Micah 3:5

3:5 This is what the Lord says: “The prophets who mislead my people

are as good as dead. ¹ 

If someone gives them enough to eat,

they offer an oracle of peace. ² 

But if someone does not give them food,

they are ready to declare war on him. ³ 

Micah 5:7

5:7 Those survivors from ⁴  Jacob will live ⁵ 

in the midst of many nations. ⁶ 

They will be like the dew the Lord sends,

like the rain on the grass,

that does not hope for men to come

or wait around for humans to arrive. ⁷ 

Micah 6:5

6:5 My people, recall how King Balak of Moab planned to harm you, ⁸ 

how Balaam son of Beor responded to him.

Recall how you journeyed from Shittim to Gilgal,

so you might acknowledge that the Lord has treated you fairly.” ⁹ 

[3:5]  ¹ tn Heb “concerning the prophets, those who mislead my people.” The first person pronominal suffix is awkward in a quotation formula that introduces the words of the Lord. For this reason some prefer to begin the quotation after “the Lord says” (cf. NIV), but this leaves “concerning the prophets” hanging very awkwardly at the beginning of the quotation. It is preferable to add הוֹי (hoy, “woe, ah”) at the beginning of the quotation, right after the graphically similar יְהוָה (yÿhvah; see D. R. Hillers, Micah [Hermeneia], 44). The phrase הוֹי עַל (hoy ’al, “woe upon”) occurs in Jer 50:27 and Ezek 13:3 (with “the prophets” following the preposition in the latter instance).

[3:5]  ² tn Heb “those who bite with their teeth and cry out, ‘peace.’” The phrase “bite with the teeth” is taken here as idiomatic for eating. Apparently these prophets were driven by mercenary motives. If they were paid well, they gave positive oracles to their clients, but if someone could not afford to pay them, they were hostile and delivered oracles of doom.

[3:5]  ³ tn Heb “but [as for the one] who does not place [food] in their mouths, they prepare for war against him.”

[5:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “the remnant of” (also in v. 8).

[5:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “will be.”

[5:7]  ⁶ tn This could mean “(scattered) among the nations” (cf. CEV, NLT) or “surrounded by many nations” (cf. NRSV).

[5:7]  ⁷ tn Heb “that does not hope for man, and does not wait for the sons of men.”

[6:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “remember what Balak…planned.”

[6:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “From Shittim to Gilgal, in order to know the just acts of the Lord.” Something appears to be missing at the beginning of the line. The present translation supplies the words, “Recall how you went.” This apparently refers to how Israel crossed the Jordan River (see Josh 3:1; 4:19-24).