Micah 3:4

3:4 Someday these sinners will cry to the Lord for help, ¹ 

but he will not answer them.

He will hide his face from them at that time,

because they have done such wicked deeds.”

Micah 6:1

The Lord Demands Justice, not Ritual

6:1 Listen to what the Lord says:

“Get up! Defend yourself ²  before the mountains! ³ 

Present your case before the hills!” ⁴ 

Micah 6:14

6:14 You will eat, but not be satisfied.

Even if you have the strength ⁵  to overtake some prey, ⁶ 

you will not be able to carry it away; ⁷ 

if you do happen to carry away something,

I will deliver it over to the sword.

Micah 7:9

7:9 I must endure ⁸  the Lord’s anger,

for I have sinned against him.

But then ⁹  he will defend my cause, ¹⁰ 

and accomplish justice on my behalf.

He will lead me out into the light;

I will experience firsthand ¹¹  his deliverance. ¹² 

[3:4]  ¹ tn Heb “then they will cry out to the Lord.” The words “Someday these sinners” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[6:1]  ² tn Or “plead your case” (NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “present your plea”; NLT “state your case.”

[6:1]  ³ sn As in some ancient Near Eastern treaties, the mountains are personified as legal witnesses that will settle the dispute between God and Israel.

[6:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “let the hills hear your voice.”

[6:14]  ³ tc The first Hebrew term in the line (וְיֶשְׁחֲךָ, vÿyeshkhakha) is obscure. HALOT 446 s.v. יֶשַׁח understands a noun meaning “filth,” which would yield the translation, “and your filth is inside you.” The translation assumes an emendation to כֹּחַ-וְיֶשׁ (vÿyesh-koakh, “and [if] there is strength inside you”).

[6:14]  ⁴ tn The meaning of the Hebrew term וְתַסֵּג (vÿtasseg) is unclear. The translation assumes it is a Hiphal imperfect from נָסַג/נָשַׂג (nasag/nasag, “reach; overtake”) and that hunting imagery is employed. (Note the reference to hunger in the first line of the verse.) See D. R. Hillers, Micah (Hermeneia), 80.

[6:14]  ⁵ tn The Hiphal of פָּלַט (palat) is used in Isa 5:29 of an animal carrying its prey to a secure place.

[7:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “lift, bear.”

[7:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “until.”

[7:9]  ⁶ tn Or “plead my case” (NASB and NIV both similar); NRSV “until he takes my side.”

[7:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “see.”

[7:9]  ⁸ tn Or “justice, vindication.”