Micah 3

King James Version

Full text for Micah Chapter 3

1¶ And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; [Is it] not for you to know judgment?

2Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;

3Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.

4Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

5Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

6Therefore night [shall be] unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.

7Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for [there is] no answer of God.

8¶ But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

9Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

10They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

11The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, [Is] not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

12Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed [as] a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Micah condemns the leaders, princes, and false prophets of Israel for their severe oppression, injustice, and corruption. He declares that because they hate good, love evil, and mislead the people for personal gain, the Lord will not hear their cries and will bring judgment upon them. The prophet warns that Zion and Jerusalem will be utterly destroyed due to their iniquity.

Medium Summary

The prophet Micah begins by rebuking the heads and princes of Jacob for their profound injustice, likening their exploitation of the people to cannibalism. He warns that when these corrupt leaders cry to the Lord, He will hide His face from them due to their wicked deeds. Micah then turns his attention to the false prophets who deceive the people, proclaiming peace for personal gain but threatening those who do not provide for them. For their deceit, these prophets will experience spiritual darkness, losing their ability to divine, and will be shamed as God offers no answer. In stark contrast, Micah asserts his own prophetic authority, empowered by the Spirit of the Lord to declare Israel's transgressions. He reiterates the condemnation of the leaders who build Zion and Jerusalem through bloodshed and iniquity, judging for reward, while priests teach for hire and prophets divine for money, yet presumptuously claim God's protection. Consequently, Zion will be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem reduced to ruins.

Long Summary

Micah chapter 3 opens with a powerful indictment from the prophet against the heads and princes of the house of Israel, questioning their failure to uphold justice and judgment. He graphically describes their oppressive actions, accusing them of hating good and loving evil, metaphorically flaying the skin and eating the flesh of the people, breaking their bones and chopping them like meat for a pot. For such egregious behavior, Micah declares that when these leaders eventually cry out to the LORD, He will not hear them but will hide His face, a direct consequence of their ill doings. The prophecy then shifts focus to the false prophets who mislead the Lord's people, biting with their teeth and crying "Peace" when they are fed, but preparing war against those who do not provide for their mouths. As a divine consequence, these false prophets are promised a future of spiritual darkness, where night will prevent visions and the sun will set over them, leaving them unable to divine. The seers and diviners will be shamed and confounded, covering their lips in disgrace, for there will be no answer from God. In a pivotal interjection, Micah affirms his own prophetic commission, stating he is filled with power, judgment, and might by the Spirit of the LORD, specifically to declare Jacob's transgression and Israel's sin. He once again addresses the heads and princes, emphasizing their abhorrence of judgment and their perversion of all equity. They are accused of building Zion and Jerusalem with blood and iniquity, highlighting systemic corruption. The leaders judge for financial reward, the priests teach for hire, and the prophets divine for money, yet paradoxically, they lean upon the LORD, presumptuously believing He is among them and no evil can befall them. However, Micah delivers a severe pronouncement of judgment: for their sakes, Zion shall be plowed as a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, and the mountain of the house, likely referring to the Temple Mount, will become like the high places of the forest, signifying its desolation.

Core Concepts

  • Oppression of LeadersThe rulers of Israel are depicted as violently exploiting their own people, metaphorically flaying and eating them, demonstrating a profound lack of justice and compassion.
  • False ProphecyProphets are condemned for misleading the people, prophesying peace for personal gain and threatening those who do not provide for them, thereby corrupting divine communication.
  • Divine Judgment on LeadersFor their wicked deeds and perversion of justice, the Lord will refuse to hear the cries of the corrupt leaders, hiding His face from them.
  • Divine Judgment on False ProphetsThe false prophets will face spiritual darkness, losing their ability to receive visions or divine answers, and will be shamed as God remains silent.
  • Micah's True Prophetic AuthorityMicah contrasts himself with the corrupt leaders and prophets, asserting that he is empowered by the Spirit of the Lord with judgment and might to truthfully declare Israel's sins.
  • Corruption of Religious and Civil InstitutionsThe chapter highlights how leaders, priests, and prophets alike are motivated by greed, judging, teaching, and divining for reward and hire, despite claiming the Lord's presence.
  • Desolation of Jerusalem and ZionThe ultimate consequence of the widespread iniquity is the complete destruction and desolation of Zion and Jerusalem, which will be plowed as a field and reduced to heaps.