Micah 3 2

Micah 3:2 kjv

Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;

Micah 3:2 nkjv

You who hate good and love evil; Who strip the skin from My people, And the flesh from their bones;

Micah 3:2 niv

you who hate good and love evil; who tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones;

Micah 3:2 esv

you who hate the good and love the evil, who tear the skin from off my people and their flesh from off their bones,

Micah 3:2 nlt

but you are the very ones
who hate good and love evil.
You skin my people alive
and tear the flesh from their bones.

Micah 3 verses

Micah 3 2 Meaning

The verse vividly portrays the inherent moral depravity and exploitative nature of the corrupt leaders in ancient Judah/Israel. It describes them as individuals whose fundamental disposition is to reject what is right and righteous ("hate good") and to embrace wickedness and injustice ("love evil"). This twisted morality leads directly to their oppressive actions, depicted by the brutal metaphor of stripping their own people of their "skin" and "flesh from their bones," signifying extreme, dehumanizing exploitation that leaves their victims utterly destitute and vulnerable.

Micah 3 2 Context

Micah 3 begins with a direct address from the prophet to "the heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel." This marks a distinct section condemning the corrupt leadership of Judah, encompassing civil, religious, and prophetic authorities. Verse 2 immediately defines their fundamental moral perversion and sets the stage for a vivid indictment of their oppressive actions. The prophet identifies the specific sin that brings divine judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah, which is primarily the systemic injustice and exploitation perpetuated by those in power against the common people. Historically, this aligns with the socio-political realities of 8th-century BC Judah under kings like Ahaz, where wealth concentration and social stratification led to the exploitation of the poor by the powerful elite. The verse serves as a crucial foundation, establishing the deep-seated moral decay that fuels their violent oppression, ultimately leading to God's severe judgment in the following verses (v. 3-4, 9-12).

Micah 3 2 Word analysis

• who hate good:

  • וְשֹׂנְאֵ֥י טוֹב֙ (vəśōnʾēy ṭôḇ): This phrase signifies an ingrained, active aversion.
  • שֹׂנְאֵ֥י (śōnʾēy): Derived from the root śānēʾ, "to hate." As a participle, it indicates an ongoing characteristic, not merely an occasional act. Their nature is fundamentally opposed to good.
  • טוֹב֙ (ṭôḇ): "Good." This refers to what is inherently right, ethical, morally sound, and in alignment with divine justice and compassion. It encompasses righteousness and benefit for all, particularly the vulnerable. This highlights an inverted moral compass.

• and love evil:

  • וְאֹהֲבֵ֖י רָעָ֑ה (vəʾōhavê rāʿāh): Describes an affectionate, preferential leaning towards wrongdoing.
  • אֹהֲבֵ֖י (ʾōhavê): From the root ʾāhav, "to love." Again, a participle denoting an intrinsic disposition. They find pleasure or benefit in what is destructive.
  • רָעָ֑ה (rāʿāh): "Evil," wickedness, harm, misfortune. This is moral depravity, actions that bring distress and destruction to others. The leaders actively pursue and delight in wickedness, forming a stark contrast to what God requires.

• who pluck off their skin from them:

  • וְגֹֽזְלֵ֨י עֽוֹרָ֜ם מֵֽעֲלֵיהֶ֗ם (vəḡōzlê ʿôrām mêʿalêhem): This begins the brutal imagery of exploitation.
  • גֹֽזְלֵי (ḡōzlê): From the verb gāzal, "to rob," "to tear away," "to strip," "to seize violently." It implies a forceful and predatory act of taking what does not belong to them.
  • עֽוֹרָ֜ם (ʿôrām): "Their skin." This is the protective outer layer, metaphorically representing personal dignity, basic protection, clothing, shelter, or any superficial asset. Plucking it off symbolizes extreme dishonor and the removal of even the most basic necessities for survival.

• and their flesh from their bones:

  • וּשְׁאֵרָ֛ם מֵעַל֙ עַצְמוֹתֵיהֶֽם (ūšəʾêrām mêʿal ʿaṣmôṯêhem): Extends the gruesome metaphor to total denuding.
  • וּשְׁאֵרָ֛ם (ūšəʾêrām): "And their flesh." This represents their substance, their life, their strength, their entire livelihood, including food, wealth, and land—everything that sustains life.
  • עַצְמוֹתֵיהֶֽם (ʿaṣmôṯêhem): "Their bones." This indicates the very core and foundation. Stripping flesh from bones suggests a complete devouring, leaving nothing but bare skeletal remains, a hyperbole for complete financial, social, and physical devastation.

• who hate good and love evil: This phrase highlights an internal, moral inversion. Their hearts and minds are fundamentally aligned against righteousness and attracted to wickedness. This explains why they behave so cruelly—their values are antithetical to divine justice.

• who pluck off their skin from them, and their flesh from their bones: This composite image is a powerful, gruesome metaphor. It conjures images of savage predators (like wolves or scavengers) consuming their prey, reducing victims to nothing. It powerfully depicts the total and rapacious exploitation of the common people by their leaders, who extract every last shred of life, wealth, and dignity. It points to a dehumanizing level of oppression, leaving the people utterly devastated and defenceless.

Micah 3 2 Bonus section

The hyperbolic, almost cannibalistic, imagery used in this verse is not unique to Micah but is employed by other prophets (e.g., Ps 14:4; Eze 22:27) to vividly communicate the intensity and totality of the exploitation. It conveys that the leaders are metaphorically 'eating' their own people, benefiting from their destruction. This profound spiritual blindness ("hate good, love evil") results in practical atrocities against God's people. It contrasts sharply with the ideal of a shepherd (like the Messiah, Jn 10:11), highlighting how these leaders are antithetical to a true, godly protector. The verse underscores God's deep justice, indicating that He sees and is utterly disgusted by the brutal oppression of the innocent, foreshadowing their inability to "cry to the Lord" (Mic 3:4) in their time of distress.

Micah 3 2 Commentary

Micah 3:2 provides a chilling portrait of Judah's ruling elite, characterized by a fundamental moral inversion. They are not merely prone to sin but are described as inherently hostile to goodness and enamored with evil. This deep-seated perversion of values is the root of their appalling actions. The graphic imagery of "plucking off their skin" and "flesh from their bones" is a hyperbole depicting extreme, predatory exploitation. It conveys a complete stripping away of the common people's livelihood, resources, dignity, and even their very means of survival, leaving them utterly desolate and exposed, like bare bones picked clean. This isn't just mild injustice but a brutal, cannibalistic consumption of the populace by those who should protect them. Such vivid language powerfully underscores the severe injustice that necessitates God's immediate and comprehensive judgment against these oppressive leaders. The verse serves as a potent warning against all forms of exploitative power and leadership that victimizes the vulnerable.