Micah 5:1

5:1 (4:14) ¹  But now slash yourself, ²  daughter surrounded by soldiers! ³ 

We are besieged!

With a scepter ⁴  they strike Israel’s ruler ⁵ 

on the side of his face.

Micah 7:3

7:3 They are determined to be experts at doing evil; ⁶ 

government officials and judges take bribes, ⁷ 

prominent men make demands,

and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them. ⁸ 

[5:1]  ¹ 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]  ² 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]  ³ tn Heb “daughter of a troop of warriors.”

[5:1]  ⁴ tn Or “staff”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “rod”; CEV “stick”; NCV “club.”

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

[7:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “upon evil [are their] hands to do [it] well.”

[7:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “the official asks – and the judge – for a bribe.”

[7:3]  ⁸ tn More literally, “the great one announces what his appetite desires and they weave it together.” Apparently this means that subordinates plot and maneuver to make sure the prominent man’s desires materialize.