Micah 3 10

Micah 3:10 kjv

They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

Micah 3:10 nkjv

Who build up Zion with bloodshed And Jerusalem with iniquity:

Micah 3:10 niv

who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness.

Micah 3:10 esv

who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity.

Micah 3:10 nlt

You are building Jerusalem
on a foundation of murder and corruption.

Micah 3 verses

Micah 3 10 Meaning

Micah 3:10 condemns the leaders of Judah for their unrighteous methods of governance, accusing them of establishing and strengthening Zion (Jerusalem) through bloodshed and iniquity. This means the city's perceived stability, prosperity, and institutions were founded upon exploitation, injustice, violent oppression, and corrupt practices, rather than on righteousness and justice as God commanded.

Micah 3 10 Context

Micah 3:10 is nestled within a severe prophetic denunciation against the corrupt leaders of Judah, specifically focusing on the civil rulers, judges, prophets, and priests. Chapters 1-3 describe the spiritual and social decay within both Israel and Judah. Chapter 3 begins with a direct address to "heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel," accusing them of despising justice and distorting all equity. The subsequent verses detail how these leaders exploit the common people like animals being prepared for sacrifice, highlighting their greed and perversion of justice (vv. 1-3). The false prophets and priests are also implicated for prophesying peace for personal gain but declaring war on those who do not pay them (vv. 5-7). Verse 9 continues this indictment, reiterating that the rulers "abhor justice and twist all equity." Therefore, verse 10 functions as a precise accusation of how their leadership style manifests – their supposed strengthening of Jerusalem is built upon immoral foundations. This entire section serves as a direct polemic against the leaders' false security, stemming from their belief that God was still with them despite their actions (v. 11), a belief Micah strongly refutes. Historically, this occurs during a period of relative prosperity under King Hezekiah but also growing social stratification and internal corruption preceding the Assyrian invasions.

Micah 3 10 Word analysis

• They build up (בונה, bonah):

  • Meaning: Hebrew Qal participle, plural, active. It signifies a continuous action of constructing, establishing, or strengthening.
  • Significance: While not necessarily literal brick-and-mortar construction, it points to the leaders' efforts to establish and fortify their social, political, and economic systems within the city. This "building" suggests the accumulation of wealth, power, and infrastructure, ironically, at the expense of others. It implies their policies and judgments contributed to the city's outward form and function.

• Zion (ציון, Tzion):

  • Meaning: A prominent hill in Jerusalem, often used poetically and prophetically to refer to Jerusalem as a whole. It also represents the spiritual heart of God's covenant people, the place of God's dwelling.
  • Significance: The use of "Zion" highlights the profound irony and blasphemy of the leaders' actions. They were perverting the very essence of a city designated as holy and chosen by God. Building God's holy city with such means was a direct affront to His character and covenant.

• with blood (בדמים, b'damim):

  • Meaning: Hebrew noun dam (blood), here in the plural (damim) and prefixed with 'b' (with). While "blood" can refer to physical life, the plural often denotes bloodshed, bloodguilt, or violent actions resulting in death or grave injury. It refers to a lack of proper remuneration for services, and even refers to acceptance of bribes to shed innocent blood.
  • Significance: This implies not only violence and murder but also the oppressive exploitation that leads to suffering akin to death for the poor and vulnerable. It covers corrupt judgments that result in confiscation of property or life, or even accepting bribes which have resulted from ill-gotten gains through violence. This denotes illicit gains obtained through unjust means that caused pain or deprivation.

• and Jerusalem (ירושלים, Yerushalayim):

  • Meaning: The capital city of Judah, the center of Israelite religious and political life.
  • Significance: Used parallel to Zion, it emphasizes the literal physical and administrative entity being corrupted. It signifies the overall functioning and governance of the entire city. The parallel with Zion emphasizes that not just the spiritual ideal, but the tangible reality of the city was defiled.

• with iniquity (בעולה, b'avla):

  • Meaning: Hebrew noun ʿavlah (iniquity, unrighteousness, injustice, perversity, wrongdoing), prefixed with 'b' (with). It denotes what is crooked, perverse, or unjust, often involving dishonesty, oppression, and corruption.
  • Significance: This complements "blood," specifying the nature of the injustice. It encompasses ethical violations, bribery, biased judgments, land appropriation, and all forms of unfair dealings that characterized the leaders' governance. It's not just passive wrongdoing but active, deliberate perversion of justice for personal gain.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity": This phrasing strongly contrasts the physical and administrative actions of the leaders (building) with the morally depraved means they employed. The parallelism emphasizes the deep hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy: the holy city, meant to be a beacon of righteousness, was being established through the very sins God abhors. This is a severe indictment, indicating that the core structures of society, upheld by the leadership, were tainted by their ungodly practices.

Micah 3 10 Bonus section

The emphasis in Micah 3:10 on "blood" and "iniquity" as the means of building Zion serves as a stark warning against any attempt to advance God's kingdom or cause through ungodly methods. This prophetic declaration echoes throughout Scripture, affirming that divine purposes are to be fulfilled by divine means, reflecting God's holy character. Any gain, influence, or prosperity achieved through injustice, exploitation, or corruption is ultimately an abomination to God and destined for ruin, as further indicated by Micah 3:12, where Zion itself would be "plowed as a field" due to these very sins. This verse powerfully teaches that ends do not justify means, especially when God's name is involved.

Micah 3 10 Commentary

Micah 3:10 presents a searing indictment against the leaders of Judah, asserting that their efforts to establish and maintain Jerusalem were fundamentally tainted by bloodshed and iniquity. This verse is not about literal physical construction alone, but rather the foundational principles and practices governing the city's growth and stability. The leaders, motivated by personal gain and devoid of true justice, exploited the vulnerable, engaged in corrupt legal proceedings, accepted bribes, and potentially even ordered violence against those who stood in their way. These actions resulted in innocent suffering, effectively "building" their society on a foundation of human cost and moral compromise.

The prophet’s condemnation highlights the hypocrisy of those who outwardly revered God and perhaps participated in religious rituals, while inwardly perpetrating gross injustices. Their actions stood in direct opposition to God's covenant requirements for justice and righteousness, especially concerning the poor and marginalized. The prosperity or stability they perceived in Jerusalem was, in God's eyes, built on a fraudulent basis, leading to severe divine judgment rather than blessing. This verse underscores the Christian principle that true blessing and enduring structures, whether spiritual or societal, must be founded on integrity and adherence to God's righteous standards.