«The Lord Has a Case Against His People» (Mic 6:2)

The Rîb Prophetic Literary Genre in Its Hermeneutical Importance

Abstract

This article examines some well-known prophetic texts (Hos 2:4-25; Am 4:4-12; Mic 6:1-8), which belong to the literary genre of the rîb (bilateral dispute). The aim is to demonstrate how the Lord, in both his words and in his acting in response to Israel’s sin, pursues no other goal than Israel’s conscious conversion, thus allowing full reconciliation with him and the restoration of the covenant relationship.