Micah 2 · Verse 8

Micah 2:8

Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.

Micah 2:8, King James Version

Micah 2:8 in other translations

BSB	But of late My people have risen up like an enemy: You strip off the splendid robe from unsuspecting passersby like men returning from battle.
WEB	But lately my people have risen up as an enemy. You strip the robe and clothing from those who pass by without a care, returning from battle.
ASV	But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip the robe from off the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
YLT	And yesterday My people for an enemy doth raise himself up, From the outer garment the honourable ornament ye strip off, From the confident passers by, Ye who are turning back from war.
DARBY	But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip off the mantle with the garment from them that pass by securely, that are averse from war.
BBE	As for you, you have become haters of those who were at peace with you: you take the clothing of those who go by without fear, and make them prisoners of war.
Webster	Even of late my people hath risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse to war.

What does Micah 2:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

8. Your ways are not such that I can deal with you as I would with the upright. Even of late--literally, "yesterday," "long ago." So "of old." Hebrew, "yesterday" (Is 30:33); "heretofore," Hebrew, "since yesterday" (Jos 3:4). my people is risen up as an enemy--that is, has rebelled against My precepts; also has become an enemy to the unoffending passers-by. robe with the garment--Not content with the outer "garment," ye greedily rob passers-by of the ornamental "robe" fitting the body closely and flowing down to the feet [Ludovicus De Dieu] (Mt 5:40). as men averse from war--in antithesis to (My people) "as an enemy." Israel treats the innocent passers-by, though "averse from war," as an enemy" would treat captives in his power, stripping them of their habiliments as lawful spoils. Grotius translates, "as men returning from war," that is, as captives over whom the right of war gives the victors an absolute power. English Version is supported by the antithesis.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 8 My people is risen up as an enemy - Ye are not only opposed to me, but ye are enemies to each other. Ye rob and spoil each other. Ye plunder the peaceable passenger; depriving him both of his upper and under garment; ye pull off the robe from those who, far from being spoilers themselves, are averse from war.

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 2:8 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.

וְאֶתְמ֗וּלve.'et.Muland yesterdayH865

עַמִּי֙'a.Mipeople myH5971

לְאוֹיֵ֣בle.'o.Yevto an enemyH341

יְקוֹמֵ֔םye.ko.Memhe raises upH6965

מִמּ֣וּלmi.Mulfrom in front ofH4136

שַׂלְמָ֔הsal.Maha garmentH8008

אֶ֖דֶר'E.dera mantleH145

תַּפְשִׁט֑וּןtaf.shi.Tunyou strip off !H6584

מֵעֹבְרִ֣יםme.'oe.Rimfrom [those who] pass byH5674

בֶּ֔טַחBe.tachsecurityH983

שׁוּבֵ֖יshu.Vei[those who] return ofH7725

מִלְחָמָֽה\׃mil.cha.MahwarH4421

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

Cross references for Micah 2:8

2 Samuel 20:19
I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?
Psalms 120:6-7
My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.
2 Chronicles 28:5-8
Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king. And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
Psalms 55:20
He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.
Isaiah 9:21
Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

of late. Heb. yesterday. risen.
2Ch 28:5-8; Isa 9:21
with the garment. Heb. over against a garment. securely.
2Sa 20:19; 2Ch 28:8; Ps 55:20; 120:6,7

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

Context

Micah 2:7
O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the Lord straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
Micah 2:8
Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
Micah 2:9
The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.

Read all of Micah 2

Micah 2:8 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	El que ayer era mi pueblo, se ha levantado como enemigo: tras las vestiduras quitasteis las capas atrevidamente á los que pasaban, como los que vuelven de la guerra.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Naguère encore mon peuple s’est levé comme un ennemi: vous enlevez le manteau avec la tunique à ceux qui passent en sécurité, qui se détournent de la guerre;
German Elberfelder 1871	Aber noch unlängst lehnte sich mein Volk als Feind auf: vom Oberkleide ziehet ihr den Mantel denen ab, die sorglos vorübergehen, vom Kriege abgewandt sind;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	et e contrario populus meus in adversarium consurrexit. Desuper tunica pallium sustulistis: et eos qui transibant simpliciter convertistis in bellum.