Micah 6:1
Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
Original Language Analysis
וְתִשְׁמַ֥עְנָה
Hear
H8085
וְתִשְׁמַ֥עְנָה
Hear
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
1 of 13
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
נָ֕א
H4994
נָ֕א
Strong's:
H4994
Word #:
2 of 13
'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction
אֵ֥ת
H853
אֵ֥ת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
3 of 13
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
אֲשֶׁר
H834
אֲשֶׁר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
4 of 13
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
יְהוָ֖ה
ye now what the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֖ה
ye now what the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
5 of 13
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
ק֚וּם
Arise
H6965
ק֚וּם
Arise
Strong's:
H6965
Word #:
7 of 13
to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
רִ֣יב
contend
H7378
רִ֣יב
contend
Strong's:
H7378
Word #:
8 of 13
properly, to toss, i.e., grapple; mostly figuratively, to wrangle, i.e., hold a controversy; (by implication) to defend
אֶת
H854
אֶת
Strong's:
H854
Word #:
9 of 13
properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc
הֶהָרִ֔ים
thou before the mountains
H2022
הֶהָרִ֔ים
thou before the mountains
Strong's:
H2022
Word #:
10 of 13
a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
וְתִשְׁמַ֥עְנָה
Hear
H8085
וְתִשְׁמַ֥עְנָה
Hear
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
11 of 13
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
Cross References
Jeremiah 22:29O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.Deuteronomy 32:1Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.Micah 1:2Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.Ezekiel 36:1Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD:Psalms 50:4He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.Deuteronomy 4:26I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.Isaiah 1:2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.Ezekiel 36:8But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.Luke 19:40And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.Psalms 50:1The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.
Historical Context
Micah 6:1-8 presents a rib (covenant lawsuit) pattern found throughout prophetic literature (Isaiah 1:2-20; Jeremiah 2:4-13; Hosea 4:1-3). God charges Israel with breaking covenant terms given at Sinai. The historical setting is 8th century BC Judah. Despite possessing God's law and temple worship, Judah violated covenant through social injustice and corrupt leadership. Invoking mountains recalls Israel's covenant history—Sinai shook when God gave the law (Exodus 19:18). Throughout Israel's history, mountains witnessed God's mighty acts and their covenant commitments.
Questions for Reflection
- What does God's formal lawsuit teach about the seriousness of covenant violation?
- How does creation's witness against human sin challenge modern complacency?
- In what ways does creation's faithfulness expose humanity's rebellion?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. This verse opens God's covenant lawsuit (rib) against Israel. The imperative "hear" demands attention. "Contend" uses legal terminology for bringing a lawsuit—God formally charges His people with covenant violation. The mountains and hills serve as witnesses, recalling Deuteronomy 4:26 and 32:1 where Moses invoked heaven and earth as witnesses.
Why summon inanimate creation? Because Israel's covenant violation affects all creation—the land itself vomits out sin (Leviticus 18:25). Mountains and hills testify to God's faithfulness and Israel's rebellion. The courtroom metaphor emphasizes legal accountability—Israel broke covenant terms and faces prosecution before cosmic witnesses who cannot be bribed.
The phrase "let the hills hear thy voice" personalizes creation, suggesting even non-human elements respond more faithfully to God than His covenant people. Mountains stand firm; hills endure; they fulfill their created purpose. But Israel rebels. Jesus later observes that if disciples stayed silent, "the stones would cry out" (Luke 19:40). Creation bears witness to God's glory and humanity's guilt.