MIC 6:6 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) What should I bring to Yahweh,
⇔ ≈ as I bow down to the high God?
⇔ Should I come to him with burnt offerings,
⇔ ≈ with year-old calves?

Key: khaki:verbs, blue:Elohim, 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 Ἐν τίνι καταλάβω τὸν Κύριον, ἀντιλήψομαι Θεοῦ μου ὑψίστου; εἰ καταλήψομαι αὐτὸν ἐν ὁλοκαυτώμασιν, ἐν μόσχοις ἐνιαυσίοις;
(En tini katalabō ton Kurion, antilaʸpsomai Theou mou hupsistou; ei katalaʸpsomai auton en holokautōmasin, en mosⱪois eniausiois; )

BrTr Wherewithal shall I reach the Lord, and lay hold of my God most high? shall I reach him by whole-burnt-offerings, by calves of a year old?

ULT What should I bring to Yahweh,
⇔ as I bow down to the high God?
⇔ Should I come to him with burnt offerings,
⇔ with calves a year old?

UST The Israelite people ask, “What shall we bring to Yahweh who lives in heaven
⇔ when we come to him and bow down before him?
⇔ Should we bring calves that are a year old
⇔ that will be offerings that will be killed and completely burned on the altar?

OEB ⇔ With what should I come before the Lord?
⇔ Bow myself before the God on high?
⇔ Should I come before him with burnt-offerings,
⇔ with calves a year old?

WEBBE ⇔ How shall I come before the LORD,
⇔ and bow myself before the exalted God?
⇔ Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
⇔ with calves a year old?

WMBB (Same as above)

MSG ^(6-7)How can I stand up before God
  and show proper respect to the high God?
Should I bring an armload of offerings
  topped off with yearling calves?
Would God be impressed with thousands of rams,
  with buckets and barrels of olive oil?
Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child,
  my precious baby, to cancel my sin?
    * * *

NET With what should I enter the Lord’s presence?
⇔ With what should I bow before the sovereign God?
⇔ Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings,
⇔ with year-old calves?

LSV With what do I come before YHWH? Do I bow to God Most High? Do I come before Him with burnt-offerings? With calves—sons of a year?

FBV What should I take with me when I approach the Lord, when I bow down before the God of heaven? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

T4T ⇔ The Israeli people ask, “What shall we bring to Yahweh who lives in heaven
⇔ when we come to him and bow down before him?
⇔ Should we bring calves that are a year-old
⇔ that will be offerings that will be killed and completely burned on the altar?

LEB • With what shall I approach Yahweh, and bow down to God on high?
• Shall I approach him with burnt offerings,
• with bull calves a year old?

BBE With what am I to come before the Lord and go with bent head before the high God? am I to come before him with burned offerings, with young oxen a year old?

Moff How shall I enter the Eternal’s presence,
⇔ and bow before the God of heaven?
⇔ Shall I come to him with sacrifices,
⇔ with yearling calves to offer?

JPS 'Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old?

ASV Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old?

DRA What shall I offer to the Lord that is worthy? wherewith shall I kneel before the high God? shall I offer holocausts unto him, and calves of a year old?

YLT With what do I come before Jehovah? Do I bow to God Most High? Do I come before Him with burnt-offerings? With calves — sons of a year?

Drby Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, bow myself before the high [fn]God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old?

6.6 Elohim

RV Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
(Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? )

SLT With what shall I come before Jehovah? I will bow to the high God; shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves, the sons of a year?

Wbstr Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old?

KJB-1769 ¶ Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?[fn]
(¶ Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? )

6.6 of a…: Heb. sons of a year?

KJB-1611 ¶ [fn]Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow my selfe before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calues of a yeere olde?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from marking of added words (and possibly capitalisation and punctuation and footnotes))

6:6 Heb. sonnes of a yeere.

Bshps Wherewith shall I come before the Lorde, and bowe my selfe to the hye God? Shall I come before him with burnt offeringes, and with calues of a yere olde?
(Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself to the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, and with calves of a year old?)

Gnva Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bowe my selfe before the hie God? Shall I come before him with burnt offrings, and with calues of a yeere olde?
(Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, and with calves of a year old? )

Cvdl What acceptable thynge shal I offre vnto the LORDE? shall I bowe mykne to the hye God? Shal I come before him wt brentofferinges, and with calues of a yeare olde?
(What acceptable thing shall I offer unto the LORD? shall I bow mykne to the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, and with calves of a year old?)

Wycl What worthi thing schal Y offre to the Lord? schal Y bowe the knee to the hiye God? Whether Y schal offre to hym brent sacrifices, and calues of o yeer?
(What worthy thing shall I offer to the Lord? shall I bow the knee to the high God? Whether I shall offer to him burnt-sacrifices, and calves of o year?)

Luth Womit soll ich den HErr’s versöhnen? Mit Bücken vor dem hohen GOtt? Soll ich mit Brandopfern und jährigen Kälbern ihn versöhnen?
(Womit should I the LORD’s reconcile? With Bücken before/in_front_of to_him high/tall God? Soll I with burnt-offering and year-oldn Kälbern him/it reconcile?)

ClVg Quid dignum offeram Domino? curvabo genu Deo excelso? Numquid offeram ei holocautomata et vitulos anniculos?
(What worthy offeram Master? curvabo knee to_God on_high? Is_it offeram to_him holocautomata and calves a_few_years_old? )

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 6:6–8

In 6:4–5, the LORD presented evidence that he had not wronged the people. Rather, he had blessed them.

In 6:6–8, the people (or a representative of the people) gave their response to this evidence. Their response in 6:6a–b was to ask a general question about what to bring to the LORD to please him. In 6:6c–d through 6:7, they asked about specific offerings. The offerings in 6:7 had higher value than those in 6:6.

In 6:8, Micah answered the people’s questions by reminding them of the LORD’s requirements.

The number and kind of offerings talked about in 6:7 appear to be exaggerated and unrealistic. This exaggeration may indicate that the people were insincere,For example, NICOT (pages 369–370) regards the questions as satirical. or that they were truly unaware of what the LORD desired of them.Many commentators suggest that the questions were sincere. For example, A&F (page 523), KD (page 335), Pusey (page 82), and UBS (page 231). If possible, translate the questions in 6:6–7 in a way that allows either option to be understood.A fairly literal, non-explicit translation will be the closest match to the Masoretic Text, in which the sincerity or insincerity of the people is suggested only by the context.

If your readers will find it useful to have a paragraph heading here, here are some examples:

What the Lord Requires (GNT)

What God requires (NRSV)

True obedience (CEV)

6:6a–b

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^6a With what shall I come before the LORD

^6bwhen I bow before the God on high?

There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 6:6b. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 6:6a. For example:

^6b what shall I bring when I bow myself before God on high?

In these parallel lines, the people of Israel asked Micah what offering was appropriate for them to bring to the LORD in their worship.

6:6a

With what shall I come before the LORD

¶ “What gift, then, can I bring when I come before Yahweh
¶ You^(sing) ask, “What offering should I present to Yahweh,

With what: Here this phrase is a general question about the item(s) they need to bring to the LORD.Waltke 2007 (page 358) suggests that verses 6–7 may be an adaptation of a liturgy in which a petitioner asks what is required to enter into the temple. In this line, the specific kind of item(s) is left implicit. However, 6:6c–d and 6:7 make clear that this phrase refers to sacrificial offerings.

shall I come before the LORD: This phrase means to spiritually “meet” with the LORD.TWOT #1988. Here it probably means to pray and worship him.NAC (page 112).

I: The pronoun I refers to the speaker of this question.Some commentators suggest that the speaker, “I,” is Micah, representing the people. For example, see NICOT (pages 369–370). This is possible. However, in this trial setting, Micah speaks on behalf of the LORD rather than on behalf of the people. For that reason, it is more probable that here the people are given the opportunity to speak instead of Micah speaking for them. The pronoun may refer to the people of Israel as a group or to a representative of the people.Many commentators favor this understanding. For example, TOTC (page 213) suggests the speaker is a representative worshipper. Similarly, A&F (page 523) suggest that “The individual speaker of verses 6–7 is a representative Israelite.” KD (page 335) regards the speaker as “the congregation.”

In some languages, it may be necessary to make explicit that the speaker has changed from Micah to the people or a representative of the people. Many versions translate this line as a direct quote to indicate this change of speaker. For example:

You say, “What can I bring with me when I come before the Lord (NCV)

6:6a–d

(combined/reordered)

When I worship Yahweh, our^(incl) God in heaven, shall I bring burnt offerings of year old calves?

6:6b

when I bow before the God on high?

to bow before him, God on high?
when I bow down to God in heaven?

when I bow before the God on high?: This line is more literally “I will bow myself down to [the] God of height.” Both 6:6a and 6:6b describe the action of meeting with God through prayer and worship.

when: In Hebrew, this line does not start with the word when. Some other versions supply a word like “when” or “and” to make the line sound more natural in English. Translate this line in a way that makes clear that 6:6a and 6:6b are two descriptions of the same action.

bow before the God: This line describes a common posture of a worshiper in the Old Testament.Waltke 2007 (page 358) and CBC (page 335). The posture of bowing to God indicates humility.Waltke 2007.

God on high: This is an expression that refers to God in his dwelling place in heaven.EBC (page 539), Waltke 2007 (page 358), KD (page 335), and Margolis (page 61). In this expression, the Hebrew word for God is elohim and not YHWH. Some versions translate elohim as God instead of “LORD.” Use your general term for God here.

6:6c–d

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

^6c Should I come to Him with burnt offerings,

^6d with year-old calves?

There is an ellipsis (a deliberately omitted phrase) in 6:6d. In some languages, it may be necessary to supply the missing words from 6:6c. For example:

^6d Should I come to Him with year-old calves?

In these lines, the people asked if burnt offerings, specifically burnt offerings of calves, were appropriate gifts to bring to the LORD.

6:6c

Should I come to Him with burnt offerings,

Shall I give burnt offerings when I worship him,
Should I present burnt offerings to him,

Should I come to Him: In Hebrew, the verb that the BSB translates as come to is the same as “come before” in 6:6b. It also has the same meaning, which is to spiritually “meet” with the LORD.

with burnt offerings: This phrase refers to animal sacrifices that were completely burned as offerings to the LORD. A worshiper presented this kind of offering to show their total dedication and commitment to the LORD.WBC (page 51), NAC (page 112), and NICOT (pages 369–370).

6:6d

with year-old calves?

my best, year old calves?
offerings of year old calves?

with year-old calves: This line is similar to 6:6c, however it is even more specific regarding the kind of burnt offering to bring to the LORD.According to UBS (page 231) the burnt offerings in 6c and the year old calves in 6d are not separate offerings. Together they are a hendiadys, a figure of speech that expresses an idea in two ways. See also Waltke 2007 (page 359) and Pusey (page 82). One year old calves represented the best, most desirable kind of animal to sacrifice.This is the majority view of commentators. For example, UBS, Waltke 2007, EBC, NICOT, KD, WBC, and Pusey.

General Comment on 6:6a–d

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

^6a–bWhat shall I bring to the Lord, the God of heaven, when I come to worship him? ^6c–dShall I bring the best calves to burn as offerings to him? (GNT)

Parallel MIC 6:6