Micah 6:7-16

7 Will the Lord be pleased if I bring him thousands of sheep or endless streams of olive oil? Shall I offer him my first-born child to pay for my sins?

8 No, the Lord has told us what is good. What he requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.

9 It is wise to fear the Lord. He calls to the city, "Listen, you people who assemble in the city!

10 In the houses of evil people are treasures which they got dishonestly. They use false measures, a thing that I hate.

11 How can I forgive those who use false scales and weights?

12 Your rich people exploit the poor, and all of you are liars.

13 So I have already begun your ruin and destruction because of your sins.

14 You will eat, but not be satisfied - in fact you will still be hungry. You will carry things off, but you will not be able to save them; anything you do save I will destroy in war.

15 You will sow grain, but not harvest the crop. You will press oil from olives, but never get to use it. You will make wine, but never drink it.

16 This will happen because you have followed the evil practices of King Omri and of his son, King Ahab. You have continued their policies, and so I will bring you to ruin, and everyone will despise you. People everywhere will treat you with contempt." ¹

Micah 6:7-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 6

This chapter contains reproofs of the people of Israel for their sins, threatening them with punishment for them. The prophet is bid to tell them of the controversy the Lord had with them, which he did, Mic 6:1,2; and the Lord calls upon them to declare if they had any thing to object to his attitude towards them, Mic 6:3; and then puts them in mind of the favours they had received from him, in bringing them out of Egypt, and giving them such useful persons to go before them, lead and instruct them, as he had, Mic 6:4; and also reminds them of what passed between Balak, king of Moab, and Balaam the soothsayer; the questions of the one, and the answer of the other; whereby the designs of the former against them were frustrated, Mic 6:5-8; but since the voice of the Lord by his prophet was disregarded by them, they are called upon to hearken to the voice of his rod, Mic 6:9; which should be laid upon them for their fraudulent dealings, injustice, oppression, lies, and deceit, Mic 6:10-12; and therefore are threatened with sickness and desolation, and a deprivation of all good things, the fruit of their labours, Mic 6:13-15; and that because the statutes of Omri, the works of Ahab, and their counsels, were observed by them, Mic 6:16.

Cross References

• 1. 6.16 a 1 Kings 16.23-28; b 1 Kings 16.29-34; 21.25, 26.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Probable text] who assemble in the city; [Hebrew] and who appointed it. Yet.
• [b]. [Verse 10 in Hebrew is unclear.]
• [c]. [Some ancient translations] begun; [Hebrew] made sick.
• [d]. [One ancient translation] People; [Hebrew] My people.
• [e]. People . . . contempt; [or] As my people you will everywhere be treated with contempt.