God’s Word Translation
Micah 3:5
5This is what the Lord says about the prophets who mislead my people: When they have something to eat, they say, “All is well!” But they declare a holy war against those who don’t feed them.
Micah 3:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
- New International Version (NIV)This is what the Lord says: “As for the prophets who lead my people astray, they proclaim ‘peace’ if they have something to eat, but prepare to wage war against anyone who refuses to feed them.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry "Peace" when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant “Peace” While they chew with their teeth, But who prepare war against him Who puts nothing into their mouths:
Context of Micah 3:5
3You eat my people’s flesh. You strip off their skin. You break their bones to pieces. You chop them up like meat for a pot, like stew meat for a kettle. 4Then you will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer you. He will hide his face from you at that time because you have done evil things. This is what the Lord says about the prophets who mislead my people: When they have something to eat, they say, “All is well!” But they declare a holy war against those who don’t feed them. 6That is why you will have nights without visions. You will have darkness without revelations. The sun will set on the prophets, and the day will turn dark for them. 7Seers will be put to shame. Those who practice witchcraft will be disgraced. All of them will cover their faces, because God won’t answer them.
Read all of Micah 3Micah 3:5 word by word
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים הַמַּתְעִ֣ים אֶת־עַמִּ֑י הַנֹּשְׁכִ֤ים בְּשִׁנֵּיהֶם֙ וְקָרְא֣וּ שָׁל֔וֹם וַאֲשֶׁר֙ לֹא־יִתֵּ֣ן עַל־פִּיהֶ֔ם וְקִדְּשׁ֥וּ עָלָ֖יו מִלְחָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- concerning the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- that make my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- errתָּעָהtâ‛âh · to go astrayH8582
- that biteנָשַׁךְnâshak · to biteH5391
- with their teethשֵׁןshên · toothH8127
- and cryקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
- Peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965
- and he that puttethנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- not into their mouthsפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- they even prepareקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: prepareH6942
- warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
Cross-references for Micah 3:5
- Micah 3:11Your leaders exchange justice for bribes. Your priests teach for a price. Your prophets tell the future for money. But they rely on the Lord when they say, “After all, the Lord is with us. Nothing bad will happen to us.”
- Isaiah 9:15Respected and honored leaders are the head. Prophets who teach lies are the tail.
- Jeremiah 14:14Then the Lord told me, “These are the lies that the prophets are telling in my name: They claim that I sent them, commanded them, and spoke to them. They dreamed up the visions they tell you. Their predictions are worthless. They are the products of their own imagination.
- Jeremiah 23:9“⌞Say this⌟ about the prophets: I am deeply disturbed. All my bones tremble. I am like a drunk, like a person who has had too much wine, because of the Lord and his holy words.
- Jeremiah 28:15Then Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, “Now listen, Hananiah, the Lord hasn’t sent you. You have made these people believe a lie.
- Jeremiah 29:21This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says about Kolaiah’s son Ahab and about Maaseiah’s son Zedekiah, who prophesy lies to you in my name: I’m going to hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will kill them as you watch.
- Ezekiel 13:10“ ‘They have deceived my people by saying that everything is alright, but it’s not alright. When someone builds a flimsy wall, the prophets cover it up with paint.
- Ezekiel 22:25Your princes are like roaring lions who tear their prey into pieces. They eat people and take their treasures and precious belongings. They turn many women into widows.
- Malachi 2:8“But you have turned from the ⌞correct⌟ path and caused many to stumble over my teachings. You have corrupted the promise made to Levi,” says the Lord of Armies.
- Matthew 15:14Leave them alone! They are blind leaders. When one blind person leads another, both will fall into the same pit.”
- Micah 2:11Liars and frauds may go around and say, “We will preach to you about wine and liquor.” They would be just the type of preacher you want.
- Isaiah 56:9All you animals in the field, all you animals in the forest, come and eat.
- Ezekiel 13:18“Tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for women who sew magic charms for people’s wrists and make magic veils of every size for people’s heads. You want to trap people. You want to control the lives of my people for your own profit.
- Matthew 7:15“Beware of false prophets. They come to you disguised as sheep, but in their hearts they are vicious wolves.
- Romans 16:18People like these are not serving Christ our Lord. They are serving their own desires. By their smooth talk and flattering words they deceive unsuspecting people.
Commentaries on Micah 3:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5That bite with their teeth - That eat to the full; that are well provided for, and as long as they are so, prophesy smooth things, and cry, Peace! i.e., Ye shall have nothing but peace and prosperity. Whereas the true prophet, "who putteth not into their mouths," who makes no provision for their evil propensities, "they prepare war against him." מלחמה עליו קדשו kiddeshu alaiv milchamah, "They sanctify a war against him." They call on all to help them to…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5The prophets that make My people err - Flattering them in their sins and rebellions, promising that they shall go unpunished, that God is not so strict, will not put in force the judgments tie threatens. So Isaiah saith Isaiah 3:12; O my? people, they which lead thee, mislead thee; and (Isaiah 9:16, (Isaiah 9:15 in Hebrew)), the leaders of this people are its misleaders, and they that are led of them are destroyed. And Jeremiah, “The prophets have seen…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5The false prophets were part of Israel’s spiritual leadership, so Micah included them in his accusations. Prophets were meant to guide Israel in the right way, not to lead the people away from God (see Deuteronomy 13, 18). Instead, these prophets used their gifts for their own benefit.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Here he attacks the false prophets, as before he had attacked the "princes." make my people err--knowingly mislead My people by not denouncing their sins as incurring judgment. bite with ... teeth, and cry, Peace--that is, who, so long as they are supplied with food, promise peace and prosperity in their prophecies. he that putteth not into their mouths, they ... prepare war against him--Whenever they are not supplied with food, they foretell war and…Read the comment
Topics related to Micah 3:5
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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