1:1 This is the prophetic message that the Lord gave to 1 Micah of Moresheth. He delivered this message 2 during the reigns of 3 Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. The prophecies pertain to 4 Samaria 5 and Jerusalem. 6
3:12 Therefore, because of you, 7 Zion will be plowed up like 8 a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins,
and the Temple Mount 9 will become a hill overgrown with brush! 10
4:9 Jerusalem, why are you 11 now shouting so loudly? 12
Has your king disappeared? 13
Has your wise leader 14 been destroyed?
Is this why 15 pain grips 16 you as if you were a woman in labor?
1 tn Heb “The word of the
2 tn The words “he delivered this message” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification.
3 tn Heb “in the days of” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).
4 tn Heb “which he saw concerning.”
5 map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.
6 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
7 tn The plural pronoun refers to the leaders, priests, and prophets mentioned in the preceding verse.
8 tn Or “into” (an adverbial accusative of result).
9 tn Heb “the mountain of the house” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV).
10 tn Heb “a high place of overgrowth.”
11 tn The Hebrew form is feminine singular, indicating that Jerusalem, personified as a young woman, is now addressed (see v. 10). In v. 8 the tower/fortress was addressed with masculine forms, so there is clearly a shift in addressee here. “Jerusalem” has been supplied in the translation at the beginning of v. 9 to make this shift apparent.
12 tn Heb “Now why are you shouting [with] a shout.”
13 tn Heb “Is there no king over you?”
14 tn Traditionally, “counselor” (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV). This refers to the king mentioned in the previous line; the title points to the king’s roles as chief strategist and policy maker, both of which required extraordinary wisdom.
15 tn Heb “that.” The Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) is used here in a resultative sense; for this use see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 73, §450.
16 tn Heb “grabs hold of, seizes.”