Micah · Chapter 6 · Wisdom
Micah 6:8 — Bible Verse Meaning & Context
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Both translations, side by side
WEB · World English Bible
"He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
KJV · King James Version
"He hath shewed5046 thee, O man120, what is good2896; and what doth the LORD3068 require1875 of thee, but to do6213 justly4941, and to love160 mercy2617, and to walk3212 humbly6800 with thy God430? walk: Heb. humble thyself to walk"
How the translations differ: The WEB is a modern public-domain revision of the 1901 ASV; the KJV dates to 1611. The KJV uses hath, shewed, thee, doth, while the WEB renders these as has, shown, you, does. Both translate the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text — the differences are stylistic, not theological.
In context
Micah 6:8 in Micah 6
A Bible verse rarely stands alone. Here is Micah 6:8 read with the verses immediately before and after — the surrounding flow of Micah 6. Read the full chapter →
- v.6 How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
- v.7 Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
- v.8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
- v.9 Yahweh’s voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: “Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.
- v.10 Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short ephah that is accursed?
Book background
About the Book of Micah
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Genre
- Minor prophet
- Author
- Micah
- Date written
- c. 735–700 BC
- Audience
- Judah and the northern kingdom
- Chapters
- 7
Micah indicted both kingdoms for injustice and prophesied the destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem — yet promised that the future ruler would come from Bethlehem (5:2), a prophecy fulfilled in Christ. The book's defining summary of true religion is 6:8: "do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God."
Setting: A contemporary of Isaiah, ministering during the Assyrian crisis.
Key themes: justice · mercy · humility · judgment · Messiah
Memorisation aid
How to memorise Micah 6:8
Micah 6:8 contains 29 words in 7 clauses. Learn one clause at a time, then chain them. The first-letter mnemonic (FLM) under each clause is a memory hook — once you can speak the FLM from memory, the full clause follows.
- 1
He has shown you
HHSY
- 2
O man
OM
- 3
what is good
WIG
- 4
What does Yahweh require of you
WDYROY
- 5
but to act justly
BTAJ
- 6
to love mercy
TLM
- 7
and to walk humbly with your God?
ATWHWY
Frequently asked
FAQ about Micah 6:8
What does Micah 6:8 say?
Micah 6:8 reads: "He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" — from the Old Testament, Micah (Minor prophet). The full verse is shown above with both the World English Bible (WEB) and King James Version (KJV) translations side by side.
What book of the Bible is Micah 6:8 in?
Micah 6:8 is in the book of Micah, traditionally attributed to Micah and written around c. 735–700 BC. Micah is minor prophet in the Old Testament, originally addressed to Judah and the northern kingdom. Best known for "do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God".
What is Micah 6:8 about?
Micah 6:8 is primarily a Bible verse about Wisdom. Within Micah, Micah indicted both kingdoms for injustice and prophesied the destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem — yet promised that the future ruler would come from Bethlehem (5:2), a prophecy fulfilled in Christ. Read the full passage above with surrounding context.
What is the difference between Micah 6:8 in WEB and KJV?
Micah 6:8 in the World English Bible (WEB) reads: "He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?". The King James Version (KJV) reads: "He hath shewed5046 thee, O man120, what is good2896; and what doth the LORD3068 require1875 of thee, but to do6213 justly4941, and to love160 mercy2617, and to walk3212 humbly6800 with thy God430? walk: Heb. humble thyself to walk". The WEB is a modern public-domain translation that updates the KJV's 1611 English while keeping a similar formal-equivalence style. Both render the same underlying Greek or Hebrew text.
How long is Micah 6:8?
Micah 6:8 is 29 words in the WEB translation (139 characters), broken into 7 clauses. It is a longer verse, often broken into smaller phrases for memorisation. Estimated reading time is about 9 seconds.
How can I memorise Micah 6:8?
To memorise Micah 6:8, split it into its 7 natural clauses and learn one at a time. Repeat the full verse out loud five times, then write it from memory. Saving the verse as a photo wallpaper using our verse image studio helps daily review — the visual association with a memorable background dramatically improves recall.
Why does Micah 6:8 matter in Micah?
Micah indicted both kingdoms for injustice and prophesied the destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem — yet promised that the future ruler would come from Bethlehem (5:2), a prophecy fulfilled in Christ. The book's defining summary of true religion is 6:8: "do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 sits within this larger story — Micah as a whole emphasises justice, mercy, humility.
How can I apply Micah 6:8 today?
Many readers use Micah 6:8 as a daily reminder verse — saving it as a phone wallpaper, sharing it on Pinterest, or memorising it for prayer. The verse studio on this page lets you download Micah 6:8 on 52 different backgrounds for free. Pair the verse with the surrounding chapter context shown above to understand its full meaning before applying it.
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“Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will…”
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James 1:5
“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.”
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Psalms 1:1
“Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand on the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers;”
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Proverbs 1:7
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Proverbs 4:23
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Proverbs 15:1
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