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Miquéias 6

ARC · Chapter 6/7

1Ouvi agora o que diz o Senhor: Levanta-te, contende com os montes, e ouçam os outeiros a tua voz.

2Ouvi montes, a contenda do Senhor, e vós, fortes fundamentos da terra; porque o Senhor tem uma contenda com o seu povo, e com Israel entrará em juizo.

3Ó povo meu; que te tenho feito? e com que te enfadei? testifica contra mim.

4Certamente te fiz subir da terra do Egypto e da casa da servidão te remi; e enviei adiante de ti a Moysés, Aarão e Miriam.

5Povo meu, ora lembra-te do que consultou Balak, rei de Moab, e o que lhe respondeu Balaão, filho de Beor, desde Sittim até Gilgal; para que conheças as justiças do Senhor.

6Com que coisa encontrarei ao Senhor, e me inclinarei ao Deus altissimo? encontral-o-hei com holocaustos? com bezerros de um anno?

7Agradar-se-ha o Senhor de milhares de carneiros? de dez mil ribeiros de azeite? darei o meu primogenito pela minha transgressão? o fructo do meu ventre pelo peccado da minha alma?

8Elle te declarou, ó homem, o que é bom; e que é o que o Senhor pede de ti, senão que pratiques a justiça, e ames a beneficencia, e andes humildemente com o teu Deus

9A voz do Senhor clama á cidade (porque o teu nome vê a inteireza): Ouvi a vara, e a quem a ordenou.

10Ainda ha na casa do impio thesouros da impiedade? e epha pequena, que é detestavel?

11Seria eu limpo com balanças falsas? e com uma bolsa de pesos enganosos?

12Porque os seus ricos estão cheios de violencia, e os seus habitantes fallam mentiras; e a sua lingua é enganosa na sua bocca.

13Assim eu tambem te enfraquecerei, ferindo-te e assolando-te por causa dos teus peccados.

14Tu comerás, mas não te fartarás; e a tua humilhação estará no meio de ti; e tu removerás, mas não livrarás; e aquillo que livrares, eu o entregarei á espada

15Tu semearás, mas não segarás: pisarás a azeitona, mas não te ungirás com azeite; e o mosto, mas não beberás vinho.

16Porque se guardaram os estatutos de Omri, e toda a obra da casa de Acab, e vós andaes nos conselhos d'elles; para que eu te faça uma desolação, e dos seus habitantes um assobio: assim trareis sobre vós o opprobrio do meu povo

📖 Chapter study

Summary

God brings a formal complaint against Israel, recalling the acts of deliverance from Egypt, and explains that what He truly desires is not extravagant sacrifices, but justice, mercy, and humility.

Explanation

The 'covenant lawsuit' format (God summoning the mountains and the foundations of the earth as witnesses) was a common rhetorical form in antiquity for presenting a formal legal dispute between two parties of a covenant. The rhetorical question about sacrificing 'thousands of rams' or even one's own child reveals a deliberate exaggeration meant to show that no ritual, however extreme, can substitute for heartfelt obedience. The climax of the chapter, Micah 6:8, is considered by many scholars a perfect summary of the entire prophetic ethic of the Old Testament: to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. The application today: genuine faith is measured more by character and daily actions than by grand, occasional religious gestures.

Fun facts

  • Micah 6:8 is often cited as one of the most concisely complete verses in all of biblical ethics, still used today in interfaith settings as a universal statement of essential moral values.
  • The mention of Balak and Balaam (v. 5) refers back to Numbers 22-24, when the Moabite king tried to hire a pagan prophet to curse Israel, but God turned the attempts into blessings — a historical reminder of God's protective faithfulness.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Miquéias 6:1"Contend thou before the mountains" sets up a courtroom scene where the mountains and the foundations of the earth are called as witnesses — a format common to treaties and covenants of the region.
  2. Miquéias 6:2God summons the mountains and the ancient foundations of the earth as formal witnesses to this "lawsuit" against Israel — a format common to treaties of the region.
  3. Miquéias 6:3God asks the people directly what they did wrong to deserve so much rejection — an invitation to self-defense, showing that the accusation is not arbitrary.
  4. Miquéias 6:4God lists His own acts of care: bringing the people out of slavery in Egypt and sending Moses, Aaron, and Miriam as leaders — proof of the relationship the people forgot.
  5. Miquéias 6:5The story of Balak and Balaam (Numbers 22–24) is recalled here as an example of how God protected the people even when a foreign king tried to use sorcery against them — a historical proof of God's faithfulness that the prophet uses as an argument.
  6. Miquéias 6:6A rhetorical question opens the list of ever-larger sacrifices, like burnt offerings and calves, that someone might offer trying to please God.
  7. Miquéias 6:7The questions about thousands of rams, rivers of oil, or even sacrificing one's own child are deliberate rhetorical exaggerations, showing just how far the logic of "buying" God's forgiveness with sacrifices would go, if taken to the extreme.
  8. Miquéias 6:8This is the most quoted summary of the entire book: to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God — the direct answer to the exaggerated questions of the previous verse, trading ritual for character.
  9. Miquéias 6:9The voice of the Lord keeps crying out to the city, warning that it is wise to pay attention to the "rod" of punishment and to who sent it.
  10. Miquéias 6:10A "small ephah" was a grain measure rigged to sell less while charging full price — a common commercial crime condemned by the law, used here as an example of the everyday injustice God calls to account.
  11. Miquéias 6:11A rhetorical question: could someone be considered just while using rigged scales and dishonest weights? The implied answer is no.
  12. Miquéias 6:12Describes the city's wealthy as violent and full of lies, their tongues always ready to deceive — the portrait of the corruption the chapter denounces.
  13. Miquéias 6:13As a direct consequence of that corruption, God promises to weaken and wound the people because of their own sins.
  14. Miquéias 6:14A list of frustrations: eating without being satisfied, trying to save something without succeeding, and what little is left being lost to war — nothing will work out.
  15. Miquéias 6:15The list of agricultural frustrations continues: sowing without reaping, treading olives without having oil, treading grapes without drinking wine — all the work will be in vain.
  16. Miquéias 6:16The final accusation: the people followed the evil customs of kings Omri and Ahab, known for idolatry; that is why they will become a laughingstock and a desolation among the nations.

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