Micah 2:6

Prophesy ye not, [say they to them that] prophesy,.... Or "drop not" (h); such terrible words, such menacing things; let them not flow from your lips with such profusion and abundance; cease from

Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame. Prophesy ye not, say they - namely, the Israelites say to the true prophets, when announcing unwelcome truths.

Prophesy ye not; it is manifest that our version here intends this as an interdict, or prohibition, laid upon the true prophets, whose hearers were so far from amending and turning unto God in compliance with his counsel, and obedience to his commands given out by his prophets, that rulers and people agree to silence the prophets, and expressly forbid them to distil or drop their severe predictions against the kingdom. That prophesy faithfully, as Isaiah, Hoses, Joel, and Micah now did. They, or my true prophets, saith God, shall not prophesy to them; shall cease from further troubling and terrifying these people, who fear not my judgments, and will not by repentance prevent their miserable captivity and shame. So God doth in his displeasure grant their desire, and gratify the interdict in judgment against them. That they shall not take shame; that they may, as they seem resolved to put off all blushing and shame, go on without checks or rebuke, till they be utterly ruined: they are impatient of that shame they should take to themselves for their sins, and therefore would not hear the truth; so it shall be, and they shall not be shamed to repentance, but they shall be ashamed in their ruin. This seems the meaning of the words in our version, and I will not add any other, though there are several versions which somewhat vary from ours.

Micah 2:6 Prophesy ye not, [say they to them that] prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, [that] they shall not take shame.Ver. 6. Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy] Prodigious impudence thus to silence the prophets, or else to prescribe to them, according to the other reading of the text. Prophesy not, as they prophesy, for they are too tart; therefore drop not ye, who thus drop vinegar and nitre, who vex our galled consciences no less then the cruel Spaniards do the poor Indians’ naked bodies, which, for a sport, they do day by day drop with burning bacon. But let these drop that can smooth us up, that can utter toothless truths, that will drop oil into our ears, and give us silken words ( byssina verba), these be prophets for our turns, &c. God cannot please some hearers unless he speak tinkling and tickling words. Now, these must get their ears healed (as Demosthenes advised his countrymen of Greece) ere they can be in case to hear with profit. They must learn of bees, to pass by roses and violets and sit upon thyme; to heed, I mean, sound rebukes rather than smooth supparasitations. There are those who note a jeer in the term drop. It is well known that the word preached is often compared to rain, Deuteronomy 32:2 Isaiah 55:10-11. The prophets therefore are here in derision called droppers or distillers, and forbidden to do their office, or at least, to drop in that sort. Thus their successors in evil, the Pharisees, who were likewise covetous, derided Christ, Luke 16:14. And thus their predecessors also, in Isaiah’ s time, put a scoff upon him and his preaching, Isaiah 28:10, where the sound of the words in the original carries a taunt, as scornful people, by the tone of their voice and rhyming words, gibe and jeer at those whom they vilify. They shall not prophesy to them] q.d. You shall have your wish; my droppers shall give over dropping, and be no further troublesome, nor take shame any more by prophesying to such a perverse people, so shamefully, so lawlessly wicked. That they shall not take shame] Or, shall they not take shame? q.d. though they will not hear of it, that shame shall be their promotion and confusion their portion; yea, they shall surely feel and find it so.

(6) Prophesy ye not.—The construction of this verse is very confused, but the intention of it is fairly clear. It contains the address of the oppressors to the true prophets, and their reply. The oppressors desire the prophets to cease prophesying; nevertheless, the prophecies shall be continued, but without benefit to those who will not put away their shame.

Verse 6. Prophesy ye not] Do not predict any more evils-we have as many as we can bear. We are utterly ruined-shame and confusion cover our faces. The original is singular, and expressive of sorrow and sobbing. Literally, "Do not cause it to rain; they will cause it to rain; they cannot make it rain sooner than this; confusion shall not depart from us." To rain, often means to preach, to prophesy; Ezekiel 20:46; Ezekiel 21:2; Amos 7:16; Deuteronomy 32:2; Job 29:22; Proverbs 5:3, c. The last line Bp. Newcome translates, "For he shall not remove from himself reproaches" and paraphrases, "The true prophet will subject himself to public disgrace by exercising his office."

6, 7. Hostility of the two classes of Prophets 6. Prophesy ye not] Micah and the prophets like-minded with him (e. g. Isaiah) are angrily bidden by the flattering, popular prophets to hold their peace. Comp. Isaiah 30:9-10, ‘For it is a rebellious people … Who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things; speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits (or, illusions); also Amos 2:12; Amos 5:10. Thus, in the times of Isaiah, Amos, and Micah, we can already detect the germs of the persecution which broke out with such severity under Manasseh. The faithful prophets of Jehovah were sometimes obliged to hide themselves (Isaiah 30:20), and it seemed as if ‘the godly man had perished out of the land’ (Micah 7:2). From the context in which these words ‘Prophesy ye not,’ occur, we should suppose that the speakers were the ‘rebellious people’ (see Isaiah 30:9; Isaiah 30:20), represented by the grandees, though most commentators think that they are rather the unfaithful, smooth-speaking prophets, sometimes called ‘false prophets.’ Obs., the word used, here and in Micah 2:11 (also in Amos 7:16, Ezekiel 21:2) for ‘prophesy’ is literally ‘drop;’ it was perhaps originally a figurative expression for the constant flow and persuasive eloquence of prophecy. It is however probably used by Micah’s hostile critics in an unfavourable sense (‘dropping’ = constantly finding fault, comp. ‘here a little, there a little,’ Isaiah 28:10), so that we may venture to render here, Prattle ye not. Speech in general is said to ‘drop as the dew,’ Deuteronomy 32:2; comp. Job 29:22. say they to them that prophesy] Rather, (thus) they prattle. The prophet takes up their word, and flings it back to them sarcastically. This view makes the grandees the speakers, in accordance with the context. Most recent commentators, however, suppose a sudden introduction of the false prophets (see last note). they shall not prophesy to them] Rather, they should not prattle of these things. Micah and his companions are exceeding the limits of their commission. It is for the grandees to decide political matters; and to chatter about the ruin of the state is simply high treason. that they shall not take shame] Rather, reproaches are unceasing. By ‘reproaches’ the hostile speakers mean denunciations such as that in Micah 2:1-2, Isaiah 5. Comp. again Isaiah 28:10 (where however A. V. needs to be corrected).

Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy; they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame - The words are very emphatic in Hebrew, from their briefness, “Prophesy not; they

6. Attempts to silence the prophets were not infrequent; undoubtedly Micah’s patience was tried many times by those who resented his teaching.