WHAT IT MEANS
What God Requires
God calls His people to justice, mercy, and humble fellowship with Him rather than impressive religion without transformed character.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Micah 6:8
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?
CONTEXT
What is happening here?
Micah contrasts covenant faithfulness with attempts to substitute escalating religious offerings for obedience.
APPLY IT
For today
Ask whether your faith is visible in how you treat people, extend mercy, and walk humbly before God.
Read it in 5 translations
KJV King James Version
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?
BSB Berean Standard Bible
He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
WEB World English Bible
He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
ASV American Standard Version
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?
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
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?
Surrounding context — Micah 6
5 O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.
6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn [for] my transgression, the fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul?
8 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?
9 The LORD’S voice crieth unto the city, and [the man of] wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure [that is] abominable?
11 Shall I count [them] pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
הִגִּ֥ידH5046 · na.gadto tellלְךָ֛H9031 · kayouאָדָ֖םH120 · a.dammanמַה־H4100 · mahwhat?טּ֑וֹבH2896 · tovpleasantוּמָֽה־H4100 · mahwhat?יְהוָ֞הH3068 · ye.ho.vahLORDדּוֹרֵ֣שׁH1875 · da.rashto seekמִמְּךָ֗H4480 · minfromכִּ֣יH3588 · kiforאִם־H518 · imifעֲשׂ֤וֹתH6213 · a.sahto make: doמִשְׁפָּט֙H4941 · mish.patjustice: judgementוְאַ֣הֲבַתH157 · a.havto love: loverחֶ֔סֶדH2617 · che.sedkindnessוְהַצְנֵ֥עַH6800 · tsa.nabe humbleלֶ֖כֶתH1980 · ha.lakhto go: wentעִם־H5973 · imwithאֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ פH430 · e.lo.himGod
Cross-references
Deuteronomy 10:12-13And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,Proverbs 21:3To do justice and judgment [is] more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.Colossians 3:12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;Jeremiah 22:3Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.Hosea 6:6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.1 Samuel 15:22And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams.Isaiah 66:2For all those [things] hath mine hand made, and all those [things] have been, saith the LORD: but to this [man] will I look, [even] to [him that is] poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.1 Peter 3:8Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous:1 Peter 5:5-6Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.Luke 6:36Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.Isaiah 1:16-19Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;Amos 5:24But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.Luke 11:42But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.Ephesians 4:32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.Isaiah 58:6-11[Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?Genesis 18:19For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.Ecclesiastes 12:13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.Matthew 5:7Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
CLASSIC COMMENTARY & PREACHING
Spurgeon on Micah 6:8
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HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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