Micah 3 5

Micah 3:5 kjv

Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

Micah 3:5 nkjv

Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant "Peace" While they chew with their teeth, But who prepare war against him Who puts nothing into their mouths:

Micah 3:5 niv

This is what the LORD says: "As for the prophets who lead my people astray, they proclaim 'peace' if they have something to eat, but prepare to wage war against anyone who refuses to feed them.

Micah 3:5 esv

Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry "Peace" when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.

Micah 3:5 nlt

This is what the LORD says:
"You false prophets are leading my people astray!
You promise peace for those who give you food,
but you declare war on those who refuse to feed you.

Micah 3 verses

Micah 3 5 Meaning

Micah 3:5 exposes the corrupted character and motives of false prophets in Judah and Israel during the 8th century BCE. It reveals their ministry was not guided by divine truth but driven by personal gain. They offered soothing pronouncements of "peace" (wholeness, well-being) to those who provided for their material needs, but threatened "holy war" or declared a curse against anyone who withheld payment, illustrating their mercenary and self-serving nature. Their prophetic message was conditional, entirely dependent on financial remuneration rather than faithfulness to God's word.

Micah 3 5 Context

Micah 3:5 is embedded in a severe oracle of judgment against the corrupted leaders of Israel and Judah. Chapters 1-3 form an indictment of the nation's sins. Micah 3 specifically targets the elite: first, the civil rulers (Mic 3:1-4) for their brutal injustice and oppression, then the prophets (Mic 3:5-8) for their mercenary and deceptive prophecies, and finally the priests for teaching for a price (Mic 3:11). The immediate historical context is the 8th century BCE, a time of relative prosperity but deep social decay in both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, under leaders like Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Amidst this backdrop, false prophets offered comforting but deceptive messages of peace and prosperity, preventing the people from repenting and instead solidifying their complacent assurance, even as divine judgment loomed from the rising Assyrian power. Micah stands in stark contrast (Mic 3:8) as a true prophet, fearlessly declaring God's unvarnished truth without fear or favor.

Micah 3 5 Word analysis

• Thus says the Lord: This is a standard prophetic formula, indicating divine authority. However, here it's ironically used by the true prophet (Micah) to condemn those who claim to speak for the Lord but do not. It underscores the true source of judgment.

• concerning the prophets: Hebrew: ʿal-hannəḇīʾīm (עַל־הַנְּבִיאִים). "The prophets" implies a known, established class or group. It highlights that the problem is not isolated to a few but points to a systemic issue within the prophetic institution of the time.

• who lead my people astray: Hebrew: hammat'im et-ʿammī (הַמַּתְעִים אֶת־עַמִּי). Mat'im comes from the root ta'a, meaning "to wander, stray, go astray, err." In the Hiphil stem, it means "to cause to go astray, lead astray, deceive." This emphasizes the active, culpable role of these prophets in diverting God's people from the right path, leading them into sin or false security. This is a severe indictment, as true prophets should guide, not mislead.

• who cry 'Peace': Hebrew: hāʾōmrīm šālōm (הָאֹמְרִים שָׁלוֹם). Shalom means "peace, completeness, welfare, health, prosperity." This phrase describes their superficial, pleasing message. They proclaimed general well-being, suggesting no imminent danger or need for repentance, soothing the people into a false sense of security (Jer 8:10-11).

• when they have something to eat: Hebrew: bənāšḵū šinēhem (בְּנָשְׁכוּ שִׁנֵּיהֶם), literally "when their teeth bite." This graphic image signifies that their proclamation of "peace" is directly linked to personal financial or material gain. When they literally "have food for their teeth" (i.e., are well-fed/paid), they offer pleasant words. This root (נָשַׁךְ - nashakh) can also refer to biting, gnawing, or taking interest (as in usury), further connecting their practice to exploitation and personal profit.

• but declare holy war against him who puts nothing into their mouths: Hebrew: wəqiddešū ʿālāyw milḥāmāh asher lo'-yaʾăkîlēnū (וְקִדְּשׁוּ עָלָיו מִלְחָמָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יַאֲכִילֶנּוּ).

  • declare holy war: qaddash milhamah (קַדַּשׁ מִלְחָמָה) means "to consecrate war," to declare a sacred battle, often implying God's sanction and involvement in military action (cf. Josh 6:26, Jer 6:4). This is an extreme misuse of sacred language, turning a solemn divine declaration of judgment into a personal curse for mercenary purposes.
  • against him who puts nothing into their mouths: asher lo'-yaʾăkîlēnū refers to those who do not feed them or provide them with payment. The phrase demonstrates the complete reversal of their message – from "peace" to "war" – solely based on whether their greed is satisfied. Their divine pronouncements are reduced to instruments of manipulation for personal sustenance, reflecting their worship of material wealth (their god is their belly Phil 3:19).

• Prophets who lead... war against him who puts nothing into their mouths: This group of words emphasizes the two-faced nature of these false prophets. Their allegiance and prophetic message are entirely transactional. They shift from a positive message (peace) to a negative, threatening one (holy war) depending solely on whether they receive payment. This dynamic reveals their absolute lack of divine inspiration or ethical integrity.

Micah 3 5 Bonus section

• The phrase "when they have something to eat" or "when their teeth bite" suggests a primal, almost animalistic motivation, likening the false prophets to predatory animals feeding themselves. This connects them to other biblical warnings against greedy watchmen or shepherds (Isa 56:10-11; Ezek 34).
• The severity of "declaring holy war" in response to withheld payment shows the extent of their presumption and the distortion of sacred concepts. A holy war was God's initiative against enemies or sin; these false prophets repurposed it as a tool for personal revenge and financial enforcement, sacrilegiously twisting God's authority to serve their covetousness.
• The contrast between "peace" and "holy war" demonstrates a complete reversal of divine message, illustrating the unpredictable and manipulative nature of their prophecies. This made them dangerous because their listeners could never be sure what the "prophecy" would be, except that it would serve the prophet's personal agenda.

Micah 3 5 Commentary

Micah 3:5 paints a damning picture of prophetic corruption. It exposes a class of "prophets" whose ministry was purely mercenary. Their primary concern was not delivering God's truth, but ensuring their own sustenance and comfort. If a person or community paid them, they would prophesy shalom, a message of well-being and absence of judgment, effectively pacifying any alarm about sin or impending doom. This gave the people a false sense of security, which suited their desire to continue in their sinful ways.

However, the moment their monetary flow or provisions were withheld, their message abruptly turned. They would "declare holy war" (or consecrate a war/curse) against those who failed to "feed" them. This implies a pronouncement of divine judgment or a curse, masquerading as God's will but stemming purely from their financial dissatisfaction. This grotesque manipulation of divine authority reveals them as greedy and devoid of any true spiritual discernment. Their "god" was their belly (Phil 3:19), and their "prophecy" was a transaction.

Micah highlights the dangerous consequences: such false prophets "lead God's people astray" (Jer 14:14, Ezek 13:2-3). Instead of guiding them to repentance and righteousness, they encouraged complacency, making the people ripe for the actual divine judgment that Micah himself truthfully declared (Mic 3:8). The verse serves as a timeless warning against any spiritual leadership driven by profit rather than faithfulness, showing that external expressions of faith can mask internal motivations of profound corruption.