Micah 2

&c.] Now of late my people, as if they needed no enemy, are turned enemies to each other: ye strip the garments from the backs of travellers, that pass by securely, without any thought of such cruel and hostile measures. Bp. Hall. The words rendered “robe” and “garment,” appear to signify, the former a looser garment thrown over the rest, the latter a closer one more fitted to the body. Compare Matt. v. 40; Luke vi. 29. Dr. Pocock.

— they have broken up, &c.] The expressions allude to a flock of sheep, which, as soon as a passage is opened for one to get out, do all of them follow. W. Louth.

— and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord] Or, “even the Lord on the head of them.” The Messiah, who is both their Lord and King, shall lead

and conduct them as their Captain and General. Compare Isa. lii. 12; Hosea i. 11. W. Louth.

Chap. III. ver. 1. — Hear,—O heads of Jacob,—Is it not for you to know judgment? Men of their birth and station were more especially bound to know and practise the law of God, which enjoined them to treat the inferior people as their brethren, to seek their welfare, to give them the fruits of their labours, to render to every man his due, a living price for his goods, and just wages for his work. Reading.

Micah 2:2

2, 3. — who pluck off their skin &c.] Who offer all cruelty and violence to the people; like some unfaithful shepherd, who, instead of feeding his flock, deals with them according to the literal sense of the words, that he may thereby luxuriously pamper himself. Dr. Pocock.

Micah 2:3

3. — Behold, against this family do I devise an evil.] As they devise mischief against others, so will I devise an evil against them, as a due punishment for their sin. As they have unjustly deprived others of their inheritance, so a conquering enemy shall dispossess them, and A lamentation. Injustice and idolatry reproved. Before CHRIST about 730. lamentation of lamentations. § Or, instead of restoring. b Deut. 32. 8, 9. § Or, Prophecy not as they prophecy. &c. c Isa. 30, 10. § Or, shortened? upright? vise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.

Micah 2:4

4.—shall one take up a parable &c.] Men shall take up a parable, a doleful song with parabolical and figurative expressions. Dr. Pocock. See the notes on Num. xxiii. 7; Job xxvii. 1. —he hath changed the portion of my people &c.] He hath removed his people out of their ancient inheritance, that portion which He Himself had allotted them, and hath given it away to other owners. W. Lowth. 5. Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the Lord.] Therefore, when this judgment shall be effected, there shall none remain of you, who shall have any lot or inheritance in the land of Israel. Bp. Hall. The words are an address to the whole people, denouncing the irrecoverable loss of their country, and that they should no more return to it, to be therein the congregation of the Lord, and to divide it among themselves by the “cord” or measuring line. Dr. Pocock.

4. — as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.] As they have shewed no pity to others, God will shew no pity to them. W. Louth. God often proportions the punishment to the sin, rendering, as the Jews speak, measure for measure. Dr. Pocock.

Micah 2:5

5. — that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; &c.] Who, so that they may be fed with the largesses of the people, cry, Peace and happiness; but if their mouths are not filled with gifts, are ready to load their niggardly hearers with threats of judgments. Bp. Hall.

Micah 2:6

6. Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy.] They do not care to hear the Prophets speak ungrateful truths: see Isa. xxx. 10; Amos vii. 16. W. Lowth. —they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.] Or, rather, “for they will not take shame.” It is to no purpose to prophesy to them, for they still persist in a shameless course of sin. Compare Zeph. iii. 5; Jer. vi. 15. W. Lowth.

6, 7. Therefore night shall be unto you, &c.] Such confusion shall seize upon them, by reason of the calamities signified by the terms “night,” “darkness,” and the like, that it shall be with them as with men in utter darkness, who know not which way to turn themselves, much less can pretend to direct others: thus shall they be “ashamed” and “confounded,” their impostures being made manifest to all. Dr. Pocock.

8. But truly I am full of power &c.? Full of the Spirit of God, and, by virtue of that, “full of power,” freely and without partiality to utter the Divine message; and

The glory and peace of the church. Before CHRIST 710. b Ezek. 22. 27. Zech. 3. 3. bloods. saying. c Jer. 26. 18.

Micah 2:7

7. O thou that art named the house of Jacob.] But does not in thy doings make good that name, “is the spirit of the Lord straitened?” Is his mercy, his will or power of promising good things by his Prophets, and effecting them, now restrained more than formerly, when He did both, that now thou receivest only threatening messages by his Prophets? “Are these his doings?” Was He wont thus to deal? Or, are these punishments and judgments, which He denounceth, his constant works, or works in which He delighteth? Are they not rather, what you by your sins, as it were, force Him to do? “Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?” Doth He not promise good

Micah 2:9

9. The women of my people have ye cast out &c.] By your sins ye cause them to go into captivity. Abp. Newcome. —from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.] The glory, which I had bestowed on them by becoming their God, by placing them in a pleasant land, and by protecting and blessing them when they adhered to me, Ps. xc. 16; Exck. xvi. 14. Abp. Newcome.

Micah 2:10

10. Arise ye, and depart; &c.] Away, therefore, arise and get you into captivity; for this land is no place for you: since ye have thus defiled it with your sins, it shall cast you out, and deliver you up to be destroyed by your enemies. Bp. Hall.

11. They build up Zion with blood, &c.] They build them stately houses in Zion and in Jerusalem with those sums which they have extorted by their oppressions of the innocent. Bp. Hall.

12. • the prophets thereof divine for money. See ver. 5; Jer. v. 31; vi. 13. This is to be understood of the false prophets. See Zeph. iii. 4; Zech. xiii. 2. W. Lowth.

Micah 2:11

11. If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood &c.] Or, “in the spirit of falsehood.” W. Lowth. Or, as in the margin, “walk with the wind, and lie falsely.” Dr. Pocock. I know well enough how I might please you: if a man would walk in a vain light fashion, and yield to prophesy nothing but lies unto you, and soothe you in gluttony and drunkenness, and tell of you that free scope ye shall have to wine and strong drink; he should be a welcome Prophet to this people. Bp. Hall. —wine and of strong drink;] See the note on Isa. xxiv. 9.

Micah 2:12

12. I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; &c.] There are strange mixtures in Micah, as well as in Hosea and others, of promises with complaints and threatenings. Some interpret ver. 12, as the words of the false prophet spoken of just before: and some think ver. 12, Before CHRIST about 730. yesterday. over against a garment. with the wind, and lie falsely. The cruelty of the princes. The falsehood of the prophets. Before CHRIST about 730. they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.

13. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed &c.] This prophecy had its utmost completion in the final destruction of the city and temple by the Romans; see Jer. xxvi. 18. The word “heaps” alludes to heaps of stones laid up together in fields newly plowed; see chap. i. 6. “The mountain of the house” is mount Moriah, where the temple, the house of the Lord, stood. W. Lowth.

Chap. IV. According to God’s usual method, who in the midst of judgment remembers mercy, to the grievous judgments before denounced, gracious promises of great mercy are here subjoined. In the foregoing words He threatens utter desolation to the mountain of the Lord; here He promises a gracious restoration, establishment, and exaltation: in the former, obstinate sinners are given to understand the severity of God’s unavoidable judgments to them; in the latter, penitent believers are given to expect his mercies, which never fail those who are qualified to receive them. Dr. Pocock.

Ver. 1. - in the last days &c.] The times of the Messiah; see the notes on Isa. ii. 2, &c. W. Lowth.