Lexical Summary yeshach: To be at ease, to be secure, to feel safe Original Word: יֶשַׁח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance casting down From an unused root meaning to gape (as the empty stomach); hunger -- casting down. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition perhaps emptiness NASB Translation vileness (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [יֶ֫שַׁח] noun [masculine] ? emptiness (of hunger), meaning conjectured from context; Micah 6:14 וְיֶשְׁהֲךָ בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ ("" תאכל ולא תִשְׂבָּ֔ע). Topical Lexicon Scriptural SettingThe sole appearance of יֶשַׁח occurs in Micah 6:14, where the prophet announces covenant curses upon an unrepentant Judah: “You will eat, but not be satisfied, and your emptiness will remain within you; you will press olives, but you will not anoint yourself with oil, and you will tread grapes, but you will not drink the wine” (Berean Standard Bible). The term is rendered “emptiness”, “hunger” (ESV), or “casting down” (KJV), all capturing a gnawing void that no earthly provision can fill. Nuances and Imagery 1. Inward Void – Rather than describing external famine, the word pictures an internal hollowness: plenty may be on the table, yet the soul remains unsatisfied. Covenant Theology Micah’s language recalls the sanctions of Deuteronomy 28. Compare Deuteronomy 28:65-67 (“an anxious mind, weary eyes, and a despairing heart”) and Leviticus 26:26 (“you will eat, but you will not be satisfied”). יֶשַׁח thus signals the experiential side of covenant breach: abundance without blessing. Historical Background Micah prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Micah 1:1), a period marked by economic disparity and syncretism. Urban elites accumulated wealth through dishonest scales (Micah 6:11); the rural poor were dispossessed (Micah 2:2). The resulting social vacuum is mirrored by יֶשַׁח: a society stuffed with goods yet starving for righteousness. Theological Implications 1. Only God Satisfies – Psalm 107:9 affirms, “He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Micah 6:14 exposes the counterfeit satisfaction offered by idols and exploitation. Christological Fulfillment The void signified by יֶשַׁח reaches its solution in Jesus Christ, “the bread of life” (John 6:35). Where Micah declared, “You will eat, but not be satisfied,” Christ declares, “Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry.” The prophetic warning heightens the gospel promise. Application for Ministry • Preaching – Use Micah 6:14 to confront materialism and social injustice, showing that unrighteous gain yields inner famine. Related Themes and References Hunger without satisfaction – Leviticus 26:26; Deuteronomy 8:3; Isaiah 65:13 Frustrated labor – Ecclesiastes 2:11; Haggai 1:6 Divine satisfaction – Psalm 63:5; Matthew 5:6; Revelation 7:16-17 Summary יֶשַׁח encapsulates the aching hollowness that accompanies sin-laden prosperity. In a single occurrence, it distills a timeless principle: apart from covenant faithfulness—ultimately fulfilled in Christ—neither food, oil, nor wine can still the hunger of the human heart. Forms and Transliterations וְיֶשְׁחֲךָ֖ וישחך veyeshchaCha wə·yeš·ḥă·ḵā wəyešḥăḵāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Micah 6:14 HEB: וְלֹ֣א תִשְׂבָּ֔ע וְיֶשְׁחֲךָ֖ בְּקִרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְתַסֵּג֙ NAS: but you will not be satisfied, And your vileness will be in your midst. KJV: but not be satisfied; and thy casting down [shall be] in the midst INT: not will not be satisfied and your vileness your midst hold 1 Occurrence |
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