Micah 6
The LORD brings His case against Israel before the mountains. He asks what He has done to weary them — He brought them out of Egypt, sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam before them. What does the LORD require? "To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Yet the city is full of violence and deceit, and judgment will fall.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. | Hear now what the LORD says: "Arise, contend before the mountains, and let the hills hear Your 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 LORD's controversy — and You strong foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a controversy with His people, and He will plead with Israel. |
| 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 you? How have I wearied you? 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 you up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of servants. I sent before you 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 now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered Him — from Shittim to Gilgal — that You may know the righteousness of the LORD." |
| 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 shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? |
| 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? | Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn 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 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? |
| 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. | The LORD's voice cries to the city, and the man of wisdom will see your name. Hear 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 treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? |
| 11 | Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? | Shall I count them pure with wicked balances and with a bag of deceitful weights? |
| 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. | For her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants have spoken lies, 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. | Therefore I also will make you sick by striking you, by making you desolate because of your 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. | You will eat, but not be satisfied. Your hunger will be in the midst of you. You will take hold, but you will not save, and what you save I will give up to the sword. |
| 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. | You will sow, but you will not reap. You will tread the olives, but you will not anoint yourself with oil. You will tread sweet wine, but you will not drink 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. | For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and you walk in their counsels. So I will make you a desolation, and her inhabitants a hissing. Therefore you will bear the reproach of My people. |