Micah 6:3 kjv
O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.
Micah 6:3 nkjv
"O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me.
Micah 6:3 niv
"My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me.
Micah 6:3 esv
"O my people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me!
Micah 6:3 nlt
"O my people, what have I done to you?
What have I done to make you tired of me?
Answer me!
Micah 6 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Micah 6:3 | "O my people, what have I done to thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me." | Major Theme: God's Grievance |
| Jeremiah 2:5 | "Hath a nation changed its gods? which are yet no gods? but my people have changed my glory for that which profiteth not." | Parallel: Israel's Apostasy |
| Psalm 50:7 | "Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God." | Parallel: God's Testimony |
| Isaiah 1:18 | "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." | Parallel: Invitation to Reason |
| Hosea 12:2 | "The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him." | Parallel: God's Controversy with Judah and Jacob |
| Amos 3:13 | "Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts," | Parallel: Testimony to Jacob |
| Psalm 81:8 | "Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;" | Parallel: God's Appeal to Hear |
| Jeremiah 7:21-23 | "...ye have done all these things, saith the LORD... Sacrifice flesh, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not: now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall go to Egypt as they did aforetime. ... But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you." | Related: God's Desire for Obedience over Sacrifice |
| Romans 3:3-4 | "For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." | Echo: God's Justification |
| John 5:45-47 | "Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For if ye believed Moses, ye would believe me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" | Echo: Moses' Testimony |
| Revelation 12:10 | "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." | Related: Accusation and Vindication |
| Exodus 19:5-6 | "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel." | Related: Covenant Relationship and Expectations |
| Deuteronomy 30:19 | "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life: that thou and thy seed may live:" | Related: God's Witness of Israel's Choice |
| Acts 20:26-27 | "Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God." | Echo: Apostle's Declaration of Purity |
| 1 Corinthians 9:10 | "Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For their sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope." | Echo: The purpose of God's written word |
| Ephesians 5:25-27 | "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." | Related: Christ's relationship with the Church |
| 1 Samuel 12:5 | "And he said unto them, And it is he that convinceth you this day that ye have not found aught in my hands: but I am not an adversary." | Echo: Samuel's defense against accusation |
| Job 10:2 | "I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me." | Parallel: Human plea to God for His charge |
| Isaiah 5:3-4 | "And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" | Parallel: God's evaluation of His people |
Micah 6 verses
Micah 6 3 Meaning
The Lord has a controversy with His people Israel. He questions them about the injustices and wrongs they have committed, asking what evil they have done to Him that He would deal with them in such a manner.
Micah 6 3 Context
Micah chapter 6 begins with the Lord summoning the mountains and the earth as witnesses to His lawsuit against Israel. This establishes a solemn, public legal setting for God's indictment. The preceding verses detail Israel's unfaithfulness and broken covenant. This specific verse, Micah 6:3, is God's direct address to His people within this legal confrontation. He is not initiating the proceedings with condemnation but with a profound question designed to elicit their own testimony. It underscores God's relational perspective; He isn't merely a distant judge but a partner who feels wronged. The historical backdrop is a period of significant apostasy in Israel and Judah, marked by syncretism, social injustice, and a hollow religious ritualism. They had neglected the core tenets of their covenant relationship with God.
Micah 6 3 Word Analysis
- "O" ( Hebrew: הוֹי, Hōy): An interjection expressing grief, lament, or a solemn address, similar to "Woe" or "Alas." It sets a tone of earnestness and personal concern from God.
- "my" ( Hebrew: עַמִּי, `ammî): Possessive form of
am(people). This singular pronoun highlights God's personal, intimate relationship with Israel. They are His people, set apart by covenant. - "people" ( Hebrew: עַם, `am): Refers to the nation of Israel. It's a general term for people or nation.
- "what" ( Hebrew: מַה, mah): A interrogative pronoun, introducing a question seeking to know the nature or cause of something.
- "have": In Hebrew, the perfect tense of the verb, often indicating completed action or a state resulting from past actions.
- "I" ( Hebrew: אָנֹכִי, ʾānōḵî): The first-person singular pronoun, emphatically identifying God as the speaker.
- "done" ( Hebrew: עָשִׂיתִי, `âśîtî): The perfect first-person singular form of the verb
asah(to do, make, accomplish). - "to" ( Hebrew: לְ, lə): A preposition indicating direction or to whom something is done.
- "thee" ( Hebrew: תֶּבַע, teḇaʿ): Pronoun form of
atah(you, masculine singular). - "and" ( Hebrew: וְ, wə): A conjunctive particle.
- "wherein" ( Hebrew: בַּמֶּה, bammêh): An interrogative adverb, meaning "in what," "whereby," or "how."
- "have I wearied thee?" ( Hebrew: אֹרָרְתִּיךְ, ʾōrārəṯîḵ?): This phrase uses the perfect first-person singular of
ra‘a(to weary, tire, make weak). It conveys God asking if He has become a burden or cause of trouble to them. - "testify" ( Hebrew: הָעֵד, hā`êḏ): The imperative piel form of `
adah(to witness, testify). It is a command for them to bear witness or present evidence. - "against" ( Hebrew: בִּי, bî): Pronoun form of
ani(me). It specifies that the testimony is against God Himself. - "me" ( Hebrew: בִּי, bî): The first-person singular pronoun.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "O my people, what have I done to thee?": This opening establishes God's legal stance not as an accuser from the outset, but as a wronged party seeking explanation. It's a rhetorical question that draws the accused (Israel) into the proceedings, implying a broken relationship that needs to be understood. The possessive "my people" emphasizes the covenant bond that Israel has violated.
- "and wherein have I wearied thee?": This amplifies the previous question. It's not just about a specific transgression, but about God's ongoing relationship with them. "Wearied" suggests that God's efforts for them have been met with stubborn resistance, making His interactions burdensome to them. It challenges their perspective that God is the source of their trouble.
- "testify against me.": This is the core directive. God commands Israel to bring forth their charges, to articulate what He has done wrong to warrant their disobedience and infidelity. It’s an invitation for them to be accusers, an act of divine transparency and an appeal to their conscience. They are to present their case as if God were on trial.
Micah 6 3 Bonus Section
The structure of this verse mirrors legal proceedings where the plaintiff allows the defendant to present their side. However, the paradox is that Israel has been consistently unfaithful, so their testimony against God would likely be based on perceived hardship or a misunderstanding of His judgments, rather than actual injustice on God's part. This invites reflection on how humanity often blames God for their struggles without examining their own sinfulness. The very act of asking them to "testify against me" anticipates the likely weakness and invalidity of any charges they might attempt to bring, thereby highlighting their guilt more effectively. It emphasizes that God’s dealing with His people, even when disciplinary, stems from His enduring love and their covenant obligations.
Micah 6 3 Commentary
Micah 6:3 is a profound divine interrogation. God initiates His case against Israel not with pronouncements of doom, but by placing Himself on trial and inviting Israel to be His accusers. This is God appealing to the very covenant He established with them, a relationship meant to be characterized by mutual faithfulness. The question, "what have I done to thee?" probes their reasons for straying. Have His commands been truly oppressive? Has His law truly become a burden ("wearied thee")? God's query, "testify against me," is an invitation to present their grievances, a plea for them to acknowledge their own culpability by stating what fault they find in Him. This passage showcases God's desire for justice and His profound heartbreak over relational betrayal, stemming from His genuine love and the covenant commitment He made. It’s a call for accountability by demanding that His people acknowledge their role in breaking the relationship.