Logos Bible Study

Micah 3:8–12

The NET BibleOther versions

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3:8But I21 am full of the courage that the Lord’s Spirit gives,

and have a strong commitment to justice.22

This enables me to confront Jacob with its rebellion,

and Israel with its sin.23

3:9Listen to this, you leaders of the family24 of Jacob,

you rulers of the nation25 of Israel!

You26 hate justice

and pervert all that is right.

3:10You27 build Zion through bloody crimes,28

Jerusalem29 through unjust violence.

3:11Her30 leaders take bribes when they decide legal cases,31

her priests proclaim rulings for profit,

and her prophets read omens for pay.

Yet they claim to trust32 the Lord and say,

“The Lord is among us.33

Disaster will not overtake34 us!”

3:12Therefore, because of you,35 Zion will be plowed up like36 a field,

Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins,

and the Temple Mount37 will become a hill overgrown with brush!38

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Footnotes

  1. 21 The prophet Micah speaks here and contrasts himself with the mercenaries just denounced by the Lord in the preceding verses.
  2. 22 Heb “am full of power, the Spirit of the Lord, and justice and strength.” The appositional phrase “the Spirit of the Lord” explains the source of the prophet’s power. The phrase “justice and strength” is understood here as a hendiadys, referring to the prophet’s strong sense of justice.
  3. 23 Heb “to declare to Jacob his rebellion and to Israel his sin.” The words “this enables me” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  4. 24 Heb “house.”
  5. 25 Heb “house.”
  6. 26 Heb “who.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons (also at the beginning of v. 10).
  7. 27 Heb “who.”
  8. 28 Heb “bloodshed” (so , , ); “murder.”
  9. 29 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
  10. 30 The pronoun Her refers to Jerusalem (note the previous line).
  11. 31 Heb “judge for a bribe.”
  12. 32 Heb “they lean upon” (so , , ); “rely on.”
  13. 33 Heb “Is not the Lord in our midst?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course he is!”
  14. 34 Or “come upon” (so many English versions); “happen to us”; “come to us.”
  15. 35 The plural pronoun refers to the leaders, priests, and prophets mentioned in the preceding verse.
  16. 36 Or “into” (an adverbial accusative of result).
  17. 37 Heb “the mountain of the house” (so , , ).
  18. 38 Heb “a high place of overgrowth.”

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

But as for me, I am filled with power,

with the Spirit of the Lord,

and with justice and might,

to declare to Jacob his transgression

and to Israel his sin.

Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob

and rulers of the house of Israel,

who detest justice

and make crooked all that is straight,

who build Zion with blood

and Jerusalem with iniquity.

Its heads give judgment for a bribe;

its priests teach for a price;

its prophets practice divination for money;

yet they lean on the Lord and say,

“Is not the Lord in the midst of us?

No disaster shall come upon us.”

Therefore because of you

Zion shall be plowed as a field;

Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,

and the mountain of the house a wooded height.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

But as for me, I am filled with power,

with the Spirit of the Lord,

and with justice and might,

to declare to Jacob his transgression,

to Israel his sin.

Hear this, you leaders of Jacob,

you rulers of Israel,

who despise justice

and distort all that is right;

who build Zion with bloodshed,

and Jerusalem with wickedness.

Her leaders judge for a bribe,

her priests teach for a price,

and her prophets tell fortunes for money.

Yet they look for the Lord’s support and say,

“Is not the Lord among us?

No disaster will come upon us.”

Therefore because of you,

Zion will be plowed like a field,

Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,

the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

As for me, however, I am filled with power

by the Spirit of the Lord,

with justice and courage,

to proclaim to Jacob his rebellion

and to Israel his sin.

Listen to this, leaders of the house of Jacob,

you rulers of the house of Israel,

who abhor justice

and pervert everything that is right,

who build Zion with bloodshed

and Jerusalem with injustice.

Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe,

her priests teach for payment,

and her prophets practice divination for silver.

Yet they lean on the Lord, saying,

“Isn’t the Lord among us?

No disaster will overtake us.”

Therefore, because of you,

Zion will be plowed like a field,

Jerusalem will become ruins,

and the temple’s mountain

will be a high thicket.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

But as for me, I am filled with power—

with the Spirit of the Lord.

I am filled with justice and strength

to boldly declare Israel’s sin and rebellion.

Listen to me, you leaders of Israel!

You hate justice and twist all that is right.

You are building Jerusalem

on a foundation of murder and corruption.

You rulers make decisions based on bribes;

you priests teach God’s laws only for a price;

you prophets won’t prophesy unless you are paid.

Yet all of you claim to depend on the Lord.

“No harm can come to us,” you say,

“for the Lord is here among us.”

Because of you, Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field;

Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins!

A thicket will grow on the heights

where the Temple now stands.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But I, I am filled with power,

with the Spirit of Yahweh,

and with justice and might,

to declare to Jacob his rebellion,

and to Israel his sin.

Hear this, O rulers of the house of Jacob

and leaders of the house of Israel,

those detesting justice

and perverting all that is right,

he who builds Zion with blood

and Jerusalem with wickedness.

Its rulers judge for a bribe;

its priests teach for a price;

its prophets practice divination for money.

But they lean on Yahweh, saying,

“Is not Yahweh in our midst?

Disaster will not come upon us.”

Therefore on account of you

Zion will be plowed as a field,

and Jerusalem will be a heap of rubble,

and the temple mount as a high place in a forest.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord,

And of judgment, and of might,

To declare unto Jacob his transgression,

And to Israel his sin.

Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob,

And princes of the house of Israel,

That abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

They build up Zion with blood,

And Jerusalem with iniquity.

The heads thereof judge for reward,

And the priests thereof teach for hire,

And the prophets thereof divine for money:

Yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say,

Is not the Lord among us?

None evil can come upon us.

Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field,

And Jerusalem shall become heaps,

And the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

Public Domain