Micah 3:11 kjv
The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.
Micah 3:11 nkjv
Her heads judge for a bribe, Her priests teach for pay, And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the LORD, and say, "Is not the LORD among us? No harm can come upon us."
Micah 3:11 niv
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they look for the LORD's support and say, "Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us."
Micah 3:11 esv
Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the LORD and say, "Is not the LORD in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us."
Micah 3:11 nlt
You rulers make decisions based on bribes;
you priests teach God's laws only for a price;
you prophets won't prophesy unless you are paid.
Yet all of you claim to depend on the LORD.
"No harm can come to us," you say,
"for the LORD is here among us."
Micah 3 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Micah 3:11 | "its heads give judgment for a bribe, its priests teach for a price, and its prophets practice divination for money." | Micah 3:11 (verse itself) |
| Isaiah 1:23 | "Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and chases after rewards." | Isaiah 1:23 (similar accusation) |
| Jeremiah 5:31 | "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at her prompting. My people love it so, but what will you do when the end of it comes?" | Jeremiah 5:31 (leaders' corruption) |
| Ezekiel 22:27 | "Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and destroy lives to gain dishonest profit." | Ezekiel 22:27 (leadership failure) |
| Psalm 11:5 | "The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and his soul hates the one who loves violence." | Psalm 11:5 (God's judgment) |
| Proverbs 17:15 | "To declare the wicked innocent, and to declare the righteous guilty, is alike an abomination to the Lord." | Proverbs 17:15 (unjust judgment) |
| Isaiah 5:20 | "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" | Isaiah 5:20 (moral perversion) |
| Matthew 23:23 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness." | Matthew 23:23 (Jesus' indictment) |
| Acts 20:30 | "and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw the disciples after themselves." | Acts 20:30 (false teachers) |
| 1 Peter 5:2-3 | "Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God chooses; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;" | 1 Peter 5:2-3 (shepherd's duty) |
| John 10:10 | "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it in abundance." | John 10:10 (true shepherd) |
| Revelation 18:24 | "And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.” | Revelation 18:24 (consequences of corruption) |
| Amos 5:12 | "For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins; you that afflict the righteous, you that take a bribe, and that turn aside the needy in the gate." | Amos 5:12 (similar sin) |
| Zechariah 7:10 | "and do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you scheme evil against his brother.” | Zechariah 7:10 (social justice) |
| Deuteronomy 16:19 | "You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality to any, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous." | Deuteronomy 16:19 (prohibition of bribery) |
| Malachi 2:7 | "For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts." | Malachi 2:7 (priest's role) |
| Habakkuk 2:6 | "Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, and a sneer of cunning words against him, and say, 'Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own, and fortifies himself with his plunder!'" | Habakkuk 2:6 (judgment on plunderers) |
| Psalm 82:4 | "Rend the oppressor and the victim; let their plea come up to God." | Psalm 82:4 (plea of the oppressed) |
| Romans 2:21 | "you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?" | Romans 2:21 (hypocrisy) |
Micah 3 verses
Micah 3 11 Meaning
The leaders of Israel are judged for their corruption and unjust practices, making the city stand because of wrongdoing. The verse asserts that because of their sin, the leaders are blameless and will face consequences.
Micah 3 11 Context
Micah chapter 3 addresses the spiritual and political leaders of Judah and Jerusalem during a time of significant apostasy and injustice. The people have turned away from God, and their leaders—princes, priests, and prophets—are not upholding righteousness. Instead, they are characterized by greed, oppression, and a disregard for God's law. Micah directly confronts these corrupt officials, prophesying a severe judgment upon them and the nation for their sin. The specific verse, Micah 3:11, encapsulates the pervasive corruption at all levels of leadership, highlighting how the pursuit of personal gain has superseded justice, teaching, and spiritual guidance. The consequence of this systemic failure is the impending destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.
Micah 3 11 Word Analysis
- Hěʾād (ראֹשׁ, rosh) - head, chief, captain, leader. Refers to the principal men of the nation, the rulers and authorities.
- bərîʾôṯ (בְּרִית, berit - not this word) - Correct word is often understood from context as related to gifts or bribes.
- In Hebrew, the idea of giving something in exchange for a decision or ruling points to bribery.
- While not a direct root for "bribe," the action implies a transactional, unjust exchange.
- laḵẖûlaṯ (לַחְלָה, lahaluach - meaning to corrupt, pollute; another possibility from context: שׁוֹחַד, shochad - bribe).
- This word choice is key to understanding the root cause of the leaders' actions: inherent injustice and wrong committed against the people.
- This verb, often associated with religious instruction, is now used in a context of corrupt teaching, implying that what they taught was false or motivated by selfish gain.
- This highlights the mercenary motive behind their teaching.
- They are practicing divination (fortune-telling), which was forbidden by God's law, rather than proclaiming God's true message.
- This indicates that their divinations were performed for personal reward.
- They practiced their forbidden arts for monetary gain.
- Their involvement in financial gain is directly tied to their role, indicating a systemic corruption.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "its heads give judgment for a bribe": The judiciary system is corrupted, with decisions bought and sold. Justice is not blind but blinded by greed.
- "its priests teach for a price": Religious teaching, meant to impart divine truth, has become a commodity for financial profit. The pulpit is for sale.
- "its prophets practice divination for money": Genuine prophecy has been replaced by a charade of fortune-telling for hire. Spiritual authority is commodified and exploited for personal gain.
Micah 3 11 Bonus Section
This verse highlights the pervasive nature of sin, touching all societal strata, particularly its leaders. The practice of divination by prophets for money directly contradicts the Mosaic Law's prohibition against consulting mediums and sorcerers (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10-12), and the Levites' role being for service, not illicit gain. The verse implicitly suggests that if these leaders acted righteously, they might be blameless, but their pervasive sin guarantees their judgment and the destruction of Jerusalem, a theme that resonates with Jesus' condemnation of the hypocritical religious leaders of His day.
Micah 3 11 Commentary
Micah 3:11 paints a stark picture of systemic corruption within the leadership of Israel. The political leaders (heads) pervert justice by taking bribes. The spiritual leaders (priests) distort God's word, teaching for monetary gain rather than divine truth. Even the prophets, who should be forth-telling God's message, have degenerated into fortune-telling (divination) for personal profit. This corruption has dire consequences for the nation, leading to divine judgment. It serves as a timeless warning against the commodification of justice, truth, and spiritual authority, highlighting the grave responsibility of leaders to act justly and faithfully, serving the people and God, not their own interests. The verse underscores that when leadership abandms righteousness, the nation itself is compromised.