Micah 6
New King James Version

God Pleads with Israel

6 Hear now what theLordsays:

“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
And let the hills hear your voice.
²^(A)Hear, O you mountains,^(B)theLord’s complaint,
And you strong foundations of the earth;
For^(C)theLordhas a complaint against His people,
And He will^[a]contend with Israel.

³“O My people, what^(D)have I done to you?
And how have I^(E)wearied you?
Testify against Me.
⁴^(F)For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage;
And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
⁵O My people, remember now
What^(G)Balak king of Moab counseled,
And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
From^[b]Acacia Grove to Gilgal,
That you may know^(H)the righteousness of theLord.”

⁶With what shall I come before theLord,
Andbow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
⁷^(I)Will theLordbe pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand^(J)rivers of oil?
^(K)Shall I give my firstbornformy transgression,
^[c]The fruit of my bodyforthe sin of my soul?

⁸He has^(L)shown you, O man, whatisgood;
And what does theLordrequire of you
But^(M)to do justly,
To love^[d]mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

Punishment of Israel’s Injustice

⁹TheLord’s voice cries to the city—
Wisdom shall see Your name:

“Hear the rod!
Who has appointed it?
¹⁰Are there yet the treasures of wickedness
In the house of the wicked,
And the short measurethat isan abomination?
¹¹Shall I count purethosewith^(N)the wicked scales,
And with the bag of deceitful weights?
¹²For her rich men are full of^(O)violence,
Her inhabitants have spoken lies,
And^(P)their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

¹³“Therefore I will also^(Q)makeyousick by striking you,
By makingyoudesolate because of your sins.
¹⁴^(R)You shall eat, but not be satisfied;
^[e]Hungershall bein your midst.
You may carrysomeaway,^[f]but shall not savethem;
And what you do rescue I will give over to the sword.

¹⁵“You shall^(S)sow, but not reap;
You shall tread the olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil;
Andmakesweet wine, but not drink wine.
¹⁶For the statutes of^(T)Omri are^(U)kept;
All the works of Ahab’s houseare done;
And you walk in their counsels,
That I may make you a^[g]desolation,
And your inhabitants a hissing.
Therefore you shall bear the^(V)reproach of^[h]My people.”