Discovery BoxMicah 3:5-6 
Context3:5 This is what the Lord says: “The prophets who mislead my people
are as good as dead. 1
If someone gives them enough to eat,
they offer an oracle of peace. 2
But if someone does not give them food,
they are ready to declare war on him. 3
3:6 Therefore night will fall, and you will receive no visions; 4
it will grow dark, and you will no longer be able to read the omens. 5
The sun will set on these prophets,
and the daylight will turn to darkness over their heads. 6
Micah 4:9
Context4:9 Jerusalem, why are you 7 now shouting so loudly? 8
Has your king disappeared? 9
Has your wise leader 10 been destroyed?
Is this why 11 pain grips 12 you as if you were a woman in labor?
Micah 5:4
Context5:4 He will assume his post 13 and shepherd the people 14 by the Lord’s strength,
by the sovereign authority of the Lord his God. 15
They will live securely, 16 for at that time he will be honored 17
even in the distant regions of 18 the earth.
Micah 5:6
Context5:6 They will rule 19 the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod 20 with a drawn sword. 21
Our king 22 will rescue us from the Assyrians
should they attempt to invade our land
and try to set foot in our territory.
Micah 7:9
Context7:9 I must endure 23 the Lord’s anger,
for I have sinned against him.
But then 24 he will defend my cause, 25
and accomplish justice on my behalf.
He will lead me out into the light;
1 tn Heb “concerning the prophets, those who mislead my people.” The first person pronominal suffix is awkward in a quotation formula that introduces the words of the
2 tn Heb “those who bite with their teeth and cry out, ‘peace.’” The phrase “bite with the teeth” is taken here as idiomatic for eating. Apparently these prophets were driven by mercenary motives. If they were paid well, they gave positive oracles to their clients, but if someone could not afford to pay them, they were hostile and delivered oracles of doom.
3 tn Heb “but [as for the one] who does not place [food] in their mouths, they prepare for war against him.”
4 tn Heb “it will be night for you without a vision.”
sn The coming of night (and darkness in the following line) symbolizes the cessation of revelation.
5 tn Heb “it will be dark for you without divination.”
sn The reading of omens (Heb “divination”) was forbidden in the law (Deut 18:10), so this probably reflects the prophets’ view of how they received divine revelation.
6 tn Heb “and the day will be dark over them.”
7 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.
8 tn Heb “Now why are you shouting [with] a shout.”
9 tn Heb “Is there no king over you?”
10 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.
11 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.
12 tn Heb “grabs hold of, seizes.”
13 tn Heb “stand up”; NAB “stand firm”; NASB “will arise.”
14 tn The words “the people” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
15 tn Heb “by the majesty of the name of the
16 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”).
17 tn Heb “be great.”
18 tn Or “to the ends of.”
19 tn Or perhaps “break”; or “defeat.”
20 sn According to Gen 10:8-12, Nimrod, who was famous as a warrior and hunter, founded Assyria.
21 tc The MT reads “in her gates,” but the text should be emended to בַּפְּתִיחָה (baptikhah, “with a drawn sword”).
22 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the coming king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
23 tn Heb “lift, bear.”
24 tn Heb “until.”
25 tn Or “plead my case” (NASB and NIV both similar); NRSV “until he takes my side.”
26 tn Heb “see.”
27 tn Or “justice, vindication.”
