MIC 2:8 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) ⇔ Lately my people have risen up against me like an enemy.
⇔ You strip the rich robe off those who are innocently going past,
⇔ like a soldier on the battlefield might have done to his enemy.

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 Καὶ ἔμπροσθεν ὁ λαός μου εἰς ἔχθραν ἀντέστη, κατέναντι τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ· τὴν δορὰν αὐτοῦ ἐξέδειραν, τοῦ ἀφελέσθαι ἐλπίδας συντριμμὸν πολέμου.
(Kai emprosthen ho laos mou eis eⱪthran antestaʸ, katenanti taʸs eiraʸnaʸs autou; taʸn doran autou exedeiran, tou afelesthai elpidas suntrimmon polemou. )

BrTr Even beforetime my people withstood him as an enemy against his peace; they have stripped off his skin to remove hope in the conflict of war.

ULT Lately my people have risen up like an enemy.
⇔ You strip the rich robe from those who pass trustingly
⇔ as those returning from battle.

UST But Yahweh says,
⇔ “Recently my people have been acting toward me like an enemy.
⇔ You rich people refuse to return the coats of those who have borrowed money from you,
⇔ the coats they gave you to promise that they would repay their debts.
⇔ You take their coats without warning, surprising them as much as soldiers returning from war would be surprised by attacks instead of safety at home.

OEB But you, you stand up as a foe against those who are peaceful;
⇔ you strip the robe from those who pass by quietly, averse to conflict.

WEBBE But lately my people have risen up as an enemy.
⇔ You strip the robe and clothing from those who pass by without a care, returning from battle.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET but you rise up as an enemy against my people.
⇔ You steal a robe from a friend,
⇔ from those who pass by peacefully as if returning from a war.

LSV And recently My people raise up as an enemy,
You strip off the honorable ornament from the outer garment,
From the confident passers by,
You who are turning back from war.

FBV Lately my people have risen up against me like an enemy. You steal the coats off the backs of those passing by, men returning from war who expect to be safe in their homeland.

T4T But Yahweh says,
⇔ “Recently my people have been acting toward me like an enemy.
⇔ When soldiers return from fighting against their enemies,
⇔ you rich people refuse to return the coats of those poor soldiers who have borrowed money from you
⇔ and given you their coats to guarantee that they will pay back the money that they borrowed from you.
⇔ It is as though you are waiting to forcefully take their coats off their backs!

LEB • But recently[fn] my people have risen up as an enemy; from before the cloak you strip off the robe
• from those passing by in confidence,
• returning from war.

2:3 Literally “yesterday”

BBE As for you, you have become haters of those who were at peace with you: you take the clothing of those who go by without fear, and make them prisoners of war.

Moff You are the worst foes of my folk,
⇔ attacking peaceful men,
⇔ and plundering quiet passers-by,

JPS But of late My people is risen up as an enemy; with the garment ye strip also the mantle from them that pass by securely, so that they are as men returning from war.

ASV But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip the robe from off the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.

DRA But my people, on the contrary, are risen up as an enemy: you have taken away the cloak off from the coat: and them that passed harmless you have turned to war.

YLT And yesterday My people for an enemy doth raise himself up, From the outer garment the honourable ornament ye strip off, From the confident passers by, Ye who are turning back from war.

Drby But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip off the mantle with the garment from them that pass by securely, that are averse from war.

RV But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip the robe from off the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
(But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye/you_all strip the robe from off the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war. )

SLT Aforetime my people for the enemy: he will raise them up from before the garment; ye will put off the wide cloak from those passing by with confidence, turning back the war.

Wbstr Even of late my people hath risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse to war.

KJB-1769 Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.[fn][fn]
(Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye/you_all pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war. )

2.8 of late: Heb. yesterday

2.8 with the: Heb. over against a

KJB-1611 [fn][fn]Euen of late, my people is risen vp as an enemie: ye pull off the robe with the garment, frō them that passe by securely, as men auerse from warre.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

2:8 Heb. yesterday.

2:8 Heb. ouer against a garment.

Bshps But he that was yesterday my people, is rysen vp on the other side as against an enemie: they spoyle the beawtifull garment from them that passe by peaceably, as though they returned from the warre.
(But he that was yesterday my people, is risen up on the other side as against an enemy: they spoil the beawtifull garment from them that pass by peaceably, as though they returned from the war.)

Gnva But hee that was yesterday my people, is risen vp on the other side, as against an enemie: they spoyle the beautifull garment from them that passe by peaceably, as though they returned from the warre.
(But he that was yesterday my people, is risen up on the other side, as against an enemy: they spoil the beautiful garment from them that pass by peaceably, as though they returned from the war. )

Cvdl but my people doth the contrary, therfore must I take parte agaynst them: for they take awaye both cote and cloke from the symple. Ye haue turned youre selues to fight,
(but my people doth/does the contrary, therefore must I take part against them: for they take away both coat and cloak from the simple. Ye/You_all have turned yourselves to fight,)

Wycl And ayenward my puple roos togidere in to an aduersarie; ye token awei the mantil aboue the coote, and ye turneden in to batel hem that wenten sympli.
(And ayenward my people rose together in to an adversary; ye/you_all token away the mantil above the coote, and ye/you_all turned in to battle hem that went sympli.)

Luth Aber mein Volk hat sich aufgemacht wie ein Feind; denn sie rauben beide, Rock und Mantel, denen, so sicher dahergehen, gleichwie die, so aus dem Kriege kommen.
(But my people has itself/yourself/themselves opened as/like a enemy; because/than they/she/them rob both, Rock and coat/cloak, those, so secure go_along, same_as that, so out_of to_him wars coming.)

ClVg et e contrario populus meus in adversarium consurrexit. Desuper tunica pallium sustulistis: et eos qui transibant simpliciter convertistis in bellum.
(and e on_the_contrary the_people mine in/into/on adversarium consurrexit. Desuper tunica cloak sustulistis: and them who/which transibant simply convertistis in/into/on war. )

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.

2:8–11

In verses 8–11, the LORD continued to speak to the wicked Jews through Micah his prophet. In contrast to the upright people mentioned in 2:7d, the people in 2:8–11 did not walk uprightly.

2:8a

But of late My people have risen up like an enemy:

But you^(plur) attack my people, as if you were their enemy.
But as for you, you do cruel things to my people, like you were their enemy.
But this does not apply to you! You act like enemies who attack my people.

(NRSV) But you rise up against my people as an enemy: The NRSV has been used as the source line for 2:8a because it follows the recommended option. There is a textual issue in the Hebrew text that affects the presence or absence of a time phrase in this verse part:

Some scholars think the original text said “And/But you^(plur) rise against my people as an enemy.”The interpretation presented here is the most common of the many ways that scholars have suggested to change the Hebrew text. According to this interpretation, they change the words “and/but recently my-people” to “and/but-you^(plur) against my-people.” They also change the verb from 3rd singular “he rose” to another form, such as the participle “rising.” See NET note, EBC (page 514), A&F (pages 315–316), Hillers (page 35) and Waltke 2007 (page 117) for more details. Hillers, NICOT, Mays, and UBS are among those who support the changes. Waltke 2007, WBC, and KD are among those who support no changes. For example:
…but you rise up as an enemy against my people (NET)
but an enemy arises against my people (NJPS) (CEV, NCV, NET, NJB, NJPS, NRSV, REB, GNT)
The Masoretic Text has “And/But yesterday/earlier…”The initial w conjunction can be translated as either “and” or “but.” BART uses the word “yesterday.” Most versions that follow this interpretation use “recently” or “earlier.” For example:
Recently My people have arisen as an enemy— (NASB)
Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. (NIV) (BSB, ESV, GW, KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) along with a slight majority of versions and commentaries.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

You attack my people like enemies. (GNT)

But you are fighting against my people like an enemy. (NCV)

(NRSV) rise up…as an enemy: This phrase means that the people mentioned here acted like an enemy acts. They did cruel things to the LORD’s people, treating them like an enemy would treat them. This is a general statement. In 2:1–2, Micah had already described some of the cruel things that they did. They took land and houses away from other people.

2:8b–9b

In 2:8b–9b, the LORD, speaking through Micah, specifically described three of the cruel things that these people did: they took robes away from men (2:8b–c), they took houses away from women (2:9a), and they took God’s blessing away from children (2:9b).

2:8b

You strip off the splendid robe

You^(plur) take away the outer garments
You forcibly take people’s coats away from them.

You strip off the splendid robe: There is a textual issue here with the phrase off the splendid robe:

The Masoretic Text has “from in front of a garment.” It means that the outer robe would be stripped from the garment underneath. For example:
You strip off the rich robe… (NIV) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, NAB, NASB, NCV, NIV, KJV, NJPS, NLT, GNT)
Some scholars think that the original text said “from the peaceful.” It means that the robe would be stripped from those who are peaceful. For example:
you strip the robe from the peaceful (NRSV) (NJB, NRSV)

It is recommended that you follow the first option along with almost all English versions and all the commentaries used in the preparation of these notes.

strip off the splendid robe: This phrase means “to forcibly pull or yank the robe off a person’s body.”In Micah 2:8b, these words probably refer to violent people literally pulling a robe off another person’s body. However, it is also possible that the people addressed here were money-lenders and that the words should be understood figuratively. If a person borrowed money from a money-lender and could not pay it back in time, the money-lender would take the person’s coat away. In the case of a poor, homeless person, he would be left without anything to keep him warm at night. God forbade this in Exodus 22:26–27. In Hebrew, the verb tense indicates that these people did this regularly, whenever they had the opportunity.In Hebrew, the verb tense is imperfect. It indicates that this is something they have done and are still doing. They did it to more than one person. The same verb tense also occurs in 2:9a and 2:9b.

splendid robe: This word refers to the long outer garment or mantle that Jewish men often wore on top of their other clothes. This splendid robe was like a coat that helped keep them warm.

Here are some other ways to translate this verse part:

you have stripped off the mantle covering the tunic… (NAB)

you take the cloaks from people… (NCV)

you habitually take the coats away from people…

2:8c

from unsuspecting passersby

from people who walk by on their way home. They do not suspect danger,
They do not think that anyone will harm/attack them,

from unsuspecting passersby: The wicked people strip the robe from any travelers who are walking past the places where the wicked people live. These travelers pass by unsuspecting. They do not suspect that anyone will harm them. They think that there is no danger and that they are safe. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

from those who pass by trustingly (NRSV)

from those who pass by without a care (GW)

from those who think no one will harm them

2:8c–d

(combined/reordered)

from people who walk by as they return home from battle, thinking they are safe.
You^(plur) take them from people who are going home after a battle. They think that they are now safe, but you take/snatch their coats away from them as they walk by.

2:8d

like men returning from battle.

because the battle is over. That is not what they are thinking about.
and there is no thought of battle in their mind, because the fighting/battle is finished.

like men returning from battle: This phrase further describes the meaning of 2:8c. There are at least three ways to interpret this phrase:

It refers literally to people who are returning from battle. They are not thinking about the battle or the war, because the fighting is over and they are on their way home. For example:
from those returned from war (NASB) (CEV, GW, NASB, NRSV, GNT)
It is a simile. It means that these travelers were like people returning from battle. For example:
like men returning from battle (NIV) (BSB, NAB, NET, NIV, NLT)
It refers either literally or with a simile to people who are opposed to war and do not expect to go to war. For example:
as men averse from war (KJV) (KJV, NJPS)

TN will follow interpretation (1). You may follow either (1) or (2) in your translation. There is commentary support for all three interpretations.Commentaries that support interpretation (1) include Waltke 2007, A&F, UBS, and the NET note. Commentaries that support interpretation (2) include TOTC and NAC. Commentaries that support interpretation (3) include KD, WBC, EBC, and JFB. According to A&F (page 313), “The abuses described in v 9 resemble those described in vv 1–5; the abuses described in v 9 have a background in war, perhaps the same war as was the occasion for the lament in 1:10–16.” Waltke 2007 (pages 118–119) says: they are returned from battle (cf. Isa 59:20, where šûb with the genitive also means “return from”). The qal passive participle šûbê is a hapax legomenon. BDB thinks it means “averse,” but this is an overly extended meaning of “return.” The passive, “returned,” indicates that the subject has been acted upon, though, as often, the agent is unnamed and impersonal. Our poet uses military imagery throughout the verse. Many scholars want to add “like,” but he began the metaphor when he called the powerful “enemies.” In support of interpretation (2), NAC (pages 67–68) says: “he charges them with attacking innocent passers-by as if they were enemies…The latter thought they were as safe as soldiers returning from a battle they had won.” Few versions follow interpretation (3).

General Comment on 2:8c–d

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

Men return from battle, thinking they are safe at home, but there you are, waiting to steal the coats off their backs. (GNT)

Parallel MIC 2:8