Micah 7:4 kjv
The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.
Micah 7:4 nkjv
The best of them is like a brier; The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge; The day of your watchman and your punishment comes; Now shall be their perplexity.
Micah 7:4 niv
The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day God visits you has come, the day your watchmen sound the alarm. Now is the time of your confusion.
Micah 7:4 esv
The best of them is like a brier, the most upright of them a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen, of your punishment, has come; now their confusion is at hand.
Micah 7:4 nlt
Even the best of them is like a brier;
the most honest is as dangerous as a hedge of thorns.
But your judgment day is coming swiftly now.
Your time of punishment is here, a time of confusion.
Micah 7 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Micah 7:4 | "The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is as a thorn hedge." | Directly describes the pervasive corruption. |
| Isaiah 5:20 | "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil..." | Reflects the reversal of moral values. |
| Jeremiah 6:13-15 | "...they have shamed my people, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace." | Mirrors the deceptive pronouncements. |
| Psalm 12:1 | "Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men." | Echoes the scarcity of the righteous. |
| 1 Samuel 12:14-15 | "If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice..." | Sets conditions for national well-being. |
| Proverbs 24:10 | "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." | Suggests the lack of inner fortitude. |
| Jeremiah 9:3-4 | "And they bend their tongues like their bow to shoot out lies..." | Highlights deceitful practices. |
| Matthew 7:15-16 | "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing..." | Compares the corrupt to harmful disguised entities. |
| 2 Timothy 3:2-5 | "For men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud..." | Describes people lacking true godliness. |
| Galatians 5:19-21 | "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these..." | Lists corrupt actions of the ungodly. |
| Hosea 4:1-3 | "There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land." | Depicts a similar moral void. |
| Amos 5:10 | "They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly." | Shows animosity towards the righteous. |
| Leviticus 19:18 | "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people..." | Contrasts with the "thorn" like nature. |
| Matthew 13:24-30 | Parable of the wheat and the tares. | Illustrates good and evil coexisting. |
| Romans 3:10-12 | "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one..." | Asserts universal human sinfulness. |
| Jeremiah 5:1 | "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem..." | A call to search for righteousness. |
| Ecclesiastes 8:11 | "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." | Explains the prevalence of sin. |
| 2 Peter 2:1-3 | "But there were false prophets also among the people..." | Warns against deceptive leaders. |
| Romans 2:21-22 | "Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?" | Points out hypocrisy. |
| Ephesians 4:14 | "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine..." | The result of corrupted guidance. |
Micah 7 verses
Micah 7 4 Meaning
The verse depicts a period of deep corruption and moral decay within the nation. It describes the "best" of people acting like "thorns" and the "most upright" as "brambles," highlighting a societal breakdown where even the good elements have become harmful or dangerous. This imagery signifies that the community's protectors and guides are now a source of affliction rather than security.
Micah 7 4 Context
Micah's prophecy is set against the backdrop of both the Northern Kingdom of Israel's fall and the looming threat to the Southern Kingdom of Judah, particularly during the reigns of Ahaz and Hezekiah. The people, including their leaders, have largely turned away from God. Social injustice is rampant, and the prophets, who should be calling people to repentance and truth, are either silent, complicit, or actively misleading the populace. This verse speaks to a specific manifestation of that systemic failure: the corruption within the spiritual and civic leadership, making them detrimental rather than beneficial to the community.
Micah 7 4 Word Analysis
הַשָּׂרִ֤ים (ha-śā-rîm): "the princes," "the chiefs," "the leaders." This refers to those in positions of authority, both secular and potentially religious.
אִישׁ (ʾîš): "man," "person."
קַ֣צִּיס (qa-ṣṣîs): "brier," "thorn bush." A sharp, prickly plant that is difficult to handle and can cause harm.
וְנִשְׁקֶלֶת (wə-niš-qe-leṯ): "and the upright," "and the righteous one." Implies someone of integrity or who adheres to divine law.
תָּמִ֧ימִם (tā-mî-mîm): "upright," "whole," "blameless." Describing moral and spiritual integrity.
ק֜וֹץ (qō-waṣ): "thorn," "thorn hedge." Similar to brier, emphasizing a protective or a boundary structure that is also dangerous to approach or touch.
Group Analysis: "The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is as a thorn hedge." This phrase vividly contrasts what should be a source of safety and well-being with instruments of pain and damage. The "best" and "upright" individuals, who by definition should offer protection and guidance, are portrayed as having become obstacles and sources of suffering. This is a devastating indictment of leadership and influence in society.
Micah 7 4 Bonus Section
The imagery of "briers" and "thorn hedges" (קציס and קוץ) evokes the consequence of sin as described in Genesis 3:18, where the ground is cursed, producing thorns and thistles. Here, it is not the ground, but the people, specifically the leaders, who have become thorns, suggesting their hearts are inwardly cursed and bearing the fruit of sin. This verse serves as a somber warning that when those in authority pervert their positions, the entire community suffers.
Micah 7 4 Commentary
This verse reveals a profound societal sickness where even those in leadership roles, who ought to be righteous and protective, have become detrimental. Their character and actions have become prickly, causing harm rather than providing comfort or security. This isn't just about general wickedness, but about the subversion of roles meant for good, leading to widespread distress and danger. The prophet’s lament signifies that the very structures meant to uphold justice and morality are now part of the oppression.