English Standard Version
Micah 3:1
1And I said: Hear, you heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel! Is it not for you to know justice?—
Micah 3:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
- New International Version (NIV)Then I said, “Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of Israel. Should you not embrace justice,
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I said: “Hear now, O heads of Jacob, And you rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know justice?
- New Living Translation (NLT)I said, “Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong,
Context of Micah 3:1
And I said: Hear, you heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel! Is it not for you to know justice?— 2you who hate the good and love the evil, who tear the skin from off my people and their flesh from off their bones, 3who eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones in pieces and chop them up like meat in a pot, like flesh in a cauldron.
Read all of Micah 3Micah 3:1 word by word
וָאֹמַ֗ר שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ רָאשֵׁ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּקְצִינֵ֖י בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הֲל֣וֹא לָכֶ֔ם לָדַ֖עַת אֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- I pray you, O headsרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: leaderH7218
- of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- and ye princesקָצִיןqâtsîyn · chiefH7101
- of the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- not for you to knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
Cross-references for Micah 3:1
- Micah 3:9Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight,
- Isaiah 1:10Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
- Jeremiah 13:15Hear and give ear; be not proud, for the Lord has spoken.
- Jeremiah 22:2and say, 'Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates.
- Hosea 5:1Hear this, O priests! Pay attention, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For the judgment is for you; for you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor.
- Amos 4:1"Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, 'Bring, that we may drink!'
- Deuteronomy 1:13Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as your heads.'
- Deuteronomy 16:18"You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
- 2 Chronicles 19:5He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,
- Psalms 14:4Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the Lord?
- Psalms 82:1God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
- Jeremiah 5:4Then I said, "These are only the poor; they have no sense; for they do not know the way of the Lord, the justice of their God.
- 1 Corinthians 6:5I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers,
Commentaries on Micah 3:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Hear - O heads of Jacob - The metaphor of the flock is still carried on. The chiefs of Jacob, and the princes of Israel, instead of taking care of the flocks, defending them, and finding them pasture, oppressed them in various ways. They are like wolves, who tear the skin of the sheep, and the flesh off their bones. This applies to all unjust and oppressive rulers. Suetonius tells us, in his Life of Tiberius, that when the governors of provinces wrote to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1And I said - God‘s love for us is the great incitement, constrainer, vivifier of His creature‘s love. Micah had just spoken of God‘s love of Israel; how He would gather them into one fold under One Shepherd, guard them, lead them, remove all difficulties before them, be Himself their Head and enable them to follow Him. He turns then to them. These are God‘s doings; this, God has in store for you hereafter. Even when mercy itself shall require…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The cruelty of the princes, and the falsehood of the prophets. (1-8) Their false security. (9-12) Verses 1-8 Men cannot expect to do ill, and fare well; but to find that done to them which they did to others. How seldom do wholesome truths reach the ears of those in high stations or in authority! Those who deceive others are preparing confusion for their own faces. The prophet had ardent love to God and to the souls of men; deep concern for his glory and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The leaders, expected to understand true judgment and justice (Micah 6:8; Deuteronomy 10:12–13), were morally responsible for Israel's guilt.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-121. princes--magistrates or judges. Is it not for you?--Is it not your special function (Jr 5:4, 5)? judgment--justice. Ye sit in judgment on others; surely then ye ought to know the judgment for injustice which awaits yourselves (Ro 2:1).Read the comment
Topics related to Micah 3:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Micah 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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Commentaries