Mikha 1:6

1:6 “I will turn Samaria ¹  into a heap of ruins in an open field –

vineyards will be planted there! ² 

I will tumble ³  the rubble of her stone walls ⁴  down into the valley,

and tear down her fortifications to their foundations. ⁵ 

Mikha 1:8

1:8 For this reason I ⁶  will mourn and wail;

I will walk around barefoot ⁷  and without my outer garments. ⁸ 

I will howl ⁹  like a wild dog, ¹⁰ 

and screech ¹¹  like an owl. ¹² 

Mikha 2:13

2:13 The one who can break through barriers will lead them out ¹³ 

they will break out, pass through the gate, and leave. ¹⁴ 

Their king will advance ¹⁵  before them,

The Lord himself will lead them. ¹⁶ 

[1:6]  ¹ map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.

[1:6]  ² tn Heb “into a planting place for vineyards.”

[1:6]  ³ tn Heb “pour” (so NASB, NIV); KJV, NRSV “pour down”; NAB “throw down”; NLT “roll.”

[1:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “her stones.” The term stones is a metonymy for the city walls whose foundations were constructed of stone masonry.

[1:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “I will uncover her foundations.” The term “foundations” refers to the lower courses of the stones of the city’s outer fortification walls.

[1:8]  ⁶ tn The prophet is probably the speaker here.

[1:8]  ⁷ tn Or “stripped.” The precise meaning of this Hebrew word is unclear. It may refer to walking barefoot (see 2 Sam 15:30) or to partially stripping oneself (see Job 12:17-19).

[1:8]  ⁸ tn Heb “naked.” This probably does not refer to complete nudity, but to stripping off one’s outer garments as an outward sign of the destitution felt by the mourner.

[1:8]  ⁹ tn Heb “I will make lamentation.”

[1:8]  ¹⁰ tn Or “a jackal”; CEV “howling wolves.”

[1:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “[make] a mourning.”

[1:8]  ¹² tn Or perhaps “ostrich” (cf. ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT).

[2:13]  ¹³ tn Heb “the one who breaks through goes up before them.” The verb form is understood as a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of this coming event.

[2:13]  ¹⁴ tn The three verb forms (a perfect and two preterites with vav [ו] consecutive) indicate certitude.

[2:13]  sn The “fold” from which the sheep/people break out is probably a reference to their place of exile.

[2:13]  ¹⁵ tn The verb form (a preterite with vav [ו] consecutive) indicates certitude.

[2:13]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “the Lord [will be] at their head.”