Micah 7:13-15

7:13 The earth will become desolate

because of what its inhabitants have done.

7:14 Shepherd your people with your shepherd’s rod,

the flock that belongs to you,

the one that lives alone in a thicket,

in the midst of a pastureland.

Allow them to graze in Bashan and Gilead,

as they did in the old days.

7:15 “As in the days when you departed from the land of Egypt,

I will show you miraculous deeds.”


tn Or “will be ruined.”

tn Heb “on account of its inhabitants, because of the fruit of their deeds.”

tn Or “with your scepter” (the Hebrew term can mean either “rod” or “scepter”).

tn Heb “the flock of your inheritance.”

tn Or “in the midst of Carmel.” The Hebrew term translated “pastureland” may be a place name.

sn The point seems to be that Israel is in a vulnerable position, like sheep in a thicket populated by predators, while rich pastureland (their homeland and God’s blessings) is in view.

sn The regions of Bashan and Gilead, located in Transjordan, were noted for their rich grazing lands.

tn Heb “as in the days of antiquity.”

tn Heb “him.” This probably refers to Israel in a collective sense. Because the switch from direct address to the third person is awkward, some prefer to emend the suffix to a second person form. In any case, it is necessary to employ a second person pronoun in the translation to maintain the connection for the English reader.

sn I will show you miraculous deeds. In this verse the Lord responds to the petition of v. 14 with a brief promise of deliverance.