Micah 3:10

10 Leaders who build Zion by killing people, who expand Jerusalem by committing crimes.

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.''

FOOTNOTES:

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

Micah 3:10 In-Context

8 But me - I'm filled with God's power, filled with God's Spirit of justice and strength, Ready to confront Jacob's crime and Israel's sin.
9 The leaders of Jacob and the leaders of Israel are Leaders contemptuous of justice, who twist and distort right living,
10 Leaders who build Zion by killing people, who expand Jerusalem by committing crimes.
11 Judges sell verdicts to the highest bidder, priests mass-market their teaching, prophets preach for high fees, All the while posturing and pretending dependence on God: "We've got God on our side. He'll protect us from disaster."
12 Because of people like you, Zion will be turned back into farmland, Jerusalem end up as a pile of rubble, and instead of the Temple on the mountain, a few scraggly scrub pines.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.