Micah 2
PATit here for Ophrali, a town in the tribe of Benjamin; that the name may better suit their present condition. The chapter begins with a reproof for the sins of oppression, and contempt of God’s word, but concludes with the promise of a restoration. Some learned men think that the reproofs of this chapter relate to the times of king Ahaz. you.’] A parable denotes a speech out of the ordinary way, as the Greek word Uapotfiia imports, and illustrated with metaphors or rhetorical figures. (See Job xxvii. 1. Ezek. xx. 49. Hahak. ii. 1.) So speaking in parables (for so the words should be translated) is opposed to speaking plainly, John xvi. 25. 29. And lament with a doleful lamentation.’] The expression alludes to the lamentations made at funerals. (See the note upon Amos v. 1.) He hath changed the portion of my people; how hath he removed it from me?~\ He hath removed his people out of their ancient inheritance, that portion which he himself had allotted them, and given it away to other owners. Turning away he hath divided our fields.] Turning us into captivity; or, as the margin reads, Instead of restoring us, he hath divided our lands among our enemies.
Micah 2:1
rrOE to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds, &c. Whose thoughts are big with mischief, so that they contrive schemes of wickedness upon their beds, in order to put them in practice when they arise in the morning. (Compare Psal. xxxvi. 4.) Because it is in the power of their hand*] TItey make their strength the law of justice, according to tho character given of such men, Wisd. ii. 11., Some take the Hebrew word El to signify God, which is its most usual signification; in which sense the Vulgar Latin translates it, “. Contra Deum est manus illorum;” their hand is against God. But the phrase in the original is used in the samo sense in which our translators understand it, Gen. xxxi. 29. Deut. xxviii. 32.
Micah 2:2
So they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. They take from him both his house and his land.
Micah 2:3
Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, Sec. 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 carry them into captivity. (See the following verse.) The word family is equivalent to people, as appears from Jer. i. 15. v compare viii. 3. x. 25. of that prophecy; where the families which have not called upon thy name, mean the same with the kingdoms that fiave not called upon thy name, Psal. Ixxix. 6.
Micah 2:4
In that day shall one take up a parable against
Micah 2:5
Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation’ of the Lord. Israel was the Lord’s people or congregation; (compare Deut. xxiii. 1, 2.) they were the lot of his inheritances (Deut. xxxii. 9.) and he divided their land among them by lot: but now they shall be utterly expelled out of it, and sent captives into a foreign country.
Micah 2:6
Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy. They do not care to hear the prophets speak ungrateful truths. (Seelsa. xxx. 10. Amosvii.16.) The word is the same here which is used in that text of Amos. (See the note there.) Say they, is understood by a like ellipsis, Nahum xi. 8. 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 Zech. iii. 5. Jer. vi. 15.) The latter part of the sentence may be thus translated, Their shame sliall not depart, or. be removed from them; i. e. God hath determined to bring that shame upon them which their sins deserve. Ver.7. O thou that art named the house of Jacob.] But dost not act suitably to the piety of thy father Jacob. Is the Spirit of the Lord straitened? are these, his doings? &c] Is God’s hand or power shortened? (Compare Isa. lix. 1. Zech. iv. 6.) Arc the judgments he brings upon you the genuine effects of his power and goodness? and not rather such acts as your sins do ina manner constrain him to exercise? as punishments are called his strange work, Isa. xxviii. 21. Certainly both his laws and the words delivered by his prophets would turn to your good, if you would obey them.’:'
Micah 2:8
Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy. This Dr. Wells refers to the invasion of Judah by Pekah, and the devastations which followed upon it; (See 2 Chron. xxviii. 5. 8.) Ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely, &c] Or, Ye take the robe from off the garment; so Nbldius translates it, p. 611.. By the robe is meant the upper garment, called the cloak, Luke vi. 29; where the phrase seems to be taken from this place. The words import, that the Israelites invaded their countrymen of Judca, who had given them no provocation, and were willing to.live peaceably with them; and in a violent manner stripped them of all their substance, even to their wearing apparel.;
Micah 2:9
Thewomen of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses, &c. This probably relates to the invasion just now mentioned, when the Israelites carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, 2 Chron. xxviii. 8. From their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.] Ye have taken their children captive with a design to sell them to the heathen, (see Joel iii. 6.) that they may be bred up in idolatry, and forfeit all their right to the privileges of my temple and worship. The temple is called the beauty of holiness, Psal. xxix. 2. xcvi. 9. where the word is the same which is here translated glory. Some undt /stand the words of Pekah and Rezin’s design to set up another king in Judah, (see Isa. vii. 6.) not allied to the house of David, and thereby to defeat the promises made to that family, that the Mcssias should descend from thence, and withal deprive the posterity of the Jews of the most glorious part of God’s promises to them.
Micah 2:10
Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your ixst. The prophet still directs his discourse to the Israelites that invaded Judea, and tells them, that as a just punishment for their oppressing and spoiling their brethren, they themselves should be carried captive out of their land, where God had promised to give them rest. (See Deut. xii. 9. Psal. xcv. 2.) Because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.] The land, being polluted with your sins, shall spew you out, as it did its former inhabitants, the Canaanites, (Lev.‘xviii. 28.)
Micah 2:11
Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Sapkir, having thy shame naked. Or, Thy nakedness uncovered. The word Sajrfrir imports a fair and delightful habitation, and denotes either Samaria or Jerusalem. The prophet threatens the inhabitants of that place, that they shall go into captivity in a way very unsuitable to their former softness and luxury; even without so much as a covering to hide their nakedness. (See Isa. iii. 17. xlvii. 2, 3. and the notes there.) The inhabitant ofZaanan came not forth in the mourni n 9 of Beth-ezel.] The inhabitants of Zaanan were so much concerned to provide for their own security, that they took no notice of the mournful condition of their neighbour: so Beth-czel signifies. Grotius supposes Zaanan to denote Zion, and Beth-ezel to signify Beth-el, called here by another name, importing the house of separation, according to his interpretation; because it was the principal seat of idolatrous worship. He shall receive from you his standing.’] The inhabitant ofZaanan may make a conjecture of his own strength or condition, whether he is like to stand or fall by the fate which he sees doth befal the people of Beth-ezel. Ver. 12; For the inhabitant qfMaroth waited carefully for good; but evil came down, &c] The words may be better translated, Although the inhabitant of Maroth waited for good; yet evil, &c. So the particle ki is translated when it is repeated in the middle of the sentence, as it is here. (2 Sam. xxiii. 5.) By Maroth, which signifies bitterness, or trouble, Grotius understands Ramoth: there were several Ramahs,- expressed sometimes by Ramoth, in the plural number; one in Mount Ephraim, 1 Sam. i. 1. another in the tribe, of Benjamin near Beth-lehem, Jer. xxxi. 15. But evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem.’] Such a calamity as stopped not at Ramah, but reached even to Jerusalem; those two places being not far asunder. (See Judg. xix. 10. 13.) If a man zyalking in the spirit and falsehood.] Or, Of falsehood. Noldius gives several instances where the copulative particle supplies the place of the genitive case. (Sec his Concordance, p. 315.) I will prophesy unto thee of wine and strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.] If a prophet pretend to foretell all manner of plenty and prosperity, such a one shall be hearkened to by this people, though it be never so unlikely to come to pass. Such were those that prophesied of peace, whom Jeremiah reproves, vi. 14. viii. 11. and spoke smooth things, to please their hearers, Isa. xxx. 10. The words may be thus translated, I will prophesy unto thee for wine and strong drink: i. e. if it appears, both by his words and actions, that he doth not design the serving God, but his own belly, as St. Paul speaks, Rom. xvi. 18. yet such a one shall be followed by those that love soothing teachers. (Compare iii. 5.) Wine and strong drink are often mentioned together; the latter may best be explained in the words of St. Jerome (Epist. 2.- ad Nepotianum): " Sicera Ilcbrseo sermone omnis potio nuncupatur, qua? inebriare potest, sive ilia quae frumento conficitur, sive pomorum succo; aut cum favi decoquuntur in dulcem potionem, aut palmarum fructus exprimuntur in liquorem, coctisque frugibus aqua pinguior coloratur." The Hebrew word Sticker signifies any strong drink, whether it be made with any sort of grain (like our malt),’ or with the juice of apples; or when a sweet liquor is made by the infusion of honey, or xbhen a juice is pressed out of the dates of thepalm-tree; or water hath a strength and colour added to if by the infusion of any other fruit..
Micah 2:12
I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel. * Here follows a promise of mercy, such as is often subjoined to the threat- 2B2
Micah 2:13
O inhabitants qf Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast. In order to flee from the approaching enemy. Lachish was one of the first cities that Sennacherib besieged, when he invaded Judca, (2 Kings xviii. 13, 14.) She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; for the transgressions of Israel were found in her.] She was the first among the cities of Judah which practised those idolatries, which the kings and people of Israel had begun.
Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath. Either to defend thee against the enemy, or to receive thee under their protection. Moresheth-gath was probably a place that once belonged to Gathof tho Philistines. The houses of Achzib shall be a lie unto the kings of Israel.] Achzib signifies a lie. There is a town cf that name belonging to the tribe of Judah, mentioned Josh. xv. 44. This place the prophet foretells mil answer its name, and disappoint the kings of Israel that depended upon its strength and assistance. [See 2 Chron. xxi. 2. xxviiL 19.] Israel is sometimes used for Judah: (see below, iii. 9, 10.) so it may probably be taken here, and ver. 15.
Yet I will bring an heir to thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah. This is another town belonging to Judah, mentioned Josh. xv. 44. The name signifies an inheritance: so the prophet, by way of allusion, foretells that a new heir shall come and tako possession of it, viz. a conquering enemy. He shall come to Adullam, the glory of Israel] The enemy shall enlarge his conquests even to Adullam, one of the frontier cities of Judah, fortified by Rehoboam, 2 Chron. xi. 7. Israel is put here for Judah, as in the foregoing verse. The margin reads, The glory of Israel shall come to Adullam: i. e. the great and honourable men shall be forced to hide themselves from their enemies, in the cave of Adullam, as David did when he fled from Saul, 1 Sam. xxii. 1/ This may relate to the great depredations which Pekah king of Israel, in conjunction with Rezin king of Syria, made in the kingdom of Judah, in the reign of Ahaz. (See 2 Chron. xxviii. 5. 8.)
Make thee bald, and poll thee [or, shave thy hair. for thy delicate children; for they are gone into captivitij from thee.] Cutting the hair, or shaving it close, were expressions of mourning and lamentation, anciently used among most nations, (See Job i. 20. Jer. vi. 29. Amos viii. 10. and the notes upon Isa. xv. 2.) Enlarge thy baldness as an eagle.] When she moults her feathers.