Micah 3:1-8

1 Then I said, "Listen, leaders of the people of Jacob; listen, you rulers of the nation of Israel. You should know how to decide cases fairly,

2 but you hate good and love evil. You skin my people alive and tear the flesh off their bones.

3 You eat my people's flesh and skin them and break their bones; you chop them up like meat for the pot, like meat in a cooking pan.

4 They will cry to the Lord, but he won't answer them. At that time he will hide his face from them, because what they have done is evil."

5 The Lord says this about the prophets who teach his people the wrong way of living: "If these prophets are given food to eat, they shout, 'Peace!' But if someone doesn't give them what they ask for, they call for a holy war against that person.

6 So it will become like night for them, without visions. It will become dark for them, without any way to tell the future. The sun is about to set for the prophets; their day will become dark.

7 The seers will be ashamed; the people who see the future will be embarrassed. Yes, all of them will cover their mouths, because there will be no answer from God."

8 But I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and strength, to tell the people of Jacob how they have turned against God, and the people of Israel how they have sinned.

Micah 3:1-8 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.