The Meaning of Micah 6:8 Explained

Micah 6:8

KJV: He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

YLT: He hath declared to thee, O man, what is good; Yea, what is Jehovah requiring of thee, Except -- to do judgment, and love kindness, And lowly to walk with thy God?

Darby: He hath shewn thee, O man, what is good: and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with thy God?

ASV: He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He hath shewed  thee, O man,  what [is] good;  and what doth the LORD  require  of thee, but to do  justly,  and to love  mercy,  and to walk  humbly  with thy God? 

What does Micah 6:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

No, these sacrifices were not what the Lord wanted. He had already told the Israelites what would be good (beneficial) for them when they sinned (cf. Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 10:18; 1 Samuel 12:24; Hosea 12:6). He wanted each of His people ("O man") to change his or her behavior. The address "O man" emphasizes the difference between God and Prayer of Manasseh , particularly man"s subordination under God. It also connects Micah"s hearers, the people, not just the leaders, with the vain worshippers described in the two previous verses. Specifically, the Lord wanted His people to practice justice rather than continuing to plot and practice unfairness and injustice toward one another (cf. Micah 6:11; Micah 2:1-2; Micah 3:1-3). He also wanted them to love kindness, to practice loyal love (Heb. hesed) by carrying through their commitments to help one another, as He had with them (cf. Micah 6:12; Micah 2:8-9; Micah 3:10-11). And He wanted them to walk humbly with Him, to live their lives modestly trusting and depending on Him rather than arrogantly relying on themselves (cf. Micah 2:3). There is a progression in these requirements from what is external to what is internal and from human relations to divine relations. Doing justice toward other people demands loving kindness, which necessitates walking humbly in fellowship with God. [1]
This verse contains one of the most succinct and powerful expressions of Yahweh"s essential requirements in the Bible (cf. Matthew 22:37-39; Matthew 23:23; 1 Corinthians 13:4; 2 Corinthians 6:6; Colossians 3:12; James 1:27; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Peter 5:5). It explains the essence of spiritual reality in contrast to mere ritual worship. Though the Lord asked His people to worship Him in formal ways, which the Mosaic Covenant spelled out, His primary desire was for a heart attitude marked by the characteristics Micah articulated (cf. Psalm 51:16-17; Jeremiah 7:22-26).
"No vital relationship with God is possible if one is unfaithful to the responsibilities arising out of his God-given relationships with his fellow men." [2]

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 6:8 mean?

He has shown you man what [is] good and what Yahweh does require of you for but to do justly and to love mercy and humbly to walk with your God -
הִגִּ֥יד לְךָ֛ אָדָ֖ם מַה־ טּ֑וֹב וּמָֽה־ יְהוָ֞ה דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ מִמְּךָ֗ כִּ֣י אִם־ עֲשׂ֤וֹת מִשְׁפָּט֙ וְאַ֣הֲבַת חֶ֔סֶד וְהַצְנֵ֥עַ לֶ֖כֶת עִם־ ؟ אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ פ

הִגִּ֥יד  He  has  shown 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַד  
Sense: to be conspicuous, tell, make known.
אָדָ֖ם  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
מַה־  what  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
טּ֑וֹב  good 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
וּמָֽה־  and  what 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
יְהוָ֞ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ  does  require 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
מִמְּךָ֗  of  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
עֲשׂ֤וֹת  to  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מִשְׁפָּט֙  justly 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וְאַ֣הֲבַת  and  to  love 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אַהֲבָה 
Sense: love.
חֶ֔סֶד  mercy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
וְהַצְנֵ֥עַ  and  humbly 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: צָנוּעַ 
Sense: to be humble, be modest, be lowly.
לֶ֖כֶת  to  walk 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
؟ אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation