OET interlinear MIC 7:12

7:12a

On that day: This phrase refers to the same day, or time period, as in 7:11a and 7:11b. See the note on the same phrase under 7:11b for other translation examples.

they will come to you: In Hebrew, the word come means either come or “return.”HALOT (electronic edition, page 113). In Hebrew, the word they is literally indefinite “someone/he.” In this verse the word refers collectively to people from various locations. There are three main interpretations of who the people are:

1. The reference is to Gentiles and/or to Jewish exiles.Favored by Pusey (page 97). For example:

   In that day people will come to you. (NET)This interpretation is indicated by the NET footnote on “people.” (CEV, ESV, NAB, NASB, NET, NIV, NLT, NRSV, BSB)

2. The reference is to Jewish exiles.Favored by UBS, Mays, and WBC. For example:

   At that time your people will come back to you (NCV) (GNT, GW, NCV, REB)

3. The reference is to Gentiles.Favored by KD, JFB, and NAC. For example:

   The day when others come to you. (NJB)The NJB fits here if the word “others” indicates other people=non-Jewish people. However, the word “others” is actually ambiguous, as it could mean additional Jewish exiles other than those already present. (NJB, NJPSThe NJPS has “[Tramplers] will come streaming…” This translation may point to Gentile enemies who attack and trample down the people of Jerusalem or Israel.)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). All the versions listed under interpretation (1) leave the identity of the people implied. These versions translate the word they either as they or as “people.” The implied reference could be either “Gentiles,” “Jewish exiles,” or both groups.

to you: The referent of you in this phrase is probably the city of Jerusalem as in the phrase “your walls” in 7:11a.The context of the paragraph suggests that the city of Jerusalem remains the referent here. However, in Hebrew, the pronoun you is masculine singular here, but is feminine singular in 7:11a. This difference in form is probably stylistic in nature. See the note there for more details.

7:12b–e

Notice the similarity between these parallel lines:

^12b from Assyria and the cities of Egypt,

^12ceven from Egypt to the Euphrates,

^12d from sea to sea

^12eand mountain to mountain.

Each of these four lines describes a separate large region. Travelers from each of these regions will journey to Jerusalem.The large size of these regions, and the unnamed regions, “from sea to sea and mountain to mountain” may indicate that these lines together are a figure of speech (synecdoche) that represents the entire known world at that time. For example, the GNT translates it this way, “Your people will return to you from everywhere….” See also TOTC (page 223). However, it is uncertain that these lines are figurative. For that reason it is not recommended that you follow this interpretation. If readers are unfamiliar with these places, it may be helpful to include a map.

from…to: In Hebrew, these words, used together, are an expression that indicates the boundaries of an area.DCH (page 343) gives the example “from Dan to Beer-sheba” in Judges 20:1. In Hebrew, the word from means “from/from out of” a place.DCH (page 343) and Waltke 2007 (page 439). In Hebrew, the word to means “to/as far as” a place.DCH (page 343). The place names of each boundary are also part of the expression, as shown in each of the examples above.

7:12b

from Assyria and the cities of Egypt: In Hebrew, the word māṣôr “Egypt” is a less common, poetic name of Egypt. See KD (page 345). All versions translate this word as “Egypt.” There is a textual issue regarding this phrase:

1. Some scholars think that the original text was “from Assyria to Egypt.”The Hebrew word וְעָרֵי “and the cities [of Egypt]” looks very similar to the word וְעַד “to/as far as.” The NET footnote on “as far as” suggests that the following parallel line indicates that וְעָרֵי is a corrupt form of וְעַד. Also JFB (page 695). For example:

   from Assyria to Egypt (REB) (NET, NRSV, REB)

2. Some scholars think that the original text was “from Assyria and [from] Egypt.” For example:

   all the way from Assyria, from Egypt (NJB) (CEV, NAB, NJB, GNT)

3. The Masoretic Text has “from Assyria and the cities of Egypt.”Favored by KD (page 345). For example:

   From Assyria and the towns of Egypt (NJPS) (BSB, ESV, GW, KJV, NASB, NCV, NIV, NJPS, NLT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). It is the best match to the parallel line 12c.

The nation of Assyria was northeast of Jerusalem. The nation of Egypt was southwest of Jerusalem. In some languages it may be helpful to include these directions. For example:

from Assyria in the east, from Egypt in the south (GNT)

7:12c

even from Egypt to the Euphrates: There is a textual issue regarding this phrase:

1. The Masoretic Text has “and from Egypt and to [the] River.”Favored by Cheyne, UBS, NICOT, Waltke 2007, and TOTC. For example:

   and from Egypt to the River (ESV) (ESV, GW, NASB, NCV, NET, NIV, NJPS, NLT, NRSV, BSB, REB)

2. The LXX and the Peshitta have “from Tyre as far as the river.”UBS (page 254) notes that in Hebrew, the words for “from Egypt” and “from Tyre” look similar. For example:

   from Tyre even to the River (NAB) (NAB, NJB)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with the majority of versions. This line refers to the entire region from Egypt to the Euphrates river.

Here is another way to translate this referent:

From [every land from] Egypt to the Euphrates (NJPS)

the Euphrates: This phrase is literally “the river.” It may be helpful to make this referent explicit in your translation as in the BSB. Here is another example:

the Euphrates River (NET)

7:12d

from sea to sea and mountain to mountain: These phrases are more literally “and sea from sea and mountain the mountain.” These phrases probably do not refer to specific seas or mountains. Rather they refer to any seas and any mountains.Some commentators regard the referent of these phrases to be the entire earth. For example, Pusey, Mays, UBS, and KD. Some others regard the referent to be regions closer to the nation of Israel. For example, the phrase “sea to sea” may refer to the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf and the phrase “mountain to Mountain” may refer to Sinai to Lebanon. See Cheyne, and NICOT. Most versions supply extra words to make these phrases sound more natural. For example:

from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain (ESV)

from the seacoasts and the mountains (NET)

from distant seas and far-off mountains (GNT)