Micah 4

— and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.] Zion is to be taken spiritually for the Church, over which Christ reigneth and shall reign for ever. Dr. Pocock. Or, the prophecy may be hereafter literally fulfilled at the restoration of the Jews. Abp. Newcome.

Micah 4:8

8. — O tower of the flock.] By this is most probably intended the tower of David, or rather all Jerusalem itself, which was, as it were, the tower and fold of God’s flock, Israel. The same is called in the words subjoined, “the strong hold of the daughter of Zion.” Dr. Pocock.

— unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion;] By “the first dominion” may be understood, such a kingdom and dominion as the Jews enjoyed at first under David and Solomon; or the chief dominion; or that the dominion should in that first place come to the daughter of Zion or Jerusalem. For the first interpretation of the words, see Luke i. 32, 33: for the second, see Dan. vii. 14; Rom. x. 18; and compare Ps. cx. 1; Matt. xvii. 44; xii. 42; Rev. xvii. 14; xix. 16; i. 5: and for the third, Luke xxiv. 47; Acts xiii. 46. The words, however interpreted, are a prophecy concerning Christ and his dominion. Dr. Pocock.

Micah 4:10

10. Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, &c.] O my Church of Judea, be grieved and pained for a time; for thou shalt be driven forth of thy cities, and carried away into the captivity of Babylon, but thou shalt not long lie under this affliction: the Lord thy God shall fetch thee hence in his appointed time, and shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies; and all this shall be, in a type of the state and deliverance of my Church, from the hands of their spiritual enemies. Bp. Hall.

The Jews’ captivity is expressed by their “going out of the city, and dwelling in the field;” because their city and temple being destroyed, they should live in an obscure state, without any visible form of government or worship. The same condition is elsewhere expressed

by their living “in the wilderness:” see the note upon Ezek. xx. 15, and Hos. ii. 14. So the Church under persecution is described as “flying into the wilderness,” Rev. xii. 14. W. Lowth.

Micah 4:11

11. — many nations &c.] The Idumeans, Ammonites, Moabites, Philistines, Babylonians. Abp. Newcome. This verse contains an expression of the desires of the heathen nations, that all manner of mischief and shame might befall Zion to her utter desolation. Dr. Pocock. To “look upon our enemies,” is to behold their fall with delight. Compare chap. vii. 10; and see the note on Obadiah, ver. 12. W. Lowth.

Micah 4:12

12. But they know not the thoughts of the Lord.] They are ignorant of God’s purpose, which is to punish them with an entire destruction, after He hath executed his judgments upon his own people. See Jer. xxv. 27—29. Great calamities are compared to the threshing of corn in a floor: see the following verse; and the note upon Isa. xxi. 10. W. Lowth.

Micah 4:13

13. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: &c.] The expressions allude to the manner of treading out the corn in the Eastern countries by the feet of oxen: see Deut. xxv. 4. The word “horn” means the horny substance on the feet of the cattle, and is equivalent to the “hoofs,” which follow. W. Lowth.

It is observed by some concerning this prophecy, that it will be in fulfilling to the second coming of Christ: “For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet,” 1 Cor. xv. 25. In that day certainly it will appear, how the things here spoken, as every other word of God, have without the failing of one title been fully made good, though perhaps, till then, men will not well agree concerning the manner, or time of their fulfilment. Dr. Pocock.

Chap. V. ver. 1. Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: &c.] This verse is to be understood of some foreign invasion of Judea by a nation that had numerous troops, and may relate to the conquest of Judea by the Babylonians. “The daughter of troops” is a phrase of the same kind as the daughter of affliction; that is, one surrounded by affliction: so “the son of death” is one condemned to die, 1 Sam. xx. 31; Ps. cii. 20. “Suniting on the cheek” signifies

The birth of Christ. His kingdom. Before CHRIST 710. a Matthew 2.6. b John 7.42. days of eternity. judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.