Micah 2 · Verse 11

Micah 2:11

If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
Micah 2:11, King James Version

Micah 2:11 in other translations

BSBIf a man of wind were to come and say falsely, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be just the preacher for this people!
WEBIf a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies, saying, “I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink,” he would be the prophet of this people.
ASVIf a man walking in a spirit of falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
YLTIf one is going with the wind, And with falsehood hath lied: ‘I prophesy to thee of wine, and of strong drink,' He hath been the prophet of this people!
DARBYIf a man walking in wind and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink, he shall be the prophet of this people.
BBEIf a man came with a false spirit of deceit, saying, I will be a prophet to you of wine and strong drink: he would be the sort of prophet for this people.
WebsterIf a man walking in the spirit and falsehood doth lie, saying, I will prophesy to thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

What does Micah 2:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
11. walking in the spirit--The Hebrew means also "wind." "If a man professing to have the 'spirit' of inspiration (Eze 13:3; so 'man of the spirit,' that is, one claiming inspiration, Ho 9:7), but really walking in 'wind' (prophecy void of nutriment for the soul, and unsubstantial as the wind) and falsehood, do lie, saying (that which ye like to hear), I will prophesy," &c., even such a one, however false his prophecies, since he flatters your wishes, shall be your prophet (compare Mi 2:6; Jr 5:31). prophesy ... of wine--that is, of an abundant supply of wine.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood - The meaning is: If a man who professes to be Divinely inspired do lie, by prophesying of plenty, etc., then such a person shall be received as a true prophet by this people. It not unfrequently happens that the Christless worldling, who has got into the priest's office for a maintenance, and who leaves the people undisturbed in their unregenerate state, is better received than the faithful pastor, who proclaims the justice of the Lord, and the necessity of repentance and forsaking sin, in order to their being made partakers of that holiness without which no man shall see God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Micah 2:6-11

Since they say, "Prophesy not," God will take them at their word, and their sin shall be their punishment. Let the physician no longer attend the patient that will not be healed. Those are enemies, not only to God, but to their country, who silence good ministers, and stop the means of grace. What bonds will hold those who have no reverence for God's word? Sinners cannot expect to rest in a land they have polluted…

Read the full comment on Micah 2:6-11 →

Micah 2:11 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לוּ\־lu-ifH3863
אִ֞ישׁ'ishanyoneH376
הֹלֵ֥ךְho.Lekhwalking ofH1980
ר֙וּחַ֙Ru.achwindH7307
וָשֶׁ֣קֶרva.She.kerand falsehoodH8267
כִּזֵּ֔בki.Zevhe told a lieH3576
אַטִּ֣ף'a.TifI will prophesyH5197
לְךָ֔le.Khafor you
לַיַּ֖יִןlai.Ya.yinof <the> wineH3196
וְלַשֵּׁכָ֑רve.la.she.Kharand of <the> strong drinkH7941
וְהָיָ֥הve.ha.Yahand he will beH1961
מַטִּ֖יףma.Tif[the] prophesier ofH5197
הָעָ֥םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
הַזֶּֽה\׃ha.Zeh<the> thisH2088

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Micah 2:11

  • Jeremiah 5:31

    The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

  • 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

    For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

  • Isaiah 30:10-11

    Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

  • Jeremiah 23:17

    They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.

  • Jeremiah 28:15

    Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The Lord hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

  • 1 Kings 22:6

    Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth–gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

  • 2 Chronicles 18:19-22

    And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth–gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee.

  • Jeremiah 23:14

    I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

  • Jeremiah 23:25

    I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

  • Jeremiah 8:10-11

    Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

  • Romans 16:18

    For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

  • Jeremiah 23:32

    Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a man.
1Ki 13:18; 22:21-23; 2Ch 18:19-22; Isa 9:15; Jer 14:14; 23:14,25,32
Jer 27:14,15; 28:2,3,15; 29:21-23; Eze 13:3-14,22; 2Co 11:13-15
2Th 2:8-10; 2Pe 2:1-3; 1Jo 4:1; Re 16:13,14
walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie. or, walk with thewind and lie falsely. I will.
3:5,11; 1Ki 22:6; Jer 6:13,14; 8:10,11; 23:17; Ro 16:18; Php 3:19
2Pe 2:13-19
he shall.
Isa 30:10,11; Jer 5:31; 2Th 2:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Micah 2:10

    Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.

  • Micah 2:11

    If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

  • Micah 2:12

    I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.

Read all of Micah 2

Micah 2:11 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Si hubiere alguno que ande con el viento, y finja mentiras diciendo: Yo te profetizaré de vino y de sidra; este tal será profeta á este pueblo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
S’il y a un homme qui marche selon le vent et le mensonge, qui mente, disant: Je te prophétiserai au sujet du vin et de la boisson forte! il sera le prophète de ce peuple.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Wenn ein Mann da ist, der dem Winde nachgeht und betrügerisch lügt: "Ich will dir weissagen von Wein und von starkem Getränk", der wird ein Prophet dieses Volkes sein.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Utinam non essem vir habens spiritum, et mendacium potius loquerer! Stillabo tibi in vinum et in ebrietatem; et erit super quem stillatur populus iste.