The Meaning of Micah 2:7 Explained

Micah 2:7

KJV: O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

YLT: Doth the house of Jacob say, 'Hath the Spirit of Jehovah been shortened? Are these His doings?' Do not My words benefit the people that is walking uprightly?

Darby: O thou that art named the house of Jacob, Is Jehovah impatient? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

ASV: Shall it be said, O house of Jacob, Is the Spirit of Jehovah straitened? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

O [thou that art] named  the house  of Jacob,  is the spirit  of the LORD  straitened?  [are] these his doings?  do not my words  do good  to him that walketh  uprightly? 

What does Micah 2:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Micah reminded his audience that the false prophets were telling them that God would be patient with them and that judgment was not His way of dealing with them. They evidently felt that it was inconsistent to say that Yahweh would allow His people to experience disaster since He had committed Himself to them (cf. Deuteronomy 26:17-18). Theirs was a completely positive message. They failed to remind the people that God had also promised to punish them if they departed from His covenant ( Deuteronomy 28:15-68).
Micah affirmed that God would indeed bless those who do right ( Deuteronomy 28:1-14). One should not blame the continuing disgrace of the nation on his and his fellow prophets" pronouncements. After all, God provided blessing, when His people obeyed Him, as well as discipline, when they disobeyed. It was the people"s obedience or disobedience, not Micah"s prophecies, that were responsible for their condition. Preaching and teaching the whole counsel of God involves telling people how they fall short of God"s requirements, so they can repent and enjoy His blessing, as well as affirming them for their good deeds.
"Spirit" could refer to the spirit or attitude of the Lord, or it could refer to the Holy Spirit. Either translation makes sense, but since the Holy Spirit executes the will of God in the world, He is perhaps in view here (cf. Genesis 1:2).

Context Summary

Micah 2:1-13 - The Harvest Of Greed And Injustice
Micah 1:1-16 dealt with sins against the first table of the law; this deals with those against the second. Evil must sooner or later befall those who devise evil against their neighbors, covet their goods, and oppress their persons. So absolute would be the destruction, that estates would no longer descend from father to son, or be measured by lot, Micah 2:5; and the people would become hard and callous to the prophet's voice, Micah 2:6. Yet through it all God's Spirit would yearn over His people, Micah 2:7-13; His words would still comfort humble souls. But the cruelty of men who despoiled their poor neighbors, not only of their ornaments but of the tunic next their skin, would bring disaster upon the entire nation. The guilty people must prepare to arise and depart, for Canaan could no longer be their home.
But even from captivity God would restore His people, breaking the way through walls of difficulty. Our Breaker is the Lord Jesus who broke the way for us from the prison-house of death. Let us follow Him as He passes on His way to victory. [source]

Chapter Summary: Micah 2

1  Against oppression
4  A lamentation
7  A reproof of injustice and idolatry
12  A promise to restore Jacob

What do the individual words in Micah 2:7 mean?

[You who are] named the house of Jacob is restricted the Spirit of Yahweh [Are] these His doings do not My words do good to uprightly him who walks
הֶאָמ֣וּר בֵּֽית־ יַעֲקֹ֗ב ؟ הֲקָצַר֙ ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֔ה אִם־ אֵ֖לֶּה ؟ מַעֲלָלָ֑יו הֲל֤וֹא דְבָרַ֨י יֵיטִ֔יבוּ עִ֖ם הַיָּשָׁ֥ר ؟ הוֹלֵֽךְ

הֶאָמ֣וּר  [You  who  are]  named 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בֵּֽית־  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יַעֲקֹ֗ב  of  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
؟ הֲקָצַר֙  is  restricted 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָצוּר 
Sense: to be short, be impatient, be vexed, be grieved.
ר֣וּחַ  the  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: רוּחַ  
Sense: wind, breath, mind, spirit.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֵ֖לֶּה  these 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
؟ מַעֲלָלָ֑יו  His  doings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַעֲלִיל 
Sense: deed, practice.
הֲל֤וֹא  do  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
דְבָרַ֨י  My  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יֵיטִ֔יבוּ  do  good 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
הַיָּשָׁ֥ר  uprightly 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
؟ הוֹלֵֽךְ  him  who  walks 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.