Micah 3:1-6

The LORD Warns Israel's Leaders and Prophets

1 Then I said, "Listen, you leaders of Jacob's people! Pay attention, you rulers of Israel! You should know how to judge others fairly.
2 But you hate what is good. And you love what is evil. You are like someone who tears the skin off my people. You pull the meat off their bones.
3 You eat my people's bodies. You strip their skin off. You break their bones in pieces. You chop them up like meat. You put them in a cooking pot."
4 The time will come when Israel will cry out to the Lord. But he won't answer them. In fact, he'll turn his face away from them. They have done what is evil.
5 The LORD says, "You prophets are leading my people down the wrong path. If they feed you, you promise them peace. If they do not, you prepare to go to war against them.
6 So night will come on you. But you will not have any visions. Darkness will cover you. But you will not be able to figure out what is going to happen. The sun will set on you prophets. The day will become dark for you.

Micah 3:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 3

In this chapter the prophet reproves and threatens both princes and prophets, first separately, and then conjunctly; first the heads and princes of the people, civil magistrates, for their ignorance of justice, and hatred of good, and love of evil, and for their oppression and cruelty; and they are threatened with distress when they should cry unto the Lord, and should not be heard by him, Mic 3:1-4; next the prophets are taken to task, for their voraciousness, avarice, and false prophesying; and are threatened with darkness, with want of vision, and of an answer from the Lord, and with shame and confusion, Mic 3:5-7; and the prophet being full of the Spirit and power of God, to declare the sins and transgressions of Jacob and Israel, Mic 3:8, very freely declaims against princes, priests, and prophets, all together; who, though guilty of very notorious crimes, yet were in great security, and promised themselves impunity, Mic 3:9-11; wherefore the city and temple of Jerusalem are threatened with an utter desolation, Mic 3:12.

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