Micah 6:12
Your rich men are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just say the rich commit violence, but that they are full of it, suggesting violence isn't just an action but a state of being, deeply ingrained in their character. Similarly, the description of their tongues as "deceitful" highlights that dishonesty isn't occasional but a constant, readily available tool.
Micah has just declared God's case against Israel, calling the mountains and hills to witness their corruption. Now, he details the specific sins: the wealthy oppressors are filled with violence, and the common people speak only lies and deceit. This indictment of pervasive dishonesty and greed in every level of society sets the stage for God's judgment, which will fall upon them because of their unfaithfulness.
When those with the most power and resources become the most violent and exploitative, it signals a deep sickness within a society.
Micah points directly at the wealthy elite, stating they are "full of violence." This isn't just about physical harm; it encompasses greed, exploitation, and the abuse of power for personal gain.
The Source of the Sin
Commentators note that this violence wasn't born out of necessity or poverty, but out of "wantonness and exceeding covetousness and love of luxury." The rich had every advantage, yet they chose to oppress rather than to help.
A Societal Disease
Their riches weren't just a byproduct of their actions; their wealth was violence. Their very being was saturated with it, demonstrating how deeply corruption had set in, not just in individuals, but in the fabric of their society.
When deception becomes the norm, even the simplest interactions are tainted, and trust erodes completely.
Micah doesn't stop with the rich; he declares that "the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth." This paints a picture of a society where falsehood is pervasive.
A Habitual Deceit
This wasn't just occasional dishonesty. The language used suggests a ingrained habit, a constant readiness to deceive. As one commentator put it, "they have no sincerity, no uprightness; they are wholly given to frauds and deceits."
The Tongue as an Instrument of Ruin
The phrase "their tongue is deceitful in their mouth" is an emphatic way of saying that the very way they spoke was designed to mislead and harm others. It implies that truthfulness was absent, and any word spoken was likely a tool for manipulation.
Understand the original words
chamas · Hebrew Noun
A broad term for acts of physical force, oppression, or lawlessness; it describes a violation of the sanctity of human life and social order, especially against the vulnerable.
sheqer · Hebrew Noun
To intentionally utter falsehoods; it is a fundamental violation of God’s character and His command to bear true witness, often leading to social and spiritual ruin.
Micah's prophecy speaks into a time of immense national crisis for Judah, marked by the recent fall of the Northern Kingdom and the looming threat of Assyrian conquest. The violence and deceit he condemns are symptoms of a society that has abandoned God's covenant, especially among its affluent leaders who should have been upholding justice and integrity.
c. 740 BC
Assyrian Captivity of Northern Israel
The Northern Kingdom of Israel, with its capital Samaria, falls to the Assyrian Empire. This event created a crisis of faith and displacement for many Israelites, leading to spiritual compromise among those who remained or were resettled.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Samaria, is conquered and its population exiled by the Neo-Assyrian Empire. This signifies the end of the northern nation and a period of divine judgment for its unfaithfulness.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
The Neo-Assyrian Empire under Sennacherib invades Judah and besieges Jerusalem. While Jerusalem is miraculously spared, the surrounding cities fall, creating immense pressure and fear for Judah's survival.
This passage echoes Micah's condemnation, highlighting how the people's tongues are like a loaded bow, shooting out deceit and falsehood, showing a pervasive pattern of dishonesty in Israel.
Ezekiel 22:27Similar to Micah, Ezekiel denounces the princes and inhabitants for their violent dealings, lying tongues, and grasping hearts, revealing this as a recurring problem of corruption in leadership and society.
Psalm 12:1-2This Psalm laments the very same issues Micah addresses: the godly are disappearing, and people are speaking with flattering tongues and double hearts, showing how pervasive and ancient the sins of deceit and insincerity are.
Luke 11:39-40Jesus confronts the Pharisees with a similar critique, calling them outwardly clean but inwardly full of greed and wickedness, and declaring that what is inside a person defiles them, aligning with Micah's exposure of inner corruption manifesting in external actions.
barnesMicah 6:12: "For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth."
For the rich men thereof - that is, "of the city, Micah 6:9 are full of violence." It bad been little, had thieves and robbers lived by violence, but now, (as Isaiah at the same time upbraids them,) "her princes were become companions of thieves" Isaiah 1:23 . Not the poor out of distress, but the rich, out of wantonness and exceeding covetousn…
clarkeMicah 6:12: "For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth."
For the rich men thereof are full of violence - This shows that they did not love mercy. The inhabitants thereof have spoken lies - This shows that they did not humble themselves to walk with God.
The verse doesn't just say the rich commit violence, but that they are full of it, suggesting violence isn't just an action but a state of being, deeply ingrained in their character. Similarly, the description of their tongues as "deceitful" highlights that dishonesty isn't occasional but a constant, readily available tool.
Micah has just declared God's case against Israel, calling the mountains and hills to witness their corruption. Now, he details the specific sins: the wealthy oppressors are filled with violence, and the common people speak only lies and deceit. This indictment of pervasive dishonesty and greed in every level of society sets the stage for God's judgment, which will fall upon them because of their unfaithfulness.
Micah has just declared God's case against Israel, calling the mountains and hills to witness their corruption. Now, he details the specific sins: the wealthy oppressors are filled with violence, and the common people speak only lies and deceit. This indictment of pervasive dishonesty and greed in every level of society sets the stage for God's judgment, which will fall upon them because of their unfaithfulness.
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"Your rich men are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth." — The verse doesn't just say the rich commit violence, but that they are full of it, suggesting violence isn't just an action but a state of being, deeply ingrained in their character. Similarly, t…
