Some of the elders of the land stood up and said to the whole assembly of the people,
Some elders of the land stand and address the assembled people.
This verse introduces authoritative communal memory into the case.
16Then the officials and all the people told the priests and prophets, “This man is not worthy of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God!” 17Some of the elders of the land stood up and said to the whole assembly of the people, 18“Micah the Moreshite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and told all the people of Judah that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: 19Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did Hezekiah not fear the LORD and seek His favor, and did not the LORD relent of the disaster He had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great harm on ourselves!”