Tree of Life Version
Micah 7:3
3Both hands are diligent at doing evil. The official and the judge ask for a bribe. The distinguished man utters a desire of his soul. Thus they weave it together.
Micah 7:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
- New International Version (NIV)Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire— they all conspire together.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.
- New King James Version (NKJV)That they may successfully do evil with both hands— The prince asks for gifts, The judge seeks a bribe, And the great man utters his evil desire; So they scheme together.
Context of Micah 7:3
1Woe is me! For I am like gatherings of produce in summer, like gleanings of a vineyard. There is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig that I crave. 2The pious have perished from the land, there is none upright among mankind. All of them lie in wait for blood. A man hunts his brother with a net. Both hands are diligent at doing evil. The official and the judge ask for a bribe. The distinguished man utters a desire of his soul. Thus they weave it together. 4The best of them is like a prickly bush, the most upright like a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen— of your visitation—is coming. Then their confusion will occur. 5Do not trust in a friend. Do not trust in a close companion. Guard the openings of your mouth from her who lies on your breast.
Read all of Micah 7Micah 7:3 word by word
עַל־הָרַ֤ע כַּפַּ֙יִם֙ לְהֵיטִ֔יב הַשַּׂ֣ר שֹׁאֵ֔ל וְהַשֹּׁפֵ֖ט בַּשִׁלּ֑וּם וְהַגָּד֗וֹל דֹּבֵ֨ר הַוַּ֥ת נַפְשׁ֛וֹ ה֖וּא וַֽיְעַבְּתֽוּהָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- That they may do evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- with both handsכַּףkaph · palmH3709
- earnestlyיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
- the princeשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- askethשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
- and the judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- for a rewardשִׁלּוּםshillûm shillûm · recompenseH7966
- and the greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- he utterethדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- his mischievousהַוָּהhavvâh · desireH1942
- desireנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: appetiteH5315
- so they wrap it upעָבַת‛âbath · to weaveH5686
Cross-references for Micah 7:3
- Proverbs 4:16For they cannot sleep until they do evil. They are robbed of sleep until they make someone fall.
- Jeremiah 3:5Would He keep a grudge forever? Would He keep it to the end?’ So you said—yet you have done all the evil things you could.”
- Ezekiel 22:6“Behold, each prince of Israel has used his own arm’s strength in you to shed blood.
- Micah 3:11Her leaders give judgment for a bribe. Her priests give direction for a price. Her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean on Adonai by saying: “Is not Adonai in our midst? No calamity will come upon us!”
- Isaiah 1:23Your princes are rebellious and friends with thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and chases after rewards. They do not defend the orphan, nor does a widow’s case come to them.
- Jeremiah 8:10Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to new owners. For from the least to the greatest everyone is greedy for gain. From the prophet even to the kohen everyone practices deceit.
- Ezekiel 22:27Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing at prey, spilling blood and destroying lives for dishonest gain.
- Hosea 4:18Their liquor has come to an end. They surely have practiced prostitution. Her rulers have deeply loved disgrace.
- Amos 5:12For I know your crimes are many and your sins countless— afflicting the righteous, taking bribes, and turning the needy aside at the gate.
- Matthew 26:15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they weighed out thirty shekels of silver for him.
- 1 Kings 21:9She wrote in the letters saying, “Proclaim a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people.
- Isaiah 26:21For behold, Adonai is coming out from His place to punish inhabitants of the earth for iniquity. The earth will disclose her bloodshed, no longer covering up her slain.
- Luke 12:1Meanwhile, when thousands of people had gathered, so many that they were trampling one another, Yeshua began speaking first to His disciples, “Be on guard yourselves against the hametz of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5Therefore do not judge anything before the time—wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the things hidden in darkness and also make clear the motives of the hearts. Then the praise for each one will come from God.
Commentaries on Micah 7:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3That they may do evil with both hands - That is, earnestly, greedily, to the uttermost of their power. The Vulgate translates: Malum manuum suarum dicunt bonum; "The evil of their hands they call good." The prince asketh - A bribe, to forward claims in his court. The judge asketh for a reward - That he may decide the cause in favor of him who gives most money, whether the cause be good or evil. This was notoriously the case in our own country before the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3That they may do evil with both hands earnestly - (Literally, upon evil both hands to do well,) that is, “both their hands are upon evil to do it well,” or “earnestly”, as our translation gives the meaning; only the Hebrew expresses more, that evil is their good, and their good or excellence is in evil. Bad men gain a dreadful skill and wisdom in evil, as Satan has; and cleverness in evil is their delight. Jerome: “They call the evil of their hands good.”…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3skilled at evil: That is, they had learned how to do evil very well. the prince and the judge demand a bribe: The law forbade rulers and judges from accepting bribes or turning justice in the wrong direction (Exodus 18:19–22; Deuteronomy 16:18–20). Because of this, Israel’s legal system no longer worked in a fair way.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. That they may do evil with both hands earnestly--literally, "Their hands are for evil that they may do it well" (that is, cleverly and successfully). the great man, he--emphatic repetition. As for the great man, he no sooner has expressed his bad desire (literally, the "mischief" or "lust of his soul"), than the venal judges are ready to wrest the decision of the case according to his wish. so they wrap it up--The Hebrew is used of intertwining cords…Read the comment
Topics related to Micah 7:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Micah 7
- 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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries