The Meaning of Micah 6:16 Explained

Micah 6:16

KJV: For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

YLT: And kept habitually are the statutes of Omri, And all the work of the house of Ahab, And ye do walk in their counsels, For My giving thee for a desolation, And its inhabitants for a hissing, And the reproach of My people ye do bear!

Darby: For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab; and ye walk in their counsels: that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof a hissing; and ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

ASV: For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I may make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof a hissing: and ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the statutes  of Omri  are kept,  and all the works  of the house  of Ahab,  and ye walk  in their counsels;  that I should make  thee a desolation,  and the inhabitants  thereof an hissing:  therefore ye shall bear  the reproach  of my people. 

What does Micah 6:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The people of Judah were living like their brethren in Israel who followed the instructions of the wicked Israelite kings Omri, Ahab, and their descendants. This group of Israel"s kings constituted some of the worst in the history of the Northern Kingdom largely because of their idolatry and unjust oppression of the weak (cf. 1 Kings 16:21 to 1 Kings 22:40). Micah emphasized Israel"s social sins more than idolatry, about which Isaiah had more to say, though there is a close relationship between both types of sin. Because of this wickedness Yahweh promised to turn the residents of Jerusalem over to destruction. Even though they were His people, they would become objects of horror and scorn by other nations.
"Loss of reputation is ever the final indignity which rubs salt into the wounds of suffering." [1]

Context Summary

Micah 6:1-16 - "what Doth The Lord Require Of Thee?"
In Micah 6:1-4 the prophet returns from his vision of the future to the actual condition of his people, which was utterly desperate. The mountains, as the most enduring monuments of nature, are summoned as witnesses in the great trial between Jehovah and His people. Like Israel, we have been delivered from the house of bondage with infinite love, but how wayward and willful we have been! Micah 6:5-8 prove the impotence of a religion which is only external.
Few have known more sublime truth than Baalim, Micah 6:5, but he loved the wages of unrighteousness; and this eclipsed the divine radiance that became overcast and finally overwhelmed. Micah 6:9-11 reveal the fruitlessness of a life of sin. Sooner or later nature herself becomes unresponsive-sowing, but no harvest; the treading of the press, but no juice. The only path to real satisfaction and peace is in the love and faithful service of God. Why are we so slow to tread it? [source]

Chapter Summary: Micah 6

1  God's punishment for ingratitude;
6  for ignorance,
10  for injustice;
16  and for idolatry

What do the individual words in Micah 6:16 mean?

For are kept the statutes of Omri and all [are done] the works of house of Ahab and you walk in their counsels that I may make you a desolation and your inhabitants a hissing therefore the reproach of My people you shall bear -
וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּ֞ר חֻקּ֣וֹת עָמְרִ֗י וְכֹל֙ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה בֵית־ אַחְאָ֔ב וַתֵּלְכ֖וּ בְּמֹֽעֲצוֹתָ֑ם לְמַעַן֩ תִּתִּ֨י אֹתְךָ֜ לְשַׁמָּ֗ה וְיֹשְׁבֶ֙יהָ֙ לִשְׁרֵקָ֔ה וְחֶרְפַּ֥ת עַמִּ֖י תִּשָּֽׂאוּ פ

וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּ֞ר  For  are  kept 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
חֻקּ֣וֹת  the  statutes 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: חֻקָּה  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed.
עָמְרִ֗י  of  Omri 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָמְרִי  
Sense: king of the northern kingdom of Israel, successor to king Elah for whom he was the captain of the army; ruled for 2 years and succeeded by his infamous son Ahab.
וְכֹל֙  and  all  [are  done] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה  the  works 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
בֵית־  of  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אַחְאָ֔ב  of  Ahab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַחְאָב 
Sense: king of Israel, son of Omri, husband of Jezebel.
וַתֵּלְכ֖וּ  and  you  walk 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּמֹֽעֲצוֹתָ֑ם  in  their  counsels 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מֹועֵצָה  
Sense: counsel, plan, principal, device.
לְמַעַן֩  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
תִּתִּ֨י  I  may  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְשַׁמָּ֗ה  a  desolation 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שַׁמָּה  
Sense: waste, horror, appalment.
וְיֹשְׁבֶ֙יהָ֙  and  your  inhabitants 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
לִשְׁרֵקָ֔ה  a  hissing 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שְׂרֵקָה 
Sense: hissing, whistling.
וְחֶרְפַּ֥ת  therefore  the  reproach 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֶרְפָּה  
Sense: reproach, scorn.
עַמִּ֖י  of  My  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
תִּשָּֽׂאוּ  you  shall  bear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation