Micah 2

Wo, cruel bondage and banishment out of the land of Canaan, trounced upon the violent oppressors, thieves and robbers among the people, verse 1, 2, 3, 5, 10. a lamentation upon the enemies dividing of their land, 4. God doth sharply reprove his peoples loathing of prophetiall reproofs, and their delight in false prophets, 6.11. a prophesie of the gathering and restauration of the church by their kings Christ, 12.13.

1. Wo to them that devise iniquity and worke [the Hebr. Word, which otherwise doth signifie to worke and do or act, is here used for showing contriving, designing, practicing, what and how to act] evil upon their couches: [where and when they should be at rest, and think upon God and ruminate their course and conversation before him, so Psalms 36:5.] in the light of the morning they do it, [making all hast they can, as inflamed to execute their wicked designs. Compare Hosea 7:6.] Whiles it is in the power of their hand: [whiles the state and condition of justice and government in such in the land now, that they may do what they lift: they are amsters and have all the world at will, as followeth. Compare the phrase with Nehe. 5.5. Proverbs 3:27. Others for their hand is against God.]

2. And they desire fields and rob them, and houses and take them away: [if they do but fancy, or get a minde to such and such a piece of land, or house, possessions, they will have it, and force it away from the owners. Compare 1 Kings 2:11, c] thus they practice violence upon the man [making him poor and sad] and his house; [dispossessing and bereaving the proprietour thereof] yea, upon every one [or the man (hominem) and his inheritance. [which God would in no wife allow to be taken away, or alienated from the heir.]

3. therefore thus saith the LORD; behold I devise an evil against this generation, [even as they wickedly devise, contrive and practice the evil of sin, so do I now devise the evil of punishment, that shall be executed upon them] out of which ye [here is a change of the person, by a vehement application, as above verse 8 and frequently elsewhere] shall not be able to draw forth, our necks, [the yoak of bondage, which ye shall be made to undergo, shall be so close and upon you. Com. Leviticus 26:13. and Jer.11.11 with the annotate.] nor go so bolt-upright; [Hebr. (with, or in) highness, haughtiness, elevation, i.e. with the neck or head raised, or bearing up lofty, that is, ye shall not so high, nor carry yourselves so insolent, as now ye do] for it shall be an evil time. [see Amos 5. on verse 13.]

4. On that day they [Hebr. He, that is they, men, people] shall take up a Proverb over; [viz to make and jear you every where in your miseries and Lamentations; or the following bitter lamentations and complaining shall be so common, that it will grow into common proverb among men, thus and thus mourns Israel,] and they shall lament a dolefull lamentation (and) say, we are utterly wasted; [Heb. Wasting (or with wasting) we are wasted; that is, we are utterly ruined and undon] he exchangeth the portion [see Psalms 16. on verse 5, 6. and so of the line and lot in the next verse.] of my people, [meaning here is; God by the Assyrian gives away the land, which he had given formerly unto his people, unto stranger; and thereby he changeth the owners and proprietors of it] how doth he take from me! [words of admiration., very short and abrupt and lively, representing the busie stir about new dividing the land, as if they saw it down before their eyes] he divideth turning away our fields, [viz. over unto others; or doth he divide our fields, to restore (them) unto me? Alasse no; (do they imply) there is now no more hope left, since they are given away thus to strangers. Thus they were to be made sensible of the punishment of their own iniquity, and their dispossessing of others, mentioned before, verse 1.2 as they bereaved their own brethren, so they are now bereaved strangers; see the next verse and further below verse 8, 9, 10.]

5. Therefore thou shalt have none to cast the line into the lot; in the congregation of the LORD: [Or, by the lot, i.e. to cast the lot for thy share: for there shall be no part nor portion more for thee among the people of God. The speech is addressed here to every one in particular of those wicked oppressours, that were threatened with the Wo above verse 1. upon whom this particular judgement should light, by reason of their aforesaid wickedness; or there should be no casting of lots for him, because their land now delivered up to strangers and themselves quite outed and destitute of a Josua to new devide it by lot for them. Some give it a spiritual sense, understanding it of the rejected ones of the church of God, which was typified by the dividing of the land of Canaan by lots and lines.]

6. Do not ye [This verse by reason of its abrupt expression, is somewhat obscure, and is variously rendred: it should seem. That here are brought in the words or common speech of the wicked people, whereupon follows a heavie reproof in the next verse] prophesie, [Hebr. Drop not, and so in the sequel, i.e do not ye prophesie. See Deut. 32 on verse 2 and compare Isaiah 30:10, 11. Jeremiah 11:21. Amos 2:12, 13, 16. these are the words of the people to the true prophets] (say they) let (these) prophesie, [viz. the false ones. Compare his work of grace, out of the way, and make the way plain and smooth for it: others refer it to the enemies, as was noted in the former vers concerning whom the words thorow-breaker and thorow-breaking the frequently used. See Psalms 17 on verse 4 though, when God delievers his people bodily and spiritually, he likewise violently destroys his and his churches temporal and spiritual adversaries. See 2 Sam. 5.20. Isaiah 28:21, & 63.3, 4, 5, 6 Mich. 4.13.] they shall break thorow, and passé through the gates and march forth through the same; and their king shall go (away) before their faces; [see on the former verse] and the LORD in their front. [Heb. Head, as we use to say, in the head of them, i.e. in the fore-front: leading as it were the vanguard of his people. Compare Isaiah 52:12 others understand it, that God being become an enemie and adversary to his people, would be with the enemy, and lead them as their General, against his rejected people. Compare Jeremiah 21:5 and Isaiah 63:10.]

7. O thou, that art called the House of Jacob, [Ye hear that name indeed , doth the Lord here intimate, and boast of it, but very wrongfully: such words, or speeches become not Jacobs house at all. Compare Joshua 8:33, 37, 39, 40, 44. [is then the spirit of the LORD[i.e. the holy spirit by whom the true Prophets were acted, 2 Pet. 1. 21.] shortned? [or strattned? Viz. so that he should not be able to direct and govern his servants aright? Or, should not have liberty to cause them to prophesie, what he is pleased to charge them with; or, that he should not have the same power still, to reprove you for your wickedness, and consequently pronounce Gods judgements upon you for the same, that ye go on thus to provoke and incense him. Compare the phrase with Numbers 11:2, 3. Isaiah 50:2.and 59.1] are these his works? [viz. Gods.i.e.are these the works which God commands you, or, which are acceptable unto him. Compare Job.6.29. This agreeth well with the sequel: others apply it to Jacobs house: thus, are these works becoming Jacobs house?] and do my [i.e.Gods] works no good by him that walketh aright? [See Psal.7.on vers. 11. The sense is Are not my words indeed pleasing and acceptable for and with the godly, to whom they do not onely promise all manner of good things, but likewise instruct and correct them for their good? If you were pious, both my own and my Prophets words would likewise be pleasing and acceptable to and among you; the fault is yours, that they must prophesie harsh things to you.]

8. But yesterday, [i.e.but lately, of late days, not long ago] my people stood up (as) an enemy, [i.e.in an hostile manner, watching for all advantages to do mischief, rob, plunder &c. God seems to infer here; How is it possible, that my words should be pleasing and acceptable to such a people as this is?] over against a garment: [to see whether they might meet with any, that had good clothes on his back to strip him of it. Here God returns again to that he upbraided them with above vers. 1 and 2.Oth. read the words of this vers. (Those that) yesterday (i.e.heretofore) (were) my people, are risen up (against me as0 against an enemy &c.] ye pull off [a change of person again, as above vers. 3.] a cloak [a goodly upper garment touching the Hebrew word, Compare Jon. 3.on vers. 6.] from those that passé by securely, [Or, with confidence, thinking of no enemy; at least-wife, not doubting you whom they never offended] turning from the battle. [having no thoughts more of robbing and plundering, in regard the war was ended. Oth.being averse from the fright. i.e.such as have no minde to fight, or, to wrong any, passing along their way, with confidence. Or, whereas ye are removed from war. i.elive in peace, and have no war in the Land.]

9. The women of my people ye banish, each one out of the house of her recreation; [Wherein they (keeping at home for the most part) had their abode , content and freedom, with their own husbands and children: some understand it if the widowes, others of cruel and groundless divorces, the men in a tyrannous manner repudiating their own wives by letters of divorse, at their own pleasure] from their little ones, ye take away my ornament [clothes, livelihood, inheritance, and the like, all which I had bestowed upon them, by my especial fatherly providence in token of my goodnesse and absolute power of dispersing. Now ye bereave and dispossesse them of this, to my dishonor, some refer it to the dissolving and divorces of the Parents marriages; others to the slavery and bondage, from which God had redeemed them, and and made them a free people and his children] for ever. [i.e ye go on in these practices without any ceasing and remorse, or yet deprive and dispossesse then of those things, so that they are past all hope of recovery. Compare Jonah 2:6.]

10. Get you up (then) and go your ways; [viz.into captivity out of the Land] for this (Land) shall not be the rest : [i.e. this Land which I had given you for a rest, shall not be able to endure you longer, because of the abominations, whereby ye have defiled the same; but it shall spue you out, and (as taking vengeance against you) utterly and forcibly destroy you. See Deuteronomy 12:3. Psal. 95. 11. Hebr. 4. 5, 6 again Leviticus 18:25, 27, 28. Ezekiel 36:13, 17.] because it is defiled, it shall destroy (you) and that with a violent [or, sharp Compare 1 Kings 2:8.] destruction.

11. If there be any, that dealeth in winde, [i.e. with vain and false prophecies, which are as little able to edifie and comfort the soul, as the body can be fed with winde. Compare Job 6:26. Jeremiah 5:13.and Isaiah 41:29. Jeremiah 22:22. Oth.with the spirit. i.e. falsly boasteth of Revelation from the spirit of God, see Ezekiel 13:3.and Hosea 9:7.] and lyeth falsly, saying; [Or, that conversing with wind and falsehood, lieth, saying, &c.] I will prophesie unto you, [as above vers. 6.] for wine and strong drink, [Or, by the wine. Compare below 3. 5. Isaiah 28:7, 8. Or, of wine &c. i.e. of a fruitful wine-year, all manner of prosperity and peace. See Jeremiah 13:12.and 23. 16, 17.and chap.29.8,9.Lam.2. 14.] that is a Prophet of this people. [i.e. an acceptable Prophet to them, or, for this people]

12. Asuuredly I will assemble thee altogether O Jacob , assuredly I will gather the remnant of Israel; [Heb.assembling I will assemble, and , gathering I will gather. These two last verses are taken by many interpreters, to contain a gracious Evangelical promise of thegathering of the Universal Church, by their King the Messiah Jesus Christ: the prophetical stile usual in such matters, seeming to import this sence; and God being wont in his servant reproofes and threatnings, oft-times to intermix most gracious promises, for the comfort of his faithful ones. (Compare especially Jeremiah 16:14, 15. Hosea 2:13, &c. See also below the last use of chapter 3.and chapter 4. the first use , &c. the Christian attentive reader may likewise compare, Jeremiah 31:10. Hosea 1:11.and 3. 5, &c. especially Ezekiel 36:37, 38. Zach. 2. 4. Others nevertheless, considering what goes before and followes, take it to be a foretelling of the sieges, the straits and desolations of the ten Tribes of Juda by the Assyrians and Babylonians, and the carrying away captive of both their Kings, Hosea and Zedekia. 2 Kin. 17. vers. 4.and 18.10, &c. also chap, 15.6, 7. whereof the understanding reader may judge, and see the like phrase, Zach.10.3,4,5. with the annot] I will set it together, like sheep of Bozra: [a plentiful place for cattel among the Moabites. See 2 King.3, 4.and Jer.48.24.with the annotate.] as aflock in the midst of their fold; [or, stabling] they shall found of men.

13. The thorow-breaker shall march before their face; [Heb.is marched, and so in the sequel. i.e. he shall surely march. God shall remove all enemies & impediments to his work hide his work of grace, out of the way plain and smooth for it: others refer it to the enemies, as was noted in the former ver.concerning whom the words thorow-breaker and thorow-breaking are frequently used. See Psal.17.on vers. 4. Thought, when God delivers his people bodily and spiritually, he likewise violently destroys his and his Churches temporal and spiritual adversaries. See 2 Sam. 5. 20. Isaiah 28:21. & 63.3, 4, 5 6. Mich.4.13.] they shall break thorow, and passé through the agets and march forth through the same: and their King shall go (away) before their face; [see on the former verse] and the LORD in their front. [Heb.head, as we use to say, in the head of them, i.e.in the fore-front: leading as it were the Vanguard of his people. Compare Isaiah 52:12 others understand it, that God being become an enemie and adversary to his people, would be with the enemy, and lead them as their General, against his rejected people. Compare Jer.21.5, and Isa.63.10.]