Micah 3:10

10 he who builds Zion with blood and Jerusalem with wickedness.

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 I, I am filled [with] power, with the Spirit of Yahweh, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his rebellion, and to Israel his sin.

9 Hear this, O rulers of the house of Jacob and leaders of the house of Israel, those detesting justice and perverting all that [is] right,

10 he who builds Zion with blood and Jerusalem with wickedness.

11 Its rulers judge for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money. But they lean on Yahweh, saying, "[Is] not Yahweh in our midst? Disaster will not come upon us."

12 Therefore on account of you Zion will be plowed [as] a field, and Jerusalem will be a heap of rubble, and {the temple mount} as a high place [in] a forest.