Micah 4:8

4:8 As for you, watchtower for the flock, ¹ 

fortress of Daughter Zion ²  –

your former dominion will be restored, ³ 

the sovereignty that belongs to Daughter Jerusalem.

Micah 5:1

5:1 (4:14) ⁴  But now slash yourself, ⁵  daughter surrounded by soldiers! ⁶ 

We are besieged!

With a scepter ⁷  they strike Israel’s ruler ⁸ 

on the side of his face.

Micah 7:6

7:6 For a son thinks his father is a fool,

a daughter challenges ⁹  her mother,

and a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law;

a man’s enemies are his own servants. ¹⁰ 

[4:8]  ¹ tn Heb “Migdal-eder.” Some English versions transliterate this phrase, apparently because they view it as a place name (cf. NAB).

[4:8]  ² 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]  ³ tn Heb “to you it will come, the former dominion will arrive.”

[5:1]  ⁴ sn Beginning with 5:1, the verse numbers through 5:15 in the English Bible differ by one from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 5:1 ET = 4:14 HT, 5:2 ET = 5:1 HT, 5:3 ET = 5:2 HT, etc., through 5:15 ET = 5:14 HT. From 6:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.

[5:1]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew verb גָדַד (gadad) can be translated “slash yourself” or “gather in troops.” A number of English translations are based on the latter meaning (e.g., NASB, NIV, NLT).

[5:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “daughter of a troop of warriors.”

[5:1]  ⁷ tn Or “staff”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “rod”; CEV “stick”; NCV “club.”

[5:1]  ⁸ tn Traditionally, “the judge of Israel” (so KJV, NASB).

[7:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “rises up against.”

[7:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “the enemies of a man are the men of his house.”