Micah 6
6
1Listen now to what Yahweh says:
“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear what you have to say.
2Hear, you mountains, Yahweh’s indictment,
and you enduring foundations of the earth;
for Yahweh has a case against his people,
and he will contend with Israel.
3My people, what have I done to you?
How have I burdened you?
Answer me!
4For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt,
and redeemed you out of the house of bondage.
I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised,
and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh.”
6How shall I come before Yahweh,
and bow myself before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams?
With tens of thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience?
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8He has shown you, O man, what is good.
What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly,
to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
9Yahweh’s voice calls to the city—
and wisdom fears your name—
“Listen to the rod,
and he who appointed it.
10Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked,
and a short ephah#6:10 An ephah is a measure of volume (about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel), and a short ephah is made smaller than a full ephah for the purpose of cheating customers. that is accursed?
11Shall I tolerate dishonest scales,
and a bag of deceitful weights?
12Her rich men are full of violence,
her inhabitants speak lies,
and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.
13Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound.
I have made you desolate because of your sins.
14You shall eat, but not be satisfied.
Your hunger will be within you.
You will store up, but not save,
and that which you save I will give up to the sword.
15You will sow, but won’t reap.
You will tread the olives, but won’t anoint yourself with oil;
and crush grapes, but won’t drink the wine.
16For the statutes of Omri are kept,
and all the works of Ahab’s house.
You walk in their counsels,
that I may make you a ruin,
and your inhabitants a hissing.
You will bear the reproach of my people.”
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Micah 6: WEBUS
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Micah 6
6
The Lord's Challenge to His People
1The Lord said to his people:
Come and present your case
to the hills and mountains.
2Israel, I am bringing charges
against you—
I call upon the mountains
and the earth's firm foundation
to be my witnesses.
3My people, have I wronged you
in any way at all?
Please tell me.
4 #
Ex 12.50,51;
Ex 4.10-16;
Ex 15.20. I rescued you from Egypt,
where you were slaves.
I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam
to be your leaders.
5 #
Nu 22.2—24.25;
Js 3.1—4.19. Don't forget the evil plans
of King Balak of Moab
or what Balaam son of Beor#6.5 Balak … Beor: See Numbers 22-24.
said to him.
Remember how I, the Lord,
saved you many times
on your way from Acacia
to Gilgal.#6.5 Acacia to Gilgal: Acacia was where the Israelites camped after the experience with Balaam (see Numbers 25.1; Joshua 2.1; 3.1); Gilgal was where they camped while waiting to attack Jericho (see Joshua 4.19—5.12).
True Obedience
6What offering should I bring
when I bow down to worship
the Lord God Most High?
Should I try to please him#6.6 try to please him: This refers to what are traditionally called “burnt sacrifices,” which were offered as a way of pleasing the Lord.
by sacrificing
calves a year old?
7Will thousands of sheep
or rivers of olive oil
make God satisfied with me?
Should I sacrifice to the Lord
my first-born child as payment
for my terrible sins?
8The Lord God has told us
what is right
and what he demands:
“See that justice is done,
let mercy be your first concern,
and humbly obey your God.”
Cheating and Violence
9I am the Lord,
and you are wise to respect
my power to punish.
So listen to my message
for the city of Jerusalem:#6.9 Jerusalem: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 9.
10You store up stolen treasures
and use dishonest scales.#6.10 scales: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 10.
11But I, the Lord, will punish you
for cheating with weights
and with measures.
12You rich people are violent,
and everyone tells lies.
13Because of your sins,
I will wound you and leave you
ruined and defenseless.
14You will eat,
but still be hungry;
you will store up goods,
but lose everything—
I, the Lord, will let it all
be captured in war.
15You won't harvest what you plant
or use the oil
from your olive trees
or drink the wine
from grapes you grow.
16 #
1 K 16.23-28;
1 K 16.29-34; 21.25-29. Jerusalem, this will happen
because you followed
the sinful example
of kings Omri and Ahab.#6.16 Omri and Ahab: King Ahab was the son of Omri and the husband of the evil Jezebel. Almost two centuries before Micah, the prophet Elijah had spoken against the idolatry and the other sinful practices that Ahab had encouraged in Israel (see 1 Kings 16.21-34; 18.1-18; 21.1-26).
Now I will destroy you
and your property.
Then the people of every nation
will make fun and insult you.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.