Micah 1:1

Context

Introduction

1:1 This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to¹ Micah of Moresheth. He delivered this message² during the reigns of³ Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. The prophecies pertain to⁴ Samaria⁵ and Jerusalem.⁶

Micah 1:5

Context

1:5 All this is because of Jacob’s rebellion

and⁷ the sins of the nation⁸ of Israel.

How has Jacob rebelled, you ask?⁹

Samaria epitomizes their rebellion!¹⁰

Where are Judah’s pagan worship centers, you ask?¹¹

They are right in Jerusalem!¹²

Micah 1:9

Context

1:9 For Samaria’s¹³ disease¹⁴ is incurable.

It has infected¹⁵ Judah;

it has spread to¹⁶ the leadership¹⁷ of my people

and has even contaminated Jerusalem!¹⁸

[1:1] ¹tn Heb “The word of the Lord which came to.”

[1:1] ²tn The words “he delivered this message” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[1:1] ³tn Heb “in the days of” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).

[1:1] ⁴tn Heb “which he saw concerning.”

[1:1] ⁵map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.

[1:1] ⁶map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:5] ⁷tn Heb “and because of.” This was simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[1:5] ⁸tn Heb “house.”

[1:5] ⁹tn Heb “What is the rebellion of Jacob?”

[1:5] ¹⁰tn Heb “Is it not Samaria?” The negated rhetorical question expects the answer, “It certainly is!” To make this clear the question has been translated as a strong affirmative statement.

[1:5] ¹¹tn Heb “What are Judah’s high places?”

[1:5] ¹²tn Heb “Is it not Jerusalem?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “It certainly is!”

[1:9] ¹³tn Heb “her”; the referent (Samaria) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:9] ¹⁴tc The MT reads the plural “wounds”; the singular is read by the LXX, Syriac, and Vg.

[1:9] ¹⁵tn Heb “come to.”

[1:9] ¹⁶tn Or “reached.”

[1:9] ¹⁷tn Heb “the gate.” Kings and civic leaders typically conducted important business at the city gate (see 1 Kgs 22:10 for an example), and the term is understood here to refer by metonymy to the leadership who would be present at the gate.

[1:9] ¹⁸tn Heb “to Jerusalem.” The expression “it has contaminated” do not appear in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied to fill out the parallelism with the preceding line.