Micah 6:7

KJV

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?

KJV (with Strong's)

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}?

Complete Jewish Bible

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?"

Berean Standard Bible

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?

American Standard Version

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?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Micah 6:7 presents a series of escalating rhetorical questions from the people of Judah, expressing their desperate attempts to appease a seemingly distant and displeased God. Moving from lavish ritual sacrifices of "thousands of rams" and "ten thousands of rivers of oil" to the unthinkable offering of one's "firstborn" child, the verse powerfully underscores the futility and abhorrence of external religious acts in the face of deep-seated covenant unfaithfulness, setting the stage for God's true requirements of justice, mercy, and humble walking with Him.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Micah 6:7 is an integral part of a dramatic courtroom scene (Micah 6:1-8) where the Lord brings a formal indictment against His people, Israel and Judah, for their covenant violations. Following God's opening challenge and a historical reminder of His faithfulness in delivering them from Egypt and Balak (Micah 6:3-5), the people, through the prophet, respond with a series of questions in Micah 6:6-7, seeking to know how they might approach the Lord and atone for their sins. Micah 6:6 initiates this inquiry by asking about burnt offerings, while verse 7 escalates the proposed sacrifices to an unimaginable degree, culminating in the horrific suggestion of child sacrifice. This crescendo of desperate offerings serves as a crucial literary device, amplifying the spiritual confusion and moral bankruptcy of the people, thereby highlighting the profound contrast with God's actual demands articulated in the pivotal verse that follows, [Micah 6:8](/micah/6-8 "Micah 6:8 - What the Lord Requires").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophet Micah ministered in Judah during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (circa 740-687 BCE), a period marked by significant social injustice, idolatry, and political instability. Both the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah were deeply entrenched in syncretistic practices, blending the worship of Yahweh with pagan rituals, including the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice to deities like Molech, which was strictly forbidden by Mosaic Law (e.g., [Leviticus 18:21](/leviticus/18-21 "Leviticus 18:21 - Prohibition of Child Sacrifice") and [Deuteronomy 18:10](/deuteronomy/18-10 "Deuteronomy 18:10 - Abominations of the Nations")). The mention of "thousands of rams" and "ten thousands of rivers of oil" reflects the lavish, yet ultimately empty, ritualism prevalent among the wealthy elite, who believed that outward displays of piety or immense material offerings could compensate for their systemic injustice and moral corruption. The escalating nature of the proposed sacrifices in the verse reveals a society so spiritually lost that it contemplated the most extreme and forbidden acts to regain divine favor, demonstrating a fundamental misunderstanding of God's character and His covenant requirements.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Micah and the broader prophetic literature. Primarily, it exposes **The Inadequacy of External Rituals and Sacrifices** to truly reconcile humanity with God. No amount of material wealth or even human life, when offered outside of genuine repentance and obedience, can satisfy divine justice or restore a broken covenant. Secondly, it highlights the **Profound Misunderstanding of God's Character** prevalent among the people. They perceived God as one who could be appeased by increasingly extravagant, even abominable, offerings, rather than a God who desires justice, mercy, and humble relationship. This theme is sharply contrasted by the revelation of God's true desires in [Micah 6:8](/micah/6-8 "Micah 6:8 - What the Lord Requires"). Finally, the verse underscores the **Desperation of Humanity Under the Weight of Sin**. Faced with the consequences of their unfaithfulness, the people are driven to contemplate the most extreme measures, revealing the deep-seated human inclination to earn salvation or appease God through self-effort, rather than humbly submitting to His revealed will.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **firstborn (Hebrew, _bᵉkôwr'_):** From the root meaning "to be first-born," this term refers to the eldest child. In ancient Israelite society, the firstborn son held a special status, inheriting a double portion and carrying the family line. The idea of sacrificing one's firstborn was the ultimate, most costly, and most horrifying offering imaginable, directly forbidden by God's law as a pagan practice. Its mention here highlights the extreme desperation and moral depravity of the inquiry.
* **transgression (Hebrew, _peshaʻ'_):** This word denotes a "revolt," "rebellion," or a "deliberate breach of covenant." It implies a conscious act of defiance against God's established order and law. The use of _peshaʻ_ emphasizes the high-handed nature of Israel's sin, not merely an accidental misstep but a willful turning away from their covenant Lord.
* **sin (Hebrew, _chaṭṭâʼâh'_):** Often translated as "missing the mark," _chaṭṭâʼâh_ refers to an offense, a falling short of God's standard, or habitual sinfulness. It can also refer to the penalty for sin, or the sacrifice made for expiation. When paired with _peshaʻ_, it broadens the scope of their guilt from overt rebellion to any failure to meet divine expectations, including the deeply personal "sin of my soul."

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?"**: This opening rhetorical question sets the stage by proposing an immense, almost unimaginable quantity of traditional sacrificial offerings. "Thousands of rams" represents a vast number of animals, while "ten thousands of rivers of oil" signifies an exorbitant amount of the most valuable liquid commodity, often used in offerings. The question implicitly suggests that even such lavish, costly, and numerous ritual acts are insufficient to gain God's favor or atone for sin, highlighting the futility of external religiosity without internal transformation.
* **"shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,"**: This clause introduces a shocking and horrific escalation. The "firstborn" represents the most precious and costly human offering, a direct violation of God's law which strictly forbade child sacrifice (e.g., [Deuteronomy 18:10](/deuteronomy/18-10 "Deuteronomy 18:10 - Prohibition of Child Sacrifice")). The question reveals the depth of the people's spiritual confusion and desperation, contemplating an act associated with pagan worship as a means to atone for their "transgression" (rebellion against God).
* **"the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"**: This final clause reiterates and intensifies the previous one, using a poetic parallelism. "The fruit of my body" is a poignant euphemism for one's child, emphasizing the intimate and personal nature of the proposed sacrifice. "The sin of my soul" refers to the deepest, most personal, and pervasive sinfulness, suggesting that even the ultimate personal sacrifice is considered as a potential means of expiation for the core of one's being. The cumulative effect of these questions is to demonstrate the utter inadequacy and abhorrence of all human attempts to earn salvation or appease a holy God through self-devised means.

#### Literary Devices
Micah 6:7 employs several powerful **Literary Devices** to convey its message. The most prominent is **Rhetorical Question**, where the prophet poses questions not to elicit an answer from the audience, but to make a forceful point about the futility of such offerings. The escalating nature of the proposed sacrifices, from "thousands of rams" to "ten thousands of rivers of oil" and finally to one's "firstborn," is a masterful use of **Hyperbole**, exaggerating the quantities to emphasize the utter impossibility of appeasing God through material or even human sacrifice. This escalation also builds dramatic tension, leading to the shocking climax of child sacrifice. Furthermore, the verse utilizes **Parallelism**, especially in the latter half ("shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"), where the second phrase reiterates and intensifies the first using synonymous or antithetical ideas, deepening the emotional impact and reinforcing the horrifying nature of the thought. Finally, the entire verse serves as a dramatic **Juxtaposition** to the simple, profound requirements of God presented in the very next verse, [Micah 6:8](/micah/6-8 "Micah 6:8 - What the Lord Requires"), highlighting the stark contrast between human attempts at appeasement and divine truth.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Micah 6:7 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of divine-human relationship and the futility of human-initiated attempts at atonement. It reveals God's unyielding demand for genuine righteousness and heart transformation over external ritualism or even the most extreme sacrifices. The questions posed expose a fundamental misunderstanding of God's character, portraying Him as a deity who might be appeased by material wealth or even human life, rather than the covenant Lord who desires justice, mercy, and humble obedience. The verse underscores that no human effort, no matter how costly or extreme, can bridge the chasm created by sin or satisfy the demands of a holy God. This sets the stage for the revelation of God's true requirements, emphasizing that His pleasure is not found in the quantity or cost of offerings, but in the quality of a heart aligned with His own righteous and merciful nature.

* [1 Samuel 15:22](/1_samuel/15-22 "1 Samuel 15:22 - Obedience is Better than Sacrifice")
* [Psalm 51:16-17](/psalms/51-16-17 "Psalm 51:16-17 - A Broken and Contrite Heart")
* [Hosea 6:6](/hosea/6-6 "Hosea 6:6 - God Desires Steadfast Love, Not Sacrifice")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Micah 6:7 presents a timeless challenge to our understanding of worship and our relationship with God. It forces us to confront the temptation to believe that external acts—whether religious rituals, charitable giving, personal suffering, or even extreme self-denial—can somehow earn us favor with God or atone for our wrongdoings. This verse powerfully reminds us that God desires genuine heart-change and righteous living over outward displays of religiosity. It prompts us to move beyond superficial adherence to religious duties and to cultivate a deep, transformative relationship characterized by a sincere pursuit of justice, a compassionate love for mercy, and a humble walk with our Creator. For us today, it serves as a crucial reminder that our efforts, no matter how grand, are insufficient to bridge the gap created by sin. Our focus should not be on what we can offer God to appease Him, but on how we can respond in gratitude and obedience to what He has already provided.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I, like the people in Micah's time, be tempted to rely on external religious acts or personal efforts to earn God's favor, rather than cultivating a genuine heart relationship with Him?**
* **How does the concept of offering "thousands of rams" or "rivers of oil" challenge my own understanding of true worship and sacrifice in daily life?**
* **What does the mention of offering one's "firstborn" reveal about the desperation of humanity when confronted with its sin, and how does this inform my appreciation for God's true provision for sin?**
* **Considering the contrast with Micah 6:8, what practical steps can I take to prioritize "doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God" in my life today?**

### FAQ

**What is the significance of the escalating sacrifices mentioned in Micah 6:7?**

Answer: The escalating sacrifices—from "thousands of rams" and "ten thousands of rivers of oil" to the "firstborn" child—are highly significant. They represent a rhetorical progression designed to highlight the utter futility of human attempts to appease God through increasingly extravagant or even abhorrent means. The initial offerings symbolize immense material wealth and lavish ritualism, which, though costly, are insufficient. The climax, the offering of one's firstborn, is the ultimate, most precious, and most horrifying sacrifice imaginable, directly forbidden by God's law (e.g., [Deuteronomy 12:31](/deuteronomy/12-31 "Deuteronomy 12:31 - Abominable Practices")). This escalation emphasizes that no human effort, no matter how extreme or costly, can atone for sin or satisfy God's righteous demands. It sets the stage for the profound truth revealed in [Micah 6:8](/micah/6-8 "Micah 6:8 - What the Lord Requires"), that God desires not external ritual, but internal righteousness and a humble walk with Him.

**Did the Israelites actually practice child sacrifice during Micah's time?**

Answer: While the specific question in Micah 6:7 is rhetorical, reflecting a desperate hypothetical, the practice of child sacrifice was indeed a horrific reality among some Israelites and surrounding pagan nations during Micah's era. The worship of deities like Molech involved sacrificing children by fire, a practice explicitly and repeatedly condemned by God in the Mosaic Law (e.g., [Leviticus 18:21](/leviticus/18-21 "Leviticus 18:21 - Prohibition of Child Sacrifice"), [2 Kings 16:3](/2_kings/16-3 "2 Kings 16:3 - Ahaz's Wickedness"), [Jeremiah 32:35](/jeremiah/32-35 "Jeremiah 32:35 - Child Sacrifice in Judah")). The fact that such a question could even be posed, even rhetorically, underscores the deep spiritual confusion, moral decay, and syncretism that had infiltrated Judahite society, leading them to consider the most abominable acts in their misguided attempts to gain divine favor.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Micah 6:7, in its stark portrayal of the inadequacy of human sacrifice and effort to atone for sin, powerfully foreshadows the absolute necessity and sufficiency of Christ's perfect sacrifice. The escalating, desperate questions of the people—"Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams... shall I give my firstborn for my transgression?"—underscore humanity's inherent inability to bridge the chasm of sin through any self-devised means. No amount of material wealth, ritualistic observance, or even the most precious human life could ever satisfy God's holy justice or truly reconcile a fallen humanity. This profound spiritual bankruptcy, highlighted in Micah, finds its ultimate answer in Jesus Christ. He is the true and final Lamb of God, whose single, once-for-all sacrifice on the cross (as described in [Hebrews 9:26-28](/hebrews/9-26-28 "Hebrews 9:26-28 - Christ's One Sacrifice")) perfectly atoned for the "transgression" and "sin of the soul" that humanity could never expiate. Unlike the "blood of bulls and goats" which could not take away sins ([Hebrews 10:4](/hebrews/10-4 "Hebrews 10:4 - Inadequacy of Animal Sacrifices")), Christ's blood, as the unblemished Lamb ([1 Peter 1:18-19](/1_peter/1-18-19 "1 Peter 1:18-19 - Redemption Through Christ's Blood")), was the perfect and pleasing offering to God. Thus, Micah 6:7, by exposing the utter failure of human attempts at appeasement, magnifies the glory and grace of God's provision in Christ, the only one who could truly make us acceptable to the Father ([Ephesians 1:6](/ephesians/1-6 "Ephesians 1:6 - Accepted in the Beloved")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

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.