Micah 6:9 kjv
The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
Micah 6:9 nkjv
The LORD's voice cries to the city? Wisdom shall see Your name: "Hear the rod! Who has appointed it?
Micah 6:9 niv
Listen! The LORD is calling to the city? and to fear your name is wisdom? "Heed the rod and the One who appointed it.
Micah 6:9 esv
The voice of the LORD cries to the city ? and it is sound wisdom to fear your name: "Hear of the rod and of him who appointed it!
Micah 6:9 nlt
Fear the LORD if you are wise!
His voice calls to everyone in Jerusalem:
"The armies of destruction are coming;
the LORD is sending them.
Micah 6 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Micah 6:9 | Hear, you rod, and who hath appointed it. | Direct declaration to Israel |
| Isaiah 22:6 | And Elam bare a quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shields. | Consequence of ignoring God |
| Jeremiah 3:11 | And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. | Israel's spiritual state |
| Ezekiel 22:3-5 | Say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O city of blood! your filthiness is spread in the midst of thee. Ye have also figured your nakedness... | City's moral corruption |
| Matthew 11:15 | He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. | Jesus' call to listen |
| Luke 10:13 | Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, being girded with sackcloth and ashes. | Consequence of unresponsiveness |
| Acts 7:51 | Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. | Persistent resistance |
| Romans 2:5 | But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; | Self-imposed judgment |
| Hebrews 12:5 | And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: | Divine discipline |
| 1 Peter 1:14 | As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves to the former lusts in your ignorance: | Call to obedience |
| Revelation 2:5 | Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. | Warning of removal |
| 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. | God's direct address |
| Jeremiah 6:8 | Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee a desolate land, and an uninhabited land. | Plea for repentance |
| Hosea 4:6 | My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee... | Consequence of ignorance |
| Zechariah 1:4 | Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the LORD. | Past disobedience |
| Malachi 3:16 | Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. | The faithful hearer |
| 1 Corinthians 10:11 | Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our warning, upon whom the ends of the world are come. | Lessons from the past |
| John 10:27 | My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: | Recognizing God's voice |
| Acts 2:37 | Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? | Repentant hearing |
| James 1:22 | But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. | Active obedience |
Micah 6 verses
Micah 6 9 Meaning
The LORD's voice calls to the city, urging a heedful listening. This is a solemn declaration from God directed at the people of Israel, specifically those in Jerusalem. It highlights the seriousness of God's impending judgment and calls for an immediate and attentive response. The message signifies a final opportunity for repentance before consequences are faced.
Micah 6 9 Context
Micah chapter 6 depicts a judicial trial where God, as the prosecuting attorney, addresses Israel. He recalls their history, His faithfulness, and their consistent rebellion, highlighting their covenant violations. Verse 9 is a direct accusation and a call to listen to the judgment being pronounced. The city, personified, is being warned about the consequences of its sins, particularly its spiritual unfaithfulness and social injustice. The immediate context is God calling the people of Jerusalem to pay attention to His imminent judgment for their widespread iniquity. Historically, this occurred during a period of significant moral and religious decline in Judah, prior to the Babylonian exile, though some scholars link it to the Assyrian invasions. The verse is a transition into God elaborating on the nature of the impending punishment, attributing it to His authority and decree.
Micah 6 9 Word Analysis
Hear (sh'ma - שְׁמַ֖ע): A primary imperative verb in Hebrew. It means to listen attentively, to obey, and to understand. It signifies more than just auditory perception; it implies a cognitive and volitional engagement. In Scripture, "shema" is a foundational concept, found in the central prayer of Judaism (Deut 6:4). Here, it's a command for attentive and obedient listening to God's message and judgment.
you (tiqrah - תִּקְרָ֖א): Second person feminine singular, referring to the city of Jerusalem, often personified as a woman. This grammatical agreement emphasizes Jerusalem as the primary recipient of the pronouncement.
rod (shēvet - שֵׁ֥בֶט): Refers to a tribe, a scepter, a staff, or a rod used for discipline or authority. Here it signifies a symbol of power and authority, specifically the authority issuing judgment, and potentially the instrument of that judgment or the assembly of people who are the target of the judgment. It can imply a collective entity rather than an individual.
and (wə - וְ): A conjunctive particle connecting phrases or clauses.
who (mi - מִ֖י): An interrogative pronoun.
hath appointed (yaʿădâ - יָעֲדָֽה): Means to appoint, ordain, designate, or prepare. In this context, it denotes that the rod (or the assembly/authority it represents) has been designated or commissioned by God to carry out the judgment. It emphasizes divine sovereignty over the coming punishment, including any human instruments used.
group of words: "the rod, and who hath appointed it" (shēvet wəmi yaʿădâ) - This phrase asks rhetorically who has appointed this rod, implying that no one but God himself has ordained this rod of judgment. It points to God's ultimate authority and control over the events unfolding.
Micah 6 9 Bonus Section
The concept of the "rod" as an instrument of God's judgment is found elsewhere, notably in Isaiah, where various instruments of divine wrath are described (Isa 10:5-15). The phrasing also echoes a common rhetorical device in prophetic literature, where a stark pronouncement is followed by a rhetorical question to underscore a point about God's actions or nature. The specific personification of the city, addressed as "you," is typical of the prophetic tone, drawing the listener into the gravity of God's word. The absolute authority asserted by God ("who hath appointed it") is a key theological tenet, asserting His control even over destructive forces, which are ultimately employed for His purposes.
Micah 6 9 Commentary
Micah's message to Jerusalem is a stark warning. God's voice, represented by the "rod," addresses the city directly, demanding a response. This "rod" is not a mere inanimate object but a symbol of God's authority and the impending judgment. The rhetorical question, "who hath appointed it," emphasizes that this judgment originates from God, underscoring His ultimate sovereignty. The people of Jerusalem are called to recognize the divine origin of their coming distress, not to attribute it to chance or human conspiracy alone. It's a call to acknowledge God's justice and power in the face of their transgressions. The verse implores them to listen because what is coming is ordained by God Himself, and ignoring His word leads to more severe consequences. This theme resonates throughout Scripture: God holds nations and individuals accountable, and His pronouncements of judgment are always a serious matter, carrying with them the weight of divine authority.