Micah 7 3

Micah 7:3 kjv

That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

Micah 7:3 nkjv

That they may successfully do evil with both hands? The prince asks for gifts, The judge seeks a bribe, And the great man utters his evil desire; So they scheme together.

Micah 7:3 niv

Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire? they all conspire together.

Micah 7:3 esv

Their hands are on what is evil, to do it well; the prince and the judge ask for a bribe, and the great man utters the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.

Micah 7:3 nlt

Both their hands are equally skilled at doing evil!
Officials and judges alike demand bribes.
The people with influence get what they want,
and together they scheme to twist justice.

Micah 7 verses

Micah 7 3 meaning

Micah 7:3 starkly describes a society permeated by deep-seated corruption, where every level of leadership, from political figures to judicial officials and influential elites, actively participates in perverse injustice for personal gain. They are not merely tempted by evil, but rather diligently and skillfully pursue wrongdoing, systematically twisting justice through bribes and self-serving desires. This coordinated action creates a tightly woven web of moral decay, making it nearly impossible for righteous judgment to prevail.

Micah 7 3 Context

Micah 7:3 is situated within a profound lament and confession that begins in Micah 7:1. The prophet cries out against the moral desolation of his nation, expressing deep distress over the absence of righteousness and piety. He portrays the society as utterly corrupt, akin to gleaning after the harvest with nothing good left. The preceding verses lament the disappearance of the godly and upright from the land. This particular verse intensifies the indictment by pinpointing the specific actors and methods of this pervasive evil. It sets the stage for the prophet's subsequent turning to the Lord in hope (Micah 7:7ff), as there is no human solution to such systemic depravity. Historically, Micah prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, warning both the northern kingdom of Israel (Samaria) and the southern kingdom of Judah (Jerusalem) about God's impending judgment due to their persistent sin, particularly social injustice, idolatry, and religious formalism, often mirroring the corrupt practices of surrounding nations.

Micah 7 3 Word analysis

• That they may do evil: (לְהֵיטִ֣יב עֲשׂוֹת רָֽע, lᵉhêṭîḇ ʿaśôṯ rāʿ) - Literally "to do good at doing evil" or "to make well doing evil." This powerful Hebrew idiom signifies doing evil skillfully, diligently, effectively, or even with great effort. It emphasizes not just the act of sin but the proficiency and intentionality in wickedness. It's not a clumsy or reluctant evil, but one performed with dedicated purpose, contrasting sharply with how one should diligently pursue righteousness. The common KJV rendering "with both hands earnestly" vividly captures this thoroughness, portraying a comprehensive and unreserved commitment to corruption, a deep engagement rather than a casual indulgence.
• the prince: (הַשָּׂר֙, has·śar) - Refers to a leader or official, a figure of political authority. In ancient Israel, this role held responsibility for governance and maintaining order in accordance with God's law. The corruption of the prince signifies the failure of political leadership to uphold justice.
• asketh: (שֹׁאֵ֔ל, šo·ʾel) - "Asks," "demands," "requires." This active verb suggests that the prince isn't merely receiving passive offers, but is initiating or soliciting, actively pursuing and even extorting, a bribe. It points to an aggressive form of corruption.
• for a reward: (שֹׁ֖חַד, šōḥaḏ) - "Bribe," "gift." This term refers to an illicit payment given to corrupt judgment or action. In biblical law, a šōḥaḏ was expressly forbidden to judges and officials, as it inherently perverted justice.
• and the judge: (וְהַשֹּׁפֵ֖ט, vᵉhas·šo·fêṭ) - A legal arbiter, responsible for discerning truth and administering justice impartially according to God's statutes. The corruption of the judge signifies the collapse of the legal system itself, rendering it incapable of delivering true justice.
• asketh for a reward: (בַּשִּׁלּ֣וּם, baš·šil·lûm) - This phrase, literally "in the payment" or "for a recompense," suggests that the judge's actions are explicitly driven by, or awaiting, financial compensation. While the prince asks for the šōḥaḏ (bribe), the judge's focus is squarely on the payment for his perverted verdict. It implies the judge is positioned and prepared to accept the predetermined fee for a biased outcome.
• and the great man: (וְהַגָּד֥וֹל, vᵉhag·gā·ḏôl) - Refers to the influential, wealthy, or powerful person in society—not necessarily holding an official office, but wielding significant social and economic leverage. This highlights that corruption is not confined to formal positions but permeates the influential elite who use their status for nefarious purposes.
• uttereth his mischievous desire: (דֹּבֵ֛ר הַוַּ֥ת נַפְשׁ֖וֹ, do·ḇêr haw·wat nap̄·šōw) - Literally, "speaks the perversity/calamity of his soul." Hawwat denotes ruin, destruction, perversity, or mischief. Nafšō is his "soul" or "being." So, the great man openly vocalizes or pushes for his harmful, corrupt, or oppressive schemes driven by his innermost greedy and destructive inclinations, thereby orchestrating injustice for his own benefit. This isn't just a hidden thought but an expressed intent.
• so they wrap it up: (וְעִוְּדֻהָ), vᵉʿiv·du·hā) - From the root עָוָה (ʿāwāh), meaning "to bend," "to twist," "to make crooked." In this context, it vividly means to "weave it together," "entangle it," or "pervert it collectively." This signifies a conspiracy, a collective and intricate collaboration in injustice, where all three parties—prince, judge, and great man—are interlocked in a web of deceit and corruption, ensuring that the evil plan is sealed, disguised, or brought to fruition in a unified, perverted manner. It suggests a complete and deliberate cover-up of their systemic corruption.

Micah 7 3 Bonus section

The intense lament in Micah 7:3 and the preceding verses serves as a powerful polemic against the false security that contemporary religious practices and political alliances might offer. Despite temple rituals or political treaties, the pervasive internal corruption indicated a severe breach of covenant with Yahweh. God’s standard of justice, repeatedly articulated in the Torah (e.g., Deut 1:16-17, Lev 19:15), utterly condemned the practices described here. This verse, along with others detailing Israel's corruption, found later fulfillment in the exiles, serving as a warning about the divine consequences of persistent national sin. Its themes echo through Christian ethics, emphasizing the need for integrity in leadership and warning against the insidious nature of greed, self-interest, and systemic corruption within any community, spiritual or secular.

Micah 7 3 Commentary

Micah 7:3 paints a grim portrait of Israel's moral state during Micah's time, one where integrity had vanished from the top down. The verse is not merely a complaint about isolated acts of corruption but an indictment of an entrenched system of injustice, where leadership actively conspires in wrongdoing. The leaders—princes, judges, and influential men—are depicted not as reluctant sinners, but as experts in malfeasance. Their commitment to evil is thorough, "eagerly" and "skillfully" carried out. This systematic breakdown ensures that the weak and vulnerable cannot find justice. The prince actively demands bribes, ensuring political favor for the highest bidder. The judge, whose role is to protect the innocent and uphold law, stands ready to sell verdicts for a price, making justice a commodity. The powerful, who should advocate for righteousness, instead brazenly articulate their selfish, destructive desires, exploiting the system for personal gain. The final phrase, "so they wrap it up" or "weave it together," encapsulates the sinister collaboration, revealing a carefully coordinated enterprise of perverting justice. This isn't chaos; it's a meticulously crafted system of wickedness, making it incredibly difficult to expose or unravel. Such behavior is a direct affront to Yahweh, who demands justice and righteousness, echoing through all of scripture a divine intolerance for such oppression and self-serving corruption. The absence of justice means the absence of true worship and obedience to God. This moral decay ultimately brought God's judgment upon the nation.