Micah 3:11

Money and wealth Integrity

⁹ Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right,

¹⁰ who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with iniquity.

Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”

¹² Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”
KJV: 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.
WEB: Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money; yet they lean on the LORD, and say, “Isn’t the LORD among us? No disaster will come on us.”
ASV: The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet they lean upon Jehovah, and say, Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? no evil shall come upon us.
DARBY: The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money; yet do they lean upon Jehovah, and say, Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? no evil shall come upon us.
BLB: Her heads give judgment for a bribe, and her priests give instruction for a price, and her prophets practice divination for silver. And on YHWH they lean, and say, “Is not YHWH among us? No harm can come upon us.”

ÅB: Høvdingene der dømmer for bestikkelse,
prestene lærer for betaling,
og profetene spår for penger.
Og likevel støtter de seg til Herren og sier:
«Er ikke Herren midt iblant oss?
Det kommer ingen ulykke over oss.»
OTB: Hennes ledere avsier dom for bestikkelser,
Hennes prester underviser for betaling,
Og hennes profeter spår for penger.
Likevel stoler de på Herren og sier,
"Er ikke Herren midt iblant oss?
Katastrofe vil ikke komme over oss."
B1930: Dets høvdinger dømmer for gave, dets prester lærer for betaling, og dets profeter spår for penger, og enda stoler de på Herren og sier: Er ikke Herren midt iblandt oss? Det kommer ingen ulykke over oss.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jeremiah 6:13
“For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit.
Read in context
Isaiah 1:23
Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.
Read in context
Micah 3:5
This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths:
Read in context
Titus 1:11
who must be silenced. For the sake of dishonorable gain, they undermine entire households and teach things they should not.
Read in context
Jeremiah 7:4
Do not trust in deceptive words, chanting: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’
Read in context
Acts 8:18–20
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.
Read in context
Isaiah 48:2
who indeed call yourselves after the holy city and lean on the God of Israel; the LORD of Hosts is His name.
Read in context
1 Peter 5:2
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but because it is God’s will; not out of greed, but out of eagerness;
Read in context