Micah 7:14

Feed thy people with thy rod,.... These are either the words of God the Father to Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, calling upon him to do his office as such; to feed the people he had given

Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

That this verse contains good tidings to the people of God, both to his ancient people, type of his church in gospel days, and to the church of the converted Gentiles, is agreed on all hands, for they are either a direction and command to those God doth appoint by office to be shepherds over his flock, or a prayer to God that he would please to take the care of them, which doth include somewhat more than the bare petition for the blessing. Or it is a prediction of what shall be done for them after their return out of the Babylonish captivity, or a promise made to assure and comfort them during their captivity. Feed; so Christ directs his officers, or God appointeth Christ to do this; or so the prophet for the people, or the people for themselves, pray to God that he would be their shepherd and feed them. Or the prophet doth in the imperative, instead of the future, tell them what shall be, which is a promise express enough for their support and comfort. Thy people; literally, Israel after the flesh, returned out of captivity; mystically, the whole Israel of God, redeemed out of a worse captivity; both a people peculiar to God through grace by covenant, and through Christ. With thy rod; in allusion to the usage of shepherds, who guided their sheep by a pastoral staff: the peculiar and gracious providence of God over his sheep is hereby expressed, and desired or promised. The flock of thine heritage; they are as sheep, weak, not able to defend or provide for themselves, a flock of innocent ones compared with their enemies; and, however they have been scattered, they are thine heritage still, which thou, O Lord, hast purchased of old: let them be so still, and do thou both possess, rule, feed, and preserve, 32:9 . Which dwell solitarily in the wood; feed, graciously protect and guide, those that in their present captive state are solitary, compassed with dangers from wild beasts; so thy people are in danger by cruel enemies, worse than wild beasts. Carmel; a fruitful place and well inhabited, whether you take it for Carmel which Elijah frequented, or where Nabal dwelt, and where was rich pastures and safe feeding. Bashan; a place of note for fruitfulness in Canaan. Gilead; equal with any of the others for plenty and safety. As in the days of old; before the sins of the people caused their captivity; own them for thine and prosper them, O Lord, in their own land: a much like promise or prediction you have ,19 Ezekiel 34:25.

Micah 7:14 Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily [in] the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed [in] Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.Ver. 14. Feed thy people with thy rod] Rule them with thy sceptre, or feed them with thy pedum pastorale, thy shepherd’ s rod, or staff, Psalms 23:4. This, say some, is the speech of God the Father to God the Son, or (as others), of God to the ministers and pastors, charging them to take heed to his flock, and to feed his Church; but it seems rather to be a prayer of the Christian Church (seeing the ruin of the Jewish synagogue) that Christ (the chief shepherd) would do all good offices for his poor people, feeding them with his rod, that is, with his word and Spirit, guiding them with his eye, Psalms 32:8, leading them in the way everlasting, Psalms 139:24, lest, seduced by their own lusts, or other men’ s evil lives, they should any way miscarry. The flock of thine heritage] Those poor of the flock, Zechariah 11:7, that hear his voice and follow him, John 10:3-5; John 10:27, being holy, harmless, tractable, sociable, patient, profitable as sheep; which have wool for raiment, skin for parchment, flesh for meat, guts for music. Such shall go in and out, and find pasture, John 10:9, pasture that will breed life, and life in more abundance; see Psalms 23:1-6, David’ s pastoral, where he assureth himself, as a sheep of Christ’ s heritage, that he shall have all things needful for life and godliness; and so may every poor Christian, grounding his faith upon the covenant, Ezekiel 34:25; Ezekiel 34:28. Which dwell solitarily in the wood] Sleepeth in the woods, Ezekiel 34:25, where they meet with many a brush; yea, many a bruise, Ezekiel 34:28; where they walk in dark and dangerous paths, even in the valley of the shadow of death, Psalms 23:4, of the darkest side of death, of death in its most horrid and hideous representations. Feed them, therefore; fence them with thine omnipotent arm, bear them in thy bosom, see to their safety. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead] Not bite upon the bare ground, but feed pleasantly, plentifully; feed among the lilies, frequent also the foddering places, turn to the under-shepherds, the ministers, and so return to the Arch-shepherd and Bishop of their souls, following the Lamb wheresoever he goeth; who will teach them many things, and that out of deepest compassion, Mark 6:34, who will also show them great and mighty things, that they knew not, Jeremiah 33:3. As in the days of old] As thou wast with the Church of the Old Testament, so be not wanting to that of the New; but feed them according to the integrity of thine heart, and guide them by the skilfulness of thine hands, Psalms 78:72.

(14) Feed thy people with thy rod.—Or, with thy shepherd’s crook. The prophet lifts up his prayer for the people, either dwelling “alone” among the idolaters of Babylon—among them, but not of them—or living a nation, mysteriously apart from other nations, returned from Babylon, and settled on the fruitful mountain range of Carmel, or in the rich pasture land on the east of Jordan. The extraordinary fertility of this “Land of Promise” has been recently brought into prominence, and its future prosperity predicted in glowing colours by Mr. Oliphant, in The Land of Gilead.

Verse 14. Feed thy people with thy rod] בשבטך beshibtecha, "with thy crook." The shepherd's crook is most certainly designed, as the word flock immediately following shows. No rod of correction or affliction is here intended; nor does the word mean such. Solitarily] They have been long without a shepherd or spiritual governor. In the midst of Carmel] Very fruitful in vines. Bashan and Gilead] Proverbially fruitful in pasturages.

14–17. Here an abrupt transition occurs. The prophet, in the name of the people, supplicates for the fulfilment of the promise of salvation.

Feed Thy people with Thy rod - The day of final deliverance was still a great way off. There was a weary interval before them of chastisement, suffering, captivity.

THE PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE, Micah 7:14-17.In Micah 7:14 occurs another change in speakers. The people, through the prophet, pray for the fulfillment of the promise of restoration. Feed… with thy rod — See on Micah 5:4.