Micah 2 8

Micah 2:8 kjv

Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.

Micah 2:8 nkjv

"Lately My people have risen up as an enemy? You pull off the robe with the garment From those who trust you, as they pass by, Like men returned from war.

Micah 2:8 niv

Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning from battle.

Micah 2:8 esv

But lately my people have risen up as an enemy; you strip the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly with no thought of war.

Micah 2:8 nlt

Yet to this very hour
my people rise against me like an enemy!
You steal the shirts right off the backs
of those who trusted you,
making them as ragged as men
returning from battle.

Micah 2 verses

Micah 2 8 Meaning

Micah 2:8 indicts God's covenant people for their shocking reversal of roles: instead of embodying justice and care for one another, they act as an enemy, violently stripping and exploiting the vulnerable within their own community. The verse highlights the opportunistic cruelty against those who are defenseless and at peace, revealing a deep moral decay where internal solidarity has been shattered by greed and oppression.

Micah 2 8 Context

Micah 2:8 is part of a series of oracles of judgment (Micah 2:1-11) pronounced against the elite and powerful of Judah, and possibly Israel, who engaged in systemic social injustice. The preceding verses (2:1-5) denounce the covetous acquisition of lands and houses, which displaces and dispossesses the rightful owners, leading to a decree of judgment. Verse 8 deepens this indictment by graphically portraying specific acts of robbery and exploitation committed by "my people" against their own kin. This specific action of stripping someone of their garment directly violates Israelite covenant law and basic human compassion, showing a complete breakdown of societal order and righteousness. The prophet is speaking during a time (late 8th century BC) when Judah was experiencing relative economic prosperity, yet this wealth was concentrated in the hands of a corrupt few, at the expense of the poor and vulnerable.

Micah 2 8 Word analysis

• Even of late / Yea, of late (KJV/NIV, CSB) - וְאֶתְמוּל (wᵉʾeṯmûl): Meaning "yesterday" or "recently." This intensifies the indictment, indicating the oppression is not a distant memory but a current, ongoing reality. It conveys urgency and the persistent nature of their sin.
• my people - עַמִּי ('ammî): This possessive term profoundly underscores the gravity of their sin. God identifies these perpetrators as His own covenant people. The emphasis is on the betrayal of their unique relationship with YHWH, whose covenant stipulated justice and care for the vulnerable within the community.
• is risen up - קָמִים (qamîm): This verb usually denotes taking a stand or rising against something, often with hostile intent. Here, it conveys an active, aggressive posture, implying deliberate hostile action rather than passive neglect. They actively initiated injustice.
• as an enemy - לְאֹויֵב (lᵉʾôyēv): This is a damning comparison. Instead of acting as covenant brothers, sharing communal bonds, they have become like invaders or external adversaries, preying upon their own. This reflects a profound reversal of God's ideal for Israel as a community founded on justice and love.
• ye pull off - פָּשַׁטְתּוּ (pāšaṭtū): This verb means "to strip, disrobe, plunder, take off." It denotes a forceful, violent act of seizure. In the ancient world, to strip someone of their garment, especially a poor person's outer cloak, was to leave them exposed, vulnerable, and without the most basic form of protection and dignity.
• the robe with the garment - הָאֶדֶר מֵעַל הַשַּׂלְמָה (hāʾeḏer mēʿal haśśalmāh): "Robe" (ʾeḏer) and "garment" (śalmāh) refer to the outer cloak, often made of a single large piece of cloth, used as both clothing by day and a covering or blanket at night. The Torah explicitly protected this item when taken as a pledge (Ex 22:26-27, Deut 24:10-13), underscoring its vital importance to a poor person's survival. To strip someone of it was an act of extreme cruelty and flagrant disregard for divine law and human dignity.
• from them that pass by securely - מֵעֹבְרִים בֶּטַח (mēʿōḇᵉrîm beṭaḥ): "Securely" (beṭaḥ) signifies confidence, safety, or peace. The victims are described as moving about peacefully and unsuspecting, perhaps travelers who expect safety among their own people. This amplifies the treachery and opportunism of the aggressors, attacking those who pose no threat and anticipate no harm.
• as men averse from war / from those returning from war / as ones peaceful / like people who trust (various interpretations): This phrase, כְּאִישׁ עֵשֶׂר מִלְחָמָה (kᵉʾîš ʿeśer milḥāmāh) or similar phrasing across versions, is debated. A common scholarly understanding, and one that fits the context of vulnerability, translates it as "like those peaceful, unprepared for conflict," or "who pose no threat." Other interpretations suggest those who have escaped war (and thus are defenseless) or those who are in secure dwelling, not anticipating attack. Regardless of the exact nuance, the common theme is the defenselessness of the victims, emphasizing the wickedness of stripping those who are entirely unprepared to resist or are already vulnerable.

Words-group by Words-group analysis:

• "Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy": This phrase delivers a shocking indictment. The phrase "my people" (God's chosen covenant community) directly contrasting with "as an enemy" reveals a profound breach of their covenant obligations and identity. It highlights spiritual hypocrisy and internal betrayal, where the very people who should uphold righteousness act like hostile invaders within their own borders.
• "ye pull off the robe with the garment": This phrase points to active, deliberate robbery and destitution. The specific mention of "robe" and "garment," vital possessions in ancient Israel and legally protected even as pledges, emphasizes the extreme violation of justice. It's not mere exploitation but a forceful taking that leaves the victim vulnerable and without dignity.
• "from them that pass by securely as men averse from war": This powerful description underscores the victim's vulnerability and the aggressor's calculated cruelty. The victims are portrayed as peaceful, non-threatening individuals who are targeted precisely because they are unsuspecting and defenseless. This intensifies the moral repugnance of the crime, as it victimizes the innocent and trusts that should exist within a community.

Micah 2 8 Bonus section

The active and immediate nature of the oppression is often overlooked. The Hebrew verb tense indicates a continuous or habitual action. It's not a past event but ongoing exploitation that prompted God's outcry through Micah. This prophetic word stands as a stark reminder that injustice against the innocent, especially the defenseless, within one's own community is a grave offense to God, equivalent to acting as an "enemy" against His own people. It’s a call to self-reflection for any community claiming to belong to God, to ensure their actions are consistent with His character of justice and compassion rather than oppression.

Micah 2 8 Commentary

Micah 2:8 stands as a piercing indictment against a deeply corrupt society, specifically targeting the oppressive actions of those in power or with influence against their fellow Israelites. The verse doesn't accuse an external foe but rather "my people," revealing God's grief and dismay at the internal spiritual and social decay. The act of "stripping the robe with the garment" (specifically the outer cloak) was not just theft but an act of profound dehumanization and economic destruction in the ancient Near East, as this garment often served as bedding and protection, particularly for the poor. It highlights an extreme form of oppression, violating fundamental covenant laws that mandated protection for the poor and vulnerable. The victims' defenselessness – "passing by securely" and "averse from war" – exposes the moral depravity of the perpetrators, who exploited the peace and trust that should have been hallmarks of a godly society. This verse warns that covenant status offers no shield from judgment when fundamental justice and love for one's neighbor are forsaken for covetousness and violence. It underlines that true piety involves righteous living and ethical conduct within the community, especially concerning the marginalized, not just outward religious observance.