The Meaning of Micah 4:11 Explained

Micah 4:11

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

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

Darby: And now many nations are assembled against thee, that say, Let her be profaned, and let our eye look upon Zion.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Micah 4:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Micah 4:1-13 - The Promise Of Peace
It is not improbable that Isaiah, Micah 2:1-4, and Micah quoted an older prophecy, which in its fullness, is yet to be fulfilled. In the millennial age Israel, in her restored beauty, will be the center of a renovated world. That restoration will bring great glory to God and blessing to mankind, Romans 11:15. The time center of unity is not to be found in creeds or systems, but in the impulse of a common desire after God and common worship. When men have found their unity in God they will renounce war; and the home-life will become the preservative of society, Micah 4:4. Micah 4:6-7 foretell the gathering of Israel to their own land. Babylon probably stands not only for the literal nation by which the Jews were carried into captivity, but for all of the Gentile nations that have afflicted the Chosen People. Notice that God's deliverances discover and help us in the midst of our direct affliction. [source]

Chapter Summary: Micah 4

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

What do the individual words in Micah 4:11 mean?

And now have gathered against you nations many who say let her be defiled and let look upon Zion our eye
וְעַתָּ֛ה נֶאֶסְפ֥וּ עָלַ֖יִךְ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֑ים הָאֹמְרִ֣ים תֶּחֱנָ֔ף וְתַ֥חַז בְּצִיּ֖וֹן עֵינֵֽינוּ

וְעַתָּ֛ה  And  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
נֶאֶסְפ֥וּ  have  gathered 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
עָלַ֖יִךְ  against  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
גּוֹיִ֣ם  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
רַבִּ֑ים  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
הָאֹמְרִ֣ים  who  say 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
תֶּחֱנָ֔ף  let  her  be  defiled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָנֵף  
Sense: to be profaned, be defiled, be polluted, be corrupt.
וְתַ֥חַז  and  let  look 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person feminine singular
Root: חָזָה  
Sense: to see, perceive, look, behold, prophesy, provide.
בְּצִיּ֖וֹן  upon  Zion 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִיּׄון  
Sense: another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books.
עֵינֵֽינוּ  our  eye 
Parse: Noun, cdc, first person common plural
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.