Micah 1 2

Micah 1:2 kjv

Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the LORD from his holy temple.

Micah 1:2 nkjv

Hear, all you peoples! Listen, O earth, and all that is in it! Let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, The Lord from His holy temple.

Micah 1:2 niv

Hear, you peoples, all of you, listen, earth and all who live in it, that the Sovereign LORD may bear witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

Micah 1:2 esv

Hear, you peoples, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it, and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

Micah 1:2 nlt

Attention! Let all the people of the world listen!
Let the earth and everything in it hear.
The Sovereign LORD is making accusations against you;
the Lord speaks from his holy Temple.

Micah 1 verses

Micah 1 2 Meaning

Micah 1:2 presents a solemn, universal summons for all peoples and the entire created order to attend to a divine pronouncement. It declares that the Lord GOD, identified by His authoritative and covenantal names, will Himself serve as the witness and prosecutor in a judgment, acting from His holy dwelling place, implying both His transcendence and immanent judicial authority. This verse sets the stage for God's forthcoming indictment against His covenant people, Israel and Judah, by establishing a cosmic courtroom where even creation is called to bear witness to their unfaithfulness.

Micah 1 2 Context

Micah prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in Judah (740-697 BCE approximately). This was a time of significant political and spiritual crisis, characterized by the oppressive Assyrian Empire to the north, which eventually led to the fall of Israel (Samaria) in 722 BCE and seriously threatened Judah (Jerusalem). Spiritually, both kingdoms were marked by widespread idolatry, social injustice, corruption among leaders, priests, and false prophets, despite periodic reforms.Micah's message is structured as a prophetic covenant lawsuit (Hebrew: riv), where God acts as both plaintiff and judge against His unfaithful people. Verse 2 initiates this lawsuit by calling all creation to bear witness to the proceedings. This sets a grave and universal tone for the judgments and subsequent promises of restoration found throughout the book. It establishes God's ultimate sovereignty and the cosmic significance of His actions concerning His covenant people.

Micah 1 2 Word analysis

• "Hear, all ye people":
  • Shəma'u (שְׁמַעוּ): The Hebrew word "Hear" is an imperative plural verb, demanding attentive listening. It signifies not just an acoustic act but also obedience and heeding the command.
  • ʿammîm (עַמִּים): "People" here refers to "nations" or "peoples" in a general sense, not specifically to Israel. This emphasizes the universal scope of the summons, involving all of humanity as witnesses, or even those nations who will experience God's judgment later.
• "hearken, O earth, and all that therein is":
  • Haʾăzînî (הַאֲזִינִי): "Hearken" or "give ear," an imperative, conveying an even deeper sense of attentive listening than "hear." It suggests profound focus and readiness to understand.
  • ʾereṣ (אֶרֶץ): "Earth" or "land." Its personification here (listening as a person) emphasizes the cosmic magnitude of the event. All of creation, inanimate or living, is being called to witness.
  • ûməloʾāh (וּמְלֹאָהּ): "and all that therein is" or "its fullness." This refers to everything that fills the earth – all its inhabitants and contents. The call extends to the entirety of creation, underscoring the universal nature of God's jurisdiction and the gravity of His coming judgment.
• "and let the Lord GOD be witness against you":
  • wîhî ʾădōnāy Yĕhōvih (וִיהִי אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה): "And let the Lord GOD be." "Adonai YHWH" (or Adonai Yahweh) is a significant compound divine title. "Adonai" means "Lord" or "Sovereign," denoting absolute authority. "YHWH" (often vocalized as Yahweh) is the personal, covenantal name of God, emphasizing His faithfulness and unique identity as the self-existent One. Together, they signify God as the sovereign covenant-maker who is supreme over all.
  • ləʿēd (לְעֵד): "witness." In a legal context, a witness testifies about facts. Here, God is not only the judge and the accuser but also the supreme, indisputable witness to His people's actions. He doesn't need external witnesses because He is omniscient and directly observed their unfaithfulness. The phrase "against you" (bākem) directly targets the nations (plural 'peoples' in the opening), and ultimately, through the prophecy, against Israel and Judah who are also being addressed.
• "the Lord from his holy temple":
  • ʾădōnāy mēhêḵal qāḏəšô (אֲדֹנָי מֵהֵיכַל קָאדְשׁוֹ): "The Lord from his holy temple." This refers primarily to God's heavenly dwelling, His transcendent abode. From this sacred place, God, in His divine majesty and justice, initiates His judgment. While the earthly temple in Jerusalem symbolized God's presence, the emphasis here is on the ultimate, uncreated temple in heaven, from which divine decrees and judgments emanate with unchallengeable authority. This affirms His sovereignty over all earthly matters and implies that no sin can escape His holy gaze.

Micah 1 2 Bonus section

The dramatic opening of Micah 1:2 serves to amplify the gravity of the message to follow. It’s a theatrical opening in the truest sense, creating a cosmic arena for divine confrontation. This grand scale, calling heaven and earth, signifies that the issues at stake – covenant infidelity and resulting judgment – are not merely local or national concerns for Israel and Judah, but matters of universal consequence that uphold God's character and righteous governance of the entire creation. The solemn, almost hushed anticipation created by the call to "hear" and "hearken" sets a reverent tone for what is revealed from God's holy dwelling place, reminding all creation of God’s sovereignty over both nations and natural order.

Micah 1 2 Commentary

Micah 1:2 functions as a profound courtroom scene, meticulously staged for divine judgment. The call for "all ye people" and the very "earth" to "hearken" is an awe-inspiring summons, transforming the natural world and human populace into an immutable jury and witness to God's forthcoming indictment. This sets the stage for a riv, a covenant lawsuit, a common prophetic literary form where God formally brings charges against His people for violating their covenant with Him. By stating "the Lord GOD be witness against you," Micah highlights God's unique role as prosecutor, witness, and judge – a divine legal singularity. His declaration that He acts "from his holy temple" anchors His judgment in a place of ultimate holiness, authority, and justice, implying His omnipresence and perfect knowledge. This is not a judgment carried out arbitrarily but from the very heart of divine righteousness, ensuring that every charge laid against Judah and Israel in the following verses is just and unavoidable. It signifies that the God of the covenant is a God who demands accountability from His people, making no exceptions due to their special relationship with Him.