Micah 6:7

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?

Will the LORD {H3068} be pleased {H7521} with thousands {H505} of rams {H352}, or with ten thousands {H7233} of rivers {H5158} of oil {H8081}? shall I give {H5414} my firstborn {H1060} for my transgression {H6588}, the fruit {H6529} of my body {H990} for the sin {H2403} of my soul {H5315}?

Would ADONAI take delight in thousands of rams with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Could I give my firstborn to pay for my crimes, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"

Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Micah 6:7 is a powerful and poignant rhetorical question posed by the prophet Micah, highlighting the desperate human attempt to appease God through increasingly extravagant and even abhorrent sacrifices, ultimately setting the stage for God's true requirements.

Context

This verse is part of a dramatic courtroom scene in Micah 6:1-8, where God brings a charge against His people, Israel, for their unfaithfulness. Following God's indictment and a historical reminder of His faithfulness (Micah 6:3-5), the people, through the prophet, respond with a series of escalating questions about how they might approach the Lord and atone for their sins. Micah 6:6 begins this inquiry, asking what kind of burnt offerings would satisfy God. Verse 7 continues this progression, moving from "thousands of rams" and "ten thousands of rivers of oil"—symbolizing immense wealth and lavish ritual offerings—to the shocking and unthinkable suggestion of offering one's "firstborn" child. This question underscores the depth of their spiritual confusion and the lengths to which they considered going to rectify their broken covenant relationship with God.

Key Themes

  • The Inadequacy of External Rituals: The verse powerfully conveys that no amount of outward religious observance, no matter how costly or grand, can truly atone for deep-seated sin or substitute for genuine obedience and a transformed heart. The vast quantities of rams and oil emphasize the futility of trying to buy God's favor.
  • The Unthinkable Sacrifice: The mention of offering one's "firstborn" or "the fruit of my body" is a stark, horrifying proposition. This was a practice associated with pagan religions (e.g., Molech worship, forbidden in Deuteronomy 18:10), yet it is raised here to show the extreme desperation and misunderstanding of God's character. It highlights the ultimate cost they imagined might be required to appease a holy God.
  • Setting the Stage for True Piety: This verse serves as a crucial setup for the profound answer given in the subsequent verse, Micah 6:8, which defines what the Lord truly requires: "to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." The rhetorical questions of verse 7 emphasize that God is not pleased by ritualistic extravagance or human sacrifice, but by a heart aligned with His character.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew terms for "transgression" (פֶּשַׁע, pesha) and "sin" (חַטָּאת, chattat) are used here. Pesha often implies rebellion or a deliberate breach of covenant, while chattat signifies missing the mark or falling short of God's standard. The escalating nature of the suggested sacrifices parallels the escalating gravity of the sin, from general "transgression" to the more personal "sin of my soul." The strong rhetorical questions ("Will the LORD be pleased...?", "shall I give...?") underscore the impossibility and unacceptability of such offerings.

Practical Application

Micah 6:7 challenges us to examine our own understanding of worship and relationship with God. Do we believe that external acts—religious rituals, charitable giving, or even personal suffering—can somehow earn us favor with God or atone for our wrongdoings? This verse reminds us that God desires genuine heart-change and righteous living over outward displays. It prompts us to move beyond superficial religiosity to a deep, transformative relationship characterized by obedience, justice, mercy, and humility. Ultimately, for Christians, it points to the truth that no human sacrifice or effort could atone for sin; only the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ could truly satisfy God's justice and provide reconciliation.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 2 Kings 16:3

    But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.

  • Psalms 51:16

    For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give [it]: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

  • 1 Samuel 15:22

    And 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.

  • Hosea 6:6

    For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

  • 2 Kings 21:6

    And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke [him] to anger.

  • 2 Kings 23:10

    And he defiled Topheth, which [is] in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.

  • 2 Kings 3:27

    Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him [for] a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to [their own] land.

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