Micah 6:9

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Micah 6:9 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “The voice of Jehovah crieth unto the city, and [the man of] wisdom will see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

The voice of Jehovah crieth unto the city, and [the man of] wisdom will see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
Micah 6:9 — American Standard Version

Context — Micah 6

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
9The voice of Jehovah crieth unto the city, and [the man of] wisdom will see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“The Lord’s voice crieth unto the city, etc.] The Lord having bid his prophet call to the mountains and hills to hear his voice, and the prophet having obeyed his will, and the Lord having by him addressed his people Israel, and expostulated with them about their ingratitude, observing to them many instances of his goodness; here informs them, that this voice of his, whether in his prophet, or in his judgments, was directed to the city, either Samaria or Jerusalem, or both, and even to all the cities of Israel and Judah, the singular being put for the plural; that is, to the inhabitants of them. Cities being populous, and where persons of the highest rank and figure, as well as of the best…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“unto the city--Jerusalem. the man of wisdom--As in Pro 13:6, Hebrew, "sin" is used for "a man of sin," and in Psa 109:4, "prayer" for "a man of prayer"; so here "wisdom" for "the man of wisdom." shall see thy name--shall regard Thee, in Thy revelations of Thyself. Compare the end of Mic 2:7. God's "name" expresses the sum-total of His revealed attributes. Contrast with this Isa 26:10, "will not behold the majesty of the Lord." Another reading is adopted by the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, "there is deliverance for those who fear Thy name." English Version is better suited to the connection; and the rarity of the Hebrew expression, as compared with the frequency of that in the other…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The voice of the Lord crieth unto the city - that is, Jerusalem, as the metropolis of their wealth and their sin, the head and heart of their offending. “Crieth,” aloud, earnestly, intently, so that all might hear. So God says, “Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding pat forth her voice? She crieth at the gates, - unto you, O men, I cry, and my voice is to the sons of men” Proverbs 8:1, Proverbs 8:3-4; and Isaiah prophesied of John the Immerser, “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:3; and our Lord saith, “He that heareth you, heareth Me. And the man of wisdom shall see Thy Name” Luke 10:16. The voice of God is in the hearing of all, but the wise only seeth the…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Crieth - Either by his judgments, each of which is the Lord's voice, or by his prophets. The city - To every city in Israel and Judah, but principally to Jerusalem and Samaria. The man of wisdom - Every wise man. See thy name - Will perceive God in that cry. The rod - Hear ye the voice of God in the punishments God is now sending. Appointed it - Who hath chosen it out, and strikes with it. Micah 6:10”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“6:9-16 People in Jerusalem were here invited to learn the lesson from Samaria: If you oppress others in order to have an abundance for yourself (6:10-12), you will never have enough however much you get (6:13-15), and eventually you will lose even that (6:16). It is fitting for such people to become an object of scorn, not to receive honor and adulation (6:16). 6:9 Those who are wise fear the Lord; God’s voice calls to everyone in Jerusalem to learn wisdom (cp. Prov 1:7, 20, 28). • The armies of destruction . . . sending them: Assyria would carry out the Lord’s plan to destroy Samaria, while Babylon would be the instrument of destruction for Jerusalem (Mic 4:10).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Lord's: Mic 3:12; Isa 24:10-12, Isa 27:10, Isa 32:13, Isa 32:14, Isa 40:6-8, Isa 66:6; Jer 19:11-13; Jer 26:6, Jer 26:18, Jer 37:8-10; Hos 13:16; Amo 2:5, Amo 3:8-15, Amo 6:1; Jon 3:4; Zep 3:2 and: Kg2 22:11-20; Psa 107:43; Pro 22:3; Isa 26:11; Hos 14:9 the man of wisdom shall see thy name: or, thy name shall see that which is wisdom, Exo 34:5-7; Psa 9:16, Psa 48:10, Psa 83:18; Isa 30:27 hear: Sa2 21:1; Job 5:6-8, Job 5:17, Job 10:2; Isa 9:13, Isa 10:5, Isa 10:6; Jer 14:18-22; Lam 3:39-42; Joe 2:11-18; Amo 4:6-12; Jon 3:5-10; Hag 1:5-7; Rev 3:19 Micah 6:10”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“But because Israel is altogether wanting in these virtues, the Lord must threaten and punish. Mic 6:9. "The voice of Jehovah, to the city it cries, and wisdom has thy name in its eye; hear ye the rod, and who appoints it!" With these words Micah introduces the threatening and reproachful words of the Lord. קוך יהוה is not to be taken by itself, as an exclamation, "Hark! voice of the Lord!" as in Isa 13:4; Isa 40:6, etc. (Umbreit), but must be connected with what follows, in accordance with the accents. Whilst the prophet tells the people in Isa 40:8 what Jehovah requires, he introduces the following threat with "voice of Jehovah," etc., to give the greater emphasis to the reproof, by…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification