OET interlinear MIC 5:1

5:1a

Now, O daughter of troops, mobilize your troops: There is a textual issue here:

1. The MT has “now you will gather your troops (or cut yourself) O daughter of troops.” For example:

   Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops (NASB) (BSB, ESV, GW, KJV, NABRE, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT, GNT)

2. The LXX has “Now a daughter will be blocked with a blockage.” For example:

   Now you are walled around with a wall (NRSV) (NAB, NJB, NRSV, REB)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with most versions.

There are two main interpretations of the recommended textual option (MT):

1. The clause means “now you will gather yourselves in a troop, O daughter of troops.”BDB #1413 2. gather in troops, or bands. For example:

   Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops (ESV) (BSB, ESV, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NLT, GNT)

2. The clause means “now you will cut yourself, O daughter of troops.”BDB #1413 1. cut oneself, as religious (heathen) practice. It refers to the middle-eastern cultural practice of cutting oneself to demonstrate grief. For example:

   Now you gash yourself in grief. (NJPS) (NABRE, NET, NJPS)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions.

Now: The word Now introduces a description of the present (Micah’s) time. It also marks the start of a new prophecy.

O daughter of troops: The Hebrew phrase daughter of troops is a term of address (vocative). Some versions have added the word O to indicate this. Use a vocative that is natural in your language when a person speaks to a group of people.

The phrase daughter of troops is also a figure of speech. Its meaning is related to the word troops.The meaning of the figure of speech “daughter of…” depends on the meaning of the following word. For example, the expression “daughter of Zion,” refers to the people of Zion. See BDB #1323 sense 3 and the notes on this expression in 1:13b. Sometimes the following word may indicate a quality or characteristic of the people. For example, “daughter of a strange god” refers to people who worship idols. See BDB #1323 sense 5. There are two main interpretations:

1. It refers to troops of fighting men from Jerusalem. For example:

   Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops (NASB) (ESV, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, BSB, NIV, NLT, GNT)

2. It refers to enemy troops of fighting men that surround the city of Jerusalem.Favored by WBC (pages 42–44) and NICOT (pages 339–347). For example:

   daughter surrounded by soldiers (NET) (NET)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. Figures of speech that begin with the phrase daughter of… generally refer to a characteristic of the daughter rather than the daughter’s situation.According to JFB (page 692), the expression refers to Jerusalem’s many troops. According to Pusey (page 67), it refers to Jerusalem’s marauding, violent bands. Also EBC (page 529), and BDB #1323 sense 5.

In some languages, this figure of speech may be unnatural. Here are some other ways to translate it:

• Use a different idiom or figure of speech that conveys the right meaning in your language. For example:

  city of troops (NIV11)

• Translate the meaning directly without using a figure of speech. For example:

  Jerusalem with your many fighting menSome versions translate only part of the meaning. For example, the GNT has “People of Jerusalem.”

• Leave this term of address implied. For example:

  Mobilize! Marshal your troops! (NLT)

mobilize your troops: This phrase is a command. Micah told the people of Jerusalem to gather themselves or their fighting men into one or more groups to defend the city from attacks by the enemy. Here is another way to translate this command:

gather your soldiers together (NCV)

5:1b

a siege is laid against us: This clause describes a blockade of Jerusalem by enemy soldiers. The purpose of a siege is to force the people to surrender.According to UBS (pages 204–205), those that attacked a city often built a wall around it to cut off its communications and protect their own troops.

This is a passive clause. In some languages, it may be necessary to use an active clause and to make explicit a subject of the verb. For example:

The enemy is laying siege to Jerusalem. (NLT)

Jerusalem, enemy troops have surrounded you (CEV)

5:1c

With a rod they will strike the cheek of the judge of Israel: This clause describes an act of extreme humiliation and insult by the enemies against the king of Israel.See NICOT (pages 339–347), Pusey (page 67), and WBC (pages 42–44).

In some languages, it may be helpful to make explicit the referent of they in your translation. For example:

Enemies will strike the judge of Israel on the cheek with a stick. (GW)

rod: This word is literally “stick,” “staff,” or “scepter.” Many versions translate this word as rod or “stick.” However, here it may refer to a scepter, which indicates the authority of the one holding it.HALOT (electronic edition, page 1388). In this context, it may imply that the enemies have power over the king of Israel. For example:

With a scepter they strike Israel’s ruler (NET)

cheek: This word refers to the side of the face. Here are some other ways to translate it:

in the face (NLT)

on the side of his face (NET)

the judge of Israel: The BSB translation here is very literal. However, here the word judge refers to Israel’s ruler. At that time, the king had the responsibility to judge the people with justice.NICOT (pages 339–347). Most versions translate this phrase as the ruler or leader of Israel. For example:

they will strike Israel’s leader (NLT)