Bible Strands
Micah 7:6
For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The prophet Micah addresses a Judahite community undergoing covenant judgment, speaking this observation immediately after warning against trusting companions and just before declaring personal hope in God.
The words — The Hebrew מְנַבֵּל (menabbel) literally means “treating with contempt,” קָמָה (qamah) denotes “arising” or “rising up,” and כַּלָּה (kallah) specifies “daughter-in-law.” These terms frame the domestic rebellion as active defiance rather than mere disagreement.
The thread — This pattern of household division appears in Matthew 10:35 and Luke 12:53, where Jesus cites the prophecy to describe familial division caused by discipleship. Matthew 10:21 expands the theme by noting children will rise against parents, while brothers and fathers betray others.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that covenant failure can fracture even the most fundamental human relationships, leaving no social structure immune to judgment. It forces the reader to place ultimate trust in God alone when human loyalty collapses.
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
For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
Cross-references
- Matthew 10:35 For I have come to turn ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
- Luke 12:53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
- Matthew 10:21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.
- Psalms 41:9 Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
- Psalms 55:12 For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide.
- Ezekiel 22:7 Father and mother are treated with contempt. Within your walls the foreign resident is exploited, the fatherless and the widow are oppressed.
- 2 Timothy 3:2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
- Matthew 26:23 Jesus answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me will betray Me.
- Matthew 26:49 Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
- Luke 21:16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death.