[1] 1:2 everyone on it Literally, "its fullness."

[2] 1:2 witness Anyone who tells what they have seen or heard.

[3] 1:3 high places Here, this might mean simply "hills," or it might be the places for worshiping God or false gods. These places were often on the hills and mountains.

[4] 1:5 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[5] 1:5 nation Literally, "house." This might mean the royal family of that country.

[6] 1:5 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[7] 1:7 idol A statue of a false god that people worship. It can also mean anything that is more important to a person than God.

[8] 1:7 her riches . me Literally, "her wages were a prostitute's wages."

[9] 1:7 will be . to me Literally, "will return to prostitute's wages."

[10] 1:8 dog Literally, "jackal," a kind of wild dog.

[11] 1:8 bird Literally, "ostrich," a large bird.

[12] 1:9 Samaria The capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel.

[13] 1:10 Gath This is a wordplay. This name means "tell."

[14] 1:10 Acco This name means "cry."

[15] 1:10 Beth Ophrah This name means "House of Dust."

[16] 1:11 Shaphir This name means "beautiful."

[17] 1:11 Zaanan This name means "come out."

[18] 1:11 Beth Ezel This name means "House of Support."

[19] 1:12 Maroth This name means "bitter," "angry," or "sad."

[20] 1:13 Lachish This Hebrew word is like the word meaning "horse."

[21] 1:13 chariot A small, two-wheeled cart pulled by horses and used in war.

[22] 1:13 Lachish . sacrificed Or, "Lachish, you were the first to sin." The Hebrew word can mean "sins" or "sin offering."

[23] 1:13 Daughter Zion Another name for Jerusalem.

[24] 1:13 Israel's sins That is, building places of worship other than the Temple in Jerusalem.

[25] 1:14 Moresheth Micah's hometown.

[26] 1:14 Aczib This name means "lie" or "trick."

[27] 1:15 Mareshah The name means "a person who takes things."

[28] 1:15 Glory See "Glory of the Lord."

[29] 1:15 Adullam A cave that David hid in when he ran away from Saul. See 1 Sam. 22:1.

[30] 1:16 cut . bald This showed that a person made a special agreement with God or that a person was very sad.

[31] 1:16 eagle Or, "vulture."

[32] 2:3 save yourselves Literally, "take your necks off it."

[33] 2:6 prophesy To speak or teach things from God.

[34] 2:7 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[35] 2:8 Those people . war Or, "Those people think they are safe, returning from war."

[36] 2:11 false prophet A person who claims to speak for God but does not really speak God's truth.

[37] 2:12 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[38] 2:12 Israel Another name for Jacob. (See Gen. 32:28.) Here, it means the people of Israel. Also in 3:1, 8.

[39] 3:1 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[40] 3:1 nation Literally, "house." This might mean the royal family of that country.

[41] 3:3 You are destroying my people Literally, "They eat the flesh of my people."

[42] 3:5 false prophet A person who claims to speak for God but does not really speak God's truth.

[43] 3:6 vision Something like a dream used by God to speak to people.

[44] 3:7 seer A kind of prophet (see "prophet") who received messages from God in visions.

[45] 3:7 fortune-teller A person who tries to use magic to learn what will happen in the future.

[46] 3:8 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[47] 3:9 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[48] 3:10 Zion The southeastern part of the mountain that Jerusalem is built on. Sometimes it means the city of Jerusalem, the people of God living there, or the Temple.

[49] 3:10 murdering people Literally, "bloodshed."

[50] 3:12 empty hill Or, "high place," a term usually used for local shrines (places for worship) where people often worshiped idols.

[51] 4:1 Temple The permanent building in Jerusalem that replaced the portable "Holy Tent" that was used by the Israelites from the time of their wandering in the desert to the reign of king Solomon, when the first Temple was built. Like the Holy Tent, the Temple was the center of Israelite worship, although provision was made for it to be "a house of prayer for all nations" (Isa. 56:7).

[52] 4:2 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[53] 4:2 Zion The southeastern part of the mountain that Jerusalem is built on. Sometimes it means the city of Jerusalem, the people of God living there, or the Temple.

[54] 4:3 many Or, "powerful."

[55] 4:5 Or, "All the nations will walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God, forever and ever!"

[56] 4:7 Zion The southeastern part of the mountain that Jerusalem is built on. Sometimes it means the city of Jerusalem, the people of God living there, or the Temple.

[57] 4:8 Tower of Flocks Or, "Migdal Eder." This probably means a part of Jerusalem. The leaders would be like shepherds in a tower watching their sheep.

[58] 4:10 Daughter Zion Another name for Jerusalem. Also in verse 13.

[59] 4:11 Zion The southeastern part of the mountain that Jerusalem is built on. Sometimes it means the city of Jerusalem, the people of God living there, or the Temple.

[60] 4:12 threshing Putting newly harvested wheat or other grain on a hard floor and walking on it or beating it with special tools to separate the hulls from the grain.

[61] 5:1 strong city Literally, "daughter of troops."

[62] 5:2 beginnings Or, "family origins."

[63] 5:3 the Lord Or, "the Ruler of Israel."

[64] 5:4 They . the earth Or, "They will settle here because at that time his kingdom will extend to the ends of the earth.

[65] 5:5 the Ruler of Israel Or, "we."

[66] 5:5 seven shepherds and eight leaders Or, "seven shepherds, no eight leaders."

[67] 5:6 land of Nimrod Another name for Assyria.

[68] 5:7 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[69] 5:10 chariot A small, two-wheeled cart pulled by horses and used in war.

[70] 5:11 fortress A building or city with tall, strong walls for protection.

[71] 5:12 fortune-teller A person who tries to use magic to learn what will happen in the future.

[72] 5:14 Asherah pole A wooden pole (originally, perhaps, a tree trunk) that was set up to honor the goddess Asherah.

[73] 5:14 false gods Or, "cities."

[74] 6:1 This is like a court case. The mountains and hills are the judge and jury.

[75] 6:5 Acacia to Gilgal This story is found in Num. 22-25.

[76] 6:6 burnt offering A gift to God. Usually these were animals that were killed and completely burned on the altar.

[77] 6:9 the Lord's name Literally, "your name."

[78] 6:9 So pay attention . uses it The Hebrew here is hard to understand.

[79] 6:10 baskets . too small Literally, "short ephahs." An ephah is about 1/2 bushel.

[80] 6:14 You . empty Here, the Hebrew is not clear.

[81] 6:16 Omri A king of Israel who led his nation to worship false gods. See 1 Kings 16:21-26.

[82] 6:16 Then . you Or, "My people's shame will be taken away."

[83] 7:4 watchmen Another name for prophets. This shows that the prophets were like guards who stood on a city's wall and watched for trouble coming from far away.

[84] 7:10 laugh at her Literally, "my eyes will stare at her."

[85] 7:20 Jacob Another name for Israel (see Gen. 32:24-28), ancestor of the people of Israel (also called Israelites and, later, Jews). He was the father of twelve sons from whom the twelve tribes of Israel descended.

[86] 7:20 Abraham Here, Abraham is used to mean all the people of Israel. See "Abraham" in the Word List.

[87] 7:20 ancestors Literally, "fathers," meaning a person's parents, grandparents, and all the other people that person is descended from. In the New Testament it usually refers to people who lived during Old Testament times.

© Copyright 2004 World Bible Translation Center.