Micah 4:11
New International Version
But now many nations are gathered against you. They say, “Let her be defiled, let our eyes gloat over Zion!”

New Living Translation
Now many nations have gathered against you. “Let her be desecrated,” they say. “Let us see the destruction of Jerusalem.”

English Standard Version
Now many nations are assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.”

Berean Standard Bible
But now many nations have assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion.”

King James Bible
Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.

New King James Version
Now also many nations have gathered against you, Who say, “Let her be defiled, And let our eye look upon Zion.”

New American Standard Bible
“And now many nations have been assembled against you Who say, ‘Let her be defiled, And let our eyes gloat over Zion!’

NASB 1995
“And now many nations have been assembled against you Who say, ‘Let her be polluted, And let our eyes gloat over Zion.’

NASB 1977
“And now many nations have been assembled against you Who say, ‘Let her be polluted, And let our eyes gloat over Zion.’

Legacy Standard Bible
But now many nations have been assembled against you Who say, ‘Let her be polluted, And let our eyes behold Zion in triumph.’

Amplified Bible
“Now many [conquering] nations are assembled against you, Who say, ‘Let her be profaned [through Gentile presence and the temple’s destruction], And let our eyes gaze on and gloat over Zion.’

Christian Standard Bible
Many nations have now assembled against you; they say, “Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Many nations have now assembled against you; they say, “Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion.”

American Standard Version
And now many nations are assembled against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye see our desire upon Zion.

Contemporary English Version
Zion, because of your sins you are surrounded by many nations who say, "We can hardly wait to see you disgraced."

English Revised Version
And now many nations are assembled against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye see its desire upon Zion.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But now many nations gather against you. They say, "Let's dishonor Zion and gloat over it."

Good News Translation
Many nations have gathered to attack you. They say, "Jerusalem must be destroyed! We will see this city in ruins!"

International Standard Version
"Now many nations have gathered against you, saying, 'Let her be defiled,' and 'Let's look down on Zion.'

Majority Standard Bible
But now many nations have assembled against you, saying, ?Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion.?

NET Bible
Many nations have now assembled against you. They say, "Jerusalem must be desecrated, so we can gloat over Zion!"

New Heart English Bible
Now many nations have assembled against you, that say, "Let her be defiled, and let our eye gloat over Zion."

Webster's Bible Translation
Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.

World English Bible
Now many nations have assembled against you, that say, “Let her be defiled, and let our eye gloat over Zion.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And now, many nations have gathered against you, who are saying: “Let her be defiled, and our eyes look on Zion.”

Young's Literal Translation
And now, gathered against thee have been many nations, who are saying: 'Let her be defiled, and our eyes look on Zion.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And now many nations were gathered against thee, saying, She shall be defiled, and our eyes shall look upon Zion.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And now many nations are gathered together against thee, and they say: Let her be stoned: and let our eye look upon Sion.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And now many peoples have been gathered together against you, and they say, “Let her be stoned and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.”

New American Bible
And now many nations are gathered against you! They say, “Let her be profaned, let our eyes see Zion’s downfall!”

New Revised Standard Version
Now many nations are assembled against you, saying, “Let her be profaned, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now many nations shall gather against you, who say, Let Zion be defiled, and let our eyes look upon it.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Therefore many nations shall be assembled against you, those who have been saying: ”You shall be defiled, oh Zion, and our eye shall see it!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And now many nations are assembled against thee, That say: 'Let her be defiled, and let our eye gaze upon Zion.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And now have many nations gathered against thee, saying, We will rejoice, and our eyes shall look upon Sion.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Restoration of Zion
10Writhe in agony, O Daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you will leave the city and camp in the open fields. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued; there the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies! 11But now many nations have assembled against you, saying, “Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion.” 12But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD or understand His plan, for He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.…

Cross References
Psalm 2:1-3
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? / The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One: / “Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.”

Isaiah 8:9-10
Huddle together, O peoples, and be shattered; pay attention, all you distant lands; prepare for battle, and be shattered; prepare for battle, and be shattered! / Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”

Zechariah 12:3
On that day, when all the nations of the earth gather against her, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who would heave it away will be severely injured.

Joel 3:9-12
Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war; rouse the mighty men; let all the men of war advance and attack! / Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong!’ / Come quickly, all you surrounding nations, and gather yourselves. Bring down Your mighty ones, O LORD. ...

Ezekiel 38:9-12
You and all your troops, and many peoples with you will go up, advancing like a thunderstorm; you will be like a cloud covering the land. / This is what the Lord GOD says: On that day, thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will devise an evil plan. / You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will come against a quiet people who dwell securely, all of them living without walls or bars or gates— ...

Jeremiah 50:41-42
Behold, an army is coming from the north; a great nation and many kings are stirred up from the ends of the earth. / They grasp the bow and spear; they are cruel and merciless. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses, lined up like men in formation against you, O Daughter of Babylon.

Zechariah 14:2
For I will gather all the nations for battle against Jerusalem, and the city will be captured, the houses looted, and the women ravished. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city.

Isaiah 17:12-14
Alas, the tumult of many peoples; they rage like the roaring seas and clamoring nations; they rumble like the crashing of mighty waters. / The nations rage like the rush of many waters. He rebukes them, and they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweeds before a gale. / In the evening, there is sudden terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us and the lot of those who plunder us.

Revelation 19:19
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army.

Psalm 83:2-8
See how Your enemies rage, how Your foes have reared their heads. / With cunning they scheme against Your people and conspire against those You cherish, / saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.” ...

Isaiah 29:7-8
All the many nations going out to battle against Ariel—even all who war against her, laying siege and attacking her—will be like a dream, like a vision in the night, / as when a hungry man dreams he is eating, then awakens still hungry; as when a thirsty man dreams he is drinking, then awakens faint and parched. So will it be for all the many nations who go to battle against Mount Zion.

Revelation 20:8-9
and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore. / And they marched across the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them.

Jeremiah 25:31-33
The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth because the LORD brings a charge against the nations. He brings judgment on all mankind and puts the wicked to the sword,’” declares the LORD. / This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Behold! Disaster is spreading from nation to nation; a mighty storm is rising from the ends of the earth.” / Those slain by the LORD on that day will be spread from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned, gathered, or buried. They will be like dung lying on the ground.

Daniel 11:40-45
At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships, invading many countries and sweeping through them like a flood. / He will also invade the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall. But these will be delivered from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the leaders of the Ammonites. / He will extend his power over many countries, and not even the land of Egypt will escape. ...

Matthew 24:9
Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.


Treasury of Scripture

Now also many nations are gathered against you, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look on Zion.

many.

Isaiah 5:25-30
Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still…

Isaiah 8:7,8
Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: …

Jeremiah 52:4
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.

let our.

Micah 7:10
Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

Obadiah 1:12
But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.

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Micah 4
1. The glory,
5. and the peace of Christ's kingdom.
6. The restoration,
11. and victory of the church.














But now
This phrase marks a transition, indicating a shift in the narrative or prophecy. In the context of Micah, it suggests an immediate or present situation that contrasts with the future hope described earlier in the chapter. The Hebrew word "עַתָּה" (attah) often signifies a pivotal moment, urging the reader to pay attention to the current circumstances that God is addressing.

many nations
The phrase "many nations" refers to the various peoples and kingdoms surrounding Israel and Judah. Historically, this could include the Assyrians, Babylonians, and other neighboring entities that often posed threats. The Hebrew "גּוֹיִם רַבִּים" (goyim rabbim) emphasizes the multitude and diversity of these nations, highlighting the overwhelming odds against God's people. This serves as a reminder of the frequent biblical theme where God's people face seemingly insurmountable challenges.

have assembled against you
This phrase indicates a coalition or gathering of forces with hostile intent. The Hebrew root "קָבַץ" (qavatz) means to gather or assemble, often used in military contexts. Historically, this reflects the frequent alliances formed by pagan nations to conquer or oppress Israel. Theologically, it underscores the spiritual reality of opposition against God's chosen people, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture.

saying, 'Let her be defiled'
The nations' desire to see Zion defiled reflects a deep-seated animosity and a wish to see God's holy city desecrated. The Hebrew "חָנֵף" (chaneph) means to be profaned or polluted, often used in the context of ritual impurity. This reflects not only a physical threat but also a spiritual assault on the sanctity of God's dwelling place. It serves as a reminder of the world's opposition to God's holiness and the persistent threat of spiritual corruption.

and let us feast our eyes on Zion
This phrase conveys a sense of gloating or malicious satisfaction. The Hebrew "רָאָה" (ra'ah) means to see or look upon, but in this context, it implies a desire to witness the downfall or humiliation of Zion. Zion, representing Jerusalem and by extension God's people, is often the focal point of divine promise and human conflict. The nations' desire to "feast their eyes" suggests a voyeuristic delight in the suffering of God's people, contrasting sharply with God's vision of Zion's ultimate restoration and glory.

(11) Let her be defiled.--The seventy-fourth Psalm records the calamity foreseen by the prophet: "They have cast fire into Thy sanctuary, they have defiled (by casting down) the dwelling-place of Thy Name to the ground."

Look upon--i.e., contemplate her destruction with pleasure.

Verses 11-13. - § 7. Rescued from Babylon, Zion overcomes all enemies in the strength of God. Verse 11. - Now also; and now. A new scene is presented in contrast to the view in vers, 1-4. Many nations are gathered against thee. Primarily the Assyrians are meant (Isaiah 33:3), whose armies were composed of various nationalities (Isaiah 22:6; see below, Micah 5:5). Pusey thinks that the reference is rather to the attacks of petty enemies, e.g. in Maccabean times, and in the Samaritans' opposition to the rebuilding of the temple. Cheyne would place vers. 5-10 in a parenthesis, and connect the present with the ideal description in vers. 1-4. Let her be defiled; i.e.. profaned, despoiled of her boasted holiness and inviolability. LXX., ἐπιχαρούμεθα, "we will rejoice." The Vulgate, lapidetur, points to her punishment as an adulteress, which does not suit the context. Let our eye look upon Zion. The heathen anticipate with malicious pleasure the sight of the humiliation of Jerusalem (comp. Obadiah 1:12, 13).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But now
וְעַתָּ֛ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

many
רַבִּ֑ים (rab·bîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

nations
גּוֹיִ֣ם (gō·w·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

have assembled
נֶאֶסְפ֥וּ (ne·’es·p̄ū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 622: To gather for, any purpose, to receive, take away, remove

against you,
עָלַ֖יִךְ (‘ā·la·yiḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

saying,
הָאֹמְרִ֣ים (hā·’ō·mə·rîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Let her be defiled,
תֶּחֱנָ֔ף (te·ḥĕ·nāp̄)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 2610: To be polluted or profane

and let us feast our eyes
עֵינֵֽינוּ׃ (‘ê·nê·nū)
Noun - cdc | first person common plural
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

on Zion.”
בְּצִיּ֖וֹן (bə·ṣî·yō·wn)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6726: Zion -- a mountain in Jerusalem, also a name for Jerusalem


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OT Prophets: Micah 4:11 Now many nations have assembled against you (Mc Mic. Mi)
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