Micah 6
1 Listen now to what YHWH says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say.
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.
2 Hear, you mountains, YHWH's controversy, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for YHWH has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel.
[But then] you mountains must [also] listen [carefully] [DOU] to what I, Yahweh, am complaining [about my people]. I have something to say about what [DOU] my Israeli people are doing that displeases me.
3 My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me.
My people, what have I done to [cause trouble for] you [RHQ]? What have I done to cause you to experience difficulties? Answer me!
4 For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
I [did great things for your ancestors]; I brought them out of Egypt; I rescued them from that land where they were slaves. I sent Moses to [lead] them, and [his older brother] Aaron and [his older sister] Miriam.
5 My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of YHWH."
My people, think about when Balak, the king of Moab, requested Beor’s son Balaam [to curse your ancestors], and think about what Balaam replied. Think about [how your ancestors crossed the Jordan River miraculously while] they were traveling from Acacia to Gilgal. [Think about those things in order] that you may know that [I], Yahweh, do what is right.”
6 How shall I come before YHWH, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
[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]?
7 Will YHWH be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Will Yahweh be pleased [if we offer to him] 1,000 rams and 10,000 streams of [olive] oil? Should we offer our firstborn children [to be sacrifices] to pay for the sins that we have committed [DOU]?”
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does YHWH require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
[No, because] he has shown each of us what is good [to do]; he has shown [RHQ] us what he requires each of us [to do]: He wants us to do what is just/fair and to love and to be merciful [to others], and [he wants us] to live humbly [while we fellowship] with him, our God.
9 YHWH's voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: "Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.
“I am Yahweh, so if you are wise, you should revere me. I am calling out to [you people of] Jerusalem, ‘The armies [MET] that will destroy your city are coming, so pay careful attention to me, the one who is causing them to punish you with my rod.
10 Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short ephah that is accursed?
Do you think that [RHQ] I should forget that you wicked people filled your homes with valuable things that you acquired by cheating [others]? Do you think that [RHQ] I should forget that you used false measures [when you bought and sold things]? Those are things that I hate.
11 Shall I be pure with dishonest scales, and with a bag of deceitful weights?
[Do you think] that [RHQ] I should say nothing about people who use scales that do not weigh correctly, and who use weights that are not accurate?
12 Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.
The rich people among you always act violently [to get money from poor people]. All of the people [in Jerusalem] are liars, and they [SYN] always deceive people.
13 Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins.
Therefore, I have [already] begun to get rid of you, to ruin you because of the sins that you have committed.
14 You shall eat, but not be satisfied. Your humiliation will be in your midst. You will store up, but not save; and that which you save I will give up to the sword.
[Soon] you will eat food, but you will not have enough to satisfy you; your stomachs will [still feel as though they are] empty. You will try to save up [money], but you will not be able to save anything, because I will send your enemies to take it from you in wars [MTY].
15 You will sow, but won't reap. You will tread the olives, but won't anoint yourself with oil; and crush grapes, but won't drink the wine.
You will plant [seeds], but you will not harvest [anything]. You will press olives, but [others], not you, will use the [olive] oil. You will trample on grapes [and make wine from the juice], but [others], not you, will drink the wine.
16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab; and you walk in their counsels. Therefore I will make you a desolation, and her inhabitants an object of contempt; and you will bear the scorn of the nations."
[Those things will happen to you because] you obey [only] the wicked laws of [King] Omri, and [you do the terrible things that wicked King] Ahab and his descendants commanded. So, I will destroy your [country], and I will cause your people to be despised; people [of other nations] will insult you.’”
