Micah 1 8

Micah 1:8 kjv

Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.

Micah 1:8 nkjv

Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked; I will make a wailing like the jackals And a mourning like the ostriches,

Micah 1:8 niv

Because of this I will weep and wail; I will go about barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl.

Micah 1:8 esv

For this I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked; I will make lamentation like the jackals, and mourning like the ostriches.

Micah 1:8 nlt

Therefore, I will mourn and lament.
I will walk around barefoot and naked.
I will howl like a jackal
and moan like an owl.

Micah 1 verses

Micah 1 8 Meaning

Micah 1:8 expresses the prophet Micah's deep personal grief and intense sorrow over the impending divine judgment and desolation that will befall Samaria and Judah due to their egregious sins. It describes his decision to participate in acts of extreme public lamentation and humiliation, symbolically identifying with the shame, ruin, and despair his people will soon experience. His wailing, howling, stripped state, and sounds like wild desert animals portray a vivid image of utter desolation and abandonment, reflecting the spiritual and physical devastation coming upon the nations.

Micah 1 8 Context

Micah chapter 1 serves as the opening declaration of the prophet Micah's divine message, initiating with a powerful pronouncement of judgment from the Lord. Verses 2-7 establish God's dramatic descent from His holy temple to judge His people, particularly Samaria (the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel) and Jerusalem (the capital of the Southern Kingdom of Judah). The reasons for this judgment are explicitly stated: the idolatry, spiritual corruption, and social injustice rampant in these cities. Samaria's sin is detailed first, with a vivid image of its destruction into ruins, its idols broken, and its wealth exposed. Verse 8 immediately follows this declaration of inevitable divine wrath and devastating consequences, showing Micah's deeply empathetic, personal response to what he has just proclaimed. He fully internalizes the coming catastrophe, moving from the prophetic declaration of God's action to his own sorrowful reaction. Historically, this prophecy emerged in the late 8th century BCE, a tumultuous period during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, marked by the encroaching power of the Assyrian empire, which would eventually conquer Samaria in 722 BCE, fulfilling part of Micah's prophecy.

Micah 1 8 Word analysis

• Therefore (כֵּן - kēn): This adverb functions as a connective, linking Micah's immediate response directly to the preceding pronouncement of God's severe judgment (vv. 2-7). It signals that what follows is the natural and inevitable consequence of hearing and understanding the divine decree of destruction against Samaria and Judah. It's a statement of personal commitment to a specific reaction.
• I will wail (אֶסְפְּדָה - es·pe·dāh): Derived from the root sap̄ad, which denotes a formal, deep, and often ritualistic lament, typically associated with mourning for the dead. By choosing this word, Micah signals a lament as intense as grieving a funeral, effectively mourning the impending "death" or utter ruin of Samaria and, by extension, Judah. It implies public display and a profound sense of loss.
• and howl (וְאֵילִלָה - wə·'ê·lî·lāh): From the root yalal, signifying a loud, often shrill cry of pain, distress, terror, or anguish. This complements sap̄ad, moving beyond formal mourning to an unrestrained, even animalistic, cry of emotional pain. It conveys intense agony and desperation, indicating a profound internal wound that demands audible expression.
• I will go stripped (אֵילְכָה שׁוֹלָל - 'ê·lə·ḵāh šō·wlāl): The verb 'alak (go, walk) combined with šolal (stripped, bare, deprived). This is a public, symbolic act, conveying extreme humiliation, destitution, and loss. In the ancient Near East, being stripped symbolized being captured, plundered, disgraced, and utterly vulnerable. For a prophet, such an act vividly communicated the nation's coming fate – loss of dignity, possessions, and security.
• and naked (וְעָרוֹם - wə·'ā·rôm): 'arôm means "naked" or "bare." While similar to "stripped," 'arôm intensifies the sense of vulnerability and shame. It implies a complete lack of covering, protection, or privacy, indicating utter ruin and exposure to disgrace. This prophetic sign act serves to embody the judgment, showing the total undoing of the people's previous prosperity and honor.
• I will make a wailing (אֶעֱשֶׂה נְהִי - e'·'ĕ·śeh nĕ·hî): nĕhî refers to a lamentation or a mournful dirge. The phrase "make a wailing" denotes the actual vocal act of uttering lamentation, distinct from the initial internal resolve to wail. This reiterates and reinforces the deep auditory aspect of his mourning.
• like the jackals (כַּתַּנִּים - ka·ttan·nîm): tannim primarily refers to "jackals" or sometimes "dragons/sea monsters," but in contexts of desolation, "jackals" is most fitting. Jackals are scavengers that inhabit desolate, ruined places. Their nocturnal cries are eerie, mournful, and symbolize the eerie emptiness and decay of abandoned cities. By imitating their sound, Micah signifies the land's complete ruin and abandonment by its inhabitants.
• and a mourning (וְאֵבֶל - wə·'ê·ḇel): 'êvel denotes a deep sorrow, grief, or mourning. This term captures the inner emotional state and condition of profound sadness. It reinforces the themes of lament, solidifying the idea that both internal and external expressions of grief are paramount.
• like the ostriches (כְּבְנוֹת יַעֲנָה - kiḇ·nō·wṯ ya·'ă·nāh): Literally "daughters of the ostrich." Ostriches are known for their desolate habitats and their haunting, mournful, almost human-like cries, which are particularly loud and piercing. Often associated with neglected places and cruelty (Job 39:13-17), their cries intensify the sense of wild, primeval lamentation and despair for the coming desolation. It speaks of a lament so primal it transcends human ritual and touches upon the cries of nature in distress.

• "I will wail and howl": This pairing indicates both formal and unrestrained vocal expressions of profound sorrow. It moves from controlled, ritualistic grief to uncontrolled, instinctual anguish, capturing the full spectrum of Micah's pain.
• "I will go stripped and naked": These phrases together describe a comprehensive state of utter exposure, humiliation, and destitution. It is a visual prophecy, physically enacting the shame and ruin awaiting the unfaithful nation. It signifies loss of honor, possessions, and even the basic decency of clothing.
• "I will make a wailing like the jackals and a mourning like the ostriches": This powerful double simile uses animal sounds to convey the horrific, unnatural, and desolate nature of the coming lamentation. It signifies a land reduced to a wild, untamed wilderness where only mournful sounds of desolation persist, transcending typical human mourning to something primitive and despairing.

Micah 1 8 Bonus section

Micah's extraordinary act of publicly stripping himself and wailing like wild animals would have been deeply shameful and scandalous in ancient Israelite culture. This radical choice underscores the immense weight of the divine judgment and the prophet's willingness to forfeit personal dignity to communicate its severity. It highlights a recurring pattern in prophetic ministry where the prophet's life often becomes part of the message (e.g., Hosea's marriage, Ezekiel's actions). The prophet acts as a mediator, experiencing a foretaste of the people's punishment and sorrow, bridging the gap between divine pronouncements and human experience. His lament also implicitly serves as a call for national repentance and lament; if the prophet feels such sorrow for sins he didn't commit, how much more should the nation grieve for its own transgressions? This prophetic empathy serves as a call for spiritual awakening among those who hear.

Micah 1 8 Commentary

Micah 1:8 is a poignant example of prophetic identification, where the prophet Micah so internalizes the word of God and the impending judgment that he personally embodies the sorrow and humiliation destined for his people. This verse reveals his deep empathy, demonstrating that true prophecy is not merely detached pronouncements but often involves sharing in the suffering of those to whom the message is addressed. His actions — stripping, public wailing, and mimicking the sounds of desolate animals — are extreme, radical signs intended to shock and impress upon the people the gravity of their sin and the severity of God's coming wrath. The prophet becomes a living parable, mirroring the utter destruction, shame, and abandonment that will transform flourishing cities into barren, eerie wildernesses. It serves as a stark warning, inviting the people to lament their sins before they are forced into the lament of judgment.

• Practical usage example: The passage serves as a reminder for believers to feel deeply about the spiritual state of the world around them, even lamenting its brokenness and departure from God's ways, rather than remaining indifferent. It also illustrates the profound cost of sin, not just to those who commit it, but also to God's heart and to His messengers.