MIC 1:2 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 Ἀκούσατε λαοὶ λόγους, καὶ προσεχέτω ἡ γῆ, καὶ πάντες οἱ ἐν αὐτῇ· καὶ ἔσται Κύριος Κύριος ἐν ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτύριον, Κύριος ἐξ οἴκου ἁγίου αὐτοῦ.
(Akousate laoi logous, kai proseⱪetō haʸ gaʸ, kai pantes hoi en autaʸ; kai estai Kurios Kurios en humin eis marturion, Kurios ex oikou hagiou autou. )

BrTr Hear these words, ye people; and let the earth give heed, and all that are in it: and the Lord God shall be among you for a testimony, the Lord out of his holy habitation.

ULT Hear, all you peoples.
⇔ Listen, earth, and all that is in it.
⇔ Let the Lord Yahweh be against you as a witness,
⇔ the Lord from his holy temple.

UST You people everywhere on the earth, pay attention to this.
⇔ Yahweh our God is accusing you from his holy temple in heaven.

OEB Listen, all you peoples!
⇔ Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the earth!
⇔ For the Lord God will be a witness against you,
⇔ the Lord from his holy temple!

CSB Listen, all you peoples; pay attention, earth and everyone in it! The Lord GOD will be a witness against you, the Lord, from his holy temple.

NLT Attention! Let all the people of the world listen! Let the earth and everything in it hear. The Sovereign LORD is making accusations against you; the Lord speaks from his holy Temple.

NIV Hear, you peoples, all of you, listen, earth and all who live in it, that the Sovereign LORD may bear witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

CEV Listen, all of you! Earth and everything on it, pay close attention. The LORD God accuses you from his holy temple.

ESV Hear, you peoples, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it, and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

NASB Hear, O peoples, all of you; Listen, O earth and all it contains, And let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, The Lord from His holy temple.

LSB Hear, O peoples, all of you; Give heed, O earth, as well as its fullness, And let Lord Yahweh be a witness against you, The Lord from His holy temple.

WEBBE Hear, you peoples, all of you!
⇔ Listen, O earth, and all that is therein.
⇔ Let the Lord[fn] GOD be witness against you,
⇔ the Lord from his holy temple.

1:2 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”

WMBB Hear, you peoples, all of you!
⇔ Listen, O earth, and all that is therein.
⇔ Let the Lord[fn] GOD be witness against you,
⇔ the Lord from his holy temple.

1:2 The word translated “Lord” (mixed case) is “Adonai.”

MSG God Takes the Witness Stand Listen, people—all of you.
  Listen, earth, and everyone in it:
The Master, God, takes the witness stand against you,
  the Master from his Holy Temple.
    * * *

NET Listen, all you nations!
⇔ Pay attention, all inhabitants of earth!
⇔ The sovereign Lord will testify against you;
⇔ the Lord will accuse you from his majestic palace.

LSV Hear, O peoples, all of them! Attend, O earth, and its fullness,
And Lord YHWH is against you for a witness,
The Lord from His holy temple.

FBV Listen, all the nations! Pay attention, everyone on earth! The Lord God testifies against you from the Lord's holy Temple.

T4T You people everywhere on the earth, pay attention to this [DOU]!
⇔ Yahweh our God is accusing you from his holy temple in heaven.

LEB • Hear, all you peoples; give heed, O earth and its fullness.
• And let the Lord Yahweh be against you as a witness,
• the Lord from his holy temple .[fn]

1:1 Literally “the temple of his holiness”

NRSV Hear, you peoples, all of you; listen, O earth, and all that is in it; and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

NKJV Hear, all you peoples! Listen, O earth, and all that is in it! Let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, The Lord from His holy temple.

NAB Hear, O peoples, all of you, give heed, O earth, and all that is in it! Let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple!

BBE Give ear, you peoples, all of you; give attention, O earth and everything in it: let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy Temple.

Moff Attend, all nations,
⇔ listen, O earth and all on earth!
⇔ The Eternal has a warning for you,
⇔ the Lord from his sacred temple on high.
¶ 

JPS Hear, ye peoples, all of you; Hearken, O earth, and all that therein is; and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple.

ASV Hear, ye peoples, all of you; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord Jehovah be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

DRA Hear, all ye people: and let the earth give ear, and all that is therein: and let the Lord God be a witness to you, the Lord from his holy temple.

YLT Hear, O peoples, all of them! Attend, O earth, and its fulness, And the Lord Jehovah is against you for a witness, The Lord from His holy temple.

Drby Hear, ye peoples, all of you; hearken, O earth, and all that is therein: and let the Lord Jehovah be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple!

RV Hear, ye peoples, all of you; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
(Hear, ye/you_all peoples, all of you; hearken, Oh earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. )

SLT Hear, all ye peoples; attend, O earth, and its fulness, and the Lord Jehovah shall be among you for a witness, Jehovah from his holy temple.

Wbstr Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

KJB-1769 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.[fn][fn]
(Hear, all ye/you_all people; hearken, Oh earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. )

1.2 all ye…: Heb. ye people, all of them

1.2 all that…: Heb. the fulness thereof

KJB-1611 [fn]Heare all ye people, hearken O earth, and [fn]all that therein is, and let the LORD God be witnesse against you, the LORD from his holy temple.
(Hear all ye/you_all people, hearken Oh earth, and all that therein is, and let the LORD God be witness against you, the LORD from his holy temple.)

1:2 Heb. heare yee people all of them.

1:2 Heb. the fulnesse therof.

Bshps Heare all ye people, marke this well O earth and all that therein is: yea let the Lorde God him selfe be witnesse against you, euen the Lorde from his holy temple.
(Hear all ye/you_all people, mark this well Oh earth and all that therein is: yea let the Lord God himself be witness against you, even the Lord from his holy temple.)

Gnva Heare, al ye people: hearke thou, O earth, and all that therein is, and let the Lord God be witnes against you, euen ye Lord from his holy Teple.
(Hear, all ye/you_all people: hearke thou/you, Oh earth, and all that therein is, and let the Lord God be witness against you, even ye/you_all Lord from his holy Teple. )

Cvdl Heare all ye people, marcke this well o earth, and all that therin is: Yee the LORDE God himself be witnesse amonge you, euen ye LORDE from his holy temple.
(Hear all ye/you_all people, mark this well o earth, and all that therein is: Ye/You_all the LORD God himself be witness among you, even ye/you_all LORD from his holy temple.)

Wycl Here ye, alle puplis, and the erthe perseyue, and plentee therof, and be the Lord God to you in to a witnesse, the Lord fro his hooli temple.
(Here ye/you_all, all peoples, and the earth perceive, and plenty thereof, and be the Lord God to you in to a witness, the Lord from his holy temple.)

Luth Höret, alle Völker, merke auf, Land, und alles, was drinnen ist! Denn GOtt der HErr hat mit euch zu reden, ja, der HErr aus seinem heiligen Tempel!
(Hear, all peoples, notice on/in/to, country, and all/everything, what/which inside is! Because God the/of_the LORD has with you to/for talk, ya, the/of_the LORD out_of his holy temple!)

ClVg [Audite, populi omnes, et attendat terra, et plenitudo ejus: et sit Dominus Deus vobis in testem, Dominus de templo sancto suo.
([Listen, of_the_people everyone, and attendat earth/land, and fullness his: and be Master God to_you(pl) in/into/on testem, Master from/about temple holy his_own. )

SOTN SIL Open Translation 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)

1:2

Verses 1:2a and 1:2b are parallel commands. Verse 1:2c gives the reason for the commands in 1:2a–b.

1:2a–b

(combined/reordered)

All of you^(plur) people in all the nations of the world, listen carefully to the words that Lord Yahweh will speak.

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^a Hear, O peoples, all of you;

^b listen, O earth, and everyone in it!

Hear…listen: These parallel commands both mean “listen carefully” or “pay attention.” Micah used the same Hebrew word for Hear in 3:1, 3:9, 6:1, and 6:2.

all of you…and everyone in it!: These phrases emphasize and/or clarify the commands to “Hear” and “listen.”

1:2a

Hear, O peoples, all of you;

¶ Listen now, all of you^(plur) different groups of people in the various nations/countries.
¶ You people in all parts of the world whose languages are mutually different, it will be good if you listen.

Hear, O peoples, all of you: In Hebrew, the first phrase is literally “Hear, peoples.” The second phrase, all of you, adds emphasis.The second phrase is literally “all of them.” Hillers (page 16) and Waltke 2007 (pages 45–46) both point out that normal Hebrew syntax uses third-person pronouns in modifying clauses following a vocative. Waltke notes that lack of the definite article in both parallel vocatives can be attributed to the “terse prophetic style.” It refers here to all the people groups or nations of the world. In some cases, these “people groups” may be described in terms of different languages. For example:

groups of people who speak mutually different languages

Many English versions supply a word such as “you” (NIV) or O to indicate that Micah is addressing the peoples directly and wants them to start listening to his words.

In some languages, it may not be natural to address people groups in this way. Here are some ways to address the people directly as well as to emphasize all of them:

All of you people must listen!

Listen, everybody!

In some languages, it may be necessary for a verb like “hear” to have an object. If that is true in your language, here are some ways to make an object explicit:

Hear this message…

Listen to what God says…

1:2b

listen, O earth, and everyone in it!

Listen carefully, all of you^(plur) who live on earth.
All of you who inhabit the earth, pay attention to these words.

listen, O earth, and everyone in it: The phrase and everyone in it is literally “and its fullness” or “and what fills it.”WBC (page 15) glosses the literal Hebrew text as “all her fullness.” JFB (page 688) has “whatever fills it.” BART glosses the construct noun as “what fills it.” There are two main ways to interpret this verse part:

Micah is using a poetic way to address all the people on the earth. For example:
…listen, earth and all who live in it. (NIV11)
…earth and everyone on it (NJB) (BSB, GW, NCV, NET, NIV11, NJB, NLT96, REB, GNT)Most versions listed under this interpretation use words such as “everyone” and “all who.” In the opinion of the TN editor, the NET “all inhabitants of earth” refers primarily to human inhabitants, but technically, according to Webster’s, an inhabitant is “a person or animal that inhabits some specified region, dwelling, etc.” So the NET rendering may include animals as well as people.
Micah is addressing the earth and all created things on it, including people, animals, mountains, trees, rivers, etc. For example:
listen, O earth, and all it contains (NASB)
Earth and everything on it, pay close attention. (CEV) (CEV, ESV. NAB, NLT, KJV, NASB, NJPS, NRSV)Most versions listed under this interpretation use words such as “everything” and “all that.”

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).Many commentaries do not speak to this issue. Others make statements that could support either interpretation. NAC (page 48) clearly favors interpretation (1). It says: “The addressees are ‘all peoples,’ a reference to all nations, as shown by the parallel (more literally ‘those who fill the earth’).” KD (page 289–290) agrees with NAC, WBC, and Waltke 2007 that the phrase “those who fill with earth” supports the view that “all peoples” refer to all nations, not to all tribes of Israel, but he thinks that “the whole earth, and all creatures upon it, are to hear, because the judgment which the prophet has to announce to Israel affects the whole earth.” With this view, the command to pay careful attention must be understood as highly personified, since mountains and non-human creatures cannot literally “listen” to what the Sovereign LORD says in the more literal sense that peoples/nations can listen. There are at least two reasons:

General Comment on 1:2a–b

The parallel line (1:2a) clearly refers to the people groups or nations of the world rather than to the earth or other created things. With interpretation (1), the parallel parts in 1:2b have the same reference.
The context that follows these parallel commands deals primarily with Israel and Judah and with other nations. It assumes that Micah’s audience will be able to pay attention and respond to this first message.The second message begins at 3:1. It is addressed to the leaders of Jacob/Israel. The third message begins at 6:1. Like the other messages, it presents a legal case, this time the LORD’s case against Israel. It corresponds somewhat to interpretation (2) in 1:2b, because it urges the mountains and foundations of the earth to listen to the LORD as he presents his case.

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder these two parallel lines. For example:

All you people on earth, you from all the nations, listen carefully.

1:2c

May the Lord GOD bear witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple.

The Lord Yahweh, who is in his holy temple, will testify/witness against you^(plur).
Hear what Lord/King Yahweh says as he accuses/judges you from the holy place where he lives.
Yahweh the all-powerful King will tell about the evil things you have done. He will speak from the special place that is set apart as his own home.

May the Lord GOD bear witness against you: In this verse part, Micah implied that the people should listen to the testimony that the Lord was about to give. Some of these words are found in 1:6–7.

There are textualThe MT, two different Hebrew manuscripts, and the LXX all differ in the way they understand the initial word (wihi) in this verse part. TN has focused on the main textual and interpretation issues rather than complicating the discussion. See Waltke 2007 (page 45) for more details. In addition to these textual issues, the LXX has “among you for a testimony” rather than “a witness against you.” The REB has “so that the Lord GOD…may bear witness among you.” The rendering “among you” is not supported by other English versions used in TN or by most scholars. and interpretation issues that affect the function of this verse part and its relationship to Micah’s commands in 1:2a–b to listen carefully. The Notes will discuss these issues together. Here are the main interpretations:

This verse part is a statement that the Lord GOD will testify against the people. For example:
The Lord GOD will be a witness against you (NCV) (CEV, GW, NCV, NET, NIV, NJB, NLT, REB, GNT)
This verse part is an indirect, third-person request. It expresses Micah’s prayer or desire that the Lord GOD will testify against the people. For example:
and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you (ESV) (BSB, ESV, KJV, NABRE, NASB, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. In this context, this kind of jussive constructive (“and let…”) normally functions like an imperfect (non-past) verb.NICOT (page 266), WBC (page 15), and A&F (page 132) translate this clause as a jussive but give no justification. Waltke 2007 (page 45) and NET footnote (c) give reasons that support the majority of English versions. With both interpretations, it is implied from 2:1a–b that the people should listen carefully to the Lord’s testimony against them.

There is more than one way to interpret the relationship between Micah’s commands in 1:2a–b that the people listen and the statement in 1:2c that the Lord GOD would testify against them:

The connection is not explicit. It should be left implied. For example:
Yahweh intends to give evidence against you (NJB)
The Sovereign Lord will testify against you. (GNT) (BSB, CEV, GW, NCV, NET, NJB, NLT, GNT)
The statement in 1:2c gives the reason why Micah told the people to listen in 1:2a–b. For example:
for I AM will become a witness against youWaltke 2007 (page 44).
The statement in 1:2c gives the purpose why the people should heed the commands in 1:2a–b. For example:
that the Sovereign Lord may witness against you (NIV) (NIV, REB)

The Display will follow interpretation (1) along with most versions. It will leave the relationship unspecified. You may follow either interpretation (1) or (2). In many languages, a reason will be implied whether or not 1:2c is introduced with a word such as “for” or “because.”

One reason not to follow interpretation (3) is that a purpose word or phrase like “that” or “so that” may wrongly imply that if the people did not listen, the LORD would not testify.

Lord GOD: In Hebrew, this double name, ʿadonay yhwh, is used over 280 times in the Old Testament to refer to God. The word ʿadonay means “lord/master.” The word yhwh is God’s personal name.

Most English versions follow the tradition of using “LORD” instead of “Yahweh” (yhwh). Since it is awkward to have an expression such as Lord LORD, most English versions use one expression to indicate God’s authority and another one to translate his own name. For example:

Sovereign Lord (NLT)

Lord GOD (NCV)

Almighty Lord (GW)

See the note on “Yahweh, the LORD” in the Introduction.

bear witness against you: This phrase is usually used in a courtroom. It figuratively describes God as a lawyer who is presenting a case in a trial. Micah told all people to listen to the evidence that God will present. This evidence will prove that all people were guilty of doing evil.

In some languages, this courtroom language may be confusing, because God is the judge as well as the lawyer. If this is true in your language, you may want to use a more general expression. For example:

The Almighty LORD accuses/judges you

The Lord Yahweh will declare that what you have done wrong

the Lord from His holy temple: The word Lord here is ʿadonay, the same as in the first part of 1:2c. The Lord was in His holy temple when he spoke as a witness against the people. He would speak from that location.

This phrase contains implied information from the first part of 1:2c. In some languages, it may be more natural to make this information explicit. For example:

The Lord will be a witness from his holy temple. (GW)

Listen! He speaks from his holy temple. (adapted from GNT)

His holy temple: This phrase refers here to heaven, the LORD’s dwelling place, not to the temple in Jerusalem. In 1:3, Micah described God leaving “his place” (“his home” in the NJB) and coming down to the earth. So it is logical that the phrase His holy temple in 1:2c also refers to heaven, the place where God lives. If possible, do not specify in your translation that the temple is in heaven or in Jerusalem.

holy: God’s temple is called holy because it is special, set apart to be his dwelling place. In most languages, you will be able to use the same term for holy that you used for “holy temple” or “holy place” elsewhere in Scripture.

temple: The Hebrew word that is translated here as temple refers to a large magnificent building. In some OT passages, it refers to a palace, the home of a king. In this verse, where it refers to the home of the great king, God, there is little practical difference between “palace” and temple.NIDOTTE (#2121). According to TWOT (#493), the Hebrew word hekal is a loan from Sumerian/Akkadian that occurs 80 times. It “essentially represents a king’s dwelling quarters, i.e. a palace.” NIDOTTE clarifies that it refers to “palace” in only 15 OT passages. TWOT agrees that “God’s true temple and throne are in heaven” and lists Micah 1:2 specifically in support of that statement. Almost all English versions translate it as temple.Exceptions are the NET “his majestic palace” and NJPS “his holy abode.” Here are some other ways to translate “his holy temple”:

his holy house/home

the holy place where he lives

the special place that is set apart as his own home

General Comment on 1:2c

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine the first and last phrases of this verse part. For example:

The Lord Yahweh accuses you from his holy temple. (adapted from the CEV).

Parallel MIC 1:2