Micah 3 · Verse 10

Micah 3:10

They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
Micah 3:10, King James Version

Micah 3:10 in other translations

BSBwho build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with iniquity.
WEBwho build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
ASVThey build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
YLTBuilding up Zion with blood, And Jerusalem with iniquity.
DARBYthat build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with unrighteousness.
BBEThey are building up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with evil-doing.
WebsterThey build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

What does Micah 3:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. They--change of person from "ye" (Mi 3:9); the third person puts them to a greater distance as estranged from Him. It is, literally, "Whosoever builds," singular. build up Zion with blood--build on it stately mansions with wealth obtained by the condemnation and murder of the innocent (Jr 22:13; Eze 22:27; Ha 2:12).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 They build up Zion with blood - They might cry out loudly against that butchery practiced by Pekah, king of Israel, and Pul coadjutor of Rezie, against the Jews. See on Mic 2:9 (note). But these were by no means clear themselves; for if they strengthened the city, or decorated the temple, it was by the produce of their exactions and oppressions of the people. I do not know a text more applicable than this to slave-dealers; or to any who have made their fortunes by such wrongs as affect the life of man; especially the former, who by the gains of this diabolic traffic have built houses etc.; for, following up the prophet's metaphor, the timbers, etc., are the bones of the hapless Africans; and the mortar, the blood of the defenceless progeny of Ham. What an account must all those who have any hand in or profit from this detestable, degrading, and inhuman traffic, give to Him who will shortly judge the quick and dead!

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Micah 3:9-12

Zion's walls owe no thanks to those that build them up with blood and iniquity. The sin of man works not the righteousness of God. Even when men do that which in itself is good, but do it for filthy lucre, it becomes abomination both to God and man. Faith rests in the Lord as the soul's foundation: presumption only leans upon the Lord as a prop, and would use him to serve a turn. If men's having the Lord among them…

Read the full comment on Micah 3:9-12 →

Micah 3:10 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.

בֹּנֶ֥הbo.Neh[who] buildH1129
צִיּ֖וֹןtzi.YonZionH6726
בְּדָמִ֑יםbe.da.Mimwith blood<s>H1818
וִירוּשָׁלִַ֖םvi.ru.sha.Limand JerusalemH3389
בְּעַוְלָֽה\׃be.'av.Lahwith injusticeH5766

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

Cross references for Micah 3:10

  • Habakkuk 2:9-12

    Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it. Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity!

  • Jeremiah 22:13-17

    Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion. Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him? He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the Lord. …

  • Matthew 27:25

    Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

  • Zephaniah 3:3

    Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

  • Ezekiel 22:25-28

    There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken.

  • John 11:50

    Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
build up Zion.
Jer 22:13-17; Eze 22:25-28; Hab 2:9-12; Zep 3:3; Mt 27:25
Joh 11:50
blood. Heb. bloods.

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

Context

  • Micah 3:9

    Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

  • Micah 3:10

    They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

  • Micah 3:11

    The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.

Read all of Micah 3

Micah 3:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Que edificáis á Sión con sangre, y á Jerusalem con injusticia;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		bâtissant Sion avec du sang, et Jérusalem avec l’iniquité.
German
Elberfelder 1871		die ihr Zion mit Blut bauet und Jerusalem mit Unrecht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		qui ædificatis Sion in sanguinibus, et Jerusalem in iniquitate.