Micah 6:6–8
What God seeks: to do justice, love loyal love and walk humbly
Study it word by word6With what shall I come before YHWH, and bow myself before the Elohim on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
7Will YHWH be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriads of torrents of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my womb for the sin of my soul?
8He has announced to you, human being, what is good; and what does YHWH seek from you but to do justice, and to love loyal love, and to walk humbly with your Elohim?
In its context
4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and from the house of slaves I ransomed you, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5My people, remember, please, what Balak king of Moab counseled, and what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and of what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may know the righteous acts of YHWH.”
…
9The voice of YHWH calls to the city, and sound judgment sees your name: “Hear the rod, and who has appointed it.
10Are there still in the house of the wicked treasures of wickedness, and the scant ephah that provokes indignation?
Its words in the original
- אֲקַדֵּםakadem· meet, go before
Go to meet: go ahead to receive someone; also to come before.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- אִכַּףikaf· bow down
To bow down, to bend; to be bent or brought low under a weight.
- אלֹהֵיlohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- מָרוֹםmarom· height
Height, a high place. Also used for "on high," the heights of heaven.
- עוֹלוֹתolot· burnt offering
Burnt offering: a sacrifice in which the animal is burned whole on the altar, as a total gift to God. The Hebrew word means "what goes up" (in smoke).
- עֲגָלִיםagalim· calf
Calf: a young bull.
- בְּנֵיbene· son
Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).
- שָׁנָהshana· year
Year.
- יִרְצֶהyirtse· accept, be pleased with
Receive with pleasure, accept; take delight in someone. Also pay off a debt.
- אַלְפֵיalfe· thousand
Thousand.
- אֵילִיםelim· ram
Ram: the male sheep. Also a leader, a strong tree, or a pillar.
- רִבְבוֹתrivvot· ten thousand, myriad
Ten thousand; a countless multitude.
- נַחֲלֵיnachale· valley, torrent
The bed of a stream that only carries water when it rains; the valley it runs through.
- שָׁמֶןshamen· oil
Olive oil. It was used for food, light, and perfume, and also to consecrate something or someone to God (anoint).
- אֶתֵּןeten· give, put, set
Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.
- בְּכוֹרִbechori· firstborn
Firstborn: the first son, who had a special place in the family and in the inheritance; also the first young of an animal.
- פִּשְׁעִpishi· transgression
A serious wrong against someone: rebellion, transgression.
- פְּרִיperi· fruit
Fruit: what a tree or a plant bears. Figuratively, the result of something, or children ("fruit of the womb").
- בִטְנִvitni· womb, belly
Belly; the mother's womb; the inner part of a person.
- חַטַּאתchatat· sin, sin offering
Sin: missing the mark of what God asks; also the guilt and the punishment. In the laws the same word also names the sacrifice offered for sin.
- נַפְשִׁnafshi· soul, living being, life
A breathing being, a living being. It is translated "living being" (people and animals), "life" (when living or dying is at stake), "person" (in counts and laws), "soul" (the person at the innermost: desires, joy, anguish) or "myself". In the Old Testament it names the whole living being, not only a part of it.
- הִגִּידhigid· tell, declare
Tell, make known, report, declare; also explain.
- אָדָםadam· human being, man, Adam
The Hebrew word "adam". It has three uses: (1) humanity in general, men and women alike: "human beings" (Genesis 1:27); (2) a particular man; in Genesis 2-4, the first man, "the man"; (3) the personal name of that first man, "Adam". In Hebrew "adam" sounds like "adamah", the ground he was formed from (Genesis 2:7).
- טּוֹבtov· good
Good in the widest sense: pleasant, beautiful, useful, right, of good quality. As a noun, "good", "good things", "well-being".
- דּוֹרֵשׁdoresh· seek, inquire
Seek earnestly; inquire; require an account. Turned toward God, consult him or seek him.
- עֲשׂוֹתasot· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- מִשְׁפָּטmishpat· justice, judgment
What is right and the decision that establishes it: the judgment of a judge, someone's right, a rule or ordinance, a custom. "Do righteousness and justice" is to treat each one as is due.
- אַהֲבַתahavat· love
Love: the affection that joins one person to another; also the love of YHWH for his people.
- חֶסֶדchesed· loyal love
"Chesed": love that stays faithful to a commitment. It is kindness that does not remain a feeling: it acts in favor of the other and does not abandon him. The Bible says it above all of God's love for his people.
- הַצְנֵעַhatsnea· be humble
To be modest, humble; to walk with humility (Micah 6:8).
- לֶכֶתlechet· go, walk
Go, walk, depart; in the causative form, lead or bring.