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Micah 3:5

in Micah 3

This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths:

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that make my people to err; that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and whoso putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him:

KJV

Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

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This verse in Micah 3

Commentary

7 notes on this verse
The prophets that make My people err - Flattering them in their sins and rebellions, promising that they shall go unpunished, that God is not so strict, will not put in force the judgments tie threatens. So Isaiah saith Isa 3:12; O my? people, they which lead thee, mislead thee; and (Isa 9:16, (Isa 9:15 in Hebrew)), the leaders of this people are its misleaders, and they that are led of them are destroyed.

This site's exposition

prophets that make my people err

on Micah 3:5-7

The target shifts to prophets who sell their message, crying peace to whoever feeds them and preparing war, a hostile oracle, against whoever will not, a corruption of the prophetic office paralleling the corrupt judges just named. Verses 6 and 7 answer with darkness as the fitting judgment, night instead of vision, no divination, the sun going down at noon over the prophets, seers and diviners ashamed and covering their lips because there is no answer of God. The commentators read the silencing as literal, these men's gift for hire taken from them, not merely their reputation.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Ephrem the Syrian

COMMENTARY OF TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 11:8 · Written before 373.

proposed

"The sun will go down" upon those prophets who lead my people astray, dwelling in darkness. "It will be night for you, without vision, and it will be dark for you, without dawn." "For, when [the spirit] goes out of a man, it goes about …

A commentator

Jerome

Commentary on Micah · Written before 420.

proposed

(V. 5 seq.) This is what the Lord says about the prophets who deceive my people: they bite with their teeth and proclaim peace. But if someone does not give them something to eat, they declare war against him. Therefore, night will be for you instead of a vision and darkness instead of divination. The sun will go down on the prophets and the day will be darkened for them. Those who see visions will be put to shame, and the diviners will be confounded. They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

"They make them to err by crying peace, by telling them that they do well, and that all shall be well with them; whereas they are in the paths of sin, and within a step of ruin. They cry peace, but they bite with their teeth, " which perhaps is meant of their biting their own lips, as we are apt to do when we would suppress something which we are ready to speak.
Thus saith the Lord, concerning the prophets that make my people err,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

That bite with their teeth - That eat to the full; that are well provided for, and as long as they are so, prophesy smooth things, and cry, Peace! i.e., Ye shall have nothing but peace and prosperity. Whereas the true prophet, “who putteth not into their mouths,” who makes no provision for their evil propensities, “they prepare war against him.” קדשו עליו מלחמה kiddeshu alaiv milchamah, “They sanctify a war against him.” They call on all to help them to put down a man who is speaking evil of the Lord’s people; and predicting the destruction of his temple, and Israel his inheritance.

The words behind it

20 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • כֹּ֚הthus

    kohH3541 →

  • אָמַ֣רhe says

    ʾamarH559 →5305 times

  • יְהוָ֔הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הַנְּבִיאִ֖יםthe prophets

    haneviimH5030 →314 times

  • הַמַּתְעִ֣יםwho mislead

    hamatimH8582 →

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • עַמִּ֑יpeople my

    ʾamiH5971 →1873 times

  • הַנֹּשְׁכִ֤יםwho bite

    hanoshekhimH5391 →

  • בְּשִׁנֵּיהֶם֙with teeth their

    beshineihemH8127 →

  • וְקָרְא֣וּand they proclaim

    vekareuH7121 →

  • שָׁל֔וֹםpeace

    shalomH7965 →

  • וַאֲשֶׁר֙and [the one] who

    vaasherH834 →5497 times

  • לֹא־not

    lo'-H3808 →5168 times

  • יִתֵּ֣ןhe puts

    yitenH5414 →2011 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • פִּיהֶ֔םmouth their

    pihemH6310 →498 times

  • וְקִדְּשׁ֥וּand they consecrate

    vekideshuH6942 →

  • עָלָ֖יוon him

    ʾalavH5921 →5755 times

  • מִלְחָמָֽה׃war

    milchamahH4421 →320 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Romans 16:18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.10 worksMicah 3:11Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”9 worksJeremiah 14:14–15“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.7 works2 Peter 2:1Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.7 worksJeremiah 6:14They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.6 worksPsalms 28:3Do not drag me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors while malice is in their hearts.6 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Isaiah 9:15–16The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies.5 worksJeremiah 23:32“Indeed,” declares the LORD, “I am against those who prophesy false dreams and retell them to lead My people astray with their reckless lies. It was not I who sent them or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all to these people,” declares the LORD.5 worksEzekiel 22:25–29The conspiracy of the princes in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour the people, seize the treasures and precious things, and multiply the widows within her.5 worksEzekiel 13:10–16Because they have led My people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and whitewashing any flimsy wall that is built,5 worksEzekiel 13:19You have profaned Me among My people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to My people who would listen, you have killed those who should not have died and spared those who should not have lived.5 worksMatthew 7:15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.4 worksMalachi 2:8But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts.4 worksJeremiah 23:9–17As for the prophets: My heart is broken within me, and all my bones tremble. I have become like a drunkard, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD, because of His holy words.4 worksMatthew 15:14Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”4 worksJeremiah 28:15–17Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD did not send you, but you have persuaded this people to trust in a lie.4 worksTitus 1:11who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not.4 worksJeremiah 23:17They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘The LORD says that you will have peace,’ and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, ‘No harm will come to you.’4 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Jeremiah 6:14

    They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.

    it leads to

    • Ezekiel 13:10

      Because they have led My people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and whitewashing any flimsy wall that is built,

    • Lamentations 2:14

      The visions of your prophets were empty and deceptive; they did not expose your guilt to ward off your captivity. The burdens they envisioned for you were empty and misleading.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Jeremiah 23:17

      They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘The LORD says that you will have peace,’ and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, ‘No harm will come to you.’

    • Jeremiah 4:10

      Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, how completely You have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’ while a sword is at our throats.”

    • Jeremiah 14:13

      “Ah, Lord GOD!” I replied, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”

  • Through

    Jeremiah 23:32

    “Indeed,” declares the LORD, “I am against those who prophesy false dreams and retell them to lead My people astray with their reckless lies. It was not I who sent them or commanded them,…

    it leads to

    • Zephaniah 3:4

      Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.

    • Ezekiel 13:7–18

      Haven’t you seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination when you proclaim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ even though I have not spoken?

    • Jeremiah 7:8

      But look, you keep trusting in deceptive words to no avail.

About Micah

Micah Exhorts the Israelites to Repent, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Micah Exhorts the Israelites to Repent, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Micah: the study guide →Read Micah 3 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Twelve Minor Prophets; Edward Bouverie Pusey, The Minor Prophets: A Commentary; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY OF TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 11:8; Jerome, Commentary on Micah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Micah 3 →