Micah 5:4

5:4 He will assume his post ¹  and shepherd the people ²  by the Lord’s strength,

by the sovereign authority of the Lord his God. ³ 

They will live securely, ⁴  for at that time he will be honored ⁵ 

even in the distant regions of ⁶  the earth.

Micah 6:8

6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good,

and what the Lord really wants from you: ⁷ 

He wants you to ⁸  promote ⁹  justice, to be faithful, ¹⁰ 

and to live obediently before ¹¹  your God.

---

¹ tn Heb “stand up”; NAB “stand firm”; NASB “will arise.”

² tn The words “the people” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

³ tn Heb “by the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.”

⁴ tn The words “in peace” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Perhaps וְיָשָׁבוּ (vÿyashavu, “and they will live”) should be emended to וְשָׁבוּ (vÿshavu, “and they will return”).

⁵ tn Heb “be great.”

⁶ tn Or “to the ends of.”

⁷ sn What the Lord really wants from you. Now the prophet switches roles and answers the hypothetical worshiper’s question. He makes it clear that the Lord desires proper attitudes more than ritual and sacrifice.

⁸ tn Heb “except.” This statement is actually linked with what precedes, “What does he want from you except….”

⁹ tn Heb “to do,” in the sense of “promote.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “to love faithfulness.”

¹¹ tn Heb “to walk humbly [or perhaps, “carefully”] with.”