MIC 4:9 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) Now, why do you shout so loudly?
⇔ Is it because you don’t have a king?
⇔ ≈ Is it because your advisor passed away
⇔ that pain’s gripping you like that of a woman in labour.

Key: khaki:verbs, red:negative.
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 νῦν ἱνατί ἔγνως κακά; μὴ βασιλεὺς οὐκ ἦν σοι; ἢ ἡ βουλή σου ἀπώλετο, ὅτι κατεκράτησάν σου ὠδῖνες ὡς τικτούσης;
(Kai nun hinati egnōs kaka; maʸ basileus ouk aʸn soi; aʸ haʸ boulaʸ sou apōleto, hoti katekrataʸsan sou ōdines hōs tiktousaʸs; )

BrTr And now, why hast thou known calamities? was there not a king to thee? or has thy counsel perished that pangs as of a woman in travail have seized upon thee?

ULT Now, why do you shout so loudly?
⇔ Is there no king among you?
⇔ Has your counselor died,
⇔ that pain grips you like that of a woman in labor?

UST So why are you wailing now?
⇔ Is it because you have no king?
⇔ Have all your wise people died?
⇔ You are weeping loudly like a woman who is giving birth to a baby.

OEB So why do you now cry aloud? Haven’t you any king?
⇔ Or has your counsellor perished, so you writhe in pain like a woman in labour?

WEBBE ⇔ Now why do you cry out aloud?
⇔ Is there no king in you?
⇔ Has your counsellor perished,
⇔ that pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Jerusalem, why are you now shouting so loudly?
⇔ Has your king disappeared?
⇔ Has your wise leader been destroyed?
⇔ Is this why pain grips you as if you were a woman in labor?

LSV Now why do you shout aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished,
That pain as of a travailing woman has taken hold of you?

FBV So why are you screaming aloud? Don't you have a king? Has the king who advises you died so that pain has gripped you like a woman in childbirth?

T4T ⇔ So why [RHQ] are you wailing now?
⇔ Is it because you have no king?
⇔ Have all your wise people died?
⇔ You are groaning loudly like [SIM] a woman who is giving birth to a baby.

LEB • So then, why do you shout a loud shout? Is there no king in you?
• Has your counselor perished
• that pangs like a woman in labor have seized you?

BBE Now why are you crying so loudly? is there no king in you? has destruction come on your wise helper? so that pains have taken you like the pains of a woman in childbirth:

Moff Why then do you wail aloud?
⇔ Is it for lack of a king,
⇔ for the loss of a royal guide,
⇔ that you are in this agony?

JPS Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no King in thee, is thy Counsellor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail?

ASV Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee, is thy counsellor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail?

DRA Now, why art thou drawn together with grief? Hast thou no king in thee, or is thy counsellor perished, because sorrow hath taken thee as a woman in labour?

YLT Now, why dost thou shout aloud? A king — is there none in thee? Hath thy counsellor perished, That taken hold of thee hath pain as a travailing woman?

Drby Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished, that pangs have seized thee as a woman in travail?

RV Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee, is thy counsellor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail?
(Now why dost/do thou/you cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee/you, is thy/your counsellor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee/you as of a woman in travail? )

SLT Now wherefore wilt thou cry out with an outcry? is no king in thee? or thy counselor perished? for pain laid hold of thee as she bringing forth.

Wbstr Now why dost thou cry aloud? is there no king in thee? hath thy counselor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.

KJB-1769 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.
(Now why dost/do thou/you cry out aloud? is there no king in thee/you? is thy/your counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee/you as a woman in travail. )

KJB-1611 Now why doest thou cry out alowd? is there no king in thee? is thy counseller perished? for pangs haue taken thee, as a woman in trauell.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Why then doest thou crye and lament? is there no king in thee? are thy counsellers perished, that thou art so payned as a woman in her trauaile?
(Why then dost/do thou/you cry and lament? is there no king in thee/you? are thy/your counsellors perished, that thou/you art so payned as a woman in her travail?)

Gnva Nowe why doest thou crie out with lamentation? is there no King in thee? is thy counseller perished? for sorowe hath taken thee, as a woman in trauaile.
(Now why dost/do thou/you cry out with lamentation? is there no King in thee/you? is thy/your counsellor perished? for sorrow hath/has taken thee/you, as a woman in travail. )

Cvdl Why the art thou now so heuy? is there no kynge in the? are thy councelers awaye that thou art so payned, as a woman in hir trauayle?
(Why the art thou/you now so heavy? is there no king in the? are thy/your counsellors away that thou/you art so payned, as a woman in her travail?)

Wycl Now whi art thou drawun togidere with mournyng? whether a kyng is not to thee, ether thi counselour perischide? for sorowe hath take thee, as a womman trauelinge of child.
(Now why art thou/you drawn together with mourning? whether a king is not to thee/you, either thy/your counsellor perished? for sorrow hath/has take thee/you, as a woman travailing of child.)

Luth Warum hängst du dich denn jetzt an andere Freunde? Ist der König nicht bei dir, und sind deine Ratgeber alle hinweg, daß dich also das Weh ankommen ist wie eine in Kindesnöten?
(Why hängst you(sg) you/yourself because/than now/currently at/to other/different friends? Is the/of_the king not at/in you/to_you(sg), and are your Ratgeber all away, that you/yourself also the Weh arrive is as/like a/one in child_distress?)

ClVg Nunc quare mœrore contraheris? numquid rex non est tibi, aut consiliarius tuus periit, quia comprehendit te dolor sicut parturientem?
(now why sorrow contraheris? is_it king not/no it_is to_you, or plansrius your(sg) perished, because comprehendit you(sg) pain like parturientem? )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:9–13: The people of Jerusalem will suffer exile in Babylon, but in the future the LORD will deliver them from their enemies

In this section, the LORD spoke about the future. He said that he would punish his people. He would cause their enemies to take them as captives to Babylon. But the LORD also promised that in the future he would regather his people. He would make them a strong nation, and he would rule over them.Scholars analyze the structure of 4:9–5:15 in different ways. The Notes will list only a few of the analyses here; some of them have only minor variations. A&F (page 394) posit five sections, each beginning with ʿaṯṯâ “now” (4:9–10a, 10b, 11–13, 14; 5:1–3) [5:4–5, 6, 7–9, 10–15]. In this analysis, 4:11–13 forms the center unit, with two units on either side. WBC (vol. 32, pages 11–12) has 4:9–10,11–13; 5:1–4, 5–6, 7–9, 10–15. NICOT (page 257), NAC (page 42) and Waltke 2007 (page viii) have 4:9–10, 11–13; 5:1–6, 7–9, 10–15. TOTC (page 150) and Waltke 1993 (page 598) has 4:9–13; 5:1–6, 7–9, 10–15.

In this section, as in the previous section, Micah quoted the words of the LORD and also sometimes referred to the LORD in the third person.

The Notes have divided this section into two paragraphs. If a separate paragraph heading will be helpful for your readers, here are some possible headings for each paragraph.

^9–10Why the Israelites Must Go to Babylon (NCV)

^9–10Current suffering and captivity, but future rescue

^11–13Her Enemies to Be Crushed on the Threshing-Floor (NJB)

^11–13Jerusalem will completely destroy its enemies

Paragraph 4:9–10

In this paragraph, Micah told the people of Jerusalem what would happen in the future. Enemies would capture Jerusalem and take away the people as captives to Babylon. The king, who was their counselor, would be unable to help them (4:9a–4:10e). After that, God would rescue his people (4:10f–g).

4:9a–d

(combined/reordered)

Why do you^(plur) inhabitants of Jerusalem cry out loudly and writhe like a woman who is suffering pain from giving birth to a child? Are you afraid because you have no wise king to rule you?

In this verse, Micah prophesied that the people of Jerusalem would cry in fear, because their counselor, the king, would be unable to help them. In the BSB, Micah’s prophecy consists of three rhetorical questions (9a, 9b, and 9c–d):

^9aWhy do you now cry aloud?

^9bIs there no king among you?

^9cHas your counselor perished

^9dso that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?

The last two questions (9b and 9c–d) suggest an answer to the first question: The people will cry aloud, because the king, who is their counselor, cannot help them.

Micah may have used these rhetorical questions for more than one purpose: to get the people’s attention, to make them aware of what they were doing, to show sarcasm or to give rebuke. As with other rhetorical questions, these questions may be translated with another rhetorical question or with a statement.

4:9a

Why do you now cry aloud?

¶ Listen now to my words, O city of Jerusalem: Why are you^(sing) crying so loudly?
¶ I ask you people of Jerusalem: What is the reason that you^(plur) are shouting loudly in fear?

Why do you now cry aloud?: Here are some ways to translate this rhetorical question:

OK now, let me ask you this: Why are you crying so loudly?

O people! Think about the reason that you are crying loudly.

you: In Hebrew, the pronoun here is feminine singular. It refers to the phrase “Daughter of Zion” in 4:10a. But that phrase is a figure of speech for the people who live in Jerusalem. So in many languages it may be clearer to translate you using a plural form.

now: This word refers to a future time, not to the present. Some versions do not translate this word. For example:

Why do you cry out so loudly? (GNT)

The CEV also omits this word. It addresses Jerusalem directly to introduce the rhetorical question:

Jerusalem, why are you crying? (CEV)

cry aloud: Some versions make explicit a reason why the people were shouting. For example:

But why are you now screaming in terror? (NLT)

Why are you now crying out in distress? (REB)

4:9b–c

(combined/reordered)

Does this city have no king who can give good advice?
Do you^(plur) not have a king in your city who can counsel/advise you?

Is there no king among you? Has your counselor perished: There are two main interpretation issues in these two rhetorical questions. The first issue is whether the second question refers to the king or to a different counselor or counselors:

The second question refers to the king. He was considered the counselor or adviser for the nation.In Hebrew, the word for “counselor” is singular. The interpretation of the counselor being the same person as the king is supported by NICOT, EBC, NAC, Hillers, KD, Mays, and WBC. Pusey, TOTC, Waltke 1993, and Waltke 2007 understand these two titles to refer to the LORD himself rather than to an earthly king/counselor. See Waltke 2007 (pages 238–239) for three arguments in favor of his position. No English version follows this interpretation. For three arguments that support king/counselor as opposed to King/Counselor, see NAC (pages 90–91). For example:
Has your king disappeared? Has your wise leader been destroyed? (NET) (ESV, GW, KJV, NAB, NASB, NCV, BSB, NET, NIV, NJB, NRSV, REB)
The second question refers to various advisers who counseled the people.Commentaries that support multiple advisers include: UBS, JFB, and ABC. For example:
Have you no king to lead you? Have your wise people all died? (NLT) (CEV, NLT, GNT)
The second question refers to an adviser who counseled the king.CBC (page 325) comments: “The counselor or adviser was usually a member of the royal cabinet or part of the council of elders who advised the king.” A&F also support this interpretation. No English versions follow it. For example:
Are the king and his adviser not able to help you?

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most English versions and commentaries.

The second interpretation issue involves the date of the prophecy’s fulfilment and whether the king was literally absent or simply unable to help his people:

Micah may have referred to the period after 586 B.C. After that date, King Zedekiah and many of the people were taken into exile in Babylon, so the king was literally absent.Irrespective of the identity of the king/counselor(s), ABC, KD, EBC, A&F, and NAC appear to support the literal absence of a king. JFB, UBS, and NICOT appear to favor the literal presence of a king.
Micah may have referred to the period after 701 B.C. but before 586 B.C. During that time, the Assyrians attacked some cities in Judah and besieged Jerusalem. The king was still there, but he was not able to help the people or defeat their enemies.

No versions clearly support interpretation (2). Some versions listed in the previous interpretation issue appear to support interpretation (1). They speak of the king as having disappeared, being gone, or being destroyed. But Micah would have asked similar questions if he were speaking sarcastically. The commentaries are divided.According to this interpretation, Micah predicted what happened in 586 B.C. The Babylonian army captured King Zedekiah and took him away as a prisoner to Babylon. See 2 Kings 25:1–7. It is recommended that you translate so that either interpretation can be understood.

You may want to supply a footnote that summarizes the historical context in which Micah prophesied. See the section in the Introduction entitled “Micah’s message and its relation to the cultural and religious background of Israel.”

4:9b

Is there no king among you?

Is there no king who rules in you^(sing)?
Is it because you^(plur) no longer have a king?

4:9c

Has your counselor perished

Has your^(sing) counselor/adviser disappeared/died?
Perhaps you are fearful because you^(plur) no longer anyone to advise you.

4:9d

so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?

Is that the reason you^(sing) are groaning in pain like a woman who is having a baby?
Perhaps that is the reason you^(plur) are shouting like a woman who has labor pains.
You^(plur) are very afraid, so you are behaving like a woman who is in pain because she is giving birth.

so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?: In the BSB, this verse part is a continuation of the third rhetorical question in 4:9c. Some other versions make it a separate question. For example:

Is this why pain grips you as if you were a woman in labor? (NET)

Are you suffering like a woman in childbirth? (CEV)

This last question is related to the first question in 4:9a. There Micah asked the people why they were crying out. Here he uses a simile to compare their cries to a woman who is having severe labor pains. The reason they are crying in such a way is because of their fear and distress at the disasters that threaten Jerusalem, their king, and themselves.

Some versions change this rhetorical question to a statement. For example:

Pain grips you like a woman in labor. (GW)

General Comment on 4:9a–d

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

^9aWhy do you cry out so loudly? ^9dWhy are you suffering like a woman in labor? ^9bIs it because you have no king ^9cto counsel you? (adapted from GNT)

Parallel MIC 4:9