MIC 3:12 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) ⇔ Therefore, because of you all,
⇔ ≈ Tsiyyon will become a ploughed field,
⇔ ≈ Yerushalem will become a heap of rubble,
⇔ ≈ and the temple hill will become covered with scrub.[ref]

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 Διατοῦτο διʼ ὑμᾶς Σιὼν ὡς ἀγρὸς ἀροτριαθήσεται, καὶ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὡς ὀπωροφυλάκιον ἔσται, καὶ τὸ ὄρος τοῦ οἴκου εἰς ἄλσος δρυμοῦ.
(Diatouto diʼ humas Siōn hōs agros arotriathaʸsetai, kai Hierousalaʸm hōs opōrofulakion estai, kai to oros tou oikou eis alsos drumou. )

BrTr Therefore on your account Sion shall be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall be as a storehouse of fruits, and the mountain of the house as a grove of the forest.

ULT Therefore, because of you,
⇔ Zion will become a plowed field,
⇔ Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,
⇔ and the hill of the temple will become a thicket.

UST Because of what you leaders do,
⇔ Mount Zion will be plowed like a field;
⇔ it will become a heap of ruins.
⇔ The top of the hill, where the temple is now, will be covered with trees.

OEB ⇔ ‘Therefore for your sakes
⇔ Zion will be plowed as a field,
⇔ and Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins,
⇔ and the temple mount a wooded height.’

WEBBE Therefore Zion for your sake will be ploughed like a field,
⇔ and Jerusalem will become heaps of rubble,
⇔ and the mountain of the temple like the high places of a forest.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed up like a field,
⇔ Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins,
⇔ and the Temple Mount will become a hill overgrown with brush!

LSV Therefore, for your sake, Zion is plowed a field, and Jerusalem is heaps,
And the mountain of the house [is] for high places of a forest!

FBV Therefore because of you Zion will become a ploughed field and Jerusalem a heap of rubble, and the Temple mount will be overgrown.

T4T Because of what you leaders do,
⇔ Zion Hill will be plowed like a field;
⇔ it will become a heap of ruins/rubble;
⇔ the top of the hill, where the temple is now, will be covered with bushes.

LEB • Therefore on account of you Zion will be plowed as a field,
• and Jerusalem will be a heap of rubble,
• and the temple mount[fn] as a high place in a forest.

3:? Literally “the mountain of the house”

BBE For this reason, Zion will be ploughed like a field because of you, and Jerusalem will become a mass of broken walls, and the mountain of the house like a high place in the woods.

Moff Therefore on your account
⇔ shall Sion be ploughed up like a field,
⇔ Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
⇔ the temple-hill merely a wooded height. * * *

JPS Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

ASV Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

DRA Therefore, because of you, Sion shall be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall be as a heap of stones, and the mountain of the temple as the high places of the forests.

YLT Therefore, for your sake, Zion is ploughed a field, and Jerusalem is heaps, And the mount of the house [is] for high places of a forest!

Drby Therefore shall Zion for your sake be ploughed [as] a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

RV Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.
(Therefore shall Zion for your sake be ploughed as a field, and Yerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest. )

SLT For this, on account of you Zion shall be ploughed a field, and Jerusalem shall be ruins, and the mountain of the house for the heights of the forest.

Wbstr Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

KJB-1769 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
(Therefore shall Zion for your sake be ploughed as a field, and Yerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest. )

KJB-1611 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Ierusalem shal become heapes, and the mountaine of the house, as the high places of the forrest.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Therefore shall Sion for your sake be plowed as a fielde, & Hierusalem shalbe an heape, and the mountaine of the house as the hie places of the forest.
(Therefore shall Zion for your sake be ploughed as a field, and Yerusalem shall be an heap, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.)

Gnva Therefore shall Zion for your sake bee plowed as a field, and Ierusalem shalbe an heape, and the mountaine of the house, as the hye places of the forest.
(Therefore shall Zion for your sake be ploughed as a field, and Yerusalem shall be an heap, and the mountain of the house, as the high places of the forest. )

Cvdl Therfore shal Sion (for youre sakes) be plowed like a felde: Ierusale shall become an heape of stones, and the hill of ye temple shal be turned to an hye wodde.
(Therefore shall Zion (for your(pl) sakes) be ploughed like a field: Yerusalem shall become an heap of stones, and the hill of ye/you_all temple shall be turned to an high wodde.)

Wycl For this thing bi cause of you, Sion as a feeld schal be erid; and Jerusalem schal be as an heep of stoonys, and the hil of the temple schal be in to hiye thingis of woodis.
(For this thing by cause of you, Zion as a field shall be erid; and Yerusalem shall be as an heap of stones, and the hill of the temple shall be in to high things of woodis.)

Luth Darum wird Zion um euretwillen wie ein Feld zerpflüget und Jerusalem zum Steinhaufen und der Berg des Tempels zu einer wilden Höhe werden.
(Therefore becomes Zion around/by/for for_your_sake as/like a field zerploughs(v) and Yerusalem for_the piles_of_stones and the/of_the mountain/hill the temples to/for one/a wild Höhe become.)

ClVg Propter hoc, causa vestri, Sion quasi ager arabitur, et Jerusalem quasi acervus lapidum erit, et mons templi in excelsa silvarum.]
(Because hoc, cause yours, Sion as_if ager arabitur, and Yerusalem as_if acervus stones will_be, and mountain temple in/into/on high of_the_woods.] )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–12: Micah rebuked the leaders of Israel

In this section, Micah is the speaker. He spoke to the leaders of the Jews and to the prophets. He rebuked (scolded) them for their wicked deeds. He also told them that God would punish the nation because of them.

The Notes will divide this section into three paragraphs:

In 3:1–4, Micah rebuked the judicial leaders.
In 3:5–8, Micah rebuked the wicked prophets.
In 3:9–12, Micah rebuked all the leaders: judges, prophets, and priests.

In each paragraph, Micah used the word “justice” (3:1, 8, 9). In each paragraph, he first rebuked the leaders for their evil deeds. Then he described what would happen as a result of their wickedness. Some versions begin a new paragraph at verse 4 or verse 8. It is recommended that you follow the paragraphs used in the Notes.

Here are some other examples of section headings:

Micah Denounces Israel’s Leaders (GNT)

Leaders and Prophets Rebuked (NIV)

Israel’s Sinful Leaders—Rulers, Prophets, and Priests (GW)

Wicked Rulers and Prophets (NRSV)

Paragraph 3:9–12

This paragraph is similar to 3:1–4. Micah again spoke to the leaders of Israel. He specifically included the judicial leaders (verse 9a–b, 11a), priests (verse 11b), and prophets (verse 11c). He told them to listen (verse 9a). He then accused them of behaving wickedly and described the sins of each group (verses 9b–11). Finally, he told them that God would destroy Jerusalem, including the area where the temple was located (verse 12).

3:12

In this verse, Micah again spoke to the leaders. He told them that because of their evil deeds, a terrible thing would happen. This verse is similar to 1:6. In that verse, the LORD said that Samaria (the capital of the northern kingdom) would be destroyed. Here in 3:12, Micah said that Jerusalem (the capital of the southern kingdom) would be destroyed, along with the temple.

3:12a–d

This verse is introduced by a phrase in 12a that connects the preceding verses (3:9–11) to three parallel lines that follow:

^12aTherefore, because of you,

^12b Zion will be plowed like a field,

^12c Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,

^12dand the temple mount a wooded ridge.

There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 3:12d. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing verb from 3:12c. For example:

^12dand the temple mount shall become a wooded ridge.

In each of the parallel lines (12b–12d), the parts in bold print describe what will happen to the underlined parts.

3:12a

Therefore, because of you,

Therefore, because of your^(plur) wicked deeds,
And so, because you have done those things,

Therefore, because of you: This phrase introduces the result of the sins of the leaders described in 3:9–11. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

That is why, on account of you,…

And so, because of you,… (GNT)

Because of you,… (NCV)

This is what will happen because of your sins:

3:12b

Zion will be plowed like a field,

Zion will become like a field that people plow.
in the future the city of Zion will no longer be a city. It will become farmland where people plow the ground and plant crops.

Zion will be plowed like a field: This verse part is a simile. It means that Zion will be plowed in the same way as a field is plowed. In the future, Zion will no longer be a city with buildings and houses. People will plow the ground to plant crops there.

Zion: In 1:13 and 3:10, Micah used the name Zion as another name for Jerusalem. Here in 3:12b, it is probably also another name for Jerusalem.Almost all commentaries say that in this verse, the names Zion and Jerusalem are synonymous, and the phrase “the temple mount” refers to the area in Jerusalem where the temple was located. See Waltke 2007 (pages 182–183) for a summary of “the three aspects of Jerusalem’s complex situation.” KD (page 318) disagrees. He says that “Zion is that portion of the city which contained the royal palace, and Jerusalem the rest of the city.”

plowed: Micah said that people will plow the ground where the city of Zion (Jerusalem) was. In languages that do not have a term for plowing, it may be possible to use a more generic term. For example:

Zion will become like a field that people farm.

…like a field where people plant crops.

In some languages, it may be helpful to make explicit some information about Zion. For example:

in the future Zion will no longer be a city. It will become like a field that people plow.

If a simile here is not natural in your language, you may translate the meaning directly. For example:

Zion will become a ploughed field (REB)

Jerusalem will be plowed under (CEV)

field: In Hebrew, this word refers to open land in contrast to land that has a city or forest on it. Here it refers specifically to farmland, a field for growing crops.The same Hebrew word is used in 1:6a (“open country”) and 2:2a (“fields”).

3:12c

Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,

Yes, the city of Jerusalem will become piles of broken rocks, bricks, and other rubble/debris.
People will destroy the city of Jerusalem so that no walls or buildings remain,

Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble: Micah said that the city of Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble. It is implied that an enemy army will destroy the buildings and walls. Only a heap of rubble will be left.

a heap of rubble: In Hebrew, the phrase a heap of rubble is a single word. It refers to a pile of broken rocks, bricks, wood, and other debris/residue that is left after the buildings and walls of a city are destroyed. Micah used the same word in 1:6a (“heap”). Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

reduced to ruins (NLT)

a pile of ruins (GNT)

left in ruins (CEV)

3:12d

and the temple mount a wooded ridge.

The hill on which the temple now stands will be overgrown/covered with bushes and small trees.
and thickets/brush will grow on the hill where the temple is now located.

and the temple mount: In Hebrew, this is literally “the mountain/hill of the house.” The word “house” here refers to the temple, the house of the LORD. The temple was on top of a hill in Jerusalem. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the mountain of the house (NRSV)

the mountain where the temple now stands (CEV)

the hill on which the Temple stands (NCV)

a wooded ridge: Micah said that the hill on which the temple stood will become a wooded ridge. This implies that the temple will first be destroyed. It will no longer exist.

The phrase a wooded ridge refers to a hilltop that has small trees and bushes growing on it.TWOT (#888a) defines the Hebrew word as “forest, woods, thicket.” It comments about Micah 3:12 that “the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest, i.e. thick and overgrown.” ABC (page 1079) says: the hill on which it stood will be overgrown with weeds.” NICOT (page 316) calls it “a scrub-covered hill.” KD (page 318) says: “the ground upon which the city stood will be partly used as a ploughed field, and partly overgrown with bushes.” It probably does not refer to a forest with large trees.

Here are some other ways to translate 3:12d in English:

and the temple mount will become a hill overgrown with brush (NET)

and the hill on which the Temple stands will be covered with bushes (NCV)

A thicket will grow on the heights where the Temple now stands. (NLT)

General Comment (1) on 3:12

The phrase “Therefore because of you” gives the reason that these terrible things will happen to Jerusalem. In some languages, it may be clearer to put this phrase at the end of the verse. For example:

So in the future, Zion will become farmland that people plow. People will destroy Jerusalem so that it becomes a heap of ruins. Thickets will grow on the hill where the temple used to be. All this will happen because of your wicked deeds.

General Comment (2) on 3:12

Verse 12c talks about the buildings and other structures in Jerusalem: they will become piles of rubble. Verse parts 12b and 12d talk about the land in Jerusalem: some will become farmland, and shrubs will grow on the temple hill. If it is clearer in your language, you can rearrange the verse parts so that 12b and 12d are together. For example:

^12aAnd so, because of your wicked deeds, ^12cpeople will destroy Jerusalem so that it becomes a pile of rubble. ^12bZion will become farmland that people plow, ^12dand bushes will grow on the hill where the temple used to be.

Parallel MIC 3:12