DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PRATTLE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – PRATTLE

" ' Do not prattle,' you say to those who prophesy.  So they shall not prophesy to you; they shall not return insult for insult."  (Micah 2:6)

This is an interesting verse, and difficult to translate.  If you read this in various translations, they all have a different approach.  Since we are using the New King James as our translation of choice, we will go with the perspective of the Bible scholars who translated it.

The Hebrew word for prophesy is used three times in this verse. The basic meaning of the word is to "drip or distill" and is usually translated "prophesy. However, the first time the word is used, the New King James translates it as "prattle."  It means to utter meaningless sounds, to babble like a child, to have empty talk.  In this sense, it is a negative word.  The people had little regard for the words of the prophet.  They treated the prophecy as inconsequential and they attacked the prophets with sarcasm.

The New King James treats this as a pun, since the last part of the verse says the prophets would not return insult for insult, or prattle, dripping meaningless words.  They would not say the same thing about the people as the people said about them.  

Many times, people who share the good news of the Gospel are treated the same way.  They are thought to be babblers, dripping meaningless ideas.  That's what they said about the Apostle Paul when he preached the Gospel at Athens.   They called him a "babbler" or seed picker (Acts 17:18).  

We should not be surprised when people think that we are babbling – uttering meaningless talk.  Until their understanding is opened to the truth of the Gospel, they will consider our testimony as empty words.  But the Word of God is true and we can speak it with confidence.   

Love, Dad