Micah – Chapter 3

Old Testament12 Verses

Chapter Summary

Micah 3 opens with the words: "And I said: Hear, O ye princes of Jacob, and ye chiefs of the house of Israel: Is it not your part to know judgment," Jacob stands at the center of this chapter. Across its 12 verses, two threads run through the text: sin and divine judgment and repentance and conversion. Taken as a whole, the chapter forms one movement in the account, preparing what follows and completing what came before.

1And I said: Hear, O ye princes of Jacob, and ye chiefs of the house of Israel: Is it not your part to know judgment,

2You that hate good, and love evil: that violently pluck off their skins from them and their flesh from their bones?

3Who have eaten the flesh of my people, and have flayed their skin off them: and have broken, and chopped their bones as for the kettle, and as flesh in the midst of the pot.

4Then shall they cry to the Lord, and he will not hear them: and he will hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved wickedly in their devices.

5Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err: that bite with their teeth, and preach peace: and if a man give not something into their mouth, they prepare war against him.

6Therefore night shall be to you instead of vision, and darkness to you instead of divination: and the sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be darkened over them.

7And they shall be confounded that see visions, and the diviners shall be confounded: and they shall all cover their faces, because there is no answer of God.

8But yet I am filled with the strength of the spirit of the Lord, with judgment and power: to declare unto Jacob his wickedness and to Israel his sin.

9Hear this, ye princes of the house of Jacob, and ye judges of the house of Israel: you that abhor judgment and pervert all that is right.

10You that build up Sion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

11Her princes have judged for bribes: and her priests have taught for hire, and her prophets divined for money: and they leaned upon the Lord, saying: Is not the Lord in the midst of us? no evil shall come among us.

12Therefore because of you, Sion shall be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall be as a heap of stones, and the mountain of the temple as the high places of the forests.

Important Verses in Micah 3

And I said: Hear, O ye princes of Jacob, and ye chiefs of the house of Israel: Is it not your part to know judgment,

Micah 3:1

Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err: that bite with their teeth, and preach peace: and if a man give not something into their mouth, they prepare war against him.

Micah 3:5

But yet I am filled with the strength of the spirit of the Lord, with judgment and power: to declare unto Jacob his wickedness and to Israel his sin.

Micah 3:8

Her princes have judged for bribes: and her priests have taught for hire, and her prophets divined for money: and they leaned upon the Lord, saying: Is not the Lord in the midst of us? no evil shall come among us.

Micah 3:11

Historical Context

Micah addresses israel and Judah, told what the Lord requires: justice, mercy, and humility within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 3 of 7 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 12 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Historical attention falls on Jacob, the principal figures named in this chapter. It opens with the line: "And I said: Hear, O ye princes of Jacob, and ye chiefs of the house of Israel: Is it not your part to know judgment," The chapter ends with: "Therefore because of you, Sion shall be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall be as a heap of stones, and the…" The wider setting of Micah is this: A contemporary of Isaiah from a small country town, Micah denounced land-grabbing elites, corrupt judges, and prophets for hire in both kingdoms. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: About 740-700 BC.

Who Wrote It

The prophet Micah of Moresheth

When It Was Written

About 740-700 BC

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, this oracle names the sins, judgments, or promises relevant to its original hearers. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And I said: Hear, O ye princes of Jacob, and ye chiefs of the house of Israel: Is it not your part to know judgment," The passage repeatedly touches on sin and divine judgment.

Catholic exegesis reads Micah 3 within the unity of Scripture and Tradition. Micah's prophecy of Bethlehem is fulfilled in Christ (CIC 437). St. Jerome and other Fathers of the Church saw in texts like this a preparation for or reflection of Christ, the center of revelation (CIC 1604).

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.
  • True conversion means turning away from sin and returning to God with our whole heart.
  • Love of God and love of neighbor sum up the whole law and reveal the very nature of God.

People in This Chapter

Jacob3 mentions

Reflection for Today

When the Church proclaims Micah Chapter 3 at Mass or in the Liturgy of the Hours, she treats this text as the living voice of God.

In the four senses of Scripture—literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical—the Church finds rich meaning in Micah Chapter 3. At the moral level, discernment and obedience to God challenges us to examine conscience and amend our lives (CIC 2559).

If this passage raises questions, seek the Church's teaching through the Catechism, a faithful priest, or sound Catholic commentaries. Private interpretation must remain in harmony with the Magisterium (CIC 2772).

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Micah Chapter 3 about?

Micah 3 contains 12 verses. It opens with "And I said: Hear, O ye princes of Jacob, and ye chiefs of the house of Israel: Is it not your part to know judgment," and closes with "Therefore because of you, Sion shall be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall be as a heap of stones, and the…". The book as a whole is prophetic oracles.

What is a key verse in Micah 3?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And I said: Hear, O ye princes of Jacob, and ye chiefs of the house of Israel: Is it not your part to know judgment," It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Micah Chapter 3?

This chapter mentions Jacob.

Who wrote Micah and when?

The prophet Micah of Moresheth. About 740-700 BC.

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