Micah

Micah 7:3–5

³Both hands are skilled at evil;

the prince and the judge demand a bribe.

When the powerful utters his evil desire,

they all conspire together.

⁴The best of them is like a brier;

the most upright is sharper than a hedge of thorns.

The day for your watchmen has come,

the day of your visitation.^a

Now is the time of their confusion.

⁵Do not rely on a friend;

do not trust in a companion.

Seal the doors of your mouth

from her who lies in your arms.^b

Footnotes

a 7:4 Or your punishment
b 7:5 Hebrew in your bosom

Read all of Micah 7

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Micah 7:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Both hands	כַּפַּ֙יִם֙	kap·pa·yim	Noun - fd	H3709 hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan
are skilled	לְהֵיטִ֔יב	lə·hê·ṭîḇ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H3190 be good, well, glad, pleasing
at evil	הָרַ֤ע	hā·ra‘	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
the prince	הַשַּׂ֣ר	haś·śar	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H8269 chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince
and the judge	וְהַשֹּׁפֵ֖ט	wə·haš·šō·p̄êṭ	Conjunctive waw, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H8199 judge, govern
demand	שֹׁאֵ֔ל	šō·’êl	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7592 ask, inquire
a bribe	בַּשִׁלּ֑וּם	ba·šil·lūm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7966 requital
When the powerful	וְהַגָּד֗וֹל	wə·hag·gā·ḏō·wl	Conjunctive waw, Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H1419 great
utters	דֹּבֵ֨ר	dō·ḇêr	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H1696 speak
his	ה֖וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
evil	הַוַּ֥ת	haw·waṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H1942 desire
desire	נַפְשׁ֛וֹ	nap̄·šōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
they all conspire together	וַֽיְעַבְּתֽוּהָ׃	way·‘ab·bə·ṯū·hā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person feminine singular	H5686 interlace, pervert

Micah 7:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The best of them	טוֹבָ֣ם	ṭō·w·ḇām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
like a brier	כְּחֵ֔דֶק	kə·ḥê·ḏeq	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H2312 brier
the most upright	יָשָׁ֖ר	yā·šār	Adjective - masculine singular	H3477 straight, right
than a hedge of thorns	מִמְּסוּכָ֑ה	mim·mə·sū·ḵāh	Preposition-m; Noun - feminine singular	H4534 hedge
The day	י֤וֹם	yō·wm	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3117 day
for your watchmen	מְצַפֶּ֙יךָ֙	mə·ṣap·pe·ḵā	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6822 look out or about, spy, keep watch
has come	בָ֔אָה	ḇā·’āh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
your visitation	פְּקֻדָּתְךָ֣	pə·qud·dā·ṯə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6486 oversight, mustering, visitation, store
Now	עַתָּ֥ה	‘at·tāh	Adverb	H6258 now
is	תִהְיֶ֖ה	ṯih·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
of their confusion	מְבוּכָתָֽם׃	mə·ḇū·ḵā·ṯām	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H3998 confusion, confounding

Micah 7:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
rely	תַּאֲמִ֣ינוּ	ta·’ă·mî·nū	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H539 confirm, support
on a friend	בְרֵ֔עַ	ḇə·rê·a‘	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H7453 shouting, roar
do not	אַֽל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
trust	תִּבְטְח֖וּ	tiḇ·ṭə·ḥū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H982 trust
in a companion	בְּאַלּ֑וּף	bə·’al·lūp̄	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H441 tame
Seal	שְׁמֹ֖ר	šə·mōr	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8104 keep, watch, preserve
the doors	פִּתְחֵי־	piṯ·ḥê-	Noun - masculine plural construct	H6607 opening, doorway, entrance
of your mouth	פִֽיךָ׃	p̄î·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6310 mouth
from her who lies	מִשֹּׁכֶ֣בֶת	miš·šō·ḵe·ḇeṯ	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct	H7901 lie down
in your arms	חֵיקֶ֔ךָ	ḥê·qe·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H2436 bosom

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Micah 7:3 Micah 3:11 · Proverbs 4:16–17 · Amos 5:12 · Jeremiah 8:10

Micah 7:4 Isaiah 22:5 · Ezekiel 2:6 · Isaiah 10:3 · 2 Samuel 23:6–7 · Hosea 9:7–8

Micah 7:5 Jeremiah 9:4 · Psalm 118:8–9 · Matthew 10:16 · Job 6:14–15 · Judges 16:5–20

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.