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Adonai Pleads His Case

Hear what Adonai is saying:

“Arise! Contend with the mountains,
and let the hills hear your voice.
Hear, Adonai’s dispute, O mountains—
the enduring foundations of the earth.
For Adonai has a dispute with His people
and He will argue His case with Israel.
O My people, what have I done to you?
Or how have I wearied you? Answer Me!
When I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and redeemed you from the house of bondage,
I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
O My people, remember, please:
What did Balak, king of Moab, propose?
What did Balaam son of Beor answer him?
From Shittim as far as Gilgal,
so that you might acknowledge
    the righteous acts of Adonai.”

What Is Adonai Seeking From You?

With what shall I come before Adonai?
With what shall I bow myself before God on high?
Shall I present Him with burnt offerings,
    with year-old calves?
Will Adonai be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with hordes of rivers of oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my belly for the sin of my soul?
He has told you, humanity, what is good,
and what Adonai is seeking from you:
Only to practice justice, to love mercy,[a]
    and to walk humbly with your God.

The voice of Adonai calls to the city—
it is wisdom to fear[b] Your Name—
“Pay attention to the rod and to the One who appointed it.”
10 Does the house of the wicked
    still have treasures of wickedness?
Or is an undersized ephah denounced?
11 Can I be pure with wicked balances?
Or with a bag of deceptive weights?
12 For the rich of the city are full of violence
    and its inhabitants speak lies.
Their tongue in their mouth is deceit.
13 So also I will strike you severely,
desolating you because of your sins.
14 You will eat but not be satisfied,
and emptiness will be within you.
You will try to escape,
    but you will not reach safety.
Whatever you make safe,
    I will give to the sword.
15 You will sow but not reap;
You will tread olives but not anoint yourself with oil,
and grapes but not drink wine.
16 Now, you observe the statutes of Omri
and every practice of the house of Ahab,
and you walk in their counsels.
Therefore I will make you a horror,
    and her inhabitants a hissing,
so you will bear the scorn of My people.

Footnotes

  1. Micah 6:8 Or, lovingkindness; cf. Matt. 23:23.
  2. Micah 6:9 Or, perceive.

The Lord’s Case Against Israel

Listen to what the Lord says:

“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;(A)
    let the hills hear what you have to say.

“Hear,(B) you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;(C)
    listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the Lord has a case(D) against his people;
    he is lodging a charge(E) against Israel.

“My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened(F) you?(G) Answer me.
I brought you up out of Egypt(H)
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.(I)
I sent Moses(J) to lead you,
    also Aaron(K) and Miriam.(L)
My people, remember
    what Balak(M) king of Moab plotted
    and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim(N) to Gilgal,(O)
    that you may know the righteous acts(P) of the Lord.”

With what shall I come before(Q) the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?(R)
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,(S)
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?(T)
Shall I offer my firstborn(U) for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?(V)
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly(W) and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[a](X) with your God.(Y)

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—
    and to fear your name is wisdom—
    “Heed the rod(Z) and the One who appointed it.[b]
10 Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house,
    and the short ephah,[c] which is accursed?(AA)
11 Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales,(AB)
    with a bag of false weights?(AC)
12 Your rich people are violent;(AD)
    your inhabitants are liars(AE)
    and their tongues speak deceitfully.(AF)
13 Therefore, I have begun to destroy(AG) you,
    to ruin[d] you because of your sins.
14 You will eat but not be satisfied;(AH)
    your stomach will still be empty.[e]
You will store up but save nothing,(AI)
    because what you save[f] I will give to the sword.
15 You will plant but not harvest;(AJ)
    you will press olives but not use the oil,
    you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.(AK)
16 You have observed the statutes of Omri(AL)
    and all the practices of Ahab’s(AM) house;
    you have followed their traditions.(AN)
Therefore I will give you over to ruin(AO)
    and your people to derision;
    you will bear the scorn(AP) of the nations.[g]

Footnotes

  1. Micah 6:8 Or prudently
  2. Micah 6:9 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
  3. Micah 6:10 An ephah was a dry measure.
  4. Micah 6:13 Or Therefore, I will make you ill and destroy you; / I will ruin
  5. Micah 6:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  6. Micah 6:14 Or You will press toward birth but not give birth, / and what you bring to birth
  7. Micah 6:16 Septuagint; Hebrew scorn due my people