Bible Strands
Micah 3:9
Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Micah addresses the political and judicial leaders of Israel and Judah immediately after declaring his own Spirit-filled mandate to confront Jacob's transgression. He speaks at the moment of national corruption, directly preceding his condemnation of those who construct Zion through violence and injustice.
The words — The imperative שִׁמְעוּ־ (shim.'u-) commands "hear," intensified by נָא (na'), meaning "please," to demand urgent attention. The address uses רָאשֵׁי (ra.Shei) for "chiefs" and קְצִינֵי (ke.tzi.Nei) for "rulers" of the houses of Jacob and Israel.
The thread — This indictment of corrupt leadership parallels Isaiah 1:23, where rulers are condemned as rebels who love bribes, and Psalms 58:1, which questions whether rulers truly speak justly. The pattern of judicial perversion condemned here also aligns with Proverbs 17:15, which declares acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous detestable to the LORD.
Why it lands — The verse demands that those in authority cease justifying their actions and confront the reality of their judicial corruption. It requires readers to recognize that leadership legitimacy depends on upholding justice rather than perverting it for 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
King James Version
Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 1:23 Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.
- Psalms 58:1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A Miktam of David. Do you indeed speak justly, O rulers? Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men?
- Proverbs 17:15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the righteous—both are detestable to the LORD.
- Deuteronomy 27:19 ‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
- Exodus 3:16 Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me and said: I have surely attended to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.
- Leviticus 26:15 and if you reject My statutes, despise My ordinances, and neglect to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant,
- Jeremiah 5:28 They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.
- 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.
- Micah 3:1 Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?