Micah 6:7

Micah 6:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
• New International Version (NIV)Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Context of Micah 6:7

5My people, recall how King Balak of Moab planned to harm you, how Balaam son of Beor responded to him. Recall how you journeyed from Shittim to Gilgal, so you might acknowledge that the Lord has treated you fairly.” 6With what should I enter the Lord’s presence? With what should I bow before the sovereign God? Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? Will the Lord accept a thousand rams, or ten thousand streams of olive oil? Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for my rebellion, my offspring – my own flesh and blood – for my sin? 8He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God. 9Listen! The Lord is calling to the city! It is wise to respect your authority, O Lord! Listen, O nation, and those assembled in the city!

Micah 6:7 word by word

הֲיִרְצֶ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בְּאַלְפֵ֣י אֵילִ֔ים בְּרִֽבְב֖וֹת נַֽחֲלֵי־שָׁ֑מֶן הַאֶתֵּ֤ן בְּכוֹרִי֙ פִּשְׁעִ֔י פְּרִ֥י בִטְנִ֖י חַטַּ֥את נַפְשִֽׁי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Will the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• be pleasedרָצָהrâtsâh · to acceptH7521
• with thousandsאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
• of ramsאַ֫יִל'ayil · ramH352
• with ten thousandsרְבָבָהrebâbâh · myriadH7233
• of riversנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: riverH5158
• of oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
• shall I giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• my firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
• my transgressionפֶּ֫שַׁעpesha‛ · transgressionH6588
• the fruitפְּרִיperîy · fruitH6529
• of my bodyבֶּ֫טֶןbeţen · belly: bodyH990
• the sinחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
• of my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315

Cross-references for Micah 6:7

• 1 Samuel 15:22Then Samuel said, “Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams.
• Psalms 10:8He waits in ambush near the villages; in hidden places he kills the innocent. His eyes look for some unfortunate victim.
• Psalms 50:9I do not need to take a bull from your household or goats from your sheepfolds.
• Psalms 51:16Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.
• Isaiah 1:11“Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?” says the Lord. “I am stuffed with burnt sacrifices of rams and the fat from steers. The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats I do not want.
• Isaiah 40:16Not even Lebanon could supply enough firewood for a sacrifice; its wild animals would not provide enough burnt offerings.
• Jeremiah 7:21The Lord said to the people of Judah, “The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says: ‘You might as well go ahead and add the meat of your burnt offerings to that of the other sacrifices and eat it, too!
• Hosea 6:6For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.
• Amos 5:22Even if you offer me burnt and grain offerings, I will not be satisfied; I will not look with favor on your peace offerings of fattened calves.
• Job 29:6when my steps were bathed with butter and the rock poured out for me streams of olive oil!
• Judges 11:31then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites – he will belong to the Lord and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.”
• 2 Kings 3:27So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him up as a burnt sacrifice on the wall. There was an outburst of divine anger against Israel, so they broke off the attack and returned to their homeland.
• 2 Kings 16:3He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. He passed his son through the fire, a horrible sin practiced by the nations whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites.
• 2 Kings 21:6He passed his son through the fire and practiced divination and omen reading. He set up a ritual pit to conjure up underworld spirits, and appointed magicians to supervise it. He did a great amount of evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.
• 2 Kings 23:10The king ruined Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that no one could pass his son or his daughter through the fire to Molech.
• Jeremiah 7:31They have also built places of worship in a place called Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they can sacrifice their sons and daughters by fire. That is something I never commanded them to do! Indeed, it never even entered my mind to command such a thing!

Commentaries on Micah 6:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams - These might be procured, though with difficulty; but conscience says neither will these do. With ten thousands of rivers of oil - This is absurd and impossible; but could even these be procured, could they all make atonement for such guilt, and ingratitude, and rebellion? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression - This was sinful and wicked; but such offerings had been made by the Phoenicians, and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-8Verses 6-8 These verses seem to contain the substance of Balak's consultation with Balaam how to obtain the favour of Israel's God. Deep conviction of guilt and wrath will put men upon careful inquiries after peace and pardon, and then there begins to be some ground for hope of them. In order to God's being pleased with us, our care must be for an interest in the atonement of Christ, and that the sin by which we displease him may be taken away. What will…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-7Israel's situation seemed hopeless, so they asked the Lord how to please him. They offered increasingly significant items, from calves to rams, olive oil, and even firstborn children. None of these offerings was enough or acceptable to God, who judges the heart (1 Samuel 15:22; 16:7; Jeremiah 17:9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. rivers of oil--used in sacrifices (Le 2:1, 15). Will God be appeased by my offering so much oil that it shall flow in myriads of torrents? my first-born--(2Ki 3:27). As the king of Moab did. fruit of my body--my children, as an atonement (Psa 132:11). The Jews offered human sacrifices in the valley of Hinnom (Jr 19:5; 32:35; Eze 23:27).Read the comment

Topics related to Micah 6:7

• Condescension of God
• Formalism
• Idolatry
• Offerings

In the dictionaries

• Justly
• Body
• Firstborn; Firstling
• Hiel
• Holiness
• Isaiah
• Judah, Kingdom of
• Mediation; Mediator
• Micah (2)
• Number

Commentaries on Micah 6

• 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