Micah 2:1

Land Robbers Will Lose their Land

2:1 Those who devise sinful plans are as good as dead, ¹ 

those who dream about doing evil as they lie in bed. ² 

As soon as morning dawns they carry out their plans, ³ 

because they have the power to do so.

Micah 3:8

3:8 But I ⁴  am full of the courage that the Lord’s Spirit gives,

and have a strong commitment to justice. ⁵ 

This enables me to confront Jacob with its rebellion,

and Israel with its sin. ⁶ 

Micah 7:16

7:16 Nations will see this and be disappointed by ⁷  all their strength,

they will put their hands over their mouths,

and act as if they were deaf. ⁸ 

Micah 7:3

7:3 They are determined to be experts at doing evil; ⁹ 

government officials and judges take bribes, ¹⁰ 

prominent men make demands,

and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them. ¹¹ 

Micah 4:8

4:8 As for you, watchtower for the flock, ¹² 

fortress of Daughter Zion ¹³  –

your former dominion will be restored, ¹⁴ 

the sovereignty that belongs to Daughter Jerusalem.

Micah 5:6

5:6 They will rule ¹⁵  the land of Assyria with the sword,

the land of Nimrod ¹⁶  with a drawn sword. ¹⁷ 

Our king ¹⁸  will rescue us from the Assyrians

should they attempt to invade our land

and try to set foot in our territory.

Micah 4:10

4:10 Twist and strain, ¹⁹  Daughter Zion, as if you were in labor!

For you will leave the city

and live in the open field.

You will go to Babylon,

but there you will be rescued.

There the Lord will deliver ²⁰  you

from the power ²¹  of your enemies.

[2:1]  ¹ tn Heb “Woe to those who plan sin.” The Hebrew term הוֹי (hoy, “woe”; “ah”) was a cry used in mourning the dead.

[2:1]  ² tn Heb “those who do evil upon their beds.”

[2:1]  ³ tn Heb “at the light of morning they do it.”

[3:8]  ⁴ sn The prophet Micah speaks here and contrasts himself with the mercenaries just denounced by the Lord in the preceding verses.

[3:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “am full of power, the Spirit of the Lord, and justice and strength.” The appositional phrase “the Spirit of the Lord” explains the source of the prophet’s power. The phrase “justice and strength” is understood here as a hendiadys, referring to the prophet’s strong sense of justice.

[3:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “to declare to Jacob his rebellion and to Israel his sin.” The words “this enables me” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[7:16]  ⁷ tn Or “be ashamed of.”

[7:16]  ⁸ tn Heb “and their ears will be deaf.” Apparently this means the opposing nations will be left dumbfounded by the Lord’s power. Their inability to respond will make them appear to be deaf mutes.

[7:3]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “upon evil [are their] hands to do [it] well.”

[7:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the official asks – and the judge – for a bribe.”

[7:3]  ¹² 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.

[4:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “Migdal-eder.” Some English versions transliterate this phrase, apparently because they view it as a place name (cf. NAB).

[4:8]  ¹⁴ sn The city of David, located within Jerusalem, is addressed as Daughter Zion. As the home of the Davidic king, who was Israel’s shepherd (Ps 78:70-72), the royal citadel could be viewed metaphorically as the watchtower of the flock.

[4:8]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “to you it will come, the former dominion will arrive.”

[5:6]  ¹⁶ tn Or perhaps “break”; or “defeat.”

[5:6]  ¹⁷ sn According to Gen 10:8-12, Nimrod, who was famous as a warrior and hunter, founded Assyria.

[5:6]  ¹⁸ tc The MT reads “in her gates,” but the text should be emended to בַּפְּתִיחָה (baptikhah, “with a drawn sword”).

[5:6]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the coming king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:10]  ¹⁹ tn Or perhaps “scream”; NRSV, TEV, NLT “groan.”

[4:10]  ²⁰ tn Or “redeem” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[4:10]  ²¹ tn Heb “hand.” The Hebrew idiom is a metonymy for power or control.