Micah 4:7

4:7 I will transform the lame into the nucleus of a new nation, ¹ 

and those far off ²  into a mighty nation.

The Lord will reign over them on Mount Zion,

from that day forward and forevermore.” ³ 

Micah 6:1-2

The Lord Demands Justice, not Ritual

6:1 Listen to what the Lord says:

“Get up! Defend yourself ⁴  before the mountains! ⁵ 

Present your case before the hills!” ⁶ 

6:2 Hear the Lord’s accusation, you mountains,

you enduring foundations of the earth!

For the Lord has a case against his people;

he has a dispute with Israel! ⁷ 

[4:7]  ¹ tn Heb “make the lame into a remnant.”

[4:7]  ² tn The precise meaning of this difficult form is uncertain. The present translation assumes the form is a Niphal participle of an otherwise unattested denominative verb הָלָא (hala’, “to be far off”; see BDB 229 s.v.), but attractive emendations include הַנַּחֲלָה (hannakhalah, “the sick one[s]”) from חָלָה (khalah) and הַנִּלְאָה (hannil’ah, “the weary one[s]”) from לָאָה (la’ah).

[4:7]  ³ tn Heb “from now until forever.”

[6:1]  ⁴ tn Or “plead your case” (NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “present your plea”; NLT “state your case.”

[6:1]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Heb “let the hills hear your voice.”

[6:2]  ⁷ tn This verse briefly interrupts the Lord’s statement (see vv. 1, 3) as the prophet summons the mountains as witnesses. Because of this v. 2 has been placed in parentheses in the translation.