MIC 1:4 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:2–7: The LORD will punish the people in Samaria

In the first paragraph of this section (1:2–5), Micah is the speaker. He began by telling the entire earth, with all its inhabitants, (1:2) to listen because the LORD would soon come down from heaven to accuse them. In 1:3–4, he continued to use vivid, figurative language to describe the LORD’s coming. In 1:5, he warned the whole nation of Israel, naming both Samaria and Jerusalem, that the LORD would judge them because of their idolatry and other sins. In the second paragraph (1:6–7), the speaker is the LORD. The LORD warned Samaria that he would completely destroy the city.

The Notes have separate section headings for 1:2–7 and 1:8–16. Here are some other examples of section headings for 1:2–7:

Judgment on Samaria (CEV)

Judgment pronounced against Samaria (NRSV)

Several other English versions use a section heading for 1:2–16. You may follow either pattern. Here are some other examples of section headings for 1:2–16:

The Coming Destruction (ESV)

Grief over Samaria and Jerusalem (NLT)

The capital cities of Israel and Judah destroyed (GW)

1:4

This verse describes what will happen when the LORD figuratively appears as the conqueror and judge of the earth and walks on the mountains.This poetic language is called a theophany. Several places in the Old Testament describe the LORD’s coming like an earthquake or like a violent storm. One of the most well-known passages is Psalm 18:7–16. The results are described as a combination of earthquakes, thunderstorms, and/or volcanic eruptions.JFB (page 688), A&F (page 166), UBS (page 131). A&F (page 159–160) describe this verse as a “composite of images” that are not necessarily consistent. He thinks that they derive from the three major comparisons that identify the presence of God in 1 Kings 19:11–12: “earthquake, wind (that is, hurricane with torrential rain) and fire (lightning).” The mountains will melt (1:4a), and the valleys will split apart (1:4b).

This verse has four poetic lines:

^4a The mountains will melt beneath Him,

^4band the valleys will split apart,

^4c like wax before the fire,

^4d like water rushing down a slope.

The first two lines (1:4a–b) mention events that will happen. The last two lines (1:4c–d) are two similes that refer to these events. There are two main interpretations of these similes:

The simile in 1:4c describes the event in 1:4a (“the mountains will melt”). The simile in 1:4d describes the event in 1:4b (“the valleys will split apart”). For example:
^4aMountains will melt under him ^4clike wax near a fire. ^4bValleys will split apart ^4dlike water pouring down a steep hill. (GW) (CEV, GW, REB)
The two similes in 1:4c–d both describe the event in 1:4a (the mountains will melt). For example:
^4aThe mountains will disintegrate beneath him, ^4band the valleys will be split in two. ^4cThe mountains will melt like wax in a fire, ^4dthe rocks will slide down like water flows down a steep slope. (NET) (NET, NLT, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most commentaries.Commentaries that support interpretation (1) include UBS, NAC, JFB, ZIBBC, KD, and Waltke 2007. A&F support interpretation (2), They comment on page 159 that the simile of “water cascading down a sluice does not make sense” in reference to valleys that are split apart. Footnote (d) in the NET also supports interpretation (2). Waltke 2007 (page 49) and Waltke 1993 (pages 618–619) describe the effect of heavy rainfall in Palestine as the water flows down a steep slope. He and other commentaries that support interpretation (1) apparently think that the simile does make sense. UBS (page 131) says that “water pouring down a hill is probably intended to bring to mind a heavy thunderstorm.” In addition to these main interpretations, WBC (pages 17–18), whose description of rainfall matches that of Waltke, advocates the view that both similes apply to the valleys. With this interpretation, the poetic lines are balanced. Each event has a simile that corresponds to it.UBS (page 130).

Most English versions are ambiguous. They do not clearly express that 4a is connected with 4c, and 4b with 4d. These versions include: BSB, KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NJB, NJPS, and NRSV.

1:4a,c; 1:4b,d

The mountains will melt beneath Him,

Then the mountains will melt under his feet,
The mountains that he steps on will become soft/liquid,
In the place where he walks, the rocks of the mountains will become like mud,

The Notes will discuss lines 1:4a and 1:4c together here to make it easier to see the connection between the event (1:4a) and the simile (1:4c). The Notes will follow the same pattern for 1:4b and 1:4d.

This verse starts with the Hebrew waw, which introduces what will happen after the LORD walks on the high places of the earth (1:3b). Some languages may express this relationship without a conjunction. For example:

Beneath him, the mountains melt (NJB)

Introduce what will happen in a natural way in your language.

The mountains will melt beneath Him: The figurative heat or intensity of the LORD’s anger will cause the mountains to melt. They will become soft and liquid. Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Mountains will melt beneath his feet… (CEV)

The mountains will become soft where he walks.

The places where his feet touch the mountains will become like liquid/mud

1:4a–d

(combined/reordered)

When that happens, the mountains will become soft beneath him like a candle that is placed close to a fire. Wide/Deep cracks/gullies will also appear in the flat land between the mountains. It will look like a place where water has flowed down the side of a mountain/cliff.

1:4b

and the valleys will split apart,

and the lowlands/plains will split apart.
and wide/deep chasms/ravines will suddenly appear in the flat lands.

and the valleys will split apart: This is the second thing that will happen after the LORD walks on the high places (1:3b). The valleys will “split open” (ESV), “crack open” (NCV), or “are torn open” (NJB).

This description of the valleys probably refers to the results of an earthquake and/or soft or watery material that flows down from the mountains to the land below, eroding the ground into deep gullies. See the preceding note on 1:4 regarding the combination of events.

Try to translate in a way that can refer to one or more of these events. For example:

Valleys will split apart (GW)

valleys are torn open (REB)

there will be cracks and deep gullies in the lowlands/plains

valleys: In Hebrew, this word refers to land that is between mountains or to land where there are no mountains. English versions translate it here as valleys. You may use any word or phrase in your language that normally contrasts with mountains. For example:

valleys

open lands

prairies/plains

lowlands

1:4c

like wax before the fire,

The mountains will become like wax/ice that is heated by a fire,
The way that the mountains will soften/melt can be compared to beeswax/resin that a person places near a fire.

like wax before the fire: When wax is put close to a fire, it quickly becomes soft and liquid.

wax: Bees use the substance called wax to make honeycomb. Beeswax or a similar wax are used to make candles. If there is no word for wax in your language, here are some other ways to translate it:

Borrow the word from another language, such as the national language.
Replace this simile with a different one. Use the name of something that melts easily when heated near a fire, such as ice, butter, or resin.
Translate without a simile. For example:
The mountains will quickly become soft and melt

If possible, use a simile to help the readers picture the event more vividly.

1:4d

like water rushing down a slope.

and the lowlands/plains will be like land/places where water has gushed/rushed down a steep hill.
The result is that these flat lands will resemble areas/places where water has flowed rapidly downward and severely eroded the ground.

like water rushing down a slope: This simile describes how the melted or crumbled rocks of the mountains flow rapidly down a steep hill.

water: In Hebrew, this word is the ordinary word for water. In this context, it refers to the water, mud, or lava that flows down from the mountains.

rushing down a slope: In Hebrew, the phrase rushing down is a single word. It means “to flow downhill.” Here are some other ways to translate this simile:

like water cascading down a slope (NET)

as when torrents pour down a hillside (REB)

The point of this simile is the destructive result of the rapid downhill flow. You may use any word or phrase in your language that can refer to rushing water, mud in a landslide, or lava. Use an expression that will help your readers understand the violence of this event.

General Comment on 1:4a–d

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder of the parts of this verse so that each simile directly follows the event that it describes. For example:

^4aThen the mountains will melt under his feet

^4clike wax that is held close to a fire.

^4bThe valleys will split apart

^4dlike when rushing water flows downhill.

See 1:4a–d (combined/reordered) in the Display for another example.

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear MIC 1:4

Hebrew word order