Micah 3

God’s judgement upon the governours because of their tyrannic and baseness, verse 1,&c. upon the prophetes, seducing the people and promising peace unto them, 5. from whom Micha doth separate himself, prophecying with great freedom of spirit of Jerusalem’s and the temples future desolation, because of the general wickednesse and corruption of the people, governours, priests and prophets, 8.

1. Moreover said I, hear now, ye heads [i.e. governors] of Jacob and ye chieftains of the house of Israel: [see Jud. 11 on verse 6] doth it not become you to know the right? [Or, judgement. Heb. (is it) not yours, or, unto you? i.e. hearken, doth it not besit you? Is it not your part and duty to know the right or judgement of your God? Yea verily, inferres the prophet. Compare Jeremiah 5:4, 5 and see of such manner of questioning, Jud. 4. on verse 6, c.]

2. They hate the good, and love the evil: they rob their skin from them, and eat the flesh from their bones. [i.e. they fleece and stay and squeeze and stay their poor subjects as bare and dry as may be. By these phrases is set forth the extreme, cruelty, baseness, wretchedness and tyrannmy of the governours, practiced upon their subject and fellow breathen with whom they dealt as Lions, B ears and wolves.]

3. Yea they are they, that eat the flesh of my people, and strip their skin off, [oth. That which they eat, is the flesh of my people, &c. see Psalms 14 on verse 4.] and break their bones, [or, knell them in piece, for the Heb. Word according to some, hath its signification from strong sounding, peales, knells, crackling: the sense is, that, instead of being fathers and shepherds of their people as they ought, they do by open violence without any pitty or remorce, waste, bruise, destroy and convert to their own use all the subjects substance and propriety, as followeth] and sever [Heb. Spread] them, even as in a pot, and as flesh into the midst of a kettle. [the meaning is, they deal with men and the prey they take from them justly as if they were to put so much flesh and bones of slaughtered beasts into a pot to boil. Compare Ezekiel 11:6, 7. with the annotate. And see the like phrase in the description of these wretches punishment. Ezekiel 24:3, 4. c.]

4. Then shall they call unto the LORD; [when the plagues before meniones chapter 2 verse 3, 4, 5, 10. shall come and be upon them, then shall be so impudent yet, that they will presume to call upon, as if he were bound to help them. But they do it without any true and hearty repentance, onely from the sense of the punishment and therefore &c] yet he shall not hear them: but shall hide his face before them [see Deut. 31 on verse 17. and Job 13. on verse 24] at that time according as they made their dealings evil. [or, carried themselves evil in their dealings, as it is said of the converted, that they made their wayes good. The sense is even as they plagued the poor subject & had no compassion on them, so shall I requite them in the same kinde, c. comp. James 2:13.]

5. Thus saith the LORD, against the prophet, that seduce my people: that bite with their teeth and proclaim peace; [under pretext of love and kindness, murdering their soul like devouring wolves, by their false seducing prophecies. Compare Ezekiel 13:10, 19 and 22.25. Matthew 7:15. or, like hunger-starved beasts, tear and devour also that is given them; and cry peace, peace, bliss and prosperity as long as you fill their bellies. Com. Ab.h. 2.11. Isa.56.10, 11. Ezekiel 13:3. with the annotate.] but he that puts not into their mouth, against him hallow a war. [i.e. against such they set and incense every on, to arm and make war against them: or, they denounce and prophecie all manner of evil against them, as if they were the onely contemners of god and his word. Of the Hebr. Words hallowing war. See Jer. 6 on verse 4.]

6. Therefore it shall grow nigh for you [by this phrase God foretelleth unto these prophets not onely blindeness of understanding (as some take this) but likewise all kinde of other plague, mischiefs and sad conditions. See Gen 15. on verse 12. and Jer. 15. on verse 9. Joel 2:21, 31, c.] because of the vision, [i.e. by reason of your false propehecies which ye boast to have received by especially revelation from me. Compare Zach. 13.4. or, so that ye shall have no vision. i.e. be disabled to prophecy any more and so in the sequel, that ye shall not be able to divine. Ye shall then get something else to do then to practice your foretellings and sooth-sayings ye will be taught to minde somewhat else. Compare Ezek. 13.28.]] and there shall be darkness unto you because of your sooth-saying: [compare Ezekiel 13:6, 7, c and see of the Heb. Word Prov. 16 on verse 10.] and the sun, shall go down upon these prophets, and the day shall grow black upon them. [i.e. be very obscure Joel 2:10]

7. And the seers [i.e. those false prophets, which do falsly brag of visions from me. Of the word seer, see 1 Sam 9. on verse 9. Ezek. 12 on verse 3.] shall be ashamed, and the sooth-sayers blush; and all they together, wrap up their uppermost lip: [or, mustacho, in token of mourning. See Leviticus 13:45. Ezekiel 24:17, 22. with the annotate.] for there shall be no answer of God. [no divine vision or prophecy, so as to enquire of God, for advice, or to receive comfort from him in the time of affliction. Compare Psalms 74:9. Ezekiel 7:27. Amos 8:11,12. or no hearing (exaudition) as above verse 4.]

8. But truly I am full of power [the prophet being well-assured of his calling, of the truth of the divine revelations, and of the gifts of the spirit that sent him, he doth here plainly separate himself from the false prophets, confirming his prophecies with divine authority, for the instruction of the Godly, and conviction of the of the refractory, and showing courage and undantedness in reproving of sin notwithstanding the impudent pretences and base flatteries of the false prophets, among a disobedient people. Compare Isaiah 50:4, c Jeremiah 6:11 with the annotate] of [How the Hebrew particle eth is sometimes taken for of, see Jer. 51 on verse 59.] the spirit of the LORD and (full) of judgement of God, according to his charge as Jeremiah 6:11. full of the LORD’s indignation; or full of right. Viz God’s right, as Jer. 5 verse 4, 5 also it may have respect to the governours, above verse 1 and below verse 9 who ought to know the right, but have it in abomination: this minister of God was quite otherwise disposed] and readiness [or, alacrity, activity or ability, courage. Namely to suffer evil, and to go on cheerfully notwithstanding in my calling as followeth] for to declare unto Jacob his transgressions and to Israel his sin: [understand, together with the punishment due to them for it.]

9. Hear now this, ye heads of the houses of Jacob, and ye chieftains of Israel: that abhor judgement, [or the right: or make the judgement abominable; to wit, by their wicked abuse of justice] and pervert [Heb. They pervert, i.e ye are those which pervert &c. as elsewhere frequently] all that is right. [or straight, righteous equall.]

10. Building [Heb,. In the singular. i.e. every on of them is building, viz. great houses and palaces in] Zion with blood, [heb. Bloods in the plural. i.e slaying and murdering, (see Gen. 37 on verse 26. Ezekiel 22:27. Zephaniah 3:3) and therewithal the mony which they get by it, or for their countenancing conniving at, and sparing the murderers and oppressors] and Jerusalem with wrong; [i.e. with robbing, and all manner of injustice. See Jeremiah 22:13.]

11. Their heads [the governours and judges of Zion and Jerusalem] judge for gifts, [Heb. Gift] and the priests teach for hire [i.e. they suffer themselves to be drawn for mony to teach according to men’s palaces, when as they should be content with god’s allowance and hold forth the pure word of God, without regard to men. See Malachi 2:6, 7.] and their prophets divine for mony: [meaning the false prophets. God implieth here, that both in the civil and Ecclasiastical estate among his people, all was corrupted and to be brought and sold for mony. Compare Isaiah 1:23.] yet do they lean upon the LORD, [not with an holy trust and confidence (which is ever accompanied with godliness) but in hypocrisie, out of an impudent arrogancie and a vain, bold and carnal presumption. See Isaiah 48:2. Jeremiah 7:4, 6, 9, 10. how intolerable this was with God appears by the next verse] saying; is not the LORD in the midst of us? [as if it were not be called in question and as if God were engaged to protect them, let them live and do what they pleased] there shall no evil come upon us [i.e. of all those mischiefes and miseries which the other prophets do so much preach and talk of, we shall be free enough. Compare Amos 9, 10.]

12. Therefore, for your sake, [that is, for your sins sake, whereby ye have filled and corrupted all things Zion shall ploughed like a field; and Jerusalem shall be made an heap of stones, [i.e. be utterly destroyed and laid waste; so little care and regard had God of Zion and Jerusalem and of his holy temple it self, being thus polluted. These sharp and terrible prophecies pious Hizkia, in whose dayes they were made, received with a believing and penitent heart, suing to God for mercy and favour and doubtless doing his utmost for a general amendment. See Jeremiah 26:18, 19, 20 and compare above 1.6.] and the mountain of this house [to wit the temple] shall be for high places of a forest. [as Jeremiah 26:18. upon this terrible prophecie there followes a glorious Evangelical promise, touching the mountain of the house of the Lord in the beginning of the next chapter, as likewise towards the end of the same and in the beginning of the fifth.]