Micah

Micah 7:3–7

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

6For a son dishonors his father,

a daughter rises against her mother,

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

A man’s enemies are the members

of his own household.c

7But as for me, I will look to the LORD;

I will wait for the God of my salvation.

My God will hear me.

Footnotes

  • a 7:4 Or your punishment
  • b 7:5 Hebrew in your bosom
  • c 7:6 Cited in Matthew 10:35–36|MAT 10:35-36; see also Luke 12:53.

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

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Both handsכַּפַּ֙יִם֙kap·pa·yimNoun - fdH3709 hollow, or flat of the hand, palm, sole of foot, pan
are skilledלְהֵיטִ֔יבlə·hê·ṭîḇPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH3190 be good, well, glad, pleasing
at evilהָרַ֤עhā·ra‘Article; Adjective - masculine singularH7451 bad, evil
the princeהַשַּׂ֣רhaś·śarArticle; Noun - masculine singularH8269 chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince
and the judgeוְהַשֹּׁפֵ֖טwə·haš·šō·p̄êṭConjunctive waw, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH8199 judge, govern
demandשֹׁאֵ֔לšō·’êlVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH7592 ask, inquire
a bribeבַּשִׁלּ֑וּםba·šil·lūmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH7966 requital
When the powerfulוְהַגָּד֗וֹלwə·hag·gā·ḏō·wlConjunctive waw, Article; Adjective - masculine singularH1419 great
uttersדֹּבֵ֨רdō·ḇêrVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH1696 speak
hisה֖וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
evilהַוַּ֥תhaw·waṯNoun - feminine singular constructH1942 desire
desireנַפְשׁ֛וֹnap̄·šōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
they all conspire togetherוַֽיְעַבְּתֽוּהָ׃way·‘ab·bə·ṯū·hāConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person feminine singularH5686 interlace, pervert

Micah 7:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The best of themטוֹבָ֣םṭō·w·ḇāmNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
like a brierכְּחֵ֔דֶקkə·ḥê·ḏeqPreposition-k; Noun - masculine singularH2312 brier
the most uprightיָשָׁ֖רyā·šārAdjective - masculine singularH3477 straight, right
than a hedge of thornsמִמְּסוּכָ֑הmim·mə·sū·ḵāhPreposition-m; Noun - feminine singularH4534 hedge
The dayי֤וֹםyō·wmNoun - masculine singular constructH3117 day
for your watchmenמְצַפֶּ֙יךָ֙mə·ṣap·pe·ḵāVerb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singularH6822 look out or about, spy, keep watch
has comeבָ֔אָהḇā·’āhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
your visitationפְּקֻדָּתְךָ֣pə·qud·dā·ṯə·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH6486 oversight, mustering, visitation, store
Nowעַתָּ֥ה‘at·tāhAdverbH6258 now
isתִהְיֶ֖הṯih·yehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
of their confusionמְבוּכָתָֽם׃mə·ḇū·ḵā·ṯāmNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine pluralH3998 confusion, confounding

Micah 7:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Do notאַל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
relyתַּאֲמִ֣ינוּta·’ă·mî·nūVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralH539 confirm, support
on a friendבְרֵ֔עַḇə·rê·a‘Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH7453 shouting, roar
do notאַֽל־’al-AdverbH408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
trustתִּבְטְח֖וּtiḇ·ṭə·ḥūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralH982 trust
in a companionבְּאַלּ֑וּףbə·’al·lūp̄Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH441 tame
Sealשְׁמֹ֖רšə·mōrVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH8104 keep, watch, preserve
the doorsפִּתְחֵי־piṯ·ḥê-Noun - masculine plural constructH6607 opening, doorway, entrance
of your mouthפִֽיךָ׃p̄î·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH6310 mouth
from her who liesמִשֹּׁכֶ֣בֶתmiš·šō·ḵe·ḇeṯPreposition-m; Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular constructH7901 lie down
in your armsחֵיקֶ֔ךָḥê·qe·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH2436 bosom

Micah 7:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Forכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
a sonבֵן֙ḇênNoun - masculine singularH1121 son
dishonorsמְנַבֵּ֣לmə·nab·bêlVerb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularH5034 be senseless, foolish
his fatherאָ֔ב’āḇNoun - masculine singularH1 father
a daughterבַּ֚תbaṯNoun - feminine singularH1323 daughter
risesקָמָ֣הqā·māhVerb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularH6965 arise, stand up, stand
against her motherבְאִמָּ֔הּḇə·’im·māhPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person feminine singularH517 mother
and a daughter-in-lawכַּלָּ֖הkal·lāhNoun - feminine singularH3618 daughter-in-law, bride
against her mother-in-lawבַּחֲמֹתָ֑הּba·ḥă·mō·ṯāhPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person feminine singularH2545 husband's mother
A man’sאִ֖ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
enemiesאֹיְבֵ֥י’ō·yə·ḇêVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructH341 be hostile to
the membersאַנְשֵׁ֥י’an·šêNoun - masculine plural constructH582 man, mankind
of his own householdבֵיתֽוֹ׃ḇê·ṯōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH1004 house

Micah 7:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But as for meוַאֲנִי֙wa·’ă·nîConjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singularH589 I
I will lookאֲצַפֶּ֔ה’ă·ṣap·pehVerb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singularH6822 look out or about, spy, keep watch
to the LORDבַּיהוָ֣הYah·wehPreposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
I will waitאוֹחִ֖ילָה’ō·w·ḥî·lāhVerb - Hifil - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularH3176 wait
for the Godלֵאלֹהֵ֣יlê·lō·hêPreposition-l; Noun - masculine plural constructH430 God
of my salvationיִשְׁעִ֑יyiš·‘îNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH3468 deliverance, rescue, salvation
My Godאֱלֹהָֽי׃’ĕ·lō·hāyNoun - masculine plural construct; first person common singularH430 God
will hear meיִשְׁמָעֵ֖נִיyiš·mā·‘ê·nîVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singularH8085 hear

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

Micah 7:6 Matthew 10:35–36 · Luke 12:53 · Matthew 10:21 · Psalm 41:9 · Ezekiel 22:7 · Psalm 55:12–14 · 2 Timothy 3:2–3 · Matthew 26:49–50 · Matthew 26:23 · Luke 21:16 · Obadiah 1:7 · John 13:18

Micah 7:7 Lamentations 3:25–26 · Psalm 37:7 · 1 John 5:14–15 · Isaiah 45:22 · Psalm 27:12–14 · Isaiah 25:9 · Psalm 34:5–6 · Psalm 55:16–17 · Psalm 40:1–3 · Psalm 25:5 · Psalm 130:5 · Psalm 38:15

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.