1. καὶ ἐρεῖ ἀκούσατε δὴ ταῦτα αἱ ἀρχαὶ οἴκου Ιακωβ καὶ οἱ κατάλοιποι οἴκου Ισραηλ οὐχ ὑμῖν ἐστιν τοῦ γνῶναι τὸ κρίμα
2. οἱ μισοῦντες τὰ καλὰ καὶ ζητοῦντες τὰ πονηρά ἁρπάζοντες τὰ δέρματα αὐτῶν ἀπ’ αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς σάρκας αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτῶν
3. ὃν τρόπον κατέφαγον τὰς σάρκας τοῦ λαοῦ μου καὶ τὰ δέρματα αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτῶν ἐξέδειραν καὶ τὰ ὀστέα αὐτῶν συνέθλασαν καὶ ἐμέλισαν ὡς σάρκας εἰς λέβητα καὶ ὡς κρέα εἰς χύτραν
4. οὕτως κεκράξονται πρὸς κύριον καὶ οὐκ εἰσακούσεται αὐτῶν καὶ ἀποστρέψει τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ἀνθ’ ὧν ἐπονηρεύσαντο ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν αὐτῶν ἐπ’ αὐτούς
5. τάδε λέγει κύριος ἐπὶ τοὺς προφήτας τοὺς πλανῶντας τὸν λαόν μου τοὺς δάκνοντας ἐν τοῖς ὀδοῦσιν αὐτῶν καὶ κηρύσσοντας ἐπ’ αὐτὸν εἰρήνην καὶ οὐκ ἐδόθη εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν ἤγειραν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν πόλεμον
6. διὰ τοῦτο νὺξ ὑμῖν ἔσται ἐξ ὁράσεως καὶ σκοτία ὑμῖν ἔσται ἐκ μαντείας καὶ δύσεται ὁ ἥλιος ἐπὶ τοὺς προφήτας καὶ συσκοτάσει ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς ἡ ἡμέρα
7. καὶ καταισχυνθήσονται οἱ ὁρῶντες τὰ ἐνύπνια καὶ καταγελασθήσονται οἱ μάντεις καὶ καταλαλήσουσιν κατ’ αὐτῶν πάντες αὐτοί διότι οὐκ ἔσται ὁ εἰσακούων αὐτῶν
8. ἐὰν μὴ ἐγὼ ἐμπλήσω ἰσχὺν ἐν πνεύματι κυρίου καὶ κρίματος καὶ δυναστείας τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαι τῷ Ιακωβ ἀσεβείας αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ Ισραηλ ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ
9. ἀκούσατε δὴ ταῦτα οἱ ἡγούμενοι οἴκου Ιακωβ καὶ οἱ κατάλοιποι οἴκου Ισραηλ οἱ βδελυσσόμενοι κρίμα καὶ πάντα τὰ ὀρθὰ διαστρέφοντες
10. οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες Σιων ἐν αἵμασιν καὶ Ιερουσαλημ ἐν ἀδικίαις
11. οἱ ἡγούμενοι αὐτῆς μετὰ δώρων ἔκρινον καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς αὐτῆς μετὰ μισθοῦ ἀπεκρίνοντο καὶ οἱ προφῆται αὐτῆς μετὰ ἀργυρίου ἐμαντεύοντο καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον ἐπανεπαύοντο λέγοντες οὐχὶ κύριος ἐν ἡμῖν ἐστιν οὐ μὴ ἐπέλθῃ ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς κακά
12. διὰ τοῦτο δι’ ὑμᾶς Σιων ὡς ἀγρὸς ἀροτριαθήσεται καὶ Ιερουσαλημ ὡς ὀπωροφυλάκιον ἔσται καὶ τὸ ὄρος τοῦ οἴκου ὡς ἄλσος δρυμοῦ
Footnotes:
3:1-3 - Micah denounces the leaders of Israel and Judah, accusing them of devouring the people and acting corruptly. The injustice of the rulers brings God's judgment upon the people, reflecting the responsibility of leaders for the well-being of society (see also Isaiah 56:10-12 and Jeremiah 23:1-2).
3:4 - The prophet warns that when people cry out to God in the midst of suffering, He will not hear them, for they have ignored His justice. People's rejection of God results in His absence in times of need (see also Proverbs 1:24-28 and Zechariah 7:13).
3:5-8 - Micah presents himself as a true prophet, contrasting his righteousness with the corrupt prophets who preach for profit. God's true message is based on justice and fairness, not on the pursuit of personal gain (see also Jeremiah 23:16-22 and Matthew 7:15-20).
3:9-12 - The prophet continues to denounce the corruption and false teaching of the leaders and prophets. The city of Jerusalem will be destroyed due to wickedness and oppression, showing that wickedness leads to destruction (see also Isaiah 1:21-23 and Matthew 23:37-39).
03:13 - The corruption of leaders leads to judgment, symbolized by the destruction of Jerusalem. The accountability of rulers and spiritual leaders is central to divine justice (see also Ezekiel 34:2-10 and James 3:1).
Verses related to Miquéias, 3:
Micah chapter 3 confronts Israel's corrupt leadership. How have leaders betrayed their calling? This scathing text condemns unjust judges, mercenary prophets, and greedy priests who distort the truth for profit. Micah contrasts his own prophetic integrity with the moral failure of the leaders. The chapter culminates with the announcement of judgment on Jerusalem, highlighting the consequences of systemic injustice. Investigate with us five biblical passages that resonate with the critical themes of this provocative chapter.
Jeremiah 5:31: "Prophets prophesy lies, priests rule by their own authority, and my people like that. But what will you do when this is all over?" - Like Micah 3:5-7, Jeremiah criticizes corrupt religious leaders.
Ezekiel 22:27: "Their leaders are like wolves that tear their prey to pieces; they shed blood and kill people for dishonest profits." - This verse echoes Micah's denunciation of corrupt leaders in 3:1-3.
Isaiah 1:23: "Their leaders are rebels, friends of thieves; They all love bribery and are after gifts. They do not defend the rights of the orphan; and the widow's cause does not reach them." - Isaiah, like Micah in 3:9-11, condemns the corruption of leaders.
Amos 7:7-8: "He showed me yet another vision: The Lord was standing next to a wall built with plumb lines, and he had a plumb line in his hand. And the Lord asked me, 'What do you see, Amos?' 'A plumb line,' I replied. Then the Lord said, 'Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will spare him no more.'" - Just as Micah 3:12 prophesies the judgment of Jerusalem, Amos uses the image of the plumb line to speak of the judgment of Israel.
Psalms 79:1: "O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; They desecrated your holy temple and reduced Jerusalem to ruins." - This psalm laments the destruction of Jerusalem, which Micah prophesies in 3:12.
FAQ:
What does Micah condemn about Israel's leaders in Micah 3?
Micah condemns Israel's leaders for their corruption, seeking only their own interests and exploiting the poor and weak, rather than upholding justice. (Micah 3:1-3)
What does Micah prophesy about the fate of corrupt leaders?
Micah prophesies that corrupt leaders will face God's wrath, and their prayers will be ignored because of their injustice and disloyalty. (Micah 3:4)
What does Micah say about prophets who deceive the people?
Micah denounces prophets who preach false promises in exchange for personal gain, warning that they will be punished for their lies. (Micah 3:5-7)
How does Micah contrast the leaders of Israel with the true prophet of God?
Micah presents himself as the true prophet, who speaks out for God with courage and denounces injustice, while other prophets and leaders are corrupted. (Micah 3:8)
What does Micah prophesy about Jerusalem in Micah 3?
Micah prophesies that Jerusalem will be destroyed because of the corruption of its leaders and the moral bankruptcy of its people, but there is still hope for restoration. (Micah 3:12)
