|  Home  |  Old Testament Studies  |  Micah Table of Contents  |  Previous Section  |  Next Section  |

MICAH 6

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

BRIEF OUTLINE OF CHAPTER 6

1. YHWH brings His people to court in Mic. 6:1-5. He documents His faithfulness to them in Mic. 6:3-5. This court imagery is a common literary device in the prophets (e.g., Isa. 1; Jer. 2: Hosea 4).
   
   
2. The people answer God's charges in Mic. 6:6-7.
   
   
3. The Prophet speaking for YHWH summarizes His will for His people in Mic. 6:8
   
   
4. The prophet speaking for YHWH delineates the sins of the rich and powerful of the descendants of Abraham in Mic. 6:9-16. Because of them the covenant curses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 are now invoked (e.g., Rev. 26:26; Deut. 28:15,18,40,51). Oh my!

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MICAH 6:1-5
 ¹Hear now what the Lord is saying,
 "Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
 And let the hill hear your voice.
 ²Listen, you mountains, to the indictment of the Lord,
 And you enduring foundations of the earth,
 Because the Lord has a case against His people;
 Even with Israel He will dispute.
 ³My people, what have I done to you
 And how have I wearied you? Answer Me.
  ⁴Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt
 And ransomed you up from the house of slavery,
 And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
 ⁵My people, remember now
 What Balak king of Moab counseled
 And what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
  And from Shittim to Gilgal,
 In order that you might know the righteous acts of the Lord."

6:1-2 "Hear" There are several Qal IMPERATIVES in Mic. 6:1-2:

1. "Hear" (BDB 1033, KB 1570, i.e., in the sense of a prayer petition) ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE
2. "Arise" (BDB 877, KB 1086) ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE
3. "Plead your case" (DBD 936, KB 1224) ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE
4. "Hear" (BDB 1033, KB 1570) ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE used in a JUSSIVE sense
5. "Listen" (BDB 1033, KB 1570) ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE

"Hear" is a way for Micah to start a new section (cf. Mic. 1:1; 3:1; 6:1).

The second IMPERATIVE "arise" is MASCULINE SINGULAR. It could refer to Micah as God's spokesman or collectively to the nation. Option #1 fits best.

This chapter is a court scene, like chapter 1. Notice the number of terms with a legal connotation:

1. "Arise" (i.e., to testify, e.g., Deut. 19:15-16 and false witnesses in Ps. 27:12; 35:11), Mic. 6:1
2. "Plead" (i.e., to contend in court
   1. negatively, e.g., Isa. 1:17; 3:13; 97:16
   2. positively 7:9; Ps. 103:8-14, esp. 9; Jer. 50:34)
3. "Hear" (i.e., in the sense of a jury or judge, e.g., Mic. 1:2)
4. "Listen" (same word as #3)
5. "Indictment" (same word as #2)
6. "A case" (same word as #3 and #5)
7. "Dispute" (BDB 406, KB 410, Hithpael IMPERFECT, i.e., adjudication of a judge, e.g., Isa. 2:4; Micah 4:3)

YHWH is divorcing His covenant people because of their repeated unfaithfulness (Hosea) and sin (Amos). This court scene may continue through Micah 7.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SHEMA (Listen/Hear)

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S COVENANT REQUIREMENTS OF ISRAEL

▣ "before the mountains. . .hills" In the OT it takes two witnesses to confirm truth (cf. Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; 19:5). YHWH calls

1. "the mountains" and "hills" to witness against Israel and Judah
2. as He does "heaven and earth" (cf. Deut. 4:26; 31:28; 32:l; Ps. 50:4 and Isa. 1:2)
3. as He does , "O peoples. . .O earth" (cf. Mic. 1:2)

Several times in the OT mountains are personified (e.g., 2 Sam. 1:21; Ps. 68:15-16; Isa. 35:1). These mountains and hills were the very places (i.e., "high places") Ba'al and Asherah were worshiped.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE

6:2 This verse is legal imagery. YHWH turns from addressing His collective people, Judah, to address the permanent, foundational, personified witnesses, the mountains and hills.

The JPSOA footnote mentions an emendation that parallels line 1 better.

"Listen. . ." (line 1)

"Give ear. . ." (line 2, Peshitta, REB)

The UBS Text Project, p. 323, rejects this by giving the MT an "A" rating.

▣ "His people" Privilege (covenant people, cf. Mic. 6:3; Rom. 9:4-5) brings responsibility (cf. Luke 12:48)! This is parallel in the next line with "Israel," which is the collective designation of the covenant people.

SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT

▣ "Even with Israel He will dispute" This does not refer to the Northern Ten Tribes (i.e., Israel) only (cf. Mic. 6:16), but here to all of the tribes, the descendants of Jacob (Israel). There are consequences for covenant disobedience.

6:3-5 YHWH asks His people why, when He has been faithful, they have continued to be rebellious. YHWH is using a covenant treaty pattern (i.e., Hittite Suzerain Treaties of the second millennium B.C., which also form the outline of the book of Deuteronomy and Joshua 24) to recall His faithful acts.

SPECIAL TOPIC: HITTITE (SUZERAIN) TREATIES

6:3 "what have I done to you" YHWh asks them to bring their complaints or charges against Him (cf. Jer. 2:5). Where, when, how has He not been faithful to His covenant responsibilities?

▣ "Answer Me" This is a legal term (BDB 772, KB 851, Qal IMPERATIVE), which means "to give evidence against" (cf. Exod. 20:16; Deut. 5:20; 2 Sam. 1:16). YHWH is acting as one party in a divorce case.

6:4 "I brought you up. . .Egypt" This refers to YHWH's promise to Abraham in Gen. 15:6 and relates to the events of the exodus. The exodus is the foundational act of YHWH's redemption in the history of national Israel (cf. Exod. 20:2; Deut. 5:6; 7:8). This event clearly showed YHWH's faithful commitment to His covenant responsibilities (e.g., Amos 2:10; 3:1; 9:7). God's grace came before the Mosaic law.

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT)

▣ "ransomed" This word literally means "to buy back" (BDB 804, KB 911, Qal PERFECT). It was used in the sense of buying someone back from slavery or a from being prisoner of war. This concept becomes a key theological term. The opposition idiom would be God sold them!

SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM

▣ "I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam" God had provided the needed revelations and godly leadership, but His people had rebelled, even during the exodus. God's people have a track record of rebellion (cf. Stephen's sermon in Acts 7).

Notice Miriam is mentioned in a parallel way to Moses and Aaron.

SPECIAL TOPIC: WOMEN IN THE BIBLE

SPECIAL TOPIC: WAYS OF REVELATION

6:5 "remember now" This (BDB 269, KB 269) is a Qal IMPERATIVE. YHWH wants His covenant people to remember an earlier time of testing and revelation (i.e., Num. 22:5-6).

It is interesting that in the OT, God is called on to forget, but His people to remember!

▣ "Balak. . .Balaam" This event is recorded in Numbers 22-25. See my exegetical notes there online, www.freebiblecommentary.org

▣ "Shittim" This was the last camping site of Israel before entering the Promised Land. It is also the scene of the sin of Israel with Moabite women (i.e., fertility worship, cf. Num. 33:49).

SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP IN THE ANE

▣ "Gilgal" This was the first camping site within the Promised Land (cf. Joshua 4:19). Even in the midst of their sin and rebellion at Shittim, God forgave them and brought them safely through the raging, flooding Jordan River into the Promised Land.

Taken together the mentioning of these two locations would imply the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River during its flooding season (cf. Joshua 3).

▣ "the righteous acts of the Lord" See SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MICAH 6:6-8
 ⁶With what shall I come to the Lord
 And bow myself before the God on high?
 Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings,
 With yearling calves?
 ⁷Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams,
 In ten thousand rivers of oil?
 Shall I present my first-born for my rebellious acts,
 The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
 ⁸He has told you, O man, what is good;
 And what does the Lord require of you
 But to do justice, to love kindness,
 And to walk humbly with your God?

6:6-7 In verses 6-7 the literary form of diatribe (i.e., a supposed objector) is used. There is a series of questions by the covenant people. God answers these in v. 8. The prophet uses a supposed collective person to voice the false views which were commonly held by the people of Judah. They thought God was being unfair to them and that He only wanted more sacrifices.

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S COVENANT REQUIREMENTS OF ISRAEL

This (BDB 43 CONSTRUCT BDB 928) is imagery for the Most High God or exalted God (cf. Ps. 99:2; 113:4; 38:6; Isa. 57:15). Here, it refers to YHWH, but not in a polytheistic pantheon. He is alone, unique. The only True God!

SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM

SPECIAL TOPIC: ANGELS AND DEMONS

▣ "yearling calves" These were unblemished calves used for sacrifice from the age of eight days to one year (cf. Lev. 9:3 and 22:27).

6:7 "in thousands of rams. . .rivers of oil" The people are

1. charging God of being unreasonable in His requirements. However, God never asked for these things. They reflect pagan worship practices.
2. on some national occasions large numbers of sacrifices are given (i.e., dedication of Solomon's temple, e.g., 1 Kgs. 8:63).

Could this representative speaker be talking of an event of national repentance (i.e., ritual sacrifice)?

▣ "first-born. . .fruit of my body" Is this a purposeful distortion (i.e., hyperbole) or a sincere misunderstanding of Genesis 22 or Exod. 13:2-12? There are several places in the Mosaic Law where human sacrifice is condemned (cf. Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; Deut. 12:31; 18:10; Ps. 106:37; Jer. 7:31).

It is possible that God's people had become so spiritually confused that they attempted to worship YHWH in the form of Molech, the fertility fire god of Ammon (cf. Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; 1 Kgs. 11:7; 2 Kgs. 3:27; 16:3; 17:17; 21:6; 23:10; Jer. 32:35; Amos 5:26; Acts 7:43).

God's people attempted to save the nation by offering an innocent one ("child"). In some way they had logically extended the sacrificial system (cf. Leviticus 1-7) in an inappropriate direction. However, it is this same concept that is behind Genesis 22 and Calvary (cf. Isaiah 53; Mark 10:45; 2 Cor. 5:21).

SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH

6:8 "He has told you" The VERB (BDB 616, KB 665) is a Hiphil PERFECT and may reflect Mic. 6:4. God had provided a revelation of His character and will (esp. as it related to sacrifice, cf. 1 Sam. 15:22; Ps. 51:16-17; Isa. 1:11-17; Hosea 6:5-6). This verse seems to reflect a comment of Micah.

▣ "O, man" This VOCATIVE is addressing the idolatrous covenant people of Judah. This verse is not addressing how Gentiles might be saved (i.e., works righteousness), but how covenant people must live in grateful response to God's forgiveness (which in the OT was symbolized as the sacrifice of an innocent animal, cf. John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21). For a good brief discussion of this topic see Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 336-337.

▣ "what is good" This verse is the most well known saying of the book of Micah. It refers to the priority of loving, interpersonal relationships on a high level of care and love (cf. Ps. 14:1,3; 37:3; 51:17; Hosea 12:6 and described in Ps. 15:2-5), not cultic performance (i.e., sacrifice) only (cf. Isa. 1:13; Amos 5:21-23).

This verse is a wonderful definition of what OT "good" (BDB 373 II) is in God's eyes (cf. Mic. 3:2; Isa. 1:17; 5:20; Amos 5:14-15). This definition of "good" matches Rom. 8:28, explained in v. 29 as Christlikeness.

▣ "require" This VERB (BDB 205, KB 233) is a Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE, which represents continuous action. The term means "to demand" or "ask for" (e.g., Deut. 18:19; 23:21).

▣ "justice" In this context "justice" (BDB 1048, see SPECIAL TOPIC: JUSTICE) refers to social fairness, which is discussed in Mic. 6:9-11. The OT knows no distinction between the secular and the sacred! All of life is sacred! See note at Mic. 3:1.

There is a series of three Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTS:

1. "Do justice" (BDB 793, KB 889; see SPECIAL TOPIC: JUSTICE)
2. "Love kindness" (BDB 12, KB 17; see SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS)
3. "Walk humbly" (BDB 229, KB 246)

Biblical faith affects every aspect of daily life. Faith is a lifestyle, not just a theology or creed. The divine covenant gift of eternal life (i.e., the restoration of the image and likeness of God damaged in the fall) has observable characteristics (both in relation to God and other humans). This verse is one of the best in the OT describing these characteristics.

▣ "love kindness" This is the powerful covenant word hesed (BDB 338). It refers to God's covenant loyalty. It reflects God's sacrificial, no-strings-attached, covenant love. I think this term, in many ways, is analogous in meaning to the NT agapē.

SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (hesed)

SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVE (agapē)

▣ "walk humbly" This is an acknowledgment of

1. human need (i.e., possible meaning of this rare word "humble" (BDB 857, KB 1039, INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE, cf. Prov. 11:2, found only here)
2. God's provision (Mosaic covenant requirements)

Ritual without the proper attitude (cf. Isa. 29:13 vs. 57:15 and 66:2d) is an abomination (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22; Matt. 23:23).

"Walk" in the Bible is

1. imagery of fellowship with someone (e.g., Gen. 5:24; 6:9; Job 34:8; Ps. 1:1; Mal. 2:6)
2. imagery for daily living (cf. Eph. 4:1,17; 5:2,15)

Biblical faith is daily (not weekly or annually), personal relationship directed toward God and other human beings! Biblical faith has observable characteristics.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PATH, THE WAY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MICAH 6:9-16
 ⁹The voice of the Lord will call to the city—
 And it is sound wisdom to fear Your name:
 "Hear, O tribe. Who has appointed its time?
 ¹⁰Is there yet a man in the wicked house,
  Along with treasures of wickedness,
 And a short measure that is cursed?
 ¹¹Can I justify wicked scales
 And a bag of deceptive weights?
 ¹²For the rich men of the city are full of violence,
 Her residents speak lies,
 And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
 ¹³So also I will make you sick, striking you down,
 Desolating you because of your sins.
 ¹⁴You will eat, but you will not be satisfied,
 And your vileness will be in your midst.
 You will try to remove for safekeeping,
 But you will not preserve anything.
 And what you do preserve I will give to the sword.
 ¹⁵You will sow but you will not reap.
 You will tread the olive but will not anoint yourself with oil;
 And the grapes, but you will not drink wine.
 ¹⁶The statutes of Omri
 And all the works of the house of Ahab are observed;
 And in their devices you walk.
 Therefore, I will give you up for destruction
 And your inhabitants for derision,
 And you will bear the reproach of My people."

6:9 "The voice of the Lord" The message begins in line 3 and continues to Mic. 6:16. This word "voice" (BDB 876) is used several times for God speaking (cf. Exod. 19:19; 1 Kgs. 19:13; Isa. 6:8; Ezek. 10:5). The NJB has "He thunders to the city," which alludes to Exod. 19:13,16.

▣ "the city" This refers to Jerusalem, the special place where YHWH caused His name to dwell (cf. Deut. 12:5,11), the location of the temple.

SPECIAL TOPIC: JERUSALEM

The MT has "and sound wisdom will see your name."

The phrase is a comment from Micah or a later editorial addition (omitted in JB and NJB). It was a wisdom saying. The NRSV, NET, and REB put it in brackets.

The Hebrew term (BDB 444) translated "sound wisdom" is a technical term used in wisdom literature for sound and effective godly wisdom (cf. Job 11:6; 12:16; 26:3; Prov. 2:7; 3:21; 8:14; 18:1; Isa. 28:29).

The term "fear" is an emendation from the Hebrew "to see" (BDB 906, cf. NKJV) following the Septuagint (BDB 431), which fits the context better and is found in NASB, RSV, NRSV, TEV, NEB, REB, NIV.

1. "see" ‒ MT (BDB 906 ‒ ראה)
2. "fear" ‒ LXX (BDB 431 ‒ ירא)

The inflected forms use the same consonants but different vowels.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FEAR

The word "name" stands for the person of God (BDB 1027, cf. Gen. 4:26; 12:8; 13:4; 21:33; Acts 7:59; 9:14,21; 22:16; Rom. 10:9-13; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Tim. 2:22).

SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" OF YHWH

▣ "Hear" This (BDB 1033, KB 1570) is a Qal IMPERATIVE. This may be a textual marker of a transition to a new context (cf. Mic. 1:1; 3:1; 6:1).

SPECIAL TOPIC: SHEMA

▣ "O tribe" This transition follows the Septuagint. The Masoretic Text has "rod" (BDB 641, i.e., "shepherd's staff," cf. Exod. 4:17; Isa. 10:5). The Hebrew root can mean

1. rod
2. staff
3. branch
4. tribe

The NKJV has "Hear the Rod!"; NIV has "Heed the rod."

God addresses His people's social exploitations of the poor and needy covenantal brothers and sisters (cf. Mic. 6:12 and the book of Amos).

The NASB and NKJV follow the Hebrew text while the NRSV, TEV, NET, and NJB choose an emendation (not in the LXX). The UBS Text Project, p. 324, gives "appoint" a "C" rating, meaning the committee could not decide.

If the MT is followed it speaks of God's sovereign establishment of Jerusalem and His judgment of it!

The first word in the MT is uncertain:

1. are there (MT, NKJV) ‒ האשׁ (UBS Text Porject gives a "B" rating)
2. can I forget (NRSV) ‒ האשׁה
3. can I bear (NJB) ‒ האשׂ

The context of false scales (i.e., Mic. 6:10-11) seems to demand revocalization (change of the vowels but not consonants) of the Masoretic Text to commercial imagery (cf. Mic. 6:11). The MT is in the form of a question which expects a "yes" answer.

6:10-11 "short measure. . .wicked scales. . .deceptive weights" The MT of Mic. 6:11 is in the form of a question, but expects a "no" answer. These are examples of commercial cheating (cf. Hosea 12:7; Amos 8:5).

For a full discussion of Hebrew weights and measures, see SPECIAL TOPIC: ANE WEIGHTS AND VOLUMES

6:12 "the rich" Micah's message to the privileged, powerful, influential, and wealthy covenant citizens is very similar to that of Amos'. Notice how line 2 and line 3 are parallel. All three lines are a summary of Mic. 6:9-10 and the opposite of Mic. 6:8.

Notice the words which relate to lying, wealthy, covenant brothers.

SPECIAL TOPIC: WEALTH

6:13-15 God will judge the people of Jerusalem by siege and exile. All their ill-gotten gains will be enjoyed by foreign invaders. Notice the reason for these actions is not the weakness of YHWH in protecting His people from foreign gods, but their sin (cf. Mic. 6:13b,16)! There are consequences for covenant disobedience.

The NASB and NKJV follow the MT; the others follow the Septuagint, Peshitta, and Vulgate. The UBS Text Project, p. 327, gives he MT a "C" rating (considerable doubt).

▣ "Desolating you" This term (BDB 1030, KB 1563, Hiphil INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE) is found in many Akkadian medical texts translated "paralyze," "numb" and "lame." Therefore, the first two lines of poetry in Mic. 6:13 have medical imagery related to sinning covenant people.

The problem is the term "vileness" or empty (literally "hunger," BDB 445). Its meaning is uncertain.

1. KB (446) has "to be dirty."
2. The Peshitta translates it as "filth" (i.e., dysentery)
3. The NET Bible assumes an emendation, "and [if] there is strength inside you".

It is also uncertain if it refers to (1) an individual or (2) the sinful society.

The ill gotten gain from the poor will backfire on them.

The VERB "remove" (BDB 690 I, KB 744, Hiphil [this form is used everywhere also in the OT of moving a boundary stone] JUSSIVE) is understood to be an attempt to hide possessions or valuables for safe keeping, but it will not be effective! The invaders will find all the wealth and food and take it!

The next line of poetry uses the VERB "preserve" or "save" (BDB 812, KB 930, Hiphil IMPERFECT), which was used in Isa. 5:29 of a lioness hiding and licking her food to preserve it. The NKJV seems to follow this scavenger imagery, as does the NET Bible.

Jewish tradition interprets this as referring to the attempt to hide their young children, but they will be killed by the invader's sword.

6:15 "sow but. . .not reap" This is part of the curse for breaking the covenant (cf. Deut. 28:30 ff). All of the wealthy people's economic plans will be thwarted by the invaders.

▣ "will not anoint yourself with oil" Olive oil had many purposes in ANE. One of them was to rub on the skin in preparation of a social event. It was a symbol of happiness and joy. The lack of oil was seen as a divine judgment (cf. Deut. 28:40).

SPECIAL TOPIC: ANOINTING IN THE BIBLE

This is the Hebrew term for "new wine" (BDB 440).

SPECIAL TOPIC: WINE AND STRONG DRINK

6:16 "Omri" This was a politically effective king of Israel (cf. 1 Kgs. 16:21-28). His name became the common name for the Northern Ten Tribes in the Assyrian records (i.e., House of Omri). This title became an idiom for their godless living. It came to characterize Judah also in v. 6, line 3 (cf. Mic. 1:9, e.g., 2 Kgs. 17:19,22)!

SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED KINGDOM

▣ "Ahab" This is Omri's son who married Jezebel, who brought numerous prophets of Ba'al and Asherah into Samarian society (cf. 1 Kgs. 16:29-34; 18; 21:25).

This is the Hebrew word "hissing" (BDB 1056), which was a cultural way of showing disgust and rejection (cf. 2 Chr. 29:8; Jer. 19:8; 25:9,18; 29:18; 51:37). See full note on physical gestures of contempt at Lam. 2:15 online.

The different translation options are based on:

1. The MT ‒ NASB, NKJV, NRSV
2. The Septuagint ‒ TEV, NJB, JPSOA

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did God bring His people to court?
2. Why are Mic. 6:6-7 so upsetting?
3. Is God concerned with our business life?

|  Home  |  Old Testament Studies  |  Micah Table of Contents  |  Previous Section  |  Next Section  |

Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International