Micah 7 5

Micah 7:5 kjv

Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

Micah 7:5 nkjv

Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion; Guard the doors of your mouth From her who lies in your bosom.

Micah 7:5 niv

Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Even with the woman who lies in your embrace guard the words of your lips.

Micah 7:5 esv

Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms;

Micah 7:5 nlt

Don't trust anyone ?
not your best friend or even your wife!

Micah 7 verses

Micah 7 5 meaning

Micah 7:5 profoundly describes a state of severe societal decay in Judah where basic human trust has completely eroded. The prophet laments that one can no longer rely on friends, respected leaders, or even the most intimate companions. The verse calls for extreme caution in communication, warning against revealing secrets even to one’s spouse, vividly portraying a world steeped in betrayal and deceit where isolation becomes a necessity for self-preservation. It paints a picture of relational chaos that is a direct consequence of abandoning God's covenant and moral laws.

Micah 7 5 Context

Micah 7:5 stands within Micah's powerful lament over the moral bankruptcy of Judah (Micah 7:1-6). The preceding verses mourn the disappearance of upright people and depict a society rife with injustice, bribery, and violence (7:1-4). Kings, officials, and judges are corrupt, preying on the weak, and twisting justice. In this environment of pervasive evil, verse 5 escalates the crisis to personal relationships, illustrating how deeply societal sin has fractured the very fabric of human connection. The historical backdrop is Judah in the 8th century BCE, a time of internal moral decay exacerbated by the impending threat of Assyrian invasion, leading to widespread desperation and a breakdown of traditional values.

Micah 7 5 Word analysis

• Trust ye not in a friend:

  • "Trust" (תֶּאֱמִין, ta'amin from אָמַן, 'aman): To be firm, to believe, to rely upon. It implies placing confidence and assurance.
  • "not in a friend": This is a direct, imperative negation, indicating an extreme lack of basic human trust.
  • "friend" (רֵעַ, rea’): Signifies a close associate, companion, or neighbor.
  • Significance: The collapse of reliance even in informal, personal relationships demonstrates how thoroughly corrupt society has become. Trust, a fundamental glue of community, is shattered.

• put ye not confidence in a guide:

  • "put ye not confidence" (תִּבְטְחוּ, tivtekhu from בָּטַח, batach): To feel safe, to be secure, to depend on. It’s a deeper level of assurance than "trust."
  • "guide" (אַלּוּף, alluph): Often refers to a chief, leader, or a highly intimate, familiar confidant.
  • Significance: This extends the warning beyond peers to those in positions of leadership or intimate mentorship. When even those from whom direction and counsel are expected are unreliable, society suffers profound instability.

• keep the doors of thy mouth:

  • "keep" (שְׁמֹר, sh'mor): To guard, to observe, to be watchful over.
  • "doors of thy mouth": A powerful, poetic metaphor for exercising strict control over one's speech, signifying utmost discretion.
  • Significance: In a climate of betrayal, carefully guarding one's words is not merely wise but essential for survival, indicating that revealing any personal information can lead to severe harm.

• from her that lieth in thy bosom:

  • "her that lieth" (יוֹשֶׁבֶת, yoshevet from יָשַׁב, yashav): Referring to someone who dwells intimately with, sharing close quarters.
  • "in thy bosom" (בְּחֵיקֶךָ, b'cheikeka from חֵיק, cheiq): Literally "lap" or "bosom," this is an idiom for the most profound personal intimacy, universally understood to refer to one's spouse, particularly a wife.
  • Significance: This is the most shocking and poignant part of the verse. When trust breaks down in the sacred, private relationship of marriage, the deepest possible betrayal becomes a threat. It illustrates the complete annihilation of safe space within human society.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide": This serves as a lament concerning the destruction of all horizontal human relationships—from casual friendships to figures of authority or deep personal confidantes. It expresses a dire reality where all conventional bonds of loyalty and reliance are compromised.
  • "keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom": This segment highlights the extreme self-preservation required in such a treacherous environment. It is a command for absolute reticence even with the most intimate companion, signifying that all privacy and vulnerability have become dangerous, necessitating a guarded existence.

Micah 7 5 Bonus section

The intense mistrust described in Micah 7:5 provides a sharp contrast with God's unwavering faithfulness, implying that while human loyalty fails, divine steadfastness remains the ultimate anchor. This verse speaks to the profound insecurity experienced when foundational social institutions are compromised. Furthermore, it foreshadows prophetic warnings in both Old and New Testaments regarding end-time characteristics of betrayal and love growing cold due to lawlessness. Therefore, Micah 7:5 offers both a historical mirror of human failure and a timeless caution, subtly guiding the believer to place ultimate hope and confidence not in fallible human relationships, but in the immutable character of the Creator, whose loyalty never wanes.

Micah 7 5 Commentary

Micah 7:5 serves as a bleak and harrowing depiction of a society steeped in moral decay, where the fabric of human trust has unraveled entirely. It moves beyond lamenting general injustice to describe the devastating personal consequences of a fallen world: an absolute collapse of reliable human relationships. The prophet, speaking from within a period of severe spiritual apostasy and societal corruption, paints a picture of isolation forced upon individuals for their own safety. This state of utter distrust in friends, leaders, and even one’s own spouse profoundly illustrates how far humanity can stray from God’s design for fellowship and love. It's a stark reminder that forsaking divine law leads not only to spiritual but also to relational devastation, fragmenting society into atomized, suspicious individuals. The verse is not prescriptive for all relationships but descriptive of the lamentable outcome when sin pervades all levels of interaction. It underscores the urgent need for divine intervention and redemption to restore genuine trust and community.