Micah

Micah 6 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Micah 6 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

1 Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

2 Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

"Ye strong foundations of the earth."
The earth is set upon foundations and does not move.

But whereupon are the foundations themselves set, if we follow the logic of the author of the SAB? It just doesn't make sense to read this as a physics description. And who speaks to mountains, do they have ears as well? Micah employs a poetic description here and it should be enjoyed as such.

3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.

4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

5 O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.

6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?

(6:6-7) "Shall I come before him with burnt offerings?"
Does God desire animal sacrifices?

The question is if sacrifices are sufficient. They where appointed by God during Old Testament times, but did that mean they were sufficient? They are not as is clearly indicated in the Bible. How could just offering sacrifices, but having murder and deceit as your intent, be acceptable to a God that sees the heart?

7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

"What is good but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly?"

9 The LORD’S voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?

11 Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

12 For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

13 Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.

(6:13-16) God will make his people sick, hungry, and desolate. Those who survive he will "give up to the sword."

These punishments will come upon them because they were full of violence and deceived people, see verse 12. How can the author of the SAB give a thumbs up to verse 8 without expression an opinion on those who do the opposite? And what should be done to those that are wicked? Just nothing? Just let them be violent toward others?

14 Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.

15 Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.