Logos Bible Study

Micah 7:2–6

The NET BibleOther versions

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7:2Faithful men have disappeared5 from the land;

there are no godly men left.6

They all wait in ambush so they can shed blood;7

they hunt their own brother with a net.8

7:3They are determined to be experts at doing evil;9

government officials and judges take bribes,10

prominent men make demands,

and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them.11

7:4The best of them is like a thorn;

the most godly among them are more dangerous than a row of thorn bushes.12

The day you try to avoid by posting watchmen—

your appointed time of punishment—is on the way,13

and then you will experience confusion.14

7:5Do not rely on a friend;

do not trust a companion!

Don’t even share secrets with the one who lies in your arms!15

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

a daughter challenges16 her mother,

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

a man’s enemies are his own servants.17

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Footnotes

  1. 5 Or “have perished”; “have been destroyed.”
  2. 6 Heb “and an upright one among men there is not.”
  3. 7 Heb “for bloodshed” (so ); “for a chance to commit murder.”
  4. 8 Micah compares these ungodly people to hunters trying to capture their prey with a net.
  5. 9 Heb “upon evil [are their] hands to do [it] well.”
  6. 10 Heb “the official asks—and the judge—for a bribe.”
  7. 11 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.
  8. 12 Heb “[the] godly from a row of thorn bushes.” The preposition מִן (min) is comparative and the comparative element (perhaps “sharper” is the idea) is omitted. See 582 6 and §133.e.
  9. 13 Heb “the day of your watchmen, your appointed [time], is coming.” The present translation takes “watchmen” to refer to actual sentries. However, the “watchmen” could refer figuratively to the prophets who had warned Judah of approaching judgment. In this case one could translate, “The day your prophets warned about—your appointed time of punishment—is on the way.”
  10. 14 Heb “and now will be their confusion.”
  11. 15 Heb “from the one who lies in your arms, guard the doors of your mouth.”
  12. 16 Heb “rises up against.”
  13. 17 Heb “the enemies of a man are the men of his house.”

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

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

The godly has perished from the earth,

and there is no one upright among mankind;

they all lie in wait for blood,

and each hunts the other with a net.

Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well;

the prince and the judge ask for a bribe,

and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul;

thus they weave it together.

The best of them is like a brier,

the most upright of them a thorn hedge.

The day of your watchmen, of your punishment, has come;

now their confusion is at hand.

Put no trust in a neighbor;

have no confidence in a friend;

guard the doors of your mouth

from her who lies in your arms;

for the son treats the father with contempt,

the daughter rises up against her mother,

the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The faithful have been swept from the land;

not one upright person remains.

Everyone lies in wait to shed blood;

they hunt each other with nets.

Both hands are skilled in doing evil;

the ruler demands gifts,

the judge accepts bribes,

the powerful dictate what they desire—

they all conspire together.

The best of them is like a brier,

the most upright worse than a thorn hedge.

The day God visits you has come,

the day your watchmen sound the alarm.

Now is the time of your confusion.

Do not trust a neighbor;

put no confidence in a friend.

Even with the woman who lies in your embrace

guard the words of your lips.

For a son dishonors his father,

a daughter rises up against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—

a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.

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

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Faithful people have vanished from the land;

there is no one upright among the people.

All of them wait in ambush to shed blood;

they hunt each other with a net.

Both hands are good at accomplishing evil:

the official and the judge demand a bribe;

when the powerful man communicates his evil desire,

they plot it together.

The best of them is like a brier;

the most upright is worse than a hedge of thorns.

The day of your watchmen,

the day of your punishment, is coming;

at this time their panic is here.

Do not rely on a friend;

don’t trust in a close companion.

Seal your mouth

from the woman who lies in your arms.

Surely a son considers his father a fool,

a daughter opposes her mother,

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

a man’s enemies are the men of his own household.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

The godly people have all disappeared;

not one honest person is left on the earth.

They are all murderers,

setting traps even for their own brothers.

Both their hands are equally skilled at doing evil!

Officials and judges alike demand bribes.

The people with influence get what they want,

and together they scheme to twist justice.

Even the best of them is like a brier;

the most honest is as dangerous as a hedge of thorns.

But your judgment day is coming swiftly now.

Your time of punishment is here, a time of confusion.

Don’t trust anyone—

not your best friend or even your wife!

For the son despises his father.

The daughter defies her mother.

The daughter-in-law defies her mother-in-law.

Your enemies are right in your own household!

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

The faithful person has perished from the land,

and there is none who is upright among humankind.

All of them lie in wait for blood;

each hunts his brother with a net.

Their hands are upon evil, to do it well;

the official and the judge ask for the bribe,

and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul;

and they weave it together.

The best of them is like a brier;

the most upright worse than a thorn hedge.

The day of your watchman, your punishment, has come;

now their confusion will come.

Do not put faith in a friend;

put no trust in a close friend.

Guard the doorways of your mouth

from the one who lies in your lap.

For a son treats a father with contempt;

a daughter rises up against her mother,

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

the enemies of a man are the men of his own house.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

The good man is perished out of the earth:

And there is none upright among men:

They all lie in wait for blood;

They hunt every man his brother with a net.

That they may do evil with both hands earnestly,

The prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward;

And the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire:

So they wrap it up.

The best of them is as a brier:

The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge:

The day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh;

Now shall be their perplexity.

Trust ye not in a friend,

Put ye not confidence in a guide:

Keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

For the son dishonoureth the father,

The daughter riseth up against her mother,

The daughter in law against her mother in law;

A man’s enemies are the men of his own house.

Public Domain