gate” would not convey the idea of the center of social life, and in such languages it may be necessary to translate as “destruction has reached Jerusalem itself, the main center where my people live.”
Jerusalem was not Micah’s own home town, so his reference to my people does not mean his immediate relatives. It is used in a broader sense, including all of his countrymen, but especially those who were suffering because of all the evil that was being done by the leaders (see 3.3, 5).
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. et al. A Handbook on Micah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1978, 1982, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
For her wound is incurable: Micah used the word For to introduce the reason for his loud weeping in 1:8a–c. He mourned because the wound that the LORD would soon cause the city of Samaria to suffer is incurable. Here are some other ways to translate this line:
because Samaria’s wound cannot be healed (New Century Version) -or-
for Samaria’s disease is incurable (NET Bible) -or-
For my people’s wound is too deep to heal. (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
The nation is fatally wounded. (Contemporary English Version)
wound: In Hebrew, this word is plural. It refers to injuries caused by beating someone, either with fists or with a weapon like a club.
Micah used the word wound as a metaphor. It refers figuratively to punishment from the LORD. This punishment is compared to wounds that cannot be healed.
is incurable: When Micah said that Samaria’s wound was incurable, he meant that the city’s disaster would be certain and severe. The punishment would be so terrible that the people would not recover.
Here are some ways to translate this verse part without using a metaphor:
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
For the terrible things that will happen to Samaria will definitely take place. The people will not escape. It will be ⌊like⌋ a severe wound that cannot be healed.
• Translate without using a figure of speech. For example:
For the LORD will punish the inhabitants of Samaria, and they will not survive.
1:9b–c
In 1:9b–c, Micah gave an additional reason for his sorrow in 1:9a. The reason was that the LORD would not only punish the northern kingdom of Israel with its capital Samaria. He would also punish the land of Judah, including the city of Jerusalem.
The two parallel lines in 1:9b–c are similar in meaning:
9b it has reached even Judah;
9c it has approached the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem itself.
Both lines refer to the southern kingdom of Judah. The second line refers specifically to the capital city, Jerusalem, the center of worship and government.
1:9b
In Hebrew, this portion of the verse begins with the same word (“For”) that was used in 1:9a. Since it is an additional part of the same reason, many English versions, including the Berean Standard Bible, do not translate this word. The connection is clear without an explicit conjunction. For example:
it has come to Judah (New International Version)
In some languages, the connection will be clearer with a specific word such as “for” or “and.” For example:
for it has come to Judah (New American Standard Bible) -or-
and Judah is about to suffer in the same way (Good News Translation)
it has reached even Judah: This means that Samaria’s incurable wound will also come to the land of Judah. The LORD will certainly punish the people who live there. In some languages, it is not natural to say that punishment or disaster reaches a place. It may be more natural to say that it happens in a place or arrives at a place.
Micah spoke as if this disaster had already happened to Judah. He spoke like this to emphasize that the terrible things that will happen to Samaria will also certainly happen in the land of Judah.
In many languages, it may be clearer to use a future expression here. For example:
Judah is about to suffer in the same way (Good News Translation) -or-
It will spread to Judah (New Century Version)
1:9c
it has approached the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem itself: This line means that even the capital city of Judah, Jerusalem, will experience disaster along with other towns in Judah that will be mentioned in 1:10–16.
The verb tense used here is the same as in 1:9b. See the note and footnote there. Micah used it to emphasize that something would happen in the future. Here are some ways to indicate this future meaning:
It will reach the gates of my people in Jerusalem. (God’s Word) -or-
Jerusalem will fall. (Contemporary English Version)
the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem itself: There are two main ways to interpret the connection between the phrase the gate of my people and the phrase as far as Jerusalem :
(1) Micah used the word gate as a metaphor. It represents the city of Jerusalem itself. For example:
It falls on the gateway of my people, on Jerusalem itself. (New Jerusalem Bible)
(2) Micah used the word gateliterally. The disaster will reach the gate of Jerusalem itself. For example:
destruction has reached the gates of Jerusalem itself, where my people live (Good News Translation)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions and commentaries.
gate: This word refers to the large gate or doorway in the fortified wall of a city. The city gate was an important place in a city. The city leaders met there to listen to disputes and to make decisions, and people did their buying and selling there also.
In some languages, it may be clearer to translate this metaphor without using a figure of speech. For example:
This terrible thing will happen in the most important place among my people, in Jerusalem itself.
my people: This phrase refers to the people who were part of the same country as Micah. Micah was from Moresheth, a small town in Judah, about 35 kilometers from Jerusalem. (see 1:1a). Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
my fellow citizens -or-
my fellow people from Judah -or-
people of my tribe/country
Use a word or phrase in your language that refers to someone who is from the same country, ethnic group or language group as you, but not necessarily the same village or town.
Jerusalem itself: The name Jerusalem is emphatic in this verse. The Berean Standard Bible marks this with itself. Express this emphasis in a natural way in your language.
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