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 7:18

7:18 There is no other God like you! ⁴ 

You ⁵  forgive sin

and pardon ⁶  the rebellion

of those who remain among your people. ⁷ 

You do not remain angry forever, ⁸ 

but delight in showing loyal love.

[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.”

[7:18]  ⁴ tn Heb “Who is a God like you?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “No one!”

[7:18]  ⁵ tn Heb “one who.” The prayer moves from direct address (second person) in v. 18a to a descriptive (third person) style in vv. 18b-19a and then back to direct address (second person) in vv. 19b-20. Due to considerations of English style and the unfamiliarity of the modern reader with alternation of persons in Hebrew poetry, the entire section has been rendered as direct address (second person) in the translation.

[7:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “pass over.”

[7:18]  ⁷ tn Heb “of the remnant of his inheritance.”

[7:18]  ⁸ tn Heb “he does not keep hold of his anger forever.”