New King James Version
Micah 3:5
5Thus 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:
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 Living Translation (NLT)This is what the Lord says: “You false prophets are leading my people astray! You promise peace for those who give you food, but you declare war on those who refuse to feed you.
Context of Micah 3:5
3Who also eat the flesh of My people, Flay their skin from them, Break their bones, And chop them in pieces Like meat for the pot, Like flesh in the caldron.” 4Then they will cry to the Lord, But He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds. 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: 6“Therefore you shall have night without vision, And you shall have darkness without divination; The sun shall go down on the prophets, And the day shall be dark for them. 7So the seers shall be ashamed, And the diviners abashed; Indeed they shall all cover their lips; For there is no answer from God.”
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 3:11Her heads judge for a bribe, Her priests teach for pay, And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the Lord, and say, “Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us.”
- Isaiah 9:15The elder and honorable, he is the head; The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail.
- Jeremiah 14:14And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.
- Jeremiah 23:9My heart within me is broken Because of the prophets; All my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, And like a man whom wine has overcome, Because of the Lord, And because of His holy words.
- Jeremiah 28:15Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Hear now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie.
- Jeremiah 29:21Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in My name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall slay them before your eyes.
- Ezekiel 13:10“Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace—and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar—
- Ezekiel 22:25The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.
- Malachi 2:8But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” Says the Lord of hosts.
- Matthew 15:14Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”
- Micah 2:11If a man should walk in a false spirit And speak a lie, saying, ‘I will prophesy to you of wine and drink,’ Even he would be the prattler of this people.
- Isaiah 56:9All you beasts of the field, come to devour, All you beasts in the forest.
- Ezekiel 13:18and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive?
- Matthew 7:15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
- Romans 16:18For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries