Micah 6:12
What does Micah 6:12 mean?
A plain-English look at Micah 6:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Micah 6:12 means
This verse broadens the indictment from specific dishonest practices to a general moral corruption among the city's inhabitants. The "rich men" are singled out for their "violence," indicating oppression and exploitation of the poor. Furthermore, the entire populace is condemned for speaking "lies" and possessing a "deceitful tongue." This portrays a society where truth and justice have eroded, and deceit has become a pervasive characteristic, demonstrating a complete departure from God's righteous standards.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
KJV
King James Version · 1611For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For its men of wealth are cruel, and its people have said what is not true, and their tongue is false in their mouth.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Whose rich ones have been full of violence, And its inhabitants have spoken falsehood, And their tongue <FI>is<Fi> deceitful in their mouth.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752By which her rich men were filled with iniquity, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue was deceitful in their mouth.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890For her rich men are full of violence, and her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
Context
Expanding on the commercial dishonesty detailed in verses 10 and 11, this verse offers a broader condemnation of the city's moral decay. It moves beyond specific practices to identify violence among the rich and pervasive lying among all inhabitants. This comprehensive picture of corruption intensifies the charges against the city, setting the grim stage for the declaration of God's inevitable judgment and its painful consequences in the verses that follow.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Zephaniah 3:3
Her princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing till the morrow.
- Hosea 7:13
Woe unto them! for they have wandered from me; destruction unto them! for they have trespassed against me: though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
- Isaiah 59:3
For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue muttereth wickedness.
- Amos 5:11
Forasmuch therefore as ye trample upon the poor, and take exactions from him of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink the wine thereof.
- Hosea 7:1
When I would heal Israel, then is the iniquity of Ephraim uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood, and the thief entereth in, and the troop of robbers ravageth without.
- Hosea 4:1
Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
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