MIC 2:11 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.)

OET (OET-RV) ⇔ If someone comes to you full of talk and lies and says,
⇔ “I’ll prophesy to you about enjoying wine and strong drink,”
⇔ he’d be considered to be a prophet for this people.

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 κατεδιώχθητε οὐδενὸς διώκοντος· πνεῦμα ἔστησε ψεῦδος, ἐστάλαξέ σοι εἰς οἶνον καὶ μέθυσμα· καὶ ἔσται, ἐκ τῆς σταγόνος τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου
(katediōⱪthaʸte oudenos diōkontos; pneuma estaʸse pseudos, estalaxe soi eis oinon kai methusma; kai estai, ek taʸs stagonos tou laou toutou )

BrTr ye have fled, no one pursuing you: thy spirit has framed falsehood, it has dropped on thee for wine and strong drink. But it shall come to pass, that out of the dropping of this people,

ULT If someone comes to you in a spirit of falsehood and lies and says,
⇔ “I will prophesy to you about wine and strong drink,”
⇔ he would be considered to be a prophet for this people.

UST You people want a prophet who will lie to you,
⇔ saying, ‘I will preach that you should drink plenty of wine and other alcoholic drinks!’
⇔ That is the kind of prophet who would please you.”

2:11 Or “I will prophesy to you for wine and strong drink”

OEB If a person walking in wine and falsehood were to say,
⇔ “I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink,”
⇔ then he would be the perfect prophet for this people!’

WEBBE If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies, saying,
⇔ “I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink,”
⇔ he would be the prophet of this people.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET If a lying windbag should come and say,
⇔ ‘I’ll promise you blessings of wine and beer,’
⇔ he would be just the right preacher for these people!

LSV If one is going [with] the wind,
And [with] falsehood has lied: I prophesy to you of wine, and of strong drink,
He has been the prophet of this people!

FBV If a false prophet should come to you and lie, saying, “I'll preach to you about the virtues of wine and alcohol,” he would be the perfect prophet for your kind of people.

T4T You people want a prophet who will lie to you,
⇔ saying ‘I will preach that you should drink plenty of wine and other alcoholic drinks!’
⇔ That is the kind of prophet who would please you.”

LEB • If a man walks about in a spirit of deception and lies, saying “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”
• then he would be a preacher for this people!

BBE If a man came with a false spirit of deceit, saying, I will be a prophet to you of wine and strong drink: he would be the sort of prophet for this people.

Moff The prophet for such folk
⇔ would be some empty fellow and a liar,
⇔ who promised to prophesy of wine and spirits!
¶ 

JPS If a man walking in wind and falsehood do lie: 'I will preach unto thee of wine and of strong drink'; he shall even be the preacher of this people.

ASV If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

DRA Would God I were not a man that hath the spirit, and that I rather spoke a lie: I will let drop to thee of wine, and of drunkenness: and it shall be this people upon whom it shall drop.

YLT If one is going [with] the wind, And [with] falsehood hath lied: 'I prophesy to thee of wine, and of strong drink,' He hath been the prophet of this people!

Drby If a man walking in wind and falsehood do lie, [saying,] I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink, he shall be the prophet of this people.

RV If a man walking in wind and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
(If a man walking in wind and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee/you of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people. )

SLT If a man going in the spirit and falsehood, lying, I will drop to thee for wine and for strong drink; and he was the dropping of this people.

Wbstr If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood doth lie, saying , I will prophesy to thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

KJB-1769 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.[fn]
(If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee/you of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people. )

2.11 walking…: or, walk with the wind, and lie falsely

KJB-1611 [fn]If a man walking in the spirit and falshood, doe lie, saying, I will prophecie vnto thee of wine and of strong drinke, he shall euen bee the prophet of this people.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

2:11 Or, walke with the winde, and lie falsly.

Bshps If a man walke in the spirite, and would lye falsely saying I wyl prophecie to thee of wine and strong drinke: that were a prophete for this people.
(If a man walk in the spirit, and would lie falsely saying I will prophesy to thee/you of wine and strong drinke: that were a prophet for this people.)

Gnva If a man walke in the Spirit, and would lie falsely, saying, I wil prophecie vnto thee of wine, and of strong drinke, he shall euen be the prophet of this people.
(If a man walk in the Spirit, and would lie falsely, saying, I will prophesy unto thee/you of wine, and of strong drink, he shall even be the prophet of this people. )

Cvdl Yff I were a fleshly felowe, and a preacher of lyes and tolde them that they might syt bebbinge and bollynge, and be droncken: O that were a prophet for this people.
(Yff I were a fleshly fellow, and a preacher of lies and told them that they might sit bebbinge and bowling, and be droncken: Oh that were a prophet for this people.)

Wycl Y wolde that Y were not a man hauynge spirit, and rathere Y spak a leesyng. Y schal droppe to thee in to wyn, and in to drunkenesse; and this puple schal be, on whom it is droppid.
(I would that I were not a man having spirit, and rathere I spake a falsehood. I shall drop to thee/you in to wine, and in to drunkenness; and this people shall be, on whom it is droppid.)

Luth Wenn ich ein Irrgeist wäre und ein Lügenprediger und predigte, wie sie saufen und schwelgen sollten, das wäre ein Prediger für dies Volk.
(When I a craziness were and a lie(s)prediger and preached, as/like they/she/them drink/guzzle and revel/delight should, the were a preacher for/in_favour_of this/these people.)

ClVg Utinam non essem vir habens spiritum, et mendacium potius loquerer ! Stillabo tibi in vinum et in ebrietatem; et erit super quem stillatur populus iste.
(Utinam not/no I_would_be man having spirit, and a_lie rather speakr ! Stillabo to_you in/into/on wine and in/into/on drunkennessm; and will_be over which stillatur the_people this. )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:1–11: The LORD will punish those who oppress poor people

This section is divided into two parts: 2:1–5 and 2:6–11.

In verses 1–5, the LORD accused people in Israel of doing evil: they were dishonestly taking property away from other people. He said that he would punish them.
In verses 6–11, Micah said that people had rebuked him for prophesying these things. And the LORD again said that he would punish the people of Israel.

If you use section headings in your translation, here are some options:

Use one heading for all of 2:1–11, using the above wording. Here are some other section headings for 2:1–11:
Land Robbers Will Lose their Land (NET)
Punishment for Those Who Abuse Their Power (CEV)
Israel’s Sins Are Condemned (GW)
Use one heading for 2:1–5 and another heading for 2:6–11. For example:
^1–5Judgment against Wealthy Oppressors
^6–11True and False Prophets (NLT)
^1–5The Evil Plans of People
^6–11Micah Is Asked Not to Prophesy (NCV)
Use one heading for all of chapter 2 (2:1–13). For example:
The Fate of Those Who Oppress the Poor (GNT)
Woe to Oppressors (NASB)

TN will use one heading for 2:1–11 and another heading for 2:12–13. Use a heading or headings that will be appropriate and acceptable for your language situation.

Paragraph 2:6–11

In 2:1–2, Micah spoke about wicked people. In 2:3–5, the LORD spoke to those wicked people. Here in 2:6–11, Micah (and the LORD) continued to speak to those wicked people.

TN and most English versions begin a new paragraph at 2:6. A few versions put a section heading before 2:6. For example:

False Prophets (NIV)

Micah Is Asked Not to Prophesy (NCV)

True and False Prophets (NLT)

You can put a section heading here if you wish. But TN will use one section heading for all of 2:1–11.

2:11

In this verse, the LORD, speaking through Micah, described the evil people of the nation. The GNT and a few other versions begin a new paragraph at verse 11. The Notes do not begin a new paragraph until verse 12. You may do whatever is more appropriate in your language.

2:11a

If a man of wind were to come and say falsely,

If a person goes from place to place and tells many lies, and he says,
Suppose that a person repeatedly tells lies wherever he goes.

If a man of wind were to come and say falsely: In Hebrew, this verse part is more literally “If a man walking wind and falsehood lies.”This literal version of the Hebrew is based on BART and the first NET footnote for v.11. Some of the words have more than one meaning. They are also connected to each other in different ways. The Notes will give the most likely meaning rather than try to lay out multiple interpretation issues. These words describe any man who said/claimed he was a prophet, but his message was not from the LORD.

a man of wind: In some languages, it may be clearer to translate this phrase as a plural. For example:

Liars and frauds may go around and say (GW)

If people come telling many lies

of wind…say falsely: In Hebrew, this phrase (“wind and falsehood lies”) has two aspects of meaning:

The false prophet said things that were worthless. His words were empty. They were just like wind.
His words were falsehoods. They were not true.

The Hebrew phrase may imply that the people who listened were deceived (NIV: “liar and deceiver”), because they enjoyed listening to his preaching.

were to come: This verb probably has two aspects of meaning:Versions that focus on a person who is a liar and tells many lies include CEV, NCV, NET, NIV, and NLT. Versions that focus on the aspect of going from place to place include BSB, ESV, GW, NRSV, and REB. The GNT includes both aspects.

The false prophet continually spoke lies.
He traveled from place to place.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

These people want the kind of prophet who goes around full of lies and deceit… (GNT)

If a person goes from place to place and repeatedly tells lies

2:11a–c

(combined/reordered)

These people want the kind of prophet who goes around and repeatedly tells lies. He says, ‘I prophesy/predict that you will have plenty of wine and intoxicating/alcoholic beverages to drink.’

2:11b

“I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”

‘I proclaim/predict to you^(plur) that you will have plenty of wine and beer,’
He claims to be a prophet and says, ‘You will be prosperous and have lots of intoxicating/alcoholic beverages/things to drink.’

“I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”: The false prophet preached to the people of wine and strong drink. This probably means that he predicted that the people would have lots of wine and strong drink. The implication is that they would have good crops and a prosperous life.

preach: The word preach is the same word that is found three times in Micah 2:6. It means “to preach, to proclaim a message.” See the note at 2:6a.

to you: In Hebrew, the pronoun you is singular. But it clearly refers to the Jewish people. So in most languages, it will probably be more natural to use a plural pronoun.

wine and strong drink: In Hebrew, the phrase wine and strong drink refers to wine and beer.Waltke 2007 (pages 123–124) points out that although šēḵār almost always occurs together with yayin and “denotes not just barley beer but any alcoholic beverage, the article with ‘wine and beer’ marks them out as belonging to a class unique and determined in themselves. Both are light intoxicants, about 7–10 percent alcoholic content, by comparison with modern liquors and strong drinks.” Both wine and beer are alcoholic drinks that contain a small percentage of alcohol. If your language does not have specific words for wine and beer, you may use a general phrase such as “intoxicating drinks” or “drinks that can make a person drunk.”

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer (NIV)

I’ll promise you blessings of wine and beer (NET)

2:11c

he would be just the preacher for this people!

that is the kind of preacher/prophet that these people want to listen to.”
These evil people like to listen to people who preach/prophesy that kind of message.”

he would be just the preacher for this people!: This verse part shows sarcasm. The LORD said this to show that he was angry with these evil people. If a true prophet preached to them a message from the LORD, they said “Do not preach” (2:6). But if a false prophet preached a worthless message about wine and beer, that is the kind of preacher these people liked to hear. Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

That would be the kind of preacher these people would like.

You people would enjoy a preacher who said things like that.

this people: This phrase refers to the people that the LORD has been speaking to in 2:8–10. Notice that in 2:8–10, the LORD spoke to these people, but here in 2:11, he spoke about them. If this will confuse your readers, you can translate this people as “you” or “people like you.” For example:

But you people want a false prophet who will tell you nothing but lies. (NCV)

General Comment on 2:11a–c

In some languages, it may be more natural to combine and/or reorder the parts of this verse. For example:

“These people want the kind of prophet who goes around full of lies and deceit and says, ‘I prophesy that wine and liquor will flow for you.’ (GNT)

Parallel MIC 2:11