MIC 6:1 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.)

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 Ἀκούσατε δὴ λόγον· Κύριος Κύριος εἶπεν, ἀνάστηθι, κρίθητι πρὸς τὰ ὄρη, καὶ ἀκουσάτωσαν βουνοὶ φωνήν σου.
(Akousate daʸ logon; Kurios Kurios eipen, anastaʸthi, krithaʸti pros ta oraʸ, kai akousatōsan bounoi fōnaʸn sou. )

BrTr Hear now a word: the Lord God has said; Arise, plead with the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

ULT Now listen to what Yahweh says,
⇔ “Arise, state your case before the mountains;
⇔ and let the hills hear your voice.

UST Pay attention to what Yahweh will say:
⇔ Micah says to Yahweh, “Stand up in court and accuse the Israelites.
⇔ Allow the hills and mountains to hear what you will say.

OEB Hear now what the Lord is saying:
⇔ Arise, present your complaint before the mountains,
⇔ let the hills hear your voice!

WEBBE Listen now to what the LORD says:
⇔ “Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
⇔ and let the hills hear what you have to say.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Listen to what the Lord says:
⇔ “Get up! Defend yourself before the mountains!
⇔ Present your case before the hills!”

LSV Now hear that which YHWH is saying: “Rise—strive with the mountains,
And cause the hills to hear your voice.

FBV Listen to what the Lord is saying. Stand up and plead your case. Let the mountains and the hills hear your voice.

T4T Pay attention to what Yahweh says to you Israeli people:
⇔ “Stand up in court and state what you are accusing me about.
⇔ And allow the hills and mountains to hear what you will say.

LEB No LEB MIC 6:1 verse available

BBE Give ear now to the words of the Lord: Up! put forward your cause before the mountains, let your voice be sounding among the hills.

Moff Listen, the Eternal will have 1 his indictment urged
⇔ in presence of the mountains,
⇔ in hearing of the hills!

JPS Hear ye now what the LORD saith: Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

ASV Hear ye now what Jehovah saith: Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

DRA Hear ye what the Lord saith: Arise, contend thou in judgment against the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

YLT Hear, I pray you, that which Jehovah is saying: 'Rise — strive thou with the mountains, And cause thou the hills to hear thy voice.'

Drby Hear ye now what Jehovah saith: Arise, contend before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

RV Hear ye now what the LORD saith: Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
(Hear ye/you_all now what the LORD saith/says: Arise, contend thou/you before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy/your voice. )

SLT Hear ye now what Jehovah said: Arise, contend thou with the mountains, and the hills shall hear thy voice.

Wbstr Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

KJB-1769 Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.[fn]
(Hear ye/you_all now what the LORD saith/says; Arise, contend thou/you before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy/your voice. )

6.1 before: or, with

KJB-1611 ¶ [fn]Heare yee now what the LORD saith, Arise, contend thou before the mountaines, and let the hilles heare thy voice.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)

6:1 Or, with.

Bshps Hearken ye nowe what the Lorde sayth: Arise thou, and contend with the mountaynes, and let the hilles heare thy voyce.
(Hearken ye/you_all now what the Lord saith/says: Arise thou/you, and contend with the mountains, and let the hills hear thy/your voice.)

Gnva Hearken ye nowe what the Lord sayth, Arise thou, and contende before the mountaines, and let the hilles heare thy voyce.
(Hearken ye/you_all now what the Lord saith/says, Arise thou/you, and contende before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy/your voice. )

Cvdl Herken now what the LORDE sayeth: Vp, reproue the mountaynes, and let the hilles heare thy voyce.
(Hearken now what the LORD saith/says: Vp, reprove the mountains, and let the hills hear thy/your voice.)

Wycl Here ye whiche thingis the Lord spekith. Rise thou, stryue thou bi doom ayens mounteyns, and litle hillis here thi vois.
(Here ye/you_all which things the Lord speaketh/speaks. Rise thou/you, strive thou/you by judgement against mountains, and little hills here thy/your voice.)

Luth Höret doch, was der HErr sagt: Mache dich auf und schilt die Berge und laß die Hügel deine Stimme hören!
(Hear though/but, what/which the/of_the LORD says: Make you/yourself on/in/to and shield(v) the mountains/hills and let the hill your voice hear/listen!)

ClVg [Audite quæ Dominus loquitur: Surge, contende judicio adversum montes, et audiant colles vocem tuam.
([Listen which Master speaks: Get_up, contende judgement against mountains, and let_them_hear the_hills voice your(sg). )

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:1–8: The LORD brought a lawsuit against his people

In this section, the LORD (speaking through Micah) conducted a lawsuit or a court trial against the people of Israel. The LORD accused the people of Israel of failing to keep his requirements. Some scholars refer to this accusation as a “covenant lawsuit” because his requirements were based on his covenant with Israel.For example, ZIBBC (pages 140–141), Hays (page 315), and CBC (page 334). Scholars point out, however, that this lawsuit was not conventional in some ways. For example, there was no judge, the witnesses were silent, and there was no pronouncement of punishment.ZIBBC (pages 140–141) and A&F (page 513).

Here are some other examples of section headings:

The Lord’s case against Israel (NIV)

God Challenges Israel (NRSV)

Paragraph 6:1–2

The lawsuit/trial began with these verses. Micah called on the people to hear the LORD’s case against them and called on the mountains/hills to be witnesses.

6:1a

Hear now what the LORD says:

¶ Listen, people of Israel to what Yahweh has to say:
¶ People of Israel, pay attention to the charges Yahweh has against you^(plur):

Hear now what the LORD says: This command to hear/listen starts a new prophecy/oracle in which Micah introduced the LORD’s lawsuit.

Hear: The word Hear is plural. Micah was speaking to the people of Israel. In some languages, it may be more natural to make the addressee explicit. For example:

Listen to what the LORD says to his people

In Hebrew, the word Hear is followed by a particle that indicates emphasis or insistence.The literal command is “šimʿû–nāʾ.” The particle nāʾ is defined by TWOT #1269 as “particle of entreaty or exhortation,” and by HALOT (electronic edition, page 656) as “particle giving emphasis.” A&F (page 514) state that the particle makes the command “peremptory and insistent rather than pleading.” Many versions leave this particle implied. Some English versions translate it as “now.” For example:

Now listen to what Yahweh says: (NJB)

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

what the LORD says: This phrase refers to the charge/case that the LORD will present. Some versions make this meaning explicit. For example:

Listen to the Lord’s case against Israel. (GNT)

6:1b–c

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning. The NIV11 has been used as the source line for 6:1b, because it follows the recommended interpretation:

^1b(NIV11) “Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;

^1cand let the hills hear your voice.

These lines are more literally “Arise conduct a case with the mountains and let hear the hills your voice.” The literal Hebrew commands in 6:1b do not have an explicit pronoun such as “my” or “your.” Most versions supply one of these pronouns in 6:1b to make their interpretation clearer.

There are three main interpretations of the identity of the participants in these parallel commands:

The LORD commanded Micah to rise and conduct the LORD’s case against the people of Israel. The mountains and hills were to hear Micah’s voice. For example:
Come, present [My] case before the mountains, and let the hills hear you pleading (NJPS) (NIV11, NJPS)
The LORD commanded Israel to rise and conduct Israel’s case against him.The main context for this interpretation is 6:3. Israel’s complaint is implied by the rhetorical questions “what have I done to you? and How have I burdened you?” Commentaries that support interpretation (2) include NAC (pages 108–109), JFB (page 693), and CBC (page 334). The mountains and hills were to hear Israel’s voice. For example:
Stand up and state your case against me. Let the mountains and hills be called to witness your complaints. (NLT) (CEV, NCV, NET, NLT)These versions make explicit this interpretation.
Micah told the LORD to rise and conduct the LORD’s case against the people of Israel.The main context for this interpretation is 6:2. In 6:1b–c Micah tells the LORD to conduct his case. In 6:2 the LORD complies by opening the case, referring to himself in 3rd person. Commentaries that support interpretation (3) include A&F (page 514) and UBS (page 225). The mountains and hills were to hear the LORD’s voice. For example:
Arise, O Lord, and present your case; let the mountains and the hills hear what you say. (GNT) (GNT)

Some versions that translate 6:1b with “your case” are ambiguous. In these versions, the referent of “your” could be either Israel or the LORD.

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with the majority of commentaries.Commentaries that support interpretation (1) include NICOT, KD, EBC, Waltke 2007, and TOTC.

the mountains…the hills: In 6:1–8, the mountains and the hills are parallel figures of speech (personification).JFB (Volume 1, page 693), NAC (pages 108–109), and KD (page 333). Here they represented witnesses at a trial in a court of law. They were fitting witnesses because they were present throughout all of Israel’s history. Thus, they had figuratively seen everything good that the LORD has done for Israel as well as the people’s acts of disloyalty.UBS (page 225).

Here are some ways to translate this figure of speech:

Keep the personification. This is the best option if the figure is natural in your language and people will understand the meaning correctly. For example:
Stand up, plead my case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say. (NIV)
Change the personification to a simile. Consider making the similarity of the mountains and hills to witnesses explicit. For example:
Arise and state my case. Speak as if the mountains and hills can hear you like witnesses in the trial.

6:1b

“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,

He says to me, “Arise to present my case before the mountains,
He tells me to stand and conduct a lawsuit in the presence of the mountains

(NIV11) Stand up: This command often functions as a call to action.A&F (page 514). In the context of a legal case the gesture signifies the start of the court session.CBC (page 334).

(NIV11) plead my case: This phrase means “to fight with words,” as in a quarrel or a legal case. Here it refers to a legal case or lawsuit.In Hebrew, rîḇ.

6:1c

and let the hills hear your voice.

and the hills need to hear what you^(sing) are about to say.”
and the hills.

and let the hills hear your voice: In this clause, the phrase let the hills hear does not mean to allow or give permission to hear.This is a Hebrew jussive form that indicates a desire or wish. It means that the LORD wanted the hills to hear his case against Israel. The words your voice refer to the voice of Micah as he presented the LORD’s case.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

Present my case before the hills

and also before the hills

General Comment on 6:1b–c

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

Rise and plead my case before the mountains and hills.