Micah 3:6

Therefore night will come over you without visions, and darkness without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD pronounces judgment on the prophets who falsely claim peace for bribes and declare war when unpaid. This declaration occurs within Micah’s broader indictment of corrupt religious leadership that misguides Israel.

The words — לַ֤יְלָה (Lay.lah) means night, and מֵֽ/חָז֔וֹן (me./cha.Zon) denotes vision, forming the phrase "night without vision." הַ/שֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ (ha./She.mesh) translates to the sun, paired with עַל־ ('al-) for "on," describing the sun setting over these prophets.

The thread — This imagery of divine silence and darkened daylight echoes Isaiah 29:10, where God shuts the eyes of prophets, and Amos 8:9, where He darkens the earth at noon. Isaiah 8:20 further establishes the standard that those who do not speak according to God’s word lack dawn’s light.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that spiritual authority divorced from God’s word results in total prophetic silence. Readers must assess whether their guidance aligns with divine testimony or merely personal gain.

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

לָכֵ֞ןla./Khen<to>/ therefore לַ֤יְלָהLay.lahnightלָכֶם֙la./Khem[will belong] to/ youמֵֽחָז֔וֹןme./cha.Zonfrom/ vision וְחָשְׁכָ֥הve./cha.she.Khahand/ it will grow darkלָכֶ֖םla./Khemto/ youמִקְּסֹ֑םmi./ke.Somfrom/ divining וּבָ֤אָהu./Va.'ahand/ it will go הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ha./She.meshthe/ sun עַל־'al-on הַנְּבִיאִ֔יםha./ne.vi.'Imthe/ prophets וְקָדַ֥רve./ka.Darand/ it will be dark עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם'a.lei./Hemon/ them הַיּֽוֹם׃hai./Yomthe/ day

King James Version

Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.

Cross-references

Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.
Isaiah 29:10 For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers.
Amos 8:9 And in that day, declares the Lord GOD, I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the daytime.
Isaiah 59:10 Like the blind, we feel our way along the wall, groping like those without eyes. We stumble at midday as in the twilight; among the vigorous we are like the dead.
Psalms 74:9 There are no signs for us to see. There is no longer any prophet. And none of us knows how long this will last.
Jeremiah 13:16 Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.
Jeremiah 15:9 The mother of seven will grow faint; she will breathe her last breath. Her sun will set while it is still day; she will be disgraced and humiliated. And the rest I will put to the sword in the presence of their enemies,” declares the LORD.
Ezekiel 13:22 Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies, even though I have caused them no grief, and because you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways to save their lives,
Zechariah 13:2 And on that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land.