OET interlinear MIC 2:8

2:8–11

In verses 8–11, the LORD continued to speak to the wicked Jews through Micah his prophet. In contrast to the upright people mentioned in 2:7d, the people in 2:8–11 did not walk uprightly.

2:8a

(NRSV) But you rise up against my people as an enemy: The NRSV has been used as the source line for 2:8a because it follows the recommended option. There is a textual issue in the Hebrew text that affects the presence or absence of a time phrase in this verse part:

1. Some scholars think the original text said “And/But you^(plur) rise against my people as an enemy.”The interpretation presented here is the most common of the many ways that scholars have suggested to change the Hebrew text. According to this interpretation, they change the words “and/but recently my-people” to “and/but-you^(plur) against my-people.” They also change the verb from 3rd singular “he rose” to another form, such as the participle “rising.” See NET note, EBC (page 514), A&F (pages 315–316), Hillers (page 35) and Waltke 2007 (page 117) for more details. Hillers, NICOT, Mays, and UBS are among those who support the changes. Waltke 2007, WBC, and KD are among those who support no changes. For example:

   …but you rise up as an enemy against my people (NET)

   but an enemy arises against my people (NJPS) (CEV, NCV, NET, NJB, NJPS, NRSV, REB, GNT)

2. The Masoretic Text has “And/But yesterday/earlier…”The initial w conjunction can be translated as either “and” or “but.” BART uses the word “yesterday.” Most versions that follow this interpretation use “recently” or “earlier.” For example:

   Recently My people have arisen as an enemy— (NASB)

   Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. (NIV) (BSB, ESV, GW, KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with a slight majority of versions and commentaries.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

You attack my people like enemies. (GNT)

But you are fighting against my people like an enemy. (NCV)

(NRSV) rise up…as an enemy: This phrase means that the people mentioned here acted like an enemy acts. They did cruel things to the LORD’s people, treating them like an enemy would treat them. This is a general statement. In 2:1–2, Micah had already described some of the cruel things that they did. They took land and houses away from other people.

2:8b–9b

In 2:8b–9b, the LORD, speaking through Micah, specifically described three of the cruel things that these people did: they took robes away from men (2:8b–c), they took houses away from women (2:9a), and they took God’s blessing away from children (2:9b).

2:8b

You strip off the splendid robe: There is a textual issue here with the phrase off the splendid robe:

1. The Masoretic Text has “from in front of a garment.” It means that the outer robe would be stripped from the garment underneath. For example:

   You strip off the rich robe… (NIV) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, NAB, NASB, NCV, NIV, KJV, NJPS, NLT, GNT)

2. Some scholars think that the original text said “from the peaceful.” It means that the robe would be stripped from those who are peaceful. For example:

   you strip the robe from the peaceful (NRSV) (NJB, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow the first option along with almost all English versions and all the commentaries used in the preparation of these notes.

strip off the splendid robe: This phrase means “to forcibly pull or yank the robe off a person’s body.”In Micah 2:8b, these words probably refer to violent people literally pulling a robe off another person’s body. However, it is also possible that the people addressed here were money-lenders and that the words should be understood figuratively. If a person borrowed money from a money-lender and could not pay it back in time, the money-lender would take the person’s coat away. In the case of a poor, homeless person, he would be left without anything to keep him warm at night. God forbade this in Exodus 22:26–27. In Hebrew, the verb tense indicates that these people did this regularly, whenever they had the opportunity.In Hebrew, the verb tense is imperfect. It indicates that this is something they have done and are still doing. They did it to more than one person. The same verb tense also occurs in 2:9a and 2:9b.

splendid robe: This word refers to the long outer garment or mantle that Jewish men often wore on top of their other clothes. This splendid robe was like a coat that helped keep them warm.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

you have stripped off the mantle covering the tunic… (NAB)

you take the cloaks from people… (NCV)

you habitually take the coats away from people…

2:8c

from unsuspecting passersby: The wicked people strip the robe from any travelers who are walking past the places where the wicked people live. These travelers pass by unsuspecting. They do not suspect that anyone will harm them. They think that there is no danger and that they are safe. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

from those who pass by trustingly (NRSV)

from those who pass by without a care (GW)

from those who think no one will harm them

2:8c–d

2:8d

like men returning from battle: This phrase further describes the meaning of 2:8c. There are at least three ways to interpret this phrase:

1. It refers literally to people who are returning from battle. They are not thinking about the battle or the war, because the fighting is over and they are on their way home. For example:

   from those returned from war (NASB) (CEV, GW, NASB, NRSV, GNT)

2. It is a simile. It means that these travelers were like people returning from battle. For example:

   like men returning from battle (NIV) (BSB, NAB, NET, NIV, NLT)

3. It refers either literally or with a simile to people who are opposed to war and do not expect to go to war. For example:

   as men averse from war (KJV) (KJV, NJPS)

TN will follow interpretation (1). You may follow either (1) or (2) in your translation. There is commentary support for all three interpretations.Commentaries that support interpretation (1) include Waltke 2007, A&F, UBS, and the NET note. Commentaries that support interpretation (2) include TOTC and NAC. Commentaries that support interpretation (3) include KD, WBC, EBC, and JFB. According to A&F (page 313), “The abuses described in v 9 resemble those described in vv 1–5; the abuses described in v 9 have a background in war, perhaps the same war as was the occasion for the lament in 1:10–16.” Waltke 2007 (pages 118–119) says: they are returned from battle (cf. Isa 59:20, where šûb with the genitive also means “return from”). The qal passive participle šûbê is a hapax legomenon. BDB thinks it means “averse,” but this is an overly extended meaning of “return.” The passive, “returned,” indicates that the subject has been acted upon, though, as often, the agent is unnamed and impersonal. Our poet uses military imagery throughout the verse. Many scholars want to add “like,” but he began the metaphor when he called the powerful “enemies.” In support of interpretation (2), NAC (pages 67–68) says: “he charges them with attacking innocent passers-by as if they were enemies…The latter thought they were as safe as soldiers returning from a battle they had won.” Few versions follow interpretation (3).