Micah 7:20 kjv
Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.
Micah 7:20 nkjv
You will give truth to Jacob And mercy to Abraham, Which You have sworn to our fathers From days of old.
Micah 7:20 niv
You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago.
Micah 7:20 esv
You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
Micah 7:20 nlt
You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love
as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago.
Micah 7 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Micah 7:20 | You will show faithfulness to Jacob and covenant loyalty to Abraham, as you swore to our ancestors in days gone by. | Fulfillment of covenant promises |
| Gen 12:1-3 | God's promise to Abraham | Patriarchal covenant |
| Gen 17:1-8 | Renewed covenant with Abraham | God's eternal faithfulness |
| Deut 7:9 | God's faithfulness to keepers of the covenant | Unchanging character of God |
| Ps 89:34 | God's faithfulness despite human sin | Perseverance of saints |
| Ps 105:8 | Remembrance of God's covenant | Historical remembrance |
| Jer 31:31-34 | New Covenant | Superiority of the new covenant |
| Luke 1:55 | Mary's song recalls God's mercy to Abraham | Echoes of covenant promises |
| Acts 2:39 | Promise of salvation applies to descendants | Continuity of God's people |
| Rom 11:28 | Election based on the patriarchs | God's election |
| 2 Tim 2:13 | If we are faithless, he remains faithful | God's inherent faithfulness |
| Titus 1:2 | Promise of eternal life in hope | God's truth |
| Heb 6:13-18 | Oath to Abraham | Immutability of God's counsel |
| 1 Pet 1:10-12 | Prophets searched about salvation | Confirmation from prophets |
| 1 John 1:9 | Confession leads to faithfulness and righteousness | God's faithfulness in forgiveness |
| Mal 3:6 | I the LORD do not change | God's unchanging nature |
| Ezek 36:22-32 | God's restoration for His name's sake | Restoration and sanctification |
| Isa 43:25 | God blots out transgressions for His own sake | Forgiveness for His name |
| Ps 25:10 | God's faithfulness in lovingkindness | Characteristics of God |
| Nah 1:7 | The LORD is good, a refuge in trouble | God's goodness and refuge |
Micah 7 verses
Micah 7 20 Meaning
This verse promises the enduring faithfulness of God towards His covenant people, assuredly restoring them and showing them mercy. Despite past failings and judgments, God's sovereign promises and enduring love are confirmed for future generations.
Micah 7 20 Context
Micah 7 concludes the book, following a series of prophetic pronouncements of judgment against Israel and Judah due to their pervasive sin and unfaithfulness. However, the final verses shift to a message of hope and restoration. This particular verse offers assurance to a people who have experienced and will continue to face severe consequences for their rebellion. It anchors this assurance in God's unchanging character and His foundational covenant promises made to Abraham and passed down to Jacob. The immediate preceding verses speak of Zion's devastation and God’s people scattering, yet this verse provides the crucial foundation for future rebuilding and vindication.
Micah 7 20 Word analysis
תִּתֵּן (titten): You will give. A future tense verb, emphasizing a definite action of God in time to come. It signifies bestowing, granting, or showing.
חֶסֶד (ḥeseḏ): Faithfulness, steadfast love, lovingkindness. This is a key term in the Old Testament describing God's loyal, unfailing love and commitment to His covenant people, even when they are not faithful. It’s more than mere kindness; it’s enduring loyal love.
לְיַעֲקֹב (ləyā‘ăqōḇ): To Jacob. Refers to the nation of Israel, descendants of Jacob, highlighting God's commitment to the lineage. Jacob himself was flawed, mirroring Israel's history of sin, making God's faithfulness to him and his descendants even more significant.
וְחֶסֶד (wəḥeṣed): And faithfulness/steadfast love. Repetition reinforces the enduring nature of God’s covenant loyalty.
לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם (lə’aḇrāhām): To Abraham. Points to the original foundational covenant God made with Abraham, which encompasses all his descendants and promises of blessing. This connection establishes the deep historical roots of God's commitment.
כְּיָמִ֣ים (kəyāmîm): As in days. Suggests a continuity and a reference back to past historical dealings.
קֶ֔דֶם (qěḏem): Of old, ancient times. Further emphasizes the deep historical basis and duration of God's promises.
מִ֥ימֵי (mîmê): From days. Connects the past dealings directly to the future promises.
עוֹלָ֖ם (‘ōlām): Eternity, age-long. Denotes a time without end, signifying that the covenant loyalty and faithfulness shown in the past continue and extend into eternity.
God’s Covenantal Love: The phrase "faithfulness to Jacob and covenant loyalty to Abraham" links God's consistent lovingkindness to both the patriarch and his entire lineage, signifying the enduring nature of the covenant made.
Historical Continuity: "As you swore to our ancestors in days of old" roots this faithfulness in specific, historical oath-bound promises made by God to the early generations, affirming that His commitments are not new but deeply established in history.
Divine Oath: The mention of oaths implies divine commitment and immutability. God's promises are solemn vows, making them reliable and unbreakable from His side.
Micah 7 20 Bonus section
The concept of "ḥeseḏ" is central to understanding the covenant relationship in the Old Testament. It's a dynamic loyalty that anticipates the faithfulness of Christ. Many scholars note how this "ḥeseḏ" is a foretaste of the new covenant's establishment through Christ's sacrifice, where God's faithfulness is most perfectly displayed in offering forgiveness and eternal life to all who believe. The prophets often recalled these foundational promises during times of national crisis, serving as a theological anchor against despair.
Micah 7 20 Commentary
This verse acts as a divine pledge, assuring the restoration and continued favor of God upon His people, Israel. It firmly grounds this assurance in the Abrahamic and Jacobic covenants. The reiteration of "ḥeseḏ" (faithfulness/steadfast love) underscores God’s unchanging character of loyalty towards His chosen people, even after periods of judgment and their inherent sinfulness. It points forward to God’s ultimate redemption and persistent mercy, demonstrating that His promises are sure and eternally binding because they are rooted in His unchanging nature and His historical oath. This speaks powerfully to believers of God's unwavering commitment to His people through all generations, a faithfulness that underpins all salvation history.