Micah 2:3-4

2:3 Therefore the Lord says this: “Look, I am devising disaster for this nation!

It will be like a yoke from which you cannot free your neck.

You will no longer walk proudly,

for it will be a time of catastrophe.

2:4 In that day people will sing this taunt song to you –

they will mock you with this lament:

‘We are completely destroyed;

they sell off the property of my people.

How they remove it from me!

They assign our fields to the conqueror.’


tn Heb “clan” or “extended family.”

tn Heb “from which you will not remove your neck.” The words “It will be like a yoke” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

tn Or “you will not.”

tc The form נִהְיָה (nihyah) should be omitted as dittographic (note the preceding וְנָהָה נְהִי vÿnahah nÿhiy).

tn Or “exchange.” The LXX suggests a reading יִמַּד (yimmad) from מָדַד (madad, “to measure”). In this case one could translate, “the property of my people is measured out [i.e., for resale].”

tn Heb “how one removes for me.” Apparently the preposition has the nuance “from” here (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

tc The Hebrew term שׁוֹבֵב (shovev, “the one turning back”) elsewhere has the nuance “apostate” (cf. NASB) or “traitor” (cf. NIV). The translation assumes an emendation to שָׁבָה (shavah, “captor”).