Israel’s Moral Decline
1 How sad for me!
For I am like one who —
when the summer fruit has been gathered
after the gleaning of the grape harvest 7:1 Is 24:13 —
finds no grape cluster to eat,
no early fig, which I crave. 7:1 Is 28:4; Hs 9:10
2 Faithful people have vanished from the land; 7:2 Is 57:1
there is no one upright among the people. 7:2 1Kg 19:10
All of them wait in ambush to shed blood; 7:2 Is 59:7; Mc 3:10
they hunt each other with a net. 7:2 Jr 5:26; Hs 5:1
3 Both hands are good 7:3 Pr 4:16–17 at accomplishing evil:
the official and the judge demand a bribe; 7:3 Am 5:12; Mc 3:11
when the powerful man communicates his evil desire,
they plot it together.
4 The best of them is like a brier; 7:4 Ezk 2:6; 28:24
the most upright is worse than a hedge of thorns. 7:4 Nah 1:10
The day of your watchmen,
the day of your punishment, is coming; 7:4 Is 10:3; Hs 9:7
at this time their panic is here. 7:4 Is 22:5
5 Do not rely on a friend; 7:5 Jr 9:4
don’t trust in a close companion.
Seal your mouth
from the woman who lies in your arms.
6 Surely a son considers his father a fool, 7:6 Mt 10:21,35–36; Lk 12:53
a daughter opposes her mother,
and a daughter-in-law is against her mother-in-law;
a man’s enemies are the men of his own household.
7 But I will look to the Lord; 7:7 Hab 2:1
I will wait for the God of my salvation. 7:7 Ps 130:5; Is 25:9
My God will hear me. 7:7 Ps 4:3
Zion’s Vindication
8 Do not rejoice over me, 7:8 Ob 12 my enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will stand up; 7:8 Am 9:11
though I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be my light. 7:8 Ps 27:1; Is 9:2
9 Because I have sinned against him,
I must endure the Lord’s fury
until he champions my cause 7:9 Jr 50:34
and establishes justice for me. 7:9 Jb 23:3–7; Lm 3:58
He will bring me into the light; 7:9 Ps 37:6; Is 42:7,16
I will see his salvation. 7:9 Or righteousness, 7:9 Is 46:13; 56:1
10 Then my enemy will see,
and she will be covered with shame,
the one who said to me,
"Where is the Lord your God? " 7:10 Ps 42:3,10; 79:10; 115:2; Jl 2:17
My eyes will look at her in triumph;
at that time she will be trampled
like mud in the streets. 7:10 Ps 18:42; Zch 10:5
11 A day will come for rebuilding your walls; 7:11 Is 54:11; Am 9:11
on that day your boundary will be extended. 7:11 Zph 2:2
12 On that day people will come to you 7:12 Is 19:23–25; 60:4,9
from Assyria and the cities of Egypt,
even from Egypt to the Euphrates River
and from sea to sea
and mountain to mountain.
13 Then the earth will become a wasteland 7:13 Jr 25:11; Mc 6:13
because of its inhabitants
and as a result of their actions. 7:13 Is 3:10–11; Mc 3:4
Micah’s Prayer Answered
14 Shepherd your people 7:14 Ps 95:7; Is 40:11; 49:10; Mc 5:4 with your staff, 7:14 Lv 27:32; Ps 23:4
the flock that is your possession.
They live alone 7:14 Nm 23:9; Dt 33:28 in a woodland
surrounded by pastures.
Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead 7:14 Jr 50:19
as in ancient times. 7:14 Am 9:11
15 I will perform miracles for them 7:15 = Israel
as in the days of your exodus
from the land of Egypt. 7:15 Ex 3:20; 34:10; Ps 78:11–16
16 Nations will see and be ashamed
of 7:16 Or ashamed in spite of all their power.
They will put their hands over their mouths, 7:16 Mc 3:7
and their ears will become deaf.
17 They will lick the dust like a snake; 7:17 Ps 72:9; Is 49:23
they will come trembling out of their hiding places 7:17 Ps 18:45
like reptiles slithering on the ground. 7:17 Dt 32:24
They will tremble in the presence of the Lord our God; 7:17 Is 25:3; 59:19
they will stand in awe of you.
18 Who is a God like you, 7:18 Ex 15:11; Ps 71:19; Is 40:18
forgiving iniquity and passing over rebellion 7:18 Ex 34:7,9; Is 43:25; Rm 3:25
for the remnant of his inheritance? 7:18 Mc 2:12; 4:7; 5:7–8
He does not hold on to his anger forever 7:18 Ps 103:8–9,13
because he delights in faithful love. 7:18 Jr 32:41
19 He will again have compassion on us;
he will vanquish our iniquities. 7:19 Jr 50:20
You will cast all our 7:19 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read their sins
into the depths of the sea. 7:18–19 Ps 103:9–12; Is 38:17; 43:25; Jr 31:34
20 You will show loyalty to Jacob 7:20 Gn 24:27; 32:10
and faithful love to Abraham,
as you swore to our ancestors 7:20 Dt 7:8,12
from days long ago.