Micah 4 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 4:14
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Chapter 4
The mountain of YHWH and the gathering of Zion
Verse 4:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:1 In the latter days the mountain of YHWH's house will be established at the head of the mountains and raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:1 In the last days the mountain of the Lord will be manifest, established upon the mountain summits and raised above the hills, and peoples will hurry toward it.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek lacks house here and adds the mountain being manifest; streaming becomes hurrying. Both place the mountain above the hills in the latter days. Saints: Augustine, City of God XVIII.30, interprets this mountain as a figure of Christ and quotes the nations’ approach through the opening judgment clause of 4:3. That christological reading is attributed reception; Christ is not inserted as the mountain’s name in either column [AUG-MIC]. The accessed Dods English quotation at 4:2 says He will show, whereas this selected Greek has they will show; the quotation does not change the reading.
Verse 4:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:2 Many nations will go and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of YHWH and to the house of Jacob's God. He will teach us some of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.” For instruction will go out from Zion, and the word of YHWH from Jerusalem.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:2 Many nations will go and say, “Come, let us go up to the Lord's mountain and to the house of Jacob's God. They will show us His way, and we will walk in His paths.” For law will go out from Zion, and the Lord's word from Jerusalem.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew God teaches from His ways; Greek uses an unnamed plural they to show His singular way. Both preserve the nations' invitation, divine paths and instruction from Zion/Jerusalem. Saints: Augustine’s christological reading of the connected 4:1–early 4:3 passage is discussed at 4:1; he does not separately expound every clause [AUG-MIC].
Verse 4:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:3 He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for strong nations far away. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift sword against nation, nor will they learn war anymore.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:3 He will judge between many peoples and reprove strong nations as far as a distant land. They will cut their swords into plows and their spears into sickles. Nation will certainly no longer raise sword against nation, nor will they learn to wage war anymore.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek names plows and sickles where Hebrew has plowshares and pruning hooks. Divine settlement and the ending of interstate war and military learning agree; no tool is omitted. Saints: Augustine’s christological reading of the connected 4:1–early 4:3 passage is discussed at 4:1; he does not separately expound every clause [AUG-MIC].
Verse 4:4 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:4 They will sit, each beneath his vine and beneath his fig tree, with no one making them afraid, for the mouth of YHWH of hosts has spoken.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:4 Each will rest beneath his vine and each beneath his fig tree, and there will be no one causing fear, because the mouth of the Lord Almighty has spoken these things.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both promise undisturbed rest under one's own vine and fig tree, guaranteed by divine speech.
Verse 4:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:5 For all the peoples walk, each in the name of his god, but we will walk in the name of YHWH our God forever and ever.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:5 For all the peoples will walk, each his own way, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and beyond.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek each his own way replaces Hebrew each in his god's name. The community's enduring commitment to its God remains in both.
Verse 4:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:6 “On that day,” declares YHWH, “I will gather the limping one and assemble the banished one and those I have afflicted.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:6 “On that day,” says the Lord, “I will gather the crushed one, receive the expelled one and those I rejected.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew limping becomes Greek crushed, and divine affliction becomes rejection. Both promise to receive those suffering and displaced; feminine collective images are retained.
Verse 4:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:7 I will make the limping one a remnant and the one cast far away a strong nation. YHWH will reign over them on Mount Zion from now and forever.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:7 I will make the crushed one a remnant and the rejected one a strong nation. The Lord will reign over them on Mount Zion from now and forever.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The limping/crushed distinction continues, as does far-removed/rejected. The remnant, strong nation, Zion reign and enduring duration agree.
Verse 4:8 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:8 And you, tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come: the former dominion will arrive, the kingdom for the daughter of Jerusalem.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:8 And you, squalid tower of the flock, daughter of Zion, to you it will come and enter—the former rule, a kingdom from Babylon for the daughter of Jerusalem.”
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek adds from Babylon to the restored kingdom and describes the tower as squalid or parched, where Hebrew calls it the hill or stronghold of Zion's daughter. Babylon is not imported into Hebrew this early.
Verse 4:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:9 Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that anguish has seized you like a woman giving birth?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:9 And now why have you experienced calamities? Did you have no king? Has your counsel perished, that birth pains have seized you like a woman giving birth?
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew asks about the cry and a lost counselor; Greek asks about experienced calamity and lost counsel. Both link the distress with absent kingship and childbirth pains.
Verse 4:10 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:10 Writhe and burst forth, daughter of Zion, like a woman giving birth! For now you will go out from the city, dwell in the field and come as far as Babylon. There you will be rescued; there YHWH will redeem you from your enemies' hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:10 Labor in birth, be courageous and draw near, daughter of Zion, like a woman giving birth! For now you will go out from the city, camp in the plain and come as far as Babylon. From there He will rescue you, and from there the Lord your God will redeem you from your enemies' hand.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek has three commands, including courage and approach, where Hebrew has two difficult birth-related commands. Greek adds your God and describes rescue from there, where Hebrew says there. Babylon and redemption from enemies agree.
Verse 4:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:11 Now many nations have gathered against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion!”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:11 Now many nations have gathered against you, saying, “We will rejoice over her, and our eyes will look upon Zion!”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew calls for Zion's defilement; Greek declares hostile rejoicing. Both present gathered nations anticipating a sight of Zion's humiliation.
Verse 4:12 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:12 But they do not know YHWH's thoughts or understand His counsel, for He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:12 But they did not know the Lord's thought or understand His counsel, for He gathered them like sheaves of a threshing floor.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The nations unknowingly assemble for judgment, expressed through the same sheaf and threshing-floor image.
Verse 4:13 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:13 Rise and thresh, daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron and your hoofs bronze. You will crush many peoples, and I will devote their gain to YHWH and their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:13 Rise and thresh them, daughter of Zion, for I will make your horns iron and your hoofs bronze. With them you will melt down nations and grind many peoples fine; you will dedicate their multitude to the Lord and their strength to the Lord of all the earth.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek adds melting nations, has plural horns and assigns dedication to you; Hebrew's displayed wehaḥaramti is I will devote. Hebrew gain and wealth become Greek multitude and strength. The Hebrew first-person dedication to YHWH is retained without silently adopting a second-person form or fixing the speaker's identity.
Verse 4:14 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
4:14 Now muster yourself in troops, daughter of troops! He has laid siege against us; with a rod they strike Israel's judge on the cheek.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
4:14 Now the daughter of Ephraim will be fenced in with a barrier; he has set a constraint upon us. With a rod they will strike Israel's tribes on the cheek.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew daughter of troops becomes Greek daughter of Ephraim, and Israel's judge becomes Israel's tribes. The Hebrew command may alternatively mean cut yourself in mourning; the troop wordplay is adopted provisionally. This is 5:1 in many English Bibles; both declared ancient-source editions number it 4:14.