Micah 7 · Verse 18

Micah 7:18

Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

Micah 7:18, King James Version

Micah 7:18 in other translations

BSB	Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance— who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?
WEB	Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.
ASV	Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in lovingkindness.
YLT	Who is a God like Thee? taking away iniquity, And passing by the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance, He hath not retained for ever His anger, Because He--He delighteth in kindness.
DARBY	Who is a God like unto thee, that forgiveth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in loving-kindness.
BBE	Who is a God like you, offering forgiveness for evil-doing and overlooking the sins of the rest of his heritage? he does not keep his wrath for ever, because his delight is in mercy.
Webster	Who is a God like to thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

What does Micah 7:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

18. Grateful at such unlooked-for grace being promised to Israel, Micah breaks forth into praises of Jehovah. passeth by the transgression--not conniving at it, but forgiving it; leaving it unpunished, as a traveller passes by what he chooses not to look into (Pr 19:11). Contrast Am 7:8, and "mark iniquities," Psa 130:3. the remnant--who shall be permitted to survive the previous judgment: the elect remnant of grace (Mi 4:7; 5:3, 7, 8). retaineth not ... anger--(Psa 103:9). delighteth in mercy--God's forgiving is founded on His nature, which delights in loving-kindness, and is averse from wrath.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 18 Who is a God like unto thee, etc - Here is a challenge to all idol worshippers, and to all those who take false views of the true God, to show his like. See his characters; they are immediately subjoined. 1. He pardoneth iniquity. This is the prerogative of God alone; of that Being who alone has power to save or to destroy. 2. He passeth by transgression. He can heal backsliding, and restore them that are fallen. 3. He retaineth not his anger forever. Though, justly displeased because of sin, he pours out his judgments upon the wicked; yet when they return to him, he shows "that he retaineth not his anger forever," but is indescribably ready to save them. 4. He delighteth in mercy. Judgment is his strange work: he is ever more ready to save than to destroy. Nothing can please him better than having the opportunity, from the return and repentance of the sinner, to show him that mercy without which he must perish everlastingly. 5. Because he is such a God - 1. "He will turn again." His face has been long turned from us, because of our sins. 2. "He will have compassion upon us" pity our state, and feel for our sorrows. 3. "He will subdue our iniquities." Though they have been mighty, he will bring them down, and bruise them under our feet. 4. "He will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." Will fully pardon them, and never more remember them against us. Instead of חטאתם chattotham, Their sins, five MSS. of Kennicott's and De Rossi's, with the Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, and Arabic read חטאתינו chattotheynu, Our sins. He will plunge them into eternal oblivion, never more to come into sight or remembrance; like a stone dropped into the "depths of the sea."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Micah 7:14-20

When God is about to deliver his people, he stirs up their friends to pray for them. Apply spiritually the prophet's prayer to Christ, to take care of his church, as the great Shepherd of the sheep, and to go before them, while they are here in this world as in a wood, in this world but not of it. God promises in answer to this prayer, he will do that for them which shall be repeating the miracles of former ages. As…

Read the full comment on Micah 7:14-20 →

Micah 7:18 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.

מִי\־mi-who?H4310

אֵ֣ל'el[is] a GodH410

כָּמ֗וֹךָka.Mo.khalike youH3644

נֹשֵׂ֤אno.Se'[who] forgivesH5375

עָוֹן֙'a.VoniniquityH5771

וְעֹבֵ֣רve.'o.Verand [who] passesH5674

עַל\־'al-overH5921

פֶּ֔שַׁעPe.sha'transgressionH6588

לִשְׁאֵרִ֖יתlish.'e.Ritto [the] remnant ofH7611

נַחֲלָת֑וֹna.cha.la.Toinheritance hisH5159

לֹא\־lo'-notH3808

הֶחֱזִ֤יקhe.che.Zikhe keeps hold ofH2388

לָעַד֙la.'Adfor everH5703

אַפּ֔וֹ'a.Poanger hisH639

כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588

חָפֵ֥ץcha.Fetz[is one] desirous ofH2655

חֶ֖סֶדChe.sedcovenant loyaltyH2617

הֽוּא\׃Hu'heH1931

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

Cross references for Micah 7:18

Isaiah 43:25
I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
Isaiah 44:22
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Ephesians 2:4-5
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Psalms 103:8-9
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
Jeremiah 50:20
In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.
Acts 13:38-39
Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Jeremiah 32:41
Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
Psalms 130:7-8
Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Lamentations 3:31-32
For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.
Jeremiah 3:12
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever.
Exodus 15:11
Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Psalms 89:8
O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

a God.
Ex 15:11; De 33:26; 1Ki 8:23; Ps 35:10; 71:19; 89:6,8; 113:5,6
Isa 40:18,25; 46:8,9
that.
Ex 33:18,19; 34:6,7; Nu 14:18,19; Ne 9:17; Ps 65:3; 86:5,15
Ps 103:2,3; 130:4,7,8; Isa 1:18; 43:25; 44:22; 55:7
Jer 31:34; 38:8; 50:20; Da 9:9; Jon 4:2; Lu 24:47; Ac 13:38,39
passeth.
Nu 23:21; Am 7:8; 8:2
the remnant.
14; 2:12; 4:7; 5:3,7,8; Joe 2:32; Ro 11:4; Heb 8:9-12
he retaineth.
Ps 77:6-10; 85:4,5; 103:9; Isa 57:10,16; Jer 3:5,12; La 3:31,32
he delighteth.
Isa 62:5; 65:19; Jer 32:41; Eze 33:11; Zep 3:17
Lu 15:5-7,9,10,23,24,32; Eph 2:4,5; Jas 2:13

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

Context

Micah 7:17
They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee.
Micah 7:18
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Micah 7:19
He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Read all of Micah 7

Micah 7:18 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	¿Qué Dios como tú, que perdonas la maldad, y olvidas el pecado del resto de su heredad? No retuvo para siempre su enojo, porque es amador de misericordia.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Qui est un ✶Dieu comme toi, pardonnant l’iniquité et passant par-dessus la transgression du reste de son héritage? Il ne gardera pas à perpétuité sa colère, parce qu’il prend son plaisir en la bonté.
German Elberfelder 1871	Wer ist ein Gott wie du, der die Ungerechtigkeit vergibt, und die Übertretung des Überrestes seines Erbteils übersieht Er behält seinen Zorn nicht auf immer, denn er hat Gefallen an Güte.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quis, Deus, similis tui, qui aufers iniquitatem, et transis peccatum reliquiarum hæreditatis tuæ? Non immittet ultra furorem suum, quoniam volens misericordiam est.