Micah 1

Micah 1:1

I. PREDICTION OF WRATH AGAINST ISRAEL AND JUDAH (Chap. 1)1:1-3 The peoples are summoned by the Lord GOD to hear His message of judgment as He leaves His holy temple, the place of blessing, to witness against them. 1:4-7 His punishment will be severe on Samaria and Jerusalem because these cities had become the centers of idolatry. When He arrives in judgment the mountains will melt under Him, the valley will split like wax before . . . fire, Samaria will become a heap of ruins, all her idols will be beaten to pieces, and her wounds will be incurable. 1:8, 9 Micah’s lament that he would wail and howl, like the lonely, nocturnal jackals and the ostriches, and go stripped and naked is the ultimate in extreme mourning. 1:10-14 Verses 10-16 are a clever lament, describing the invasion of the land by the Assyrian army. Various cities of Israel and Judah are addressedGath, Beth Aphrah, Shaphir, Zaanan, Beth Ezel, Maroth, Jerusalem, Lachish, Moresheth Gath, Achzib, Mareshah, and Adullamas the Assyrians draw near. There are many plays on words in this section. Moffatt has translated the passage as follows: Weep tears at Teartown (Bochim), grovel in the dust at Dustown (Beth-ophrah), fare forth stripped, O Fairtown (Saphir)! Stirtown (Zaanan) dare not stir, Beth-easel . . . . and Maroth hopes in vain; for doom descends from the Eternal to the very gates of Jerusalem. To horse and drive away, O Horsetown (Lakhish), O source of Sion’s sin, where the crimes of Israel centre! O maiden Sion, you must part with Moresheth of Gath; and Israel’s kings are ever balked at Balkton (Achzib). 1:15, 16 A conqueror would descend on Israel, and the people would flee to Adullam. Israel should shave its head bald in mourning because its precious children, that is, the people, would be taken from the land into captivity.