MIC 1:16 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

BrLXX Ξύρησαι, καὶ κεῖραι ἐπὶ τὰ τέκνα τὰ τρυφερά σου, ἐμπλάτυνον τὴν χηρείαν σου ὡς ἀετὸς, ὅτι ᾐχμαλωτεύθησαν ἀπὸ σοῦ.
(Xuraʸsai, kai keirai epi ta tekna ta trufera sou, emplatunon taʸn ⱪaʸreian sou hōs aetos, hoti aʸⱪmalōteuthaʸsan apo sou. )

BrTr Shave thine hair, and make thyself bald for thy delicate children; increase thy widowhood as an eagle; for thy people are gone into captivity from thee.

ULT Shave your head
⇔ and cut off your hair
⇔ for the sons in whom you delight.
⇔ Make yourself as bald as eagles,
⇔ for they will go into exile from you.

UST You people of Judah, shave your heads and go into mourning,
⇔ because the children whom you love will soon go into exile.

OEB Shave your head in mourning for the children you love,
⇔ until you are bald as vultures, because they have left you for exile.

WEBBE Shave your heads,
⇔ and cut off your hair for the children of your delight.
⇔ Enlarge your baldness like the vulture,
⇔ for they have gone into captivity from you!

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Shave your heads bald as you mourn for the children you love;
⇔ shave your foreheads as bald as an eagle,
⇔ for they are taken from you into exile.

LSV Make bald and shave, for your delightful sons,
Enlarge your baldness as an eagle,
For they have removed from you!

FBV Shave your heads, for the children you love will be taken away; make yourselves as bald as a vulture, for they will be exiled far away from you.

T4T You people of Judah, shave your heads while you will be mourning,
⇔ because your children whom you love will soon be ◄exiled/forced to leave you and go to another country►.

LEB   • Make yourselves bald and cut off your hair
  • for the children of your pleasure.
• Expand your baldness as the eagle,
  • for they will go into exile away from you.

BBE Let your head be uncovered and your hair cut off in sorrow for the children of your delight: let the hair be pulled from your head like an eagle's; for they have been taken away from you as prisoners.

Moff Israel, shave your head and hair,
⇔ in mourning for your children dear,
⇔ shave it like a vulture’s, bare;
⇔ for they are lost to you.

JPS Make thee bald, and poll thee for the children of thy delight; enlarge thy baldness as the vulture; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

ASV Make thee bald, and cut off thy hair for the children of thy delight: enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

DRA Make thee bald, and be polled for thy delicate children: enlarge thy baldness as the eagle: for they are carried into captivity from thee.

YLT Make bald and shave, for thy delightful sons, Enlarge thy baldness as an eagle, For they have removed from thee!

Drby Make thee bald, and poll thee for the children of thy delights; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle, for they are gone into captivity from thee.

RV Make thee bald, and poll thee for the children of thy delight: enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.
(Make thee/you bald, and poll thee/you for the children of thy/your delight: enlarge thy/your baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee/you. )

SLT Make bald, and shave for the sons of thy delights; increase thy baldness as the eagle; for they were carried away captive from thee.

Wbstr Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

KJB-1769 Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.
(Make thee/you bald, and poll thee/you for thy/your delicate children; enlarge thy/your baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee/you. )

KJB-1611 Make thee bald, and polle thee for thy delicate children, enlarge thy baldnesse as the Eagle, for they are gone into captiuitie from thee.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps Make thee baulde, and shaue thee because of thy tender children: make thee cleane baulde as an Egle, for they shalbe caried away captiue from thee.
(Make thee/you baulde, and shave thee/you because of thy/your tender children: make thee/you clean bald as an Eagle, for they shall be carried away captive from thee/you.)

Gnva Make thee balde: and shaue thee for thy delicate children: enlarge thy baldenesse as the eagle, for they are gone into captiuity from thee.
(Make thee/you bald: and shave thee/you for thy/your delicate children: enlarge thy/your baldeness as the eagle, for they are gone into captivity from thee/you. )

Cvdl Make the balde, and shaue the, because of thy tender children: Make the cleane balde as an Aegle, for they shalbe caried awaye captyue from the.
(Make the balde, and shave them, because of thy/your tender children: Make the clean bald as an Eagle, for they shall be carried away captive from them.)

Wycl Be thou maad ballid, and be thou clippid on the sones of thi delices; alarge thi ballidnesse as an egle, for thei ben lad caitif fro thee.
(Be thou/you made ballid, and be thou/you clipped on the sons of thy/your delices; enlarge thy/your baldness as an eagle, for they been lad captive from thee/you.)

Luth Laß die Haare abscheren und gehe kahl über deine zarten Kinder! Mache dich gar kahl wie ein Adler; denn sie sind von dir gefangen weggeführet.
(Let the hair shear_off and go bald above your delicaten children! Make you/yourself even bald as/like a eagle(s); because/than they/she/them are from you/to_you(sg) caught led_away.)

ClVg Decalvare, et tondere super filios deliciarum tuarum; dilata calvitium tuum sicut aquila, quoniam captivi ducti sunt ex te.]
(Decalvare, and tondere over children deliciarum of_yours(pl); dilata baldness your(sg) like eagle, since/because captivi led are from you(sg).] )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:8–16: Micah mourned because an enemy army will invade Judah and take many people into exile

In 1:5, Micah mentioned the sins of the people in Samaria and Jerusalem. In 1:6–7, he predicted that the LORD would destroy Samaria. Here in 1:8–16, he predicted that the LORD would also punish the people in Judah, including Jerusalem. He would punish them by causing an enemy army to invade Judah.

This section has two paragraphs: 1:8–9 and 1:10–16. In the first paragraph, Micah said that he would “lament and wail” (BSB). He described the way that he would mourn and then gave the reason. In the second paragraph, he mentioned several cities in Judah that an enemy army would soon attack on its way to Jerusalem. Some versions have separate section headings for each paragraph. The Notes will include both paragraphs as part of the same section. Here are some other examples of section headings for the entire section (1:8–16):

Lament for Jerusalem and the lowland towns (NJB)

Judah Is Doomed (CEV)

The Doom of the Cities of Judah (NRSV)

Micah mourned the disaster that will happen to various cities in Judah

If you choose to use separate section headings for 1:8–9 and 1:10–16, here are some examples for 1:8–9:

Weeping and Mourning (NIV, BSB)

Micah’s Great Sadness (NCV)

Either the CEV or NRSV headings above will be appropriate for 1:10–16. Here is another example:

Disaster will happen to various cities in Judah

Paragraph 1:10–16

In this paragraph, Micah mentioned the names of eleven towns in Judah in addition to the city of Jerusalem (v.12). These towns were located in the foothills between the low coastal area and the mountains of Judah.EBC (page 508). According to A&F (page 212), some of the cities mentioned have not been identified, and it is not possible to guess the route of the attack or the identity of the invaders. It could have been any of several different kings.

In many English versions as well as TN, 1:10–16 forms one paragraph. Some versions divide it into two or three paragraphs. For example, the GNT has two paragraphs (10–14 and 15–16). The NLT has three paragraphs (10–12, 13–15, and 16). Use whatever paragraph structure is appropriate for your language.

Here are some of the poetic variations of Micah’s lament in 1:10–16:

In some verses, he spoke to the people in a particular town. In other verses, he spoke about them.
Sometimes he used plural nouns or pronouns to refer to the people in a particular town. At other times, he used singular nouns or pronouns.

English versions consistently use either plural or singular forms throughout these verses. For example, in 1:11b, the NJB uses singular pronouns:

She has not left her city, she who lives in Zanaan. (NJB)

The NIV uses a plural pronoun:

Those who live in Zaanan will not come out. (NIV)

You may use either singular or plural forms or a combination of the two, depending on what is natural and appropriate in your language.

In 1:10–16, Micah used past tense verbs to describe what was still in the future. See the notes on 1:9b and 1:9c for more details.

Micah also made puns with the names of several of the towns or cities. A pun is a figure of speech in which a person uses a word that has two meanings or a word that sounds like another word.

In some verses, he used a word that sounded like the name of that town.
In other verses, he said something about a town that was related to the meaning of its name.

Here is a brief summary of the puns in each verseThis summary is condensed and adapted from EBC (pages 407–8.) and some general advice on how to translate puns. Complete notes on each verse will start with 1:10a.

Beth-leaphrah (1:10b): The name of this city sounds like the Hebrew words that mean “house of dust.” Micah commanded those who live in that town to roll in the dust.
Shaphir (1:11a): This name means “beautiful” or “pleasant” in Hebrew. Micah said that the lives of the people in that town will not be pleasant.
Zaanan (1:11b): This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “come out.” Micah said that the people there will not come out of their city.
Beth-ezel (1:11c): This name probably means “nearby house” in Hebrew. Micah said that Beth-ezel would no longer be nearby to serve as a “standing place” (protection, refuge) for Jerusalem.
Maroth (1:12a): This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “bitter.” Micah said that the people in that town will suffer bitterly.
Lachish (1:13): This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “team of horses.” Micah told the people in that town to flee like running horses.
Moresheth (-gath) (1:14a): This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “betrothed” (engaged to be married). Just like a young woman departs from her family when she gets married, so the people in that town would soon depart from Judah.
Achzib (1:14b): This name means “deception” in Hebrew. That town will be a deception to the kings of Israel. These kings had hoped in vain that the people of Achzib would help them fight the enemy.
Mareshah (1:15a): This name sounds like the Hebrew word for “conqueror.” The LORD will bring an enemy to that town who will conquer them.

In addition to the above puns, Micah also included the names of two places (Gath 1:10a) and Adullam (1:15b) that are famous in Jewish history. Their significance will be discussed in the notes on those verses.

The people to whom Micah spoke over 2,700 years ago understood the puns. They also understood the historical significance of Gath and Adullam. But most people today do not understand these things. That is the reason it is difficult to translate these verses clearly. Here are some general options to consider in translating the puns:

Ignore the puns. Most English versions do this in the actual translation. Just translate the name in the Hebrew text. Those who read your translation will understand the basic meaning of each verse, but they will not know that there was a pun in Hebrew.
Use footnotes to explain the puns. Many English versions with footnotes do this. For example, the NIV uses footnotes at 1:10a, 11b, 12a, 13a, and 15a to explain that a name sounds like another Hebrew word. It uses other footnotes at 1:10b, 11a, and 14b to explain the meaning of the name of a town.
Explain in your translation the meaning or the sound of the names for the cities. If you use this option, you will need to clearly indicate in some way that this information is not part of your translation.

Choose an option that is appropriate for the readers in your language area.

1:16

In this verse, Micah addressed the people of Judah. The GNT makes this explicit by starting the verse with the words “People of Judah…”

This verse has two pairs of parallel lines that are similar in meaning. The first line is parallel to the third line. The second line is parallel to the fourth line:

^16a Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair

^16b in mourning for your precious children,

^16c make yourselves as bald as an eagle,

^16d for they will go from you into exile.

In some languages, this kind of parallelism may cause confusion. If that is true in your language, it may be possible to combine the similar verse parts. For example:

^16a,cPeople of Judah, shave your head as bald as a buzzard and start mourning. ^16b,dYour children whom you love will be dragged off to a foreign country. (similar to CEV)

1:16a-c

Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair in mourning…make yourselves as bald as an eagle: Here Micah talked about a symbolic action. One way that the Jews mourned when they were very sad was to cut off some of the hair on their heads.Other verses that talk about this symbolic action are Job 1:20; Isaiah 15:2; 22:12; Jeremiah 7:29; 16:6; and Amos 8:10.

The BSB and many other English versions make explicit the meaning of the action by using the words “in mourning” or “ in sorrow” or something similar, usually in 1:16a. For example:

“Shave your heads in mourning” (NIV)

shave your heads in sorrow (NLT)

cut off your hair to show you are sad (NCV)

1:16a–b

(combined/reordered)

You people of Judah! Mourn for all the people in your cities whom you love. Cut off your hair to show how sad you are.

Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair in mourning for your precious children: Micah ordered the people to mourn for their beloved children by cutting off the hair on their own heads and making themselves bald. These two actions are not in chronological order. The first phrase, Shave yourselves bald, is the result of cutting off the hair.

If it is clearer in your language, you may reverse the order. For example:

Cut off your hair to make yourselves bald!

You may also translate Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair as one action. For example:

People of Judah, cut off your hair in mourning for the children you love. (GNT)

Shave your heads bald as you mourn for the children you love (NET)

Use a natural option for your language.

for: In Hebrew, the word for in 1:16b indicates purpose. The purpose for mourning is to show their sorrow because of what will happen to their children. For example:

in order to mourn for the children whom you love

to show your sorrow about the children whom you love

your precious children: This phrase is a figure of speech. It refers to the people in the cities that Micah mentioned in 1:10–15. In 1:16, Micah talked to the people Judah as if the entire nation were a motherIn Hebrew the commands in 1:16a–b are feminine singular, as if Micah was talking to a woman. Most scholars agree that Micah was talking to the nation of Judah, or perhaps to the rulers of Judah in Jerusalem. and its cities were like the mother’s children.

Here are some ways to translate this figure of speech (personification) in your language:

Translate this figure of speech literally. The GNT and NET (quoted above under 1:16a) are two examples.
Translate this figure of speech literally. Add a footnote to explain the meaning. For example:
your precious children (CEV)

The CEV also has the following footnote:

1:16 precious children: The towns mentioned in verses 10–15.

General Comment on 1:16a–b

Translate this figure of speech as a simile. For example:
You people of Judah! Cut off your hair until you are bald! Do this to mourn for your fellow-citizens, whom you love like a mother loves her own children.
Translate the meaning directly without using a figure of speech. For example:
People of Judah, cut off your hair to mourn for all the people in those cities of yours.

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the information in 1:16a–b. See 1:16a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display for an example.

1:16a

Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair

Cut off^(plur) your hair and thus make yourselves bald! Show how sad you are
You people of Judah! Shave off all of your hair!

1:16b

in mourning for your precious children;

because of what will happen to your^(plur) children whom you loved so much.
Do this in order to mourn for all the people in those cities that gave you such joy.

1:16a–d

(combined/reordered)

People of Judah, your^(plur) enemies will capture the people in your cities who are like children that you love and will force them to live in other countries. So show how sad you are by cutting off your hair till you are bald. Yes, make yourselves bald like a vulture.

1:16c

make yourselves as bald as an eagle,

Cut off^(plur) all of your hair until you are as bald as a vulture,
That’s right! Cut off your hair until you are totally bald to show how sad you are.

make yourselves as bald as an eagle: In 1:16a, Micah told the people to make themselves bald. Here in 1:16c, he added emphasis by using a simile that compares their baldness to a bird that has few or no feathers on its head. In Hebrew, there are two main ways to interpret the word that the BSB translates as eagle:According to a footnote in the NET, “The Hebrew term נֶשֶׁר (nešer) refers to the griffon vulture or eagle.” A&F also say that the Hebrew word is a general term for eagles or vultures.

It refers to a vulture or buzzard. For example:
make yourselves as bald as the vulture (NIV)
…as bald as a buzzard (CEV) (CEV, GW, NABRE, NIV, NJB, NLT, REB, GNT)
It refers to an eagle. For example:
Let your baldness be as the eagle’s (NAB) (BSB, ESV, KJV, NAB, NASB, NCV, NET, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1),Commentaries that favor interpretation (1) include: UBS, KD, ZIBBC, NICOT, NAC, and Waltke. JFB, however, comments that all eagles are comparatively bald in molting season. Pusey (page 27) comments that in terms of actual baldness, the vulture is a better choice, but in favor of the eagle, he quotes Bochart as saying, “The moulting of the eagle involves some degree of weakness, with which he compares Judah’s mournful and weak condition amid the loss of their children, gone into captivity.” unless “eagle” better conveys Micah’s emphasis in your language area. Vultures are known in most parts of the world as bald-headed birds that eat dead animals.

as bald as an eagle: This simile means “very bald” or “completely bald.” Here are some ways to translate this figure of speech (following interpretation (1)):

Use a simile that is similar to one used in the NIV or CEV (quoted above).
Substitute the name of a bird in your country that is well-known for its bare head. For example:
as bald as a wanaa-bird’s head
Translate the meaning without a figure of speech. For example:
Make yourselves completely bald.

Use a natural option for your language that is acceptable and clear.

1:16d

for they will go from you into exile.

because all those people will go away from you^(plur) and live as slaves in a foreign land.
You will be sad because your enemies will take away all those people from your land and make them live as slaves in another land.

for: In Hebrew, the word for in 1:16d introduces the reason for 1:16c.UBS (pages 150–152). The reason is that the people will go into exile.

they: The pronoun they refers to “your precious children” in 1:16a. That phrase is a figure of speech for the people in the cities Micah had talked about in 1:10–15. (See the Note on 1:16b above.)

will go from you into exile: Some English versions translate this verb phrase as if the action has already occurred. For example:

they have gone away from you into exile (REB)

Most scholars think that Micah used the past tense here to emphasize that this event will certainly happen. See the note and endnote at 1:9b.UBS (pages 150–152) and NAC (pages 61–62) both document in detail the historical events that indicate that Micah was using the prophetic perfect tense to refer to future events. WBC (pages 22–23) agrees, but he makes the following comment: “Those who read it as complete in the past regard this verse as a post-exilic addition to the work of Micah.” A&F give other reasons to support a historical exile in the past: “All references to “exile” do not have to be attached to the Babylonian Exile of the sixth century, just because it has been given so much space in the Hebrew Bible. If 2 Chronicles 28 provides the background for Micah 1 we are at a moment where captives have been taken, but not yet returned.”

Here are some other ways to translate this verb phrase:

because your children will be taken away to a foreign land (NCV)

for they are taken from you into exile (NET)

from you: Many of the people in Judah will be taken away from their cities, neighbors, and relatives, but most of them will remain. The pronoun you here refers to those who remain.

into exile: This means that the enemy army will capture their cities, take some of the people as prisoners, and force them to move to a different country.

General Comment on 1:16a–d

Micah’s main point in this verse is that an enemy army will force many people in Judah to go live in another country (1:16b, d). In some languages, it may be clearer to reorder the verse parts so that the main point occurs first. See 1:16a–b (combined/reordered in the Display for an example.

Parallel MIC 1:16