Micah 3:4

Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. At that time He will hide His face from them because of the evil they have done.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The prophet Micah pronounces this declaration against Israel's corrupt leaders who strip, break, and devour the people. The statement functions as the concluding judgment within a broader oracle targeting the nation's ruling and religious classes.

The words — The verb יִזְעֲקוּ (yiz.'a.Ku) translates literally as "they will cry out," paired with יַעֲנֶה (ya.'a.Neh) "he will answer" and יַסְתֵּר (yas.Ter) "he will hide." These terms form a direct syntactic reversal of divine responsiveness.

The thread — Proverbs 1:28 records God refusing to answer those who call on Him after rejecting wisdom. Isaiah 1:15 and Psalms 18:41 similarly document Yahweh hiding His eyes or withholding answers in response to the people's actions.

Why it lands — The text states that divine silence follows deliberate evil rather than functioning as a neutral circumstance. It requires readers to acknowledge that covenant relationship does not guarantee access when moral rebellion persists.

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

אָ֚ז'azthen יִזְעֲק֣וּyiz.'a.Kuthey will cry out אֶל־'el-to יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not יַעֲנֶ֖הya.'a.Nehhe will answer אוֹתָ֑ם'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ them וְיַסְתֵּ֨רve./yas.Terand/ he will hide פָּנָ֤יוpa.Na/vface/ hisמֵהֶם֙me./Hemfrom/ themבָּעֵ֣תba./'Etat the/ time הַהִ֔יאha./Hi'<the>/ that כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka./'a.Sher<as>/ since הֵרֵ֖עוּhe.Re.'uthey have made evil מַעַלְלֵיהֶֽם׃ פma.'a.lei./Hemdeeds/ their

King James Version

Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

Cross-references

Proverbs 1:28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
Isaiah 1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
Psalms 18:41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—to the LORD, but He did not answer.
Ezekiel 8:18 Therefore I will respond with wrath. I will not look on them with pity, nor will I spare them. Although they shout loudly in My ears, I will not listen to them.”
Deuteronomy 31:17 On that day My anger will burn against them, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them, so that they will be consumed, and many troubles and afflictions will befall them. On that day they will say, ‘Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is no longer with us?’
Deuteronomy 32:19 When the LORD saw this, He rejected them, provoked to anger by His sons and daughters.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Isaiah 3:11 Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.
Isaiah 59:1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.
Micah 2:3 Therefore this is what the LORD says: “I am planning against this nation a disaster from which you cannot free your necks. Then you will not walk so proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.