Micah 7:6
in Micah 7For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies are the members of his own household.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the son dishonoreth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
KJV
For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.
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This verse in Micah 7
Commentary
9 notes on this verseJust what is the work of the axe? The excision of the soul that is incurably fruitless, like the tree even after the dung has been applied. And what does the sword do? The sword of the Word cuts through defenses. It does the work of separating the worse from the better. It actually creates a division between the faithful and the unbeliever. It may even stir up the son and the daughter and the bride against the father and the mother and the mother-in-law, the young and fresh against the old and shadowy.
This site's exposition
Do not rely on a friend
on Micah 7:5-6
The warning reaches the closest ties: "Do not rely on a friend". Verse 6 lists the break by generation and by marriage, ending, "A man’s enemies are the members of his own household". Jesus takes up these words at Matthew 10:35-36 for the division His coming brings within families.
This site's exposition
members of his own household
The breakdown reaches the family, the last place where trust should hold. Son, daughter and daughter-in-law turn against the heads of the house. Jesus uses these words in Matthew 10:35 and 36 of the division His coming would bring.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A man, then, who remains the same and yet prattles to himself about the change for the better that he has undergone in baptism should attend to what Paul says: "If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." For you are not what you have not yet become. The Gospel says of the regenerate, however, that "he gave all those who received him the power to become God's children." Now the child born of someone certainly shares his parent's nature. If then you have received God and have become his child, let your way of life testify to the God within you. Make it clear who your father is! The marks by which we recognize God are the very ones by which a son must show his relation to him. "He opens his hand and fills everything living with joy." "He overlooks iniquity." "He relents of his evil purpose." "The Lord is kind to all and is not angry with us every day." "God is straightforward, and there is no unrighteousness in him." This is what fathers do for children. Similar sayings are scattered through Scripture for our instruction. If you are like this, you have genuinely become a child of God. But if you persist in displaying the marks of evil, it is useless to babble to yourself about the birth from above.
(Verse 5-7) Your day of reckoning has come, your visitation is here. Now there will be destruction: do not trust your friend, and do not rely on your leader. Guard the doors of your mouth against the one who lies in your bosom; for a son insults his father, and a daughter rises up against her mother; a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and enemies are those of a man's own household. But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for God, my savior; my God will hear me.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the L ORD shall be a light unto me. 9 I will bear the indignation of the L ORD , because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:94%@v8-9
For the son dishonoureth the father,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
For the son dishonoreth the father - See the use our Lord has made of these words, where he quotes them, Mat 10:21 (note), Mat 10:25 (note), Mat 10:36 (note), and the notes there.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
son dishonoureth the father--The state of unnatural lawlessness in all relations of life is here described which is to characterize the last times, before Messiah comes to punish the ungodly and save Israel (compare Lu 21:16;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בֵן֙ | ven | a son | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| מְנַבֵּ֣ל | menabel | [is] treating with contempt | H5034 → | |
| אָ֔ב | ʾav | a father | H1 → | |
| בַּ֚ת | bat | a daughter | H1323 → | 588 times |
| קָמָ֣ה | kamah | [is] arising | H6965 → | 628 times |
| בְאִמָּ֔הּ | veimah | on mother her | H517 → | |
| כַּלָּ֖ה | kalah | a daughter-in-law | H3618 → | |
| בַּחֲמֹתָ֑הּ | bachamotah | on mother-in-law her | H2545 → | |
| אֹיְבֵ֥י | ʾoyevei | [are the] enemies of | H341 → | 282 times |
| אִ֖ישׁ | ʾish | a person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אַנְשֵׁ֥י | ʾanshei | [the] people of | H582 → | |
| בֵיתֽוֹ׃ | veito | own household his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
בֵן֙a son
venH1121 →4930 times
מְנַבֵּ֣ל[is] treating with contempt
menabelH5034 →
אָ֔בa father
ʾavH1 →
בַּ֚תa daughter
batH1323 →588 times
קָמָ֣ה[is] arising
kamahH6965 →628 times
בְאִמָּ֔הּon mother her
veimahH517 →
כַּלָּ֖הa daughter-in-law
kalahH3618 →
בַּחֲמֹתָ֑הּon mother-in-law her
bachamotahH2545 →
אֹיְבֵ֥י[are the] enemies of
ʾoyeveiH341 →282 times
אִ֖ישׁa person
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אַנְשֵׁ֥י[the] people of
ʾansheiH582 →
בֵיתֽוֹ׃own household his
veitoH1004 →2046 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Psalms 41:9Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
it leads to
- John 13:18
I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’
- Psalms 55:12–14
For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide.
- Matthew 26:23
Jesus answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me will betray Me.
- John 13:26–27
Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this morsel after I have dipped it.” Then He dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.
- Psalms 55:20–22
My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
- John 13:18
Through
Matthew 10:21Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.
it leads to
- Matthew 24:10
At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 21:16–17
You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death.
- Micah 7:5–6
Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms.
- Matthew 24:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies11
About Micah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Gregory of Nazianzus, ON THE HOLY LIGHTS, ORATION 39:15; Gregory of Nyssa, ADDRESS ON RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION 40; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Micah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.