Bible Strands
Micah 3:1
Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Micah addresses the political and tribal leaders of Israel, opening a prophetic indictment that immediately exposes their corruption in verse 2.
The words — רָאשֵׁ֣י (ra.Shei) = chiefs or leaders; שִׁמְעוּ (shim.'u) = hear.
The thread — The rhetorical command to hear rulers appears in Isaiah 1:10, while divine judgment over leaders is depicted in Psalms 82:1.
Why it lands — The text demands that Israel’s rulers acknowledge their duty to administer justice, framing their failure as a direct breach of their office.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
Cross-references
- Psalms 82:1 A Psalm of Asaph. God presides in the divine assembly; He renders judgment among the gods:
- Isaiah 1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
- Jeremiah 5:4 Then I said, “They are only the poor; they have played the fool, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the justice of their God.
- Hosea 5:1 “Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O royal house! For this judgment is against you because you have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on Tabor.
- Deuteronomy 1:13 Choose for yourselves wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will appoint them as your leaders.”
- Deuteronomy 16:18 You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.
- 2 Chronicles 19:5 He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.
- Psalms 14:4 Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD.
- Jeremiah 22:2 saying, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David—you and your officials and your people who enter these gates.
- Amos 4:1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, who say to your husbands, “Bring us more to drink.”