Micah 1 5

Micah 1:5 kjv

For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?

Micah 1:5 nkjv

All this is for the transgression of Jacob And for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem?

Micah 1:5 niv

All this is because of Jacob's transgression, because of the sins of the people of Israel. What is Jacob's transgression? Is it not Samaria? What is Judah's high place? Is it not Jerusalem?

Micah 1:5 esv

All this is for the transgression of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what is the high place of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?

Micah 1:5 nlt

And why is this happening?
Because of the rebellion of Israel ?
yes, the sins of the whole nation.
Who is to blame for Israel's rebellion?
Samaria, its capital city!
Where is the center of idolatry in Judah?
In Jerusalem, its capital!

Micah 1 verses

Micah 1 5 Meaning

Micah 1:5 states that the reason for the Lord's impending judgment on the nations, which specifically begins with Jacob (Israel), is the rebellion and sin found within its heart. It identifies Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom, as the source and embodiment of Jacob's transgression. Furthermore, it explicitly names Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom, as the center of the idolatrous "high places" within Judah, highlighting that even the covenant capitals are deeply corrupted and responsible for the nation's spiritual apostasy. This verse underscores God's precise knowledge of sin's origin within His people.

Micah 1 5 Context

Micah 1 opens with the declaration of the word of the Lord coming to Micah, signifying a divine message of judgment. The chapter establishes God as a cosmic judge descending from heaven to punish His people for their unfaithfulness. Before detailing the impending destruction, especially focusing on Samaria, Micah 1:5 acts as a foundational premise, answering the rhetorical question of why this judgment is occurring. It explicitly pinpoints the epicenter of the rebellion and idolatry: the capital cities of the Northern Kingdom (Samaria) and the Southern Kingdom (Jerusalem). This sets the stage for the dramatic depiction of God's lament and destructive march across the land, a judgment provoked by the profound corruption emanating from the nation's spiritual and political hearts. Historically, this aligns with the period leading up to the fall of Samaria to Assyria (722 BCE) and the subsequent threat to Jerusalem and Judah.

Micah 1 5 Word analysis

• What is the transgression (pesha') of Jacob?
  • What is: An interrogative demonstrating rhetorical emphasis; God already knows the answer.
  • transgression (פֶּ֫שַׁע, pesha'): This Hebrew term means a willful revolt, rebellion, or act of breaking covenant, distinct from general sin or error. It implies a conscious act of disloyalty against an authority. In a covenant context, it is treason against God.
  • Jacob: Metonymy for the whole nation of Israel, encompassing both the northern kingdom (Israel/Ephraim) and the southern kingdom (Judah). It harks back to their covenantal roots as the people chosen by God.
  • of Jacob: Emphasizes that the transgression is inherent to and defines the collective identity of God's chosen people.
• Is it not Samaria?
  • Is it not: Affirmative rhetorical question; it is Samaria.
  • Samaria: The capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It became the epicenter of Jeroboam's calf worship (1 Kgs 12) and continued in deep-seated idolatry and moral corruption for centuries. It symbolically embodies the entire Northern Kingdom's apostasy and rebellion against the Lord.
• And what are the high places (bamot) of Judah?
  • what are: Another rhetorical question, revealing God's absolute awareness.
  • high places (בָּמוֹת, bamot): These were pagan worship sites, typically located on elevated ground or artificial mounds, often used for cultic rituals, including idol worship, Asherah poles, and sometimes child sacrifice (Jer 7:31). Even where Yahwistic worship occurred, it was often syncretistic and unauthorized, representing a fundamental compromise of monotheism and proper worship of the Lord. Their persistent existence across Israel's history was a constant source of spiritual pollution.
  • Judah: The Southern Kingdom, though possessing the Temple in Jerusalem, was also deeply compromised by idolatry, especially through the presence of these "high places" throughout its territory and even near Jerusalem.
• Is it not Jerusalem?
  • Is it not: Again, a stark, undeniable affirmative.
  • Jerusalem: The capital of the Southern Kingdom, location of the Lord's chosen Temple (1 Kgs 11:36; 2 Kgs 21:7). For Jerusalem to be identified as the source or embodiment of Judah's bamot is profoundly ironic and damning. It indicates that the heart of God's supposed dwelling place had become infected with the very idolatry it was meant to oppose, undermining any claim to holiness or immunity from judgment based solely on its status. This highlights the severe extent of Judah's spiritual compromise, where sin had infiltrated even the sanctuary city.

Micah 1 5 Bonus section

The rhetorical questions employed in Micah 1:5 ("What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?") serve as a powerful literary device. They don't seek information but rather emphasize the undeniable nature of the charges and God's perfect knowledge of their sin. This style implies that the answers are obvious and known even to the people being addressed, leaving no room for excuses or denial. The pinpointing of Samaria and Jerusalem highlights a theological polemic: neither their political prominence nor their spiritual significance (Samaria as the capital of Israel, Jerusalem as the site of the Temple) protected them from God's wrath or exonerated them from being the very sources of national sin. In fact, their privileged positions made their apostasy even more heinous, revealing that internal corruption was the deepest threat to God's covenant people.

Micah 1 5 Commentary

Micah 1:5 delivers a powerful indictment, cutting straight to the heart of Israel's spiritual malady. It’s not just a general problem of the people but a concentrated corruption rooted in the nation's spiritual and political capitals. By directly naming Samaria as the "transgression of Jacob" and Jerusalem as the source of "the high places of Judah," the prophet unveils God's surgical precision in identifying sin's origin and character. Samaria represents overt, institutionalized rebellion through calf worship and subsequent Ba'alism. Jerusalem, despite housing the Lord's Temple, is implicated in a more insidious syncretism through the persistent toleration and practice of unauthorized high places, some even within its vicinity. This verse serves as a chilling reminder that divine judgment stems from specific, deep-seated covenant infidelity, and no sacred status or geographical location can exempt a people from the consequences of their unrepentant sin. It shows God holding His own people, especially their leaders and central institutions, accountable for the pervasive spiritual rot. This underscores a universal biblical truth: privileges bring greater responsibility, and sin rooted in the heart of the community calls for direct judgment.