Micah 3:10

10 They build up Tziyon with blood, And Yerushalayim with iniquity.

Micah 3:10 Meaning and Commentary

Micah 3:10

They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
] Or, "O thou that buildest up" ^F7 or "everyone of them that buildeth up" ^F8 for the word is in the singular number; but, be fire words rendered either of these ways, they respect the heads and princes of the people; who either repaired the temple on Zion, or ornamented the king's palace, or built themselves fine stately houses in Jerusalem, or large streets there, by money they took of murderers to save them, as Kimchi; or by money got by rapine and oppression, by spoiling the poor of their goods and their livelihood, for them and their families, which was all one as shedding innocent blood; and by money obtained by bribes, for the perversion of justice, and such like illegal proceedings, truly called iniquity. The Targum is,

``who build their houses in Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with deceits.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 (hnwb) "aedificans", Montanus, Munster, Burkius.
F8 "Quisque eorum aedificat", Vatablus, Piscator, Drusius.

Micah 3:10 In-Context

8 But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, And of judgment, and of might, To declare to Ya`akov his disobedience, And to Yisra'el his sin.

9 Please listen to this, you heads of the house of Ya`akov, And rulers of the house of Yisra'el, Who abhor justice, And pervert all equity.

10 They build up Tziyon with blood, And Yerushalayim with iniquity.

11 Her leaders judge for bribes, And her Kohanim teach for a price, And her prophets of it tell forturnes for money: Yet they lean on the LORD, and say, Isn't the LORD in the midst of us? No disaster will come on us.

12 Therefore Tziyon for your sake will be plowed like a field, And Yerushalayim will become heaps of rubble, And the mountain of the temple like the high places of a forest.