Michael

https://www.humanreligions.info/micah.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2024

#bible #christianity #israel #judaism #minor_prophets #old_testament

Jewish Tanakh
Title: Mikhayah
Section: 8th book of Nevi'im - Trei Asar (The Twelve)

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Protestant Bibles
Title: Micah
Section: Minor Prophets

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Catholic Bible
Title: Micheas
Section: Minor Prophets

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Eastern Orthodox Bibles
Title: Micah
Section: Minor Prophets

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Chapters in Micah:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Total verses: 105

Micah was a countryman who lived in Judea somewhere west of Hebron during the years 721-701BCE₁, and called for an uprising against the rich and powerful in the cities of Jerusalem and Samaria, who were abusing the poor. A leader will emerge from Bethlehem with seven other shepherds beside him, and march to victory especially against the Assyrians: corrupt rulers will be punished and the Hebrews (and Jerusalem) will rise to power and glory₂ and cause all nations to stop fighting and live in peace (Micah 4:3-4).

In addition to the first three original chapters that may well have been by Micah himself, there's also a series of editorial notes and contradictory ideas, including inconsistent prophecies and predictions, added in the middle, and then, two chapters (6-7) added during the time of Manasseh. "Many hands appear to have contributed... and the voices or two or three centuries may be heard in it"₃.

Micah was influential enough in his time that 100 years later, Jewish elders note that the prophecy remains unfulfilled (Jeremiah 26:17)₄. Matthew interpreted Micah to mean that the son-of-God would be born in Bethlehem₅ and Micah has been much-loved by Christians ever since; the vast majority of Jews remained unconvinced however, as Jesus didn't fulfil most (or any) of what was prophesized here₁.

1. Placement in the Canon, and Authorship

#12 #bible #christianity #jeremiah #judaism #minor_prophets #old_testament

The 8th part of the Hebrew holy text the Nevi'im is called the Trei Asar (The Twelve), and from it the Christians extracted the 12 books of the Old Testament that are together known as the Minor Prophets, including Micah. They are not chronological and they are collected together as 'minor' prophets simply because they are shorter than the 'major' prophets₆. The Hebrews wrote a great number of religious texts; the reason that 12 in particular were selected is because religious scribes would create collections of 12 wherever possible, as it was considered a magical number₇.

For more, see:

"The 12 Minor Prophets of the Old Testament (Originally from the Trei Asar)" by Vexen Crabtree (2018).

A. N. Wilson places the authorship of Micah between 721-201BCE₁. "Many hands appear to have contributed... and the voices or two or three centuries may be heard in it"₃. Although Jeremiah, perhaps a hundred years later, refers to him, Jeremiah was (also) heavily edited over many hundreds of years, so, it doesn't help determine the possible dates of Micah.

“The book of Micah is traditionally believed to be the work of prophet Micah, a younger contemporary of Isaiah, but it is widely thought that the last part of the book belongs to a later period.”
"Bible Facts" by Jenny Roberts (1997)₂

Although the first three chapters are consistent, from the middle of chapter 4 there begins several portions of text that are contradictory to the opening chapters and don't have internal coherency either, causing "serious critical difficulties"₈. Some of the text first added in 4:1-4 speaks generously towards neighbouring nations, and says in 4:10 that the coming siege of Jerusalem will end in exile. But the next part of the added text, 4:11-13 contradicts all that: the neighbouring nations will be destroyed rather than anything generous, and, the besieging army will actually be wiped out.₈.

Throughout chapters four and five, especially after 4:10, there is little consistency. The text feels like fragments of notes and ideas, gathered together one after another. In some places, Judah is victorious and uniting all nations. Yet there are multiple sieges; in some, Jerusalem is defeated and its people exiled; in others, they are victorious, and their neighbouring nations described nicely. But also destroyed. Like the besieging army. And, just in case neither the total-win or a total-loss scenario occurs, there is a third situation where powerful leaders arise to lead Judah to victory, especially against Assyria (which, therefore, wasn't actually destroyed after all).

John Edgar McFadyen gives up in despair and says that "no... outline of the chapters is possible in their present disconnected form"; although some of it may be linked to some things that Micah may have said, "many elements could not possibly be Micah's"₈. Also, when Jeremiah refers to Micah in Jeremiah 26:17, he doesn't consider the positive variants of the text - the original, known to Jeremiah, was probably only the destruction-of-enemies text of chapters 1-3.₈. The rest was added later by editors.

After that particularly confusing jumble of utterances, chapters 6-7 are a little more sensible. "Most scholars" conclude that they were written later, during the reign of Manasseh and before 500-450 BCE₃. Ch 6-7 feel different enough to probably be written by someone else than Micah₃.

No matter the dates and names of the authors, none of the predictions fit history very well; Israel and its native people has hobbled on, neither defeating its enemies nor finding peace, just the same as in ancient times.

2. Micah is a Call for Violent Revolution Against the Rich₉

Micah "was a native of the country -- somewhere in the neighbourhood of Gath; and he denounces with fiery earnestness the sins of the capital cities, Samaria in the northern kingdom, and Jerusalem in the southern. To him these cities seem to incarnate the sins of their respective kingdoms; and for both ruin and desolation are predicted" (Micah 1:5-6, 3:12)₄.

The declarations against the capitals of Samaria and Jerusalem is "is thoroughly justified -- it is due to the violent and grasping spirit of the wealthy, who do not scruple to crush the poor and defenceless"₄. This is clearly apparent in Micah 2:1-4. It's not just a justification of words, but of actions. Micah isn't a prophecy, it's a call to arms - an attempt to start an actual common-folk insurgency against the abusers in the cities, in order to protect the poor and the innocent.

Through 2:8-13, Micah says "his people" are "rising up as an enemy", he calls to them "arise ye, and depart". Referring to the tribe by the name of its symbolic founder, as is traditional, he says "I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee, ... the remnant of Israel, I will put them together [and] make great noise by reason of the multitude of men... and the LORD as their head".

Micah thinks that his own people, those who are likely to be listening to him, are the ones who will help bring this prophecy to truth. It's a call for an insurgency, to destroy the rich and powerful in those cities, in order to help the poor. It's not a prophecy designed for hundreds, and certainly not thousands, of years in the future.

3. Micah Will Birth a Timeless Leader of Israel₉

Some of the specifics in Micah are much-beloved by Christians who interpret some of these comments to be references to Jesus; but most of what is said about this future leader-figure simply wasn't met by Jesus₁.

“Micah's book came out of a series of bloody skirmishes in the regions of Bethlehem, a hill-village a few miles south of Jerusalem. Micah predicted the destruction of Jerusalem and of the northern kingdom of Samaria, largely as a result of God's fury with their corrupt rulers. Micah asserted that, at the end of all these disasters, God would restore the fortunes of Judah. The Temple Mount in Jerusalem would rise up again in beauty and glory. A ruler would be born who would be able to conquer the Assyrians. With the help of seven other 'shepherds' he would 'shepherd' Assyria with the sword, the country of Nimrod with the naked blade [Micah 5:4-5]. This future guerilla-leader would spare no foreign enemy in his ruthless protection of Judaean hill-villages. He would come from the village where King David himself had kept the sheep: Bethlehem.”
"Jesus" by A. N. Wilson (1993)₁

This in combination with many other prophecies that didn't ring true for Christianity led to the concept of the Second Coming, wherein Jesus fulfils a number of prophies later. But even in that case, to call Jesus 'ruler of Israel' is somewhat spurious. As God, and already ruler of everything, Jesus is of course 'ruler of Israel', just as he's also the ruler of Assyria, which the prophecy declares will be destroyed. If Jesus is Lord, then the prophecy of 'ruler of Israel' is meaningless whether or not it transpired first time or if we have to wait for the second. The fundamental approach of Christians towards Micah has made little sense.

4. The 7 chapters of Micah (105 verses)

Micah 1 (16 verses)

	KJV	YLT	Notes
¹	The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.	A word of Jehovah that hath been unto Micah the Morashite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah, that he hath seen concerning Samaria and Jerusalem:	Micah 1:5-6, 3:12 is discussed on this page in 2. Micah is a Call for Violent Revolution Against the Rich
²	Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the LORD from his holy temple.	Hear, O peoples, all of them! Attend, O earth, and its fulness, And the Lord Jehovah is against you for a witness, The Lord from His holy temple.
³	For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.	For lo, Jehovah is going out from His place, And He hath come down, And hath trodden on high places of earth.
⁴	And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.	Melted have been the mountains under Him, And the valleys do rend themselves, As wax from the presence of fire, As waters cast down by a slope.
⁵	For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?	For the transgression of Jacob `is' all this, And for the sins of the house of Israel. What `is' the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what the high places of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?
⁶	Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.	And I have set Samaria for a heap of the field, For plantations of a vineyard, And poured out into a valley her stones, And her foundations I uncover.
⁷	And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.	And all her graven images are beaten down, And all her gifts are burnt with fire, And all her idols I make a desolation, For, from the hire of a harlot she gathered, and unto the hire of a harlot they return.
⁸	Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.	For this I lament and howl, I go spoiled and naked, I make a lamentation like dragons, And a mourning like daughters of an ostrich.
⁹	For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.	For mortal `are' her wounds, For it hath come unto Judah, It hath come to a gate of My people -- to Jerusalem.
¹⁰	Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.	In Gath tell ye not -- in Acco weep not, In Beth-Aphrah, in dust roll thyself.
¹¹	Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing.	Pass over for thee, O inhabitant of Shaphir, Naked one of shame. Not gone out hath the inhabitant of Zaanan, The lamentation of Beth-Ezel doth take from you its standing.
¹²	For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.	For stayed for good hath the inhabitant of Maroth, For evil hath come down from Jehovah to the gate of Jerusalem.
¹³	O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.	Bind the chariot to a swift beast, O inhabitant of Lachish, The beginning of sin `is' she to the daughter of Zion, For in thee have been found the transgressions of Israel.
¹⁴	Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.	Therefore thou givest presents to Moresheth-Gath, The houses of Achzib become a lying thing to the kings of Israel.
¹⁵	Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.	Yet the possessor I do bring in to thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah, To Adullam come in doth the honour of Israel.
¹⁶	Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.	Make bald and shave, for thy delightful sons, Enlarge thy baldness as an eagle, For they have removed from thee!

Micah 2 (13 verses)

	KJV	YLT	Notes
¹	Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.	Wo `to' those devising iniquity, And working evil on their beds, In the light of the morning they do it, For their hand is -- to God.	Micah 2:1-4 is mentioned on this page in 2. Micah is a Call for Violent Revolution Against the Rich Micah 2:8-13 is mentioned on this page in 2. Micah is a Call for Violent Revolution Against the Rich
²	And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.	And they have desired fields, And they have taken violently, And houses, and they have taken away, And have oppressed a man and his house, Even a man and his inheritance.
³	Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.	Therefore, thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am devising against this family evil, From which ye do not remove your necks, Nor walk loftily, for a time of evil it `is'.
⁴	In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.	In that day doth `one' take up for you a simile, And he hath wailed a wailing of wo, He hath said, We have been utterly spoiled, The portion of my people He doth change, How doth He move toward me! To the backslider our fields He apportioneth.
⁵	Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.	Therefore, thou hast no caster of a line by lot In the assembly of Jehovah.
⁶	Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.	Ye do not prophesy -- they do prophesy, They do not prophesy to these, It doth not remove shame.
⁷	O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?	Doth the house of Jacob say, `Hath the Spirit of Jehovah been shortened? Are these His doings?' Do not My words benefit the people that is walking uprightly?
⁸	Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.	And yesterday My people for an enemy doth raise himself up, From the outer garment the honourable ornament ye strip off, From the confident passers by, Ye who are turning back from war.
⁹	The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.	The women of My people ye cast out from its delightful house, From its sucklings ye take away My honour to the age.
¹⁰	Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.	Rise and go, for this `is' not the rest, Because of uncleanness it doth corrupt, And corruption is powerful.
¹¹	If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.	If one is going `with' the wind, And `with' falsehood hath lied: `I prophesy to thee of wine, and of strong drink,' He hath been the prophet of this people!
¹²	I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.	I do surely gather thee, O Jacob, all of thee, I surely bring together the remnant of Israel, Together I do set it as the flock of Bozrah, As a drove in the midst of its pasture, It maketh a noise because of man.
¹³	The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.	Gone up hath the breaker before them, They have broken through, Yea, they pass through the gate, Yea, they go out through it, And pass on doth their king before them, And Jehovah at their head!

Micah 3 (12 verses)

	KJV	YLT	Notes
¹	And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?	And I say, `Hear, I pray you, heads of Jacob, And ye judges of the house of Israel, Is it not for you to know the judgment?
²	Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;	Ye who are hating good, and loving evil, Taking violently their skin from off them, And their flesh from off their bones,
³	Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.	And who have eaten the flesh of My people, And their skin from off them have stript, And their bones they have broken, And they have spread `them' out as in a pot, And as flesh in the midst of a caldron.
⁴	Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.	Then do they cry unto Jehovah, And He doth not answer them, And hideth His face from them at that time, As they have made evil their doings.
⁵	Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.	Thus said Jehovah concerning the prophets Who are causing My people to err, Who are biting with their teeth, And have cried `Peace,' And he who doth not give unto their mouth, They have sanctified against him war.
⁶	Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.	Therefore a night ye have without vision, And darkness ye have without divination, And gone in hath the sun on the prophets, And black over them hath been the day.
⁷	Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.	And ashamed have been the seers, And confounded have been the diviners, And covered their lip have all of them, For their is no answer, O God.
⁸	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.	And yet I have been full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, And of judgment, and of might, To declare to Jacob his transgression, And to Israel his sin.
⁹	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.	Hear this, I pray you, heads of the house of Jacob, And ye judges of the house of Israel, Who are making judgment abominable, And all uprightness do pervert.
¹⁰	They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.	Building up Zion with blood, And Jerusalem with iniquity.
¹¹	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.	Her heads for a bribe do judge, And her priests for hire do teach, And her prophets for silver divine, And on Jehovah they lean, saying, `Is not Jehovah in our midst? Evil doth not come in upon us.'
¹²	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.	Therefore, for your sake, Zion is ploughed a field, and Jerusalem is heaps, And the mount of the house `is' for high places of a forest!

Micah 4 (13 verses) - Mixed contradictory notes from various authors and editors

	KJV	YLT	Notes
¹	But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.	And it hath come to pass, In the latter end of the days, The mount of the house of Jehovah Is established above the top of the mounts, And it hath been lifted up above the hills, And flowed unto it have peoples.	Micah 4:1-4 is discussed on this page in 1. Placement in the Canon, and Authorship Micah 4:1-10 comments in 1. Placement in the Canon, and Authorship Micah 4:3-4 is discussed on The 12 Minor Prophets of the Old Testament (Originally from the Trei Asar): 6. The Book of Mikhayah / Micah / Michael Micah 4:3-4 is referenced on this page in a different section Micah 4:10 is referenced on this page in 1. Placement in the Canon, and Authorship Micah 4:11-13 is discussed on this page in 1. Placement in the Canon, and Authorship
²	And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.	And gone have many nations and said, Come and we go up to the mount of Jehovah, And unto the house of the God of Jacob, And He doth teach us of His ways, And we do walk in His paths, For from Zion doth go forth a law, And a word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.
³	And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.	And He hath judged between many peoples, And given a decision to mighty nations afar off, They have beaten their swords to ploughshares, And their spears to pruning-hooks, Nation lifteth not up sword unto nation, Nor do they learn war any more.
⁴	But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.	And they have sat each under his vine, And under his fig-tree, And there is none troubling, For the mouth of Jehovah of Hosts hath spoken.
⁵	For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.	For all the peoples do walk, Each in the name of its god -- and we, We do walk in the name of Jehovah our God, To the age and for ever.
⁶	In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;	In that day -- an affirmation of Jehovah, I do gather the halting one, And the driven away one I bring together, And she whom I have afflicted.
⁷	And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.	And I have set the halting for a remnant, And the far-off for a mighty nation, And reigned hath Jehovah over them in mount Zion, From henceforth, and unto the age.
⁸	And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.	And thou, O tower of Eder, Fort of the daughter of Zion, unto thee it cometh, Yea, come in hath the former rule, The kingdom to the daughter of Jerusalem.
⁹	Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.	Now, why dost thou shout aloud? A king -- is there none in thee? Hath thy counsellor perished, That taken hold of thee hath pain as a travailing woman?
¹⁰	Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.	Be pained, and bring forth, O daughter of Zion, As a travailing woman, For now, thou goest forth from the city, And thou hast dwelt in the field, And thou hast gone unto Babylon, There thou art delivered, There redeem thee doth Jehovah from the hand of thine enemies.
¹¹	Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.	And now, gathered against thee have been many nations, who are saying: `Let her be defiled, and our eyes look on Zion.'
¹²	But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.	They have not known the thoughts of Jehovah, Nor have they understood His counsel, For He hath gathered them as a sheaf `into' a threshing-floor.
¹³	Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.	Arise, and thresh, O daughter of Zion, For thy horn I make iron, And thy hoofs I make brass, And thou hast beaten small many peoples, And I have devoted to Jehovah their gain, And their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth!

Micah 5 (15 verses) - Little Bethlehem will birth a leader who will lead Israel alongside 7 other shepherds, and destroy Assyria

	KJV	YLT	Notes
¹	Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.	Now gather thyself together, O daughter of troops, A siege he hath laid against us, With a rod they smite on the cheek the judge of Israel.	Micah 5:2: The Birth of Jesus and the Christmas Story: Pagan and Unhistorical: 1. The Roman Census, Bethlehem and Nazareth For more on Micah 5:2 see The Birth of Jesus and the Christmas Story: Pagan and Unhistorical: 1. The Roman Census, Bethlehem and Nazareth Micah 5:4-5 comments in 3. Micah Will Birth a Timeless Leader of Israel
²	But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.	And thou, Beth-Lehem Ephratah, Little to be among the chiefs of Judah! From thee to Me he cometh forth -- to be ruler in Israel, And his comings forth `are' of old, From the days of antiquity.
³	Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.	Therefore he doth give them out till the time She who bringeth forth hath brought forth, And the remnant of his brethren return to the sons of Israel.
⁴	And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.	And he hath stood and delighted in the strength of Jehovah, In the excellency of the name of Jehovah his God, And they have remained, For now he is great unto the ends of earth.
⁵	And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.	And this `one' hath been peace, Asshur! when he doth come into our land, And when he doth tread in our palaces, We have raised against him seven shepherds, And eight anointed of man.
⁶	And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.	And they have afflicted the land of Asshur with the sword, And the land of Nimrod at its openings, And he hath delivered from Asshur when he doth come into our land, And when he treadeth in our borders.
⁷	And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.	And the remnant of Jacob hath been in the midst of many peoples, As dew from Jehovah -- as showers on the herb, That waiteth not for man, nor stayeth for the sons of men.
⁸	And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.	Yea, the remnant of Jacob hath been among nations, In the midst of many peoples, As a lion among beasts of a forest, As a young lion among ranks of a flock, Which if it hath passed through, Hath both trodden down and hath torn, And there is no deliverer.
⁹	Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.	High is thy hand above thine adversaries, And all thine enemies are cut off.
¹⁰	And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:	And it hath come to pass in that day, An affirmation of Jehovah, I have cut off thy horses from thy midst, And I have destroyed thy chariots,
¹¹	And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:	And I have cut off the cities of thy land, And I have thrown down all thy fortresses,
¹²	And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:	And have cut off sorcerers out of thy hand, And observers of clouds thou hast none.
¹³	Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.	And I have cut off thy graven images, And thy standing-pillars out of thy midst, And thou dost not bow thyself any more To the work of thy hands.
¹⁴	And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.	And I have plucked up thy shrines out of thy midst, And I have destroyed thine enemies.
¹⁵	And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.	And I have done vengeance in anger and in fury, With the nations who have not hearkened!

Micah 6 (16 verses) - "O my people, have I wearied you?" What does the LORD require? Act justly and love mercy. "I will make you desolate for your sins."₁₀

	KJV	YLT	Notes
¹	Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.	Hear, I pray you, that which Jehovah is saying: `Rise -- strive thou with the mountains, And cause thou the hills to hear thy voice.'
²	Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.	Hear, O mountains, the strife of Jehovah, Ye strong ones -- foundations of earth! For a strife `is' to Jehovah, with His people, And with Israel He doth reason.
³	O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.	O My people, what have I done to thee? And what -- have I wearied thee? Testify against Me.
⁴	For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.	For I brought thee up from the land of Egypt, And from the house of servants I have ransomed thee, And I send before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
⁵	O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.	O My people, remember, I pray you, What counsel did Balak king of Moab, What answer him did Balaam son of Beor, (From Shittim unto Gilgal,) In order to know the righteous acts of Jehovah.'
⁶	Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?	With what do I come before Jehovah? Do I bow to God Most High? Do I come before Him with burnt-offerings? With calves -- sons of a year?
⁷	Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?	Is Jehovah pleased with thousands of rams? With myriads of streams of oil? Do I give my first-born `for' my transgression? The fruit of my body `for' the sin of my soul?
⁸	He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?	He hath declared to thee, O man, what `is' good; Yea, what is Jehovah requiring of thee, Except -- to do judgment, and love kindness, And lowly to walk with thy God?
⁹	The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.	A voice of Jehovah to the city calleth, And wisdom doth fear Thy name, Hear ye the rod, and Him who appointed it.
¹⁰	Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?	Are there yet `in' the house of the wicked Treasures of wickedness, And the abhorred scanty ephah?
¹¹	Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?	Do I reckon `it' pure with balances of wickedness? And with a bag of deceitful stones?
¹²	For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.	Whose rich ones have been full of violence, And its inhabitants have spoken falsehood, And their tongue `is' deceitful in their mouth.
¹³	Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.	And I also, I have begun to smite thee, To make desolate, because of thy sins.
¹⁴	Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.	Thou -- thou eatest, and thou art not satisfied, And thy pit `is' in thy midst, And thou removest, and dost not deliver, And that which thou deliverest, to a sword I give.
¹⁵	Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.	Thou -- thou sowest, and thou dost not reap, Thou -- thou treadest the olive, And thou pourest not out oil, And new wine -- and thou drinkest not wine.
¹⁶	For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.	And kept habitually are the statutes of Omri, And all the work of the house of Ahab, And ye do walk in their counsels, For My giving thee for a desolation, And its inhabitants for a hissing, And the reproach of My people ye do bear!

Micah 7 (20 verses)

	KJV	YLT	Notes
¹	Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit.	My wo `is' to me, for I have been As gatherings of summer-fruit, As gleanings of harvest, There is no cluster to eat, The first-ripe fruit desired hath my soul.	Micah 7:6 is discussed on The Gospel According to Saint Mark: 3.0. Mark 13 (37 verses) - This separate leaflet of Old Testament sayings was redacted as the 13th Chapter of Mark by early Christians
²	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.	Perished hath the kind out of the land, And upright among men -- there are none, All of them for blood lie in wait, Each his brother they hunt `with' a net.
³	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.	On the evil `are' both hands to do `it' well, The prince is asking -- also the judge -- for recompence, And the great -- he is speaking the mischief of his soul, And they wrap it up.
⁴	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.	Their best one `is' as a brier, The upright one -- than a thorn-hedge, The day of thy watchmen -- Thy visitation -- hath come. Now is their perplexity.
⁵	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.	Believe not in a friend, trust not in a leader, From her who is lying in thy bosom keep the openings of thy mouth.
⁶	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.	For a son is dishonouring a father, A daughter hath stood against her mother, A daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, The enemies of each `are' the men of his house.
⁷	Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.	And I -- in Jehovah I do watch, I do wait for the God of my salvation, Hear me doth my God.
⁸	Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.	Thou dost not rejoice over me, O mine enemy, When I have fallen, I have risen, When I sit in darkness Jehovah is a light to me.
⁹	I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.	The indignation of Jehovah I do bear, For I have sinned against Him, Till that He doth plead my cause, And hath executed my judgment, He doth bring me forth to the light, I look on His righteousness.
¹⁰	Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.	And see doth mine enemy, And cover her doth shame, Who saith unto me, `Where `is' Jehovah thy God?' Mine eyes do look on her, Now she is for a treading-place, As mire of the out-places.
¹¹	In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.	The day to build thy walls! That day -- removed is the limit.
¹²	In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.	That day -- even unto thee it doth come in, From Asshur and the cities of the fortress, And from the fortress even unto the river, And from sea to sea, and mount to mount.
¹³	Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.	And the land hath been for a desolation, Because of its inhabitants, Because of the fruit of their doings.
¹⁴	Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.	Rule Thou Thy people with Thy rod, The flock of Thine inheritance, Dwelling alone `in' a forest in the midst of Carmel, They enjoy Bashan and Gilead as in days of old.
¹⁵	According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.	According to the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt, I do shew it wonderful things.
¹⁶	The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.	See do nations, and they are ashamed of all their might, They lay a hand on the mouth, their ears are deaf.
¹⁷	They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee.	They lick dust as a serpent, as fearful things of earth, They tremble from their enclosures, Of Jehovah our God they are afraid, Yea, they are afraid of Thee.
¹⁸	Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.	Who `is' a God like Thee? taking away iniquity, And passing by the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance, He hath not retained for ever His anger, Because He -- He delighteth `in' kindness.
¹⁹	He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.	He doth turn back, He pitieth us, He doth subdue our iniquities, And Thou castest into the depths of the sea all their sins.
²⁰	Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.	Thou givest truth to Jacob, kindness to Abraham, That thou hast sworn to our fathers, from the days of antiquity!