Micah 1:13

1:13 Residents of Lachish, ¹  hitch the horses to the chariots!

You ²  influenced Daughter Zion ³  to sin, ⁴ 

for Israel’s rebellious deeds can be traced back ⁵  to you!

Micah 7:3

7:3 They are determined to be experts at doing evil; ⁶ 

government officials and judges take bribes, ⁷ 

prominent men make demands,

and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them. ⁸ 

[1:13]  ¹ sn The place name Lachish sounds like the Hebrew word for “team [of horses].”

[1:13]  ² tn Heb “she”; this has been translated as second person (“you”) in keeping with the direct address to the residents of Lachish in the previous line.

[1:13]  ³ sn The epithet Daughter Zion pictures the city of Jerusalem as a young lady.

[1:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “She was the beginning of sin for Daughter Zion.”

[1:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “for in you was found the transgressions of Israel.”

[7:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “upon evil [are their] hands to do [it] well.”

[7:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “the official asks – and the judge – for a bribe.”

[7:3]  ⁸ tn More literally, “the great one announces what his appetite desires and they weave it together.” Apparently this means that subordinates plot and maneuver to make sure the prominent man’s desires materialize.