Verse Lens · Concise explanation

Micah 3:10 Explained in Context

Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.

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Verse 10. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions

Quick Meaning

This verse states that Zion and Jerusalem are being built with bloodshed and iniquity.

Zion is built with blood while offices collect payment

This verse is one part of that explanation in Micah 3:9-12. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.

Read It With

  • Micah 3:9-12

Read Micah 3:10 with 3:9-12. This verse states that Zion and Jerusalem are being built with bloodshed and iniquity. The complete unit establishes this movement: Rulers, priests, and prophets pervert justice for gain while treating the LORD's presence as insurance; because Zion is built with blood, sacred city and temple are not exempt from ruin.

Why This Verse Appears Here

The oracle destroys inviolability theology based on sacred presence while the following hope prevents destruction from being the final word. Within that movement, this verse states that Zion and Jerusalem are being built with bloodshed and iniquity.

Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation

“blood”

In plain language: bloodshed and lethal human cost

states that Zion and Jerusalem are being built with bloodshed and iniquity. Visible development can carry hidden human cost that makes the project morally corrupt.

Why it matters: The wording identifies this verse's distinct contribution to the complete unit.

How certain? strong

What Remains True

Visible development can carry hidden human cost that makes the project morally corrupt.

How It Can Shape Life

  • Include labor, displacement, violence, and victim evidence in every claim of public progress.

Continue in Context

Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.

Read Micah 3:9-12 — Zion Built with Blood Will Be Plowed
Sources used for this Verse Lens

How certain is this explanation? strong

These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.

Biblical text

King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006

eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society

USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.

Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.

Exact location: Micah 3:9-12, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus

Open source ↗

hebrew text and morphology

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible: Micah

Open Scriptures

Open Scriptures, release 2.2

Supports: Masoretic Hebrew wording, morphology, clause relationships, wordplays, names, and the base text behind translation discussion.

Exact location: Open Scriptures MorphHB v.2.2, commit 6a5db284c715c18b239422e57bb89684e6a19f00, wlc/Mic.xml, 3:9-12

Open source ↗

translation and translator notes

NET Bible: Micah with translators' notes

Biblical Studies Press

Biblical Studies Press, 2006

Supports: Verse-level translation, syntax, textual, literary, historical, and uncertainty notes.

Exact location: NET Bible Micah PDF, printed pp. 1745, translation and notes on 3:9-12

Open source ↗
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