MIC 3:8 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) ⇔ But I’m full of power from Yahweh’s spirit,
⇔ ≈ and full of justice and strength,
⇔ to declare to Yakob his disobedience,
⇔ ≈ and to Yisra’el his sin.

Key: khaki:verbs, green:YHWH.
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 ἐὰν μὴ ἐγὼ ἐμπλήσω ἰσχὺν ἐν πνεύματι Κυρίου καὶ κρίματος καὶ δυναστείας, τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαι τῷ Ἰακὼβ ἀσεβείας αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ.
(ean maʸ egō emplaʸsō isⱪun en pneumati Kuriou kai krimatos kai dunasteias, tou apangeilai tōi Yakōb asebeias autou, kai tōi Israaʸl hamartias autou. )

BrTr Surely I will strengthen myself with the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of power, to declare to Jacob his transgressions, and to Israel his sins.

ULT But, I am full of power by the Spirit of Yahweh,
⇔ and justice and strength,
⇔ to declare to Jacob his transgression,
⇔ and to Israel his sin.

UST But as for me, I am full of God’s power,
⇔ power from the Spirit of Yahweh.
⇔ I am just and strong
⇔ and declare to the Israelite people
⇔ that they have sinned and rebelled against Yahweh.

OEB ⇔ ‘But I, on the contrary am full of power,
⇔ and the sense of justice and strength,
⇔ to make known to Jacob his crime,
⇔ and to Israel his sin.

WEBBE But as for me, I am full of power by the LORD’s Spirit,
⇔ and of judgement, and of might,
⇔ to declare to Jacob his disobedience,
⇔ and to Israel his sin.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET But I am full of the courage that the Lord’s Spirit gives,
⇔ and have a strong commitment to justice.
⇔ This enables me to confront Jacob with its rebellion,
⇔ and Israel with its sin.

LSV And yet I have been full of power by the Spirit of YHWH,
And of judgment, and of might,
To declare to Jacob his transgression,
And to Israel his sin.

FBV But as for me, I am filled with power, with the spirit of the Lord. I am filled with justice and strength to make clear to the descendants of Jacob their rebellion, and to the people of Israel their sin.

T4T ⇔ But as for me, I am full of God’s power,
⇔ power from the Spirit of Yahweh.
⇔ I am courageous and strong
⇔ to declare to the Israeli people [MTY, DOU]
⇔ that they have sinned and rebelled against Yahweh.

LEB   • But I, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of Yahweh,
• and with justice and might,
  • to declare to Jacob his rebellion,
  • and to Israel his sin.

BBE But I truly am full of the spirit of the Lord, with power of judging and with strength to make clear to Jacob his wrongdoing and to Israel his sin.

Moff But I am full of strength and skill and courage,
⇔ inspired by the Eternal,
⇔ to let Jacob know its crimes,
⇔ and Israel its sins.

JPS But I truly am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of justice, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

ASV But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

DRA But yet I am filled with the strength of the spirit of the Lord, with judgment, and power: to declare unto Jacob his wickedness, and to Israel his sin.

YLT And yet I have been full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, And of judgment, and of might, To declare to Jacob his transgression, And to Israel his sin.

Drby But truly I am filled with power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and with judgment and with might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

RV But I truly am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
(But I truly am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgement, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. )

SLT But I was filled with power, with the spirit of Jehovah, and judgment and strength to announce to Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

Wbstr But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

KJB-1769 ¶ But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
(¶ But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgement, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. )

KJB-1611 ¶ But truely I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of iudgment and of might, to declare vnto Iacob his transgression, and to Israel his sinne.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Yet notwithstanding, I am full of power by the spirite of the Lorde, and of iudgement, and of strength, to declare vnto Iacob his transgression, and to Israel his sinne.
(Yet notwithstanding, I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgement, and of strength, to declare unto Yacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.)

Gnva Yet notwithstanding I am full of power by the Spirite of the Lord, and of iudgement, and of strength to declare vnto Iaakob his transgression, and to Israel his sinne.
(Yet notwithstanding I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of judgement, and of strength to declare unto Yacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. )

Cvdl As for me, I am full of strength, & of ye sprete of ye LORDE, full of iudgment & boldnesse: to shewe the house of Iacob their wickednesse, & the house of Israel their synne.
(As for me, I am full of strength, and of ye/you_all spirit of ye/you_all LORD, full of judgement and boldness: to show the house of Yacob their wickedness, and the house of Israel their sin.)

Wycl Netheles Y am fillid with strengthe of Spirit of the Lord, and in doom and vertu, that Y schewe to Jacob his greet trespas, and to Israel his synne.
(Nevertheless I am filled with strength of Spirit of the Lord, and in judgement and virtue, that I show to Yacob his great trespas, and to Israel his sin.)

Luth Ich aber bin voll Kraft und Geistes des HErr’s, voll Rechts und Stärke, daß ich Jakob sein Übertreten und Israel seine Sünde anzeigen darf.
(I but am full/whole strength/power and spirit the LORD’s, full/whole law/rights and strength, that I Yakob be Overtreten and Israel his sin(n) show/display(v) may.)

ClVg Verumtamen ego repletus sum fortitudine spiritus Domini, judicio, et virtute, ut annuntiem Jacob scelus suum, et Israël peccatum suum.
(Nevertheless I filled I_am with_courage spirit Master, judgement, and by_virtue, as annuntiem Yacob crime his_own, and Israel sin his_own. )

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 3:5–8

In this paragraph, Micah rebuked the wicked prophets. He first described the way in which they misled the people (3:5). He then described their future punishment by God (3:6–7). He concluded by contrasting his own status as a true prophet (3:8).

Micah began this paragraph with the phrase “Thus says the LORD.” This phrase indicates that his message came from the LORD. But it is not clear which verses are a direct quote of the LORD’s words. In the examples below, the verse parts may differ, depending on the version. Here are the main interpretations:

All of verses 5–8 are Micah’s words. These verses are the message that he received from the LORD. The lack of quotation marks indicates that he did not quote the LORD’s words directly.Interpretation (1) is supported by WBC 1984 (pages 32–33). For example:
^5aThus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray;…^6aTherefore it will be night for you…^7aThe seers will be ashamed…^8aOn the other hand I am filled with power… (NASB) (ESV, GW, KJV, NAB, NASB, NJB, NRSV, REB)The NJPS does not use any quote marks in 3:5–8. It has not been listed under interpretation (1), because it spells the phrase “My people” with a capital letter, referring to the LORD.
Verses 5b–7 are a direct quote of the LORD’s words. The quote is marked with quotation marks. Verse 8 is Micah’s words.Interpretation (2) is supported by Hillers (page 44). For example:
^5aThis is what the Lord says: ^5b“As for the prophets who lead my people astray…. ^7bThey will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God.” ^8aBut as for me… (NIV) (BSB, NCV, NET, NIV, NLT)The NET includes 3:8 in the same paragraph as 3:5–7. In the NCV, NIV, and NLT, 3:8 starts a new paragraph.
Verse 3:6 is a direct quote of the LORD’s words. Verses 5, 7, and 8 are Micah’s words.Interpretation (3) is supported by TOTC, Waltke 1993, and Waltke 2007. For example:
⁵My people are deceived by prophets…To these prophets the Lord says, ⁶“Prophets, your day is almost over;…you will not be able to predict anything.” ⁷Those who predict…⁸But as for me,… (GNT) (GNT)
Verses 6–7 are a direct quote of the LORD’s words. Verses 5 and 8 are Micah’s words. For example:
⁵You lying prophets…Here is what the Lord says to you prophets: ⁶“You will live in the dark…⁷You prophets…no message from me.” ⁸But the Lord has filled me… (CEV) (CEV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It is the simplest. Micah is the speaker in each of the three paragraphs in this section (3:1–12).

The meaning of these verses is almost the same with all four interpretations. Regardless of the quote marks, Micah’s message came to him from the LORD. His audience understood that he claimed to be the LORD’s spokesman.

If you decide not to follow interpretation (1), here are two things that you should consider:

If you follow interpretation (1), (3), or (4), the phrase “my people” in 3:5a means “Micah’s people.” But if you follow interpretation (2), it means “the LORD’s people.”
If you follow interpretation (2) or (4), the phrase “there is no answer from God” (3:7d) may need to be translated “there is no answer from me.”

3:8a–b

(combined/reordered)

But as for me, Yahweh has given me his Spirit. So/Therefore I have the strength and courage to announce his words, and I thoroughly understand the meaning of justice/fairness.

In the BSB and many other versions, the phrases in 3:8a–b are divided into three lines. The Notes have divided them into two lines to make it easier to understand the relationship between the phrases, especially in the Display.

In these lines, Micah listed four qualifications (superscripts ^1–4) that contrasted him with the wicked prophets:

^8aAs for me, however, I am ¹filled with power ²by the Spirit of the LORD,

^8b ³with justice ⁴and courage,

3:8a

As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the LORD,

But as for me, I have great/much power that the Spirit of Yahweh has given me.
But my situation/status is different. Yahweh has given me the power/strength that comes from his Spirit.
But I am definitely not like those prophets, because through his Spirit, Yahweh has given me the ability to prophesy.

As for me, however: Micah used this phrase to emphatically contrast his status as a true prophet with the wicked prophets. Here are some other ways to express this strong contrast:

On the other hand (NASB)

Not so with me (NJB)

I am filled with power: Micah used the word filled in a figurative sense. To be filled with power means to have special power, to be very powerful. This verb phrase is also passive.

In some languages, it may be necessary to use an active verb and to make explicit the agent (the one who does the action). Here the implied agent is the LORD.Waltke 2007 (page 167). A&F (page 376) say specifically that “the understood agent is Yahweh. The spirit should not be identified as the agent of the filling (so NICOT).” Some versions make the agent explicit. For example:

But the Lord has filled me with power and with his Spirit. (CEV)

filled with power: This is the first qualification that Micah listed. Here the word power refers primarily to his ability as a prophet to proclaim the message that the LORD gave him. This ability requires inner, moral strength. It can also refer to physical strength and energy, but physical power is not the primary meaning.NAC (pages 78–79) identifies the focus of Micah’s empowerment as his prophet ministry. UBS (pages 177–178) says that “power” “implies not only physical strength but moral strength as well.” Mays (page 85) says that it’s “the power to persevere in the face of opposition and discouragement.” Waltke 2007 (page 157) says “it could be translated by ‘energy, vigor.’”

by the Spirit of the LORD: This is the second qualification that Micah listed. Versions and commentaries differ as to whether the word Spirit should be spelled with a capital letter. They also differ as to the connection of Spirit or “spirit” with the other qualifications. The Notes will first discuss the spelling of Spirit:

The word Spirit should be spelled with a capital letter. When it is spelled this way, it refers to the Holy Spirit, even though the word “Holy” is not explicit. For example:
But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord (NIV) (BSB, CEV, ESV, GW, NABRE, NASB NCV, NET, NIV, NLT, RSV)
The word “spirit” should be spelled with a small letter. When it is spelled this way, it may refer to the power of the LORD or to a special kind of energy.UBS (pages 177–178) says that to be filled with the spirit means to be able to see things from the LORD’s point of view of the way he expects people to live. NICOT (page 314) describes “spirit” as the “extension of Yahweh’s personality…by which his will was communicated to the prophets.” Waltke 2007 (page 166) identifies it as the energy of I AM. For example:
Not so with me, I am full of strength (full of Yahweh’s spirit) (NJB) (KJV, NAB, NJB, NJPS, NRSV, GNT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most versions and commentaries.Commentaries that support interpretation (1) include EBC, KD, CBC, ABC, JFB, Barnes, TOTC, and Waltke 1993. Commentaries that support interpretation (2) include A&F, NICOT, WBC, UBS, and Waltke 2007.

The Notes will now discuss the connection of Spirit or “spirit” with the other qualifications:

The phrase “with the Spirit/spirit of the LORD” is in a separate category. It is the Spirit/spirit of the LORD that enabled Micah to be filled with the other three qualifications. For example:
But I, I am filled with strength by the spirit of the Lord, and with judgment and courage, (NJPS) (BSB, KJV, NET, NJPS)
The phrase “with the Spirit/spirit of the LORD” is one of four equal qualifications. Micah has been filled with or given each of them. For example:
But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, (NIV) (CEV, ESV, NAB, NCV, NIV, NRSV, GNT)
The phrase “with the Spirit/spirit of the LORD” further identifies the word “power.” Micah has also been filled with the other two qualifications. For example:
But as for me, I am filled with power—with the Spirit of the Lord. I am filled with justice and strength (NLT) (GW, NASB, NJB, NLT)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) or (2) and that you capitalize the word that you use for Spirit. The Notes will follow interpretation (1). More versions follow interpretation (2), but the Notes will follow interpretation (1). It is more logical to think that Micah’s qualifications as a prophet were all dependent in some way on his being filled with the Spirit of the LORD.Commentaries that support the idea of the LORD’s Spirit/spirit being on a different level from the other qualifications or gifts include NAC, Barnes, Mays, A&F, TOTC, and Waltke 1993. Waltke 1993 (page 667) says: “Power, justice, and valor are the signs of the Spirit’s presence in Micah.” A&F (page 377) says: “The attributes of power, judgment and might come from (or with) the spirit of Yahweh.”

3:8b

with justice and courage,

Because of him, I know what deeds are just/fair. I have great courage
He has caused me to know the true meaning of justice, and he has made me very brave.
He has told me what is right/fair, and I am not afraid to speak his message.

with justice: This is the third qualification that Micah listed. The word justice is the same word that Micah used in 3:1b. (See the note there on “know justice.”) When Micah said that he was “filled…with justice,” he meant that the Spirit of the LORD caused him to thoroughly understand what actions were just, right, and fair. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

I am full…of the sense of right (NJB)

He gave me great ability to know what deeds are just and fair.

and courage: This is the fourth qualification that Micah listed. When Micah said that he was “filled…with courage,” he meant that the Spirit of the LORD caused him to have great courage and bravery to announce his message. Even if people opposed Micah, he was not afraid to proclaim the message that the Spirit of the LORD had made known to him. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

and might (NRSV)

I have also been given real boldness

3:8c–d

(combined/reordered)

This is the kind of person that Yahweh has caused me to become in order that I will be able to make known to the entire nation of Israel that they have sinned and rebelled against Yahweh.

These two lines are parallel. Notice the parts that are similar in meaning:

^8cto declare to Jacob his transgression

^8dand to Israel his sin.

There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 3:8d. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing verb from 3:8c. For example:

^8dand to declare to Israel his sin.

The names “Jacob” and “Israel” refer here to the same people. The words “transgression” and “sin” are similar in meaning. In 1:5a–b, Micah used these same four words. See the notes there.

In 3:8c–d, Micah told the purpose for the qualifications that the LORD had given him. The purpose was so that he would be able to announce his message. Here is another way to translate these lines:

This enables me to confront Jacob with its rebellion, and Israel with its sin. (NET)

to declare: In Hebrew, this verb means “to announce, to report, to tell publicly.”

Jacob…Israel: Micah used the names Jacob and Israel together in 1:5a–b; 2:12a–b, and 3:1a. The name Jacob here represents all the people who are descendants of Jacob. The name Israel represents the people/nation of Israel. Together, these parallel names refer to all the Jews.

transgression…sin: The word transgression refers to disobedience of the law or rebellion against the LORD. The word sin is a general word.

In some languages, it may be clearer to translate the words transgression and sin as verbs. For example:

…to tell the descendants of Jacob that they have transgressed his laws, in other words, to tell the people of Israel that they have sinned.

General Comment on 3:8c–d

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

He gave me these things so that I can tell the entire nation of Israel that they have sinned and rebelled against him.

3:8c

to declare to Jacob his transgression

to announce to the descendants of Jacob that they have broken/disobeyed Yahweh’s laws,
He gave me these qualities so that I can tell the descendants of Jacob that they have disobeyed Yahweh and rebelled against him.

3:8d

and to Israel his sin.

and to tell the nation/people of Israel that they have sinned.
Yes, I will be able to announce to the people of Israel that they have done wrong.

Parallel MIC 3:8