Micah 6 15

Micah 6:15 kjv

Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

Micah 6:15 nkjv

"You shall sow, but not reap; You shall tread the olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; And make sweet wine, but not drink wine.

Micah 6:15 niv

You will plant but not harvest; you will press olives but not use the oil, you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.

Micah 6:15 esv

You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine.

Micah 6:15 nlt

You will plant crops
but not harvest them.
You will press your olives
but not get enough oil to anoint yourselves.
You will trample the grapes
but get no juice to make your wine.

Micah 6 verses

Micah 6 15 Meaning

You will eat, but not be satisfied; and you will carry your young, but will not save them; and what you save, I will give to the sword.

Micah 6 15 Context

This verse from Micah chapter 6 is part of a powerful prophetic indictment against Israel, specifically Judah, for their sins, particularly social injustice, corruption, and idolatry. The Lord, through Micah, outlines the severe consequences of their covenant unfaithfulness. Chapter 6 begins with God summoning his people to "hear" and "contend" with him, recalling their history and highlighting their persistent rebellion. This verse describes a specific, tangible result of God’s judgment: profound and pervasive deprivation. It is a curse pronounced upon a disobedient nation, emphasizing that even the basic necessities of life, like food and the protection of one's family, will be cruelly denied. This imagery points to a complete breakdown of societal order and security.

Micah 6 15 Word Analysis

• you shall eat (וַאֲכָלְתֶּם - wa'akhaltem): Future tense verb, "you will eat." Indicates an action that will surely happen. The hunger will be persistent, making eating insufficient to satisfy.

• but not satisfied (וְלֹא־תַשְׂבִּיעוּ - v'lo-tasbi'u): "and not satisfied." The satisfaction that comes from food will be withheld. This speaks to a deeper internal or spiritual lack as well, resulting from their disobedience.

• and you shall carry (וְנָשָׂאתֶם - v'nasatem): Future tense verb, "you will carry." Implies effort and burden.

• your young (וְגֹרַנְתֶּם - v'gorantem) - Correction: This appears to be a misunderstanding. The Hebrew word here is not gorantem (granary or threshing floor, which doesn't fit context), but rather relating to their offspring or "carry your young". A more accurate reading of the Hebrew from scholarly sources supports the idea of carrying their young, implying responsibility and perhaps attempting to protect them. Let's proceed with the accurate understanding: the act of bearing or carrying one's children.

• but not save (וְלֹא־תִמָּלֵטוּ - v'lo-timaleṭu): "and you will not escape" or "be delivered." Despite carrying and attempting to care for their offspring, there will be no successful rescue or preservation.

• and those you save (וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר־תְּפַלֵּטוּ - v'et 'asher-t'faleṭu): "and that which you deliver" or "those you save." This phrase refers to the remnant or the ones who are perceived to have been saved or delivered from immediate danger.

• I will give to the sword (לַחֶרֶב נְתַתִּי - laḥereḇ netati): "to the sword I will give." God Himself declares that those few they might save will be handed over to destruction by the sword, signifying war, conquest, and utter defeat.

• Group Analysis: The verse paints a picture of total societal collapse. The people are unable to find satisfaction in basic sustenance (eating without satisfaction), and their efforts to protect and nurture the next generation are utterly futile (carrying young but not saving them). The final clause intensifies this by stating that even any who seem to escape this plight will be deliberately given over to destruction by the sword. This is not accidental misfortune, but divine judgment. The interconnectedness of the clauses emphasizes a comprehensive denial of security and sustenance, a complete unraveling of life's protections.

Micah 6 15 Bonus Section

The language of not being satisfied in eating is a reversal of God’s promised provision for His obedient people. Deuteronomy 8:3 states that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Here, the inability to be satisfied, even with food, signifies spiritual starvation. The concept of saving children but not being able to protect them reflects the heartbreaking reality of war and exile. Jeremiah 15:2 describes a similar fate: "And when they say to you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: Those marked for death, to death; and those marked for the sword, to the sword; those marked for famine, to famine; and those marked for captivity, to captivity.’" This verse is a stark reminder that true security and provision come only from faithfulness to God and righteous living.

Micah 6 15 Commentary

This verse describes the severe and comprehensive nature of the judgments that will befall Israel due to their disobedience and injustice. It’s a curse where basic human needs and parental instincts are thwarted by divine decree. They will experience perpetual hunger, meaning they will eat but never feel truly full or satisfied. This implies a deep, underlying emptiness stemming from their broken relationship with God. Furthermore, their efforts to protect their children, the very future of the nation, will be in vain. The phrase "what you save" highlights the hopelessness; even those they manage to keep safe will ultimately be surrendered to death by the sword, symbolizing the enemy’s conquest. It underscores that no escape is possible from God’s judgment when His people turn away from Him and engage in systemic wickedness.