King James Version

What Does Micah 7:2 Mean?

Micah 7:2 in the King James Version says “The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hun...” — study this verse from Micah chapter 7 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. good: or, godly, or, merciful”

Micah 7:2 · KJV

Context

1

Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the firstripe fruit. when: Heb. the gatherings of summer

2

The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. good: or, godly, or, merciful

3

That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up. his: Heb. the mischief of his soul

4

The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. Micah's lament intensifies. אָבַד חָסִיד מִן־הָאָרֶץ (avad chasid min-ha'arets, "the godly/faithful person has perished from the earth"). חָסִיד (chasid) is one who practices חֶסֶד (chesed)—covenant loyalty, steadfast love, mercy. Such people have vanished. וְיָשָׁר בָּאָדָם אָיִן (ve-yashar ba'adam ayin, "and upright among men there is none"). יָשָׁר (yashar) means straight, upright, righteous. Universal moral failure pervades.

כֻּלָּם לְדָמִים יֶאֱרֹבוּ (kullam le-damim ye'erovu, "all of them lie in wait for blood"). אָרַב (arav) means to lie in ambush or wait in hiding. Society has become predatory—everyone hunts others. אִישׁ אֶת־אָחִיהוּ יָצוּדוּ חֵרֶם (ish et-achihu yatsudu cherem, "each man hunts his brother with a net"). צוּד (tsud) means to hunt or trap; חֵרֶם (cherem) is a net. Even brothers hunt each other—family bonds dissolve into mutual exploitation.

This describes total social breakdown. When covenant loyalty (chesed) vanishes and uprightness (yashar) disappears, society becomes a Hobbesian war of all against all. Trust evaporates, relationships weaponize, community disintegrates. Jesus later described similar end-times conditions: "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold" (Matthew 24:12). When love grows cold, predation increases.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Micah witnessed Judah's moral disintegration during the late 8th century BC. Corruption pervaded leadership (3:1-3, 9-11), false prophets proliferated (3:5-7), economic exploitation intensified (2:1-2). The social contract collapsed—those who should protect became predators. Similar conditions preceded other divine judgments: pre-flood violence (Genesis 6:11-13), Sodom's wickedness (Genesis 18:20-21), pre-exilic Judah's corruption (Jeremiah 5:26-29; Ezekiel 22:23-31). Paul's description of end-times apostasy echoes Micah: "lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud...without natural affection...fierce, despisers of those that are good" (2 Timothy 3:2-3). When societies abandon God's law, they descend into predatory chaos where everyone hunts everyone else.

Reflection Questions

  1. What causes societies to transition from covenant community to predatory competition?
  2. How do believers maintain integrity and chesed (loyal love) when surrounded by exploitation and betrayal?
  3. What does it mean that 'the good man has perished from the earth'—is this hyperbole or reality in certain contexts?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
אָבַ֤ד1 of 15

“man is perished”

H6

properly, to wander away, i.e., lose oneself; by implication to perish (causative, destroy)

חָסִיד֙2 of 15

“The good”

H2623

properly, kind, i.e., (religiously) pious (a saint)

מִן3 of 15
H4480

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

הָאָ֔רֶץ4 of 15

“out of the earth”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

וְיָשָׁ֥ר5 of 15

“and there is none upright”

H3477

straight (literally or figuratively)

בָּאָדָ֖ם6 of 15

“among men”

H120

ruddy i.e., a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)

אָ֑יִן7 of 15
H369

a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle

כֻּלָּם֙8 of 15
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

לְדָמִ֣ים9 of 15

“for blood”

H1818

blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshe

יֶאֱרֹ֔בוּ10 of 15

“they all lie in wait”

H693

to lurk

אִ֥ישׁ11 of 15

“every man”

H376

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

אֶת12 of 15
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

אָחִ֖יהוּ13 of 15

“his brother”

H251

a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance [like h0001])

יָצ֥וּדוּ14 of 15

“they hunt”

H6679

to victual (for a journey)

חֵֽרֶם׃15 of 15

“with a net”

H2764

physical (as shutting in) a net (either literally or figuratively); usually a doomed object; abstractly extermination

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Micah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Micah 7:2 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Micah 7:2 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 12:1Jeremiah 5:26Isaiah 57:1Psalms 14:1-3Isaiah 59:7Proverbs 1:11

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