Micah 1 commentary

The earth is called upon, with all that are therein, to hear the prophet. God's holy temple will not protect false professors. Neither men of high degree, as the mountains, nor men of low degree, as the valleys, can secure themselves or the land from the judgments of God. If sin be found in God's people he will not spare them; and their sins are most provoking to him, for they are most reproaching. When we feel the smart of sin, it behoves us to seek what is the sin we smart for. Persons and places most exalted, are most exposed to spiritual diseases. The vices of leaders and rulers shall be surely and sorely punished. The punishment answers the sin. What they gave to idols, never shall prosper, nor do them any good. What is got by one lust, is wasted on another.

The prophet laments that Israel's case is desperate; but declare it not in Gath. Gratify not those that make merry with the sins or with the sorrows of God's Israel. Roll thyself in the dust, as mourners used to do; let every house in Jerusalem become a house of Aphrah, “a house of dust.” When God makes the house dust it becomes us to humble ourselves to the dust under his mighty hand. Many places should share this mourning. The names have meanings which pointed out the miseries coming upon them; thereby to awaken the people to a holy fear of Divine wrath. All refuges but Christ, must be refuges of lies to those who trust in them; other heirs will succeed to every inheritance but that of heaven; and all glory will be turned into shame, except that honour which cometh from God only. Sinners may now disregard their neighbours' sufferings, yet their turn to be punished will some come.

This inscription, in the first place, shows the time in which Micah lived, and during which God employed his labors. And this deserves to be noticed: for at this day his sermons would be useless, or at least frigid, except his time were known to us, and we be thereby enabled to compare what is alike and what is different in the men of his age, and in those of our own: for when we understand that Micah condemned this or that vice, as we may also learn from the other Prophets and from sacred history, we are able to apply more easily to ourselves what he then said, inasmuch as we can view our own life as it were in a mirror. This is the reason why the Prophets are wont to mention the time in which they executed their office.

But how long Micah followed the course of his vocation we cannot with certainty determine. It is, however, probable that he discharged his office as a Prophet for thirty years: it may be that he exceeded forty years; for he names here three kings, the first of whom, that is Jotham, reigned sixteen years; and he was followed by Ahab, who also reigned as many years. If then Micah was called at the beginning of the first reign, he must have prophesied for thirty-two years, the time of the two kings. Then the reign of Hezekiah followed, which continued to the twenty-ninth year: and it may be, that the Prophet served God to the death, or even beyond the death, of Hezekiah. It is probable that the greater part of his Prophecy was written in the days of this king; for a portion of what is contained in the third chapter is referred to in Jeremiah 26:18, 19, as having been delivered “in the days of Hezekiah.”—Ed. We hence see that the number of his years cannot with certainty be known; though it be sufficiently evident that he taught not for a few years, but that he so discharged his office, that for thirty years he was not wearied, but constantly persevered in executing the command of God.

I have said that he was contemporary with Isaiah: but as Isaiah began his office under Uzziah, we conclude that he was older. Why then was Micah joined to him? That the Lord might thus break down the stubbornness of the people. It was indeed enough that one man was sent by God to bear witness to the truth; but it pleased God that a testimony should be borne by the mouth of two, and that holy Isaiah should be assisted by this friend and, as it were, his colleague. And we shall hereafter find that they adopted the very same words; but there was no emulation between them, so that one accused the other of theft, when he repeated what had been said. Nothing was more gratifying to each of them than to receive a testimony from his colleague; and what was committed to them by God they declared not only in the same sense and meaning, but also in the same words, and, as it were, with one mouth.

Of the expression, that the word was sent to him, we have elsewhere reminded you, that it ought not to be understood of private teaching, as when the word of God is addressed to individuals; but the word was given to Micah, that he might be God’s ambassador to us. It means then that he came furnished with commands, as one sustaining the person of God himself; for he brought nothing of his own, but what the Lord commanded him to proclaim. But as I have elsewhere enlarged on this subject, I now only touch on it briefly.

This vision, he says, was given him against two cities Samaria and Jerusalem “He mentions Samaria first,” says Marckius, “not because it was superior to Jerusalem, or more regarded by the Prophet, but because it would be first in undergoing judgment, as it had been first in transgression.” The preposition על is rendered by some, “against,” and not “concerning.” Calvin renders it in his version super, and in his comment, contra — Ed. It is certain that the Prophet was specifically sent to the Jews; and Maresah, from which he arose, as it appears from the inscription, was in the tribe of Judah: for Morasthite was an appellative, derived from the place Maresah. It was a village, according to Eusebius and Jerome, west of Jerusalem, near Eleutheropolis, not far from the borders of the Philistines. See Joshua 15:44; 1 Chronicles 4:21; 2 Chronicles 9:8; 14:10. There is another circumstance, besides that of his birth in the land of Judah, which tends to prove his special mission to the Jews, — he mentions in the first verse only the kings of Judah. — Ed. But it may be asked, why does he say that visions had been given him against Samaria? We have said elsewhere, that though Hosea was specifically and in a peculiar manner destined for the kingdom of Israel, he yet by the way mingled sometimes those things which referred to the tribe or kingdom of Judah: and such was also the case with our Prophet; he had a regard chiefly to his own kindred, for he knew that he was appointed for them; but, at the same time, he overlooked not wholly the other part of the people; for the kingdom of Israel was not so divided from the tribe of Judah that no connection remained: for God was unwilling that his covenant should be abolished by their defection from the kingdom of David. We hence see, that though Micah spent chiefly his labors in behalf of the Jews, he yet did not overlook or entirely neglect the Israelites.

But the title must be restricted to one part of the book; for threatenings only form the discourse here. But we shall find that promises, full of joy, are also introduced. The inscription then does not include all the contents of the book; but as his purpose was to begin with threatenings, and to terrify the Jews by setting before them the punishment that was at hand, this inscription was designedly given. There is, at the same time, no doubt but that the Prophet was ill received by the Jews on this account; for they deemed it a great indignity, and by no means to be endured, to be tied up in the same bundle with the Israelites; for Samaria was an abomination to the kingdom of Judah; and yet the Prophet here makes no difference between Samaria and Jerusalem. This was then an exasperating sentence: but we see how boldly the Prophet performs the office committed to him; for he regarded not what would be agreeable to men, nor endeavored to draw them by smooth things: though his message was disliked, he yet proclaimed it, for he was so commanded, nor could he shake off the yoke of his vocation. Let us now proceed —

Micah 1:2

2. Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

2. Audite populi omnes, ausculta terra et plenitudo ejus, et sit Dominus Jehova vobis (vel, inter vos, vel, contra vos, potius) in testem, et Dominus e palatio (vel, templo) sanctitatis suae.

The Prophet here rises into an elevated style, being not content with a simple and calm manner of speaking. We hence may learn, that having previously tried the disposition of the people, he knew the stubbornness of almost all classes: for except he was persuaded that the people would be rebellious and obstinate, he would certainly have used some mildness, or have at least endeavored to lead them of their own accord rather than to drive them thus violently. There is then no doubt but that the obstinacy of the people and their wickedness were already fully known to him, even before he began to address one word to them. But this difficulty did not prevent him from obeying God’s command. He found it necessary in the meantime to add vehemence to his teaching; for he saw that he addressed the deaf, yea, stupid men, who were destitute of every sense of religion, and who had hardened themselves against God, and had not only fallen away through want of thought, but had also become immersed in their sins, and were wickedly and abominably obstinate in them. Since then the Prophet saw this, he makes here a bold beginning, and addresses not only his own nation, for whom he was appointed a Teacher; but he speaks to the whole world.

For what purpose does he say, Hear, all ye people? שמעו עמים כלם, “Hear, ye peoples, all of them.” Were it not for a similar anomaly as to number in the following line, “Give ear, thou earth, and its fullness,” we might think that כלן is here a mistake for כלכם, as it is evidently the case in 1 Samuel 6:4, and Job 17:10; for in these two places there are several MSS. Which have כלכם, though here there is no variety. Some, to get rid of the difficulty, have suggested that כלם here is to be construed as an adverb, “universally,” regarding it as assuming the same form with חנם, “gratuitously,” and ריקם, “vainly.” But such irregularity is common in Hebrew; there is therefore no need of having recourse to such expedients.

The word עמים, peoples, may be rendered nations: for, notwithstanding the dissent of Drusius, what Horsley says seems to be correct, that עם in the plural number designates the heathen nations, as distinguished from the people of Israel. The verse literally is this, —

Hear, ye nations, — all of them; Give ear, thou earth, — even its fullness; And the Lord Jehovah shall be against you a witness The Lord from the temple of his holiness.

— Ed. It was not certainly his object to proclaim indiscriminately to all the truth of God for the same end: but he summons here all nations as witnesses or judges, that the Jews might understand that their impiety would be made evident to all, except they repented, and that there was no reason for them to hope that they could conceal their baseness, for God would expose their hidden crimes as it were on an open stage. We hence see how emphatical are the words, when the Prophet calls on all nations and would have them to be witnesses of the judgment which God had resolved to bring on his people.

He afterwards adds, Let also the earth give ear and its fullness We may take the earth, by metonymy, for its inhabitants; but as it is added, and its fullness, the Prophet, I doubt not, meant here to address the very earth itself, though it be without reason. He means that so dreadful would be the judgment of God, as to shake created things which are void of sense; and thus he more severely upbraids the Jews with their stupor, that they heedlessly neglected the word of God, which yet would shake all the elements by its power.

He then immediately turns his discourse to the Jews: after having erected God’s tribunal and summoned all the nations, that they might form as it were a circle of a solemn company, he says, There will be for me the Lord Jehovah against you for a witness — the Lord from the temple of his holiness. By saying that God would be as a witness for him, he not only affirms that he was sent by God, but being as it were inflamed with zeal, he appeals here to God, and desires him to be present, that the wickedness and obstinacy of the people might not be unpunished; as though he said, “Let God, whose minister I am, be with me, and punish your impiety; let him prove that he is the author of this doctrine, which I declare from his mouth and by his command; let him not suffer you to escape unpunished, if ye do not repent.”

We now then perceive the meaning of the Prophet, when he says that God would be for him a witness; as though he had said, that there was no room here to trifle; for if the Jews thought to elude God’s judgment they greatly deceived themselves; inasmuch as when he has given a command to his servants to treat with his people, he is at the same time present as a judge, and will not suffer his word to be rejected without immediately undertaking his own cause.

Nor is this addition superfluous, The Lord from the temple of his holiness: for we know how thoughtlessly the Jews were wont to boast that God dwelt in the midst of them. And this presumption so blinded them that they despised all the Prophets; for they thought it unlawful that any thing should be said to their disgrace, because they were the holy people of God, his holy heritage and chosen nation. Inasmuch then as the Lord had adopted them, they falsely boasted of his favors. Since then the Prophet knew that the people insolently gloried in those privileges, with which they had been honored by God, he now declares that God would be the avenger of impiety from his temple; as though he said, Ye boast that God is bound to you, and that he has so bound up his faith to you as to render his name to you a sport: he indeed dwells in his temple; but from thence he will manifest himself as an avenger, as he sees that you are perverse in your wickedness. We hence see that the Prophet beats down that foolish arrogance, by which the Jews were inflated; yea, he turns back on their own heads what they were wont boastingly to bring forward. After having made this introduction, to awaken slumbering men with as much vehemence as he could, he subjoins —

Micah 1:3-4

3. For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

3. Quia ecce Jehova egreditur e loco suo, et descendet, et calcabit super excelsa terrae:

4. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.

4. Et liquefient montes sub eo, et solventur (vel, dehiscent) valles; sicut cera a conspectu ignis, sicut aquae in locum inferiorem actae.

The Prophet pursues the same subject; and he dwells especially on this — that God would be a witness against his people from his sanctuary. He therefore confirms this, when he says that God would come from his place Some interpreters do at the same time take this view — that the temple would hereafter be deprived of God’s presence, and would hence become profane, according to what Ezekiel declares. For as the Jews imagined that God was connected with them as long as the temple stood, and this false imagination proved to them an allurement, as it were, to sin, as on this account they took to themselves greater liberty, — this was the reason why the Prophet Ezekiel declares that God was no longer in the temple; and the Lord had shown to him by a vision that he had left his temple, so that he would no longer dwell there. Some, as I have said, give a similar explanation of this passage; but this sense does not seem to suit the context. I therefore take another view of this sentence — that God would go forth from his place. But yet it is doubted what place the Prophet refers to: for many take it to be heaven, and this seems probable, for immediately after he adds, Descend shall God, and he will tread on the high places of the earth This descent seems indeed to point out a higher place: but as the temple, we know, was situated on a high and elevated spot, on mount Zion, there is nothing inconsistent in saying that God descended from his temple to chastise the whole of Judea as it deserved. Then the going forth of God is by no means ambiguous in its meaning, for he means that God would at length go forth, as it were, in a visible form. With regard then to the place, I am inclined to refer it to the temple; and this clause, I have no doubt, has proceeded from the last verse.

But why is going forth here ascribed to God? Because the Jews had abused the forbearance of God in worshipping him with vain ceremonies in the temple; and at the same time they thought that they had escaped from his hand. As long then as God spared them, they thought that he was, as it were, bound to them, because he dwelt among them. Besides, as the legal and shadowy worship prevailed among them, they imagined that God rested in their temple. But now the Prophet says, “He will go forth: ye have wished hitherto to confine God to the tabernacle, and ye have attempted to pacify him with your frivolous puerilities: but ye shall know that his hand and his power extend much farther: he shall therefore come and show what that majesty is which has been hitherto a derision to you.” For when hypocrites set to sale their ceremonies to God, do they not openly trifle with him, as though he were a child? and do they not thus rob him of his power and authority? Such was the senselessness of that people. The Prophet therefore does not say without reason that God would go forth, that he might prove to the Jews that they were deluded by their own vain imaginations, when they thus took away from God what necessarily belonged to him, and confined him to a corner in Judea and fixed him there, as though he rested and dwelt there like a dead idol.

The particle, Behold, is emphatical: for the Prophet intended here to shake off from the Jews their torpidity, inasmuch as nothing was more difficult to them than to be persuaded and to believe that punishment was nigh at hand, when they flattered themselves that God was propitious to them. Hence that they might no longer cherish this willfulness, he says, Behold, come shall the Lord, forth shall he go from his place Isaiah has a passage like this in an address to the people, Isaiah 26; but the object of it is different; for Isaiah intended to threaten the enemies of the Church and heathen nations: but here Micah denounces war on the chosen people, and shows that God thus dwelt in his temple, that the Jews might perceive that his hand was opposed to them, as they had so shamefully despised him, and, by their false imaginations reduced, as it were, to nothing his power.

He shall tread, he says, on the high places of the earth. By the high places of the earth I do not understand superstitious places, but those well fortified. We know that fortresses were then fixed, for the most part, on elevated situations. The Prophet then intimates, that there would be no place into which God’s vengeance would not penetrate, however well fortified it might be: “No enclosures,” he says, “shall hinder God from penetrating into the inmost parts of your fortresses; he shall tread on the high places of the earth.” At the same time, I doubt not but that he alludes, by this kind of metaphor, to the chief men, who thought themselves exempted from the common lot of mankind; for they excelled so much in power, riches, and authority, that they would not be classed with the common people. The Prophet then intimates, that those, who were become proud through a notion of their own superiority would not be exempt from punishment.

And he afterwards adds, that this going forth of God would be terrible, Melt, he says, shall the mountains under him It hence appears, that the Prophet did not speak in the last verse of the departure of God, as though he was going to forsake his own temple, but that he, on the contrary, described his going forth from the temple, that he might ascend his tribunal and execute punishment on the whole people, and thus, in reality, prove that he would be a judge, because he had been very daringly despised. Hence he says, Melt shall the mountains under him, the valleys shall be rent, or cleave, as wax before the fire, as waters rolling into a lower place These two similes, as observed by Marckius and others, refer not to the same thing, but to the two things previously mentioned,—the wax, to the mountains,—and the waters, to the valleys. This kind of order, in a sentence, is common in Hebrew. The Septuagint presents an instance, not uncommon, of an attempt to reconcile what, from not apprehending the sense, appeared incongruous; for motion is ascribed to the mountains— σαλευθησεται τα ορη, and melting to the valleys—τακησονται, quite contrary to the meaning of the words in Hebrew. Newcome renders the last line thus, —

“As waters poured down a steep place.”

Henderson renders the last word, “a precipice;” and Marckius, declive—”a declivity.” I would give this version of the whole verse, —

For, behold, Jehovah shall go forth from his place; Yea, he shall descend and tread on the high places of the land; And dissolve shall the mountains under him, And the valleys shall burst forth; Like the wax before the fire, Like waters rolling down a declivity.

The verb בקע is applied to express the bursting out of waters from a fountain, of the young when emerging from the egg, and of light dispelling darkness. It is here in Hithpael, and only in one other place, Joshua 9:13; where it means the bursting of wine bottles, made of leather. The word מורד is going down, descent, declivity, καταβασις, Sept. See Joshua 10:11; Jeremiah 48:5

“Do men trust to the height and strength of mountains, as if they were sufficient to bear up their hopes and bear off their fears? They shall be molten under him. — Do they trust to the fruitfulness of the valleys and their products? They shall be cleft, or rent, — and be wasted away as the ground is by the waters that are poured down a steep place.” — Henry. The Prophets do not often describe God in a manner so awful; but this representation is to be referred to the circumstance of this passage, for he sets forth God here as the judge of the people: it was therefore necessary that he should be exhibited as furnished and armed with powers that he might stake such vengeance on the Jews as they deserved. And other similar passages we shall hereafter meet with, and like to those which we found in Hosea. God then is said to melt the mountains, and he is said to strike the valleys with such terror that they cleave under him; in short, he is said so to terrify all elements, that the very mountains, however stony they may be, melt like wax or like waters which flow, — because he could not otherwise produce a real impression on a people so obstinate, and who, as it has been said, so flattered themselves even in their vices.

We may further easily learn what application to make of this truth in our day. We find the Papists boasting of the title Church, and, in a manner, with vain confidence, binding God to themselves, because they have baptism, though they have adulterated it with their superstitions; and then, they think that they have Christ, because they still retain the name of a Church. Had the Lord promised that his dwelling would be at Rome, we yet see how foolish and frivolous would be such boasting: for though the temple was at Jerusalem, yet the Lord went forth thence to punish the sins of the people, yea, even of the chosen people. We further know, that it is folly to bind God now to one place, for it is his will that his name should be celebrated without any difference through the whole world. Wheresoever, then, the voice of the Gospel sounds, God would have us to know that he is present there. What the Papists then proudly boast of — that Christ is joined to them — will turn out to their own condemnation; — why so? Because the Lord will prove that he is the avenger of so impious and shameful a profanation, as they not only presumptuously lay claim to his name, but also tear it in pieces, and contaminate it with their sacrilegious abominations.

Again, since God is said to melt the mountains with his presence, let us hence learn to rouse up all our feelings whenever God comes forth not that we may flee to a distance from him, but that we may reverently receive his word, so that he may afterwards appear to us a kind and reconciled Father. For when we become humble, and the pride and height of our flesh is subdued, he then immediately receives us, as it were, into his gentle bosom, and gives us an easy access to him, yea, he invites us to himself with all possible kindness. That the Lord then may thus kindly receive us, let us learn to fear as soon as he utters his voice: but let not this fear make us to flee away but only humble us, so that we may render true obedience to the word of the Lord. It follows —

Micah 1:5

5. For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?

5. Propter scelus פשע, rendered scelus wickedness, by Calvin, means evidently defectio — defection — apostacy, as rendered by Junius and Tremelius. חטאות, transgressiones — transgressions, rather, sins. Several MSS. And the Septuagint have חטאת, sin; but the plural is more suitable to this place, to correspond with the high places at the end of the verse. It is evident, from the context that Jacob means Samaria or the ten tribes, and that the house, or family of Israel, means what is not usual, the tribe of Judah. (See 2 Chronicles 28:19.) Israel seems here to be taken as a special distinction of God’s people. Judah was still in the name of the true Israel, while the ten tribes were apostates from the faith.

It is better to adopt the future tense in this verse, that it may correspond with the preceding. When the auxiliary verb is supplied, it must ever be regulated as to its tense by the context. Then the first line should be, —

For the defection of Jacob shall all this be.

Or it may be rendered, “shall all these things be,” כל-זאת; for זאת is plural as well as singular; and παντα ταυτα is the rendering of the Septuagint.

Grotius and some others give this version of the four last lines,—

What is the origin of the defection of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? What is the origin of the high places of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?

Who or what is the defection of Jacob? No doubt means, Who is the author, or what is the cause or origin of his defection? It is the same form of expression, as when it is said, that God is our salvation, that is, the author of it. — Ed. Jacob totum hoc, et propter transgressiones domus Israel: quod scelus Jacob? Annon Samaria? Et quae excelsa Jehudah? Annon Jerusalem?

The Prophet teaches, in this verse, that God is not angry for nothing; though when he appears rigid, men expostulate with him, and clamor as though he were cruel. That men may, therefore, acknowledge that God is a just judge, and that he never exceeds moderation in punishments, the Prophet here distinctly states that there was a just cause, why God denounced so dreadful a judgment on his chosen people, — even because not only a part of the people, but the whole body had, through their impiety, fallen away; for by the house of Jacob, and by the house of Israel, he means that impiety had everywhere prevailed, so that no part was untainted. The meaning then is, — that the contagion of sin had spread through all Israel, that no portion of the country was free from iniquity, that no corner of the land could bring an excuse for its defection; the Lord therefore shows that he would be the judge of them all, and would spare neither small nor great.

We now then understand the Prophet’s object in this verse: As he had before taught how dreadful would be God’s vengeance against all the ungodly, so now he mentions their crimes, that they might not complain that they were unjustly treated, or that God employed too much severity. The Prophet then testifies that the punishment, then near at hand, would be just.

He now adds, What is the wickedness of Jacob? The Prophet, no doubt, indirectly reproves here the hypocrisy which ruled dominant among the people. For he asks not for his own satisfaction or in his own person; but, on the contrary, he relates, by way of imitation, (μιμητικῶς, — imitatively) what he knew to be ever on their lips, “Oh! what sort of thing is this sin? Why! thou assumest here a false principle, — that we are wicked men, ungodly and perfidious: thou does us a grievous wrong.” Inasmuch, then, as hypocrites thought themselves pure, having wiped, as it were, their mouths, whenever they eluded reproofs by their sophistries, the Prophet borrows a question, as it were, from their own lips, “Of what kind is this wickedness? Of what sort is that transgression?” As though he said, “I know what ye are wont to do, when any one of the Prophets severely reproves you; ye instantly contend with him, and are ready with your objections: but what do you gain? If you wish to know what your wickedness is, it is Samaria; and where your high places are, they are at Jerusalem.” It is the same as if he had said, “I do not here contend with the common people, but I attack the first men: my contest then is with the princes themselves, who surpass others in dignity, and are, therefore, unwilling to be touched.”

But it sometimes happens that the common people become degenerated, while some integrity remains among the higher orders: but the Prophet shows that the diseases among the people belonged to the principal men; and hence he names the two chief cities, Jerusalem and Samaria, as he had said before, in the first verse, that he proclaimed predictions against these: and yet it is certain, that the punishment was to be in common to the whole people. But as they thought that Jerusalem and Samaria would be safe, though the whole country were destroyed, the Prophet threatens them by name: for, relying first on their strength, they thought themselves unassailable; and then, the eyes of nearly all, we know, were dazzled with empty splendor, powers and dignity: thus the ungodly wholly forget that they are men, and what they owe to God, when elevated in the world. So great an arrogance could not be subdued, except by sharp and severe words, such as the Prophet, as we see, here employs. He then says, that the wickedness of Israel was Samaria; the fountain of all iniquities was the royal city, which yet ought to have ruled the whole land with wisdom and justice: but what any more remains, when kings and their counselors tread under foot all regard for what is just and right, and having cast away every shame, rise up in rebellion against God and men? When therefore kings thus fall from their dignity, an awful ruin must follow.

This is the reason why the Prophet says that the wickedness of Israel was Samaria, that thence arose all iniquities. But we must at the same time bear in mind, that the Prophet speaks not here of gross crimes; but, on the contrary, he directs his reproof against ungodly and perverted forms of worship; and this appears more evident from the second clause, in which he mentions transgressions in connection with the high places. We hence see, that all sins in general are not here reproved, but their vicious modes of worship, by which religion had been polluted among the Jews as well as the Israelites. But it might seem very unjust, that the Prophet should charge with sin those forms of worship in which the Jews laboriously exercised themselves with the object of pacifying God. But we see how God regards as nothing whatever men blend with his worship out of their own heads. And this is our principal contest at this day with the Papists; we call their perverted and spurious modes of worship abominations: they think that what is heavenly is to be blended with what is earthly. We diligently labor, they say, for this end — that God may be worshipped. True; but, at the same time, ye profane his worship by your inventions; and it is therefore an abomination. We now then see how foolish and frivolous are those delusions, when men follow their own wisdom in the duty of worshipping God: for the Prophet here, in the name of God, fulminates, as it were, from heaven against all superstitions, and shows that no sin is more detestable, than that preposterous caprice with which idolaters are inflamed, when they observe such forms of worship as they have themselves invented.

Now with regard to the high places, we must notice, that there was a great difference between the Jews and the Israelites at that time as to idolatry. The Israelites had so fallen, that they were altogether degenerated; nothing could be seen among them that had an affinity to the true and legitimate worship of God: but the Jews had retained some form of religion, they had not thus abandoned themselves; but yet they had a mixture of superstitions; such as one would find, were he to compare the gross Popery of this day with that middle course which those men invent, who seem to themselves to be very wise, fearing, forsooth, as they do, the offenses of the world; and hence they form for us a mixture, I know not what, from the superstitions of the Papacy and from the Reformation, as they call it. Something like this was the mixture at Jerusalem. We however see, that the Prophet pronounces the same sentence against the Jews and the Israelites and that is, that God will allow nothing that proceeds from the inventions of men to be joined to his word. Since then God allows no such mixtures, the Prophet here says that there was no less sin on the high places of Judea, than there was in those filthy abominations which were then dominant among the people of Israel. But the remainder we must defer until to-morrow.

Prayer.

Grant, Almighty God, that, since to a perverse, and in every way a rebellious people, thou didst formerly show so much grace, as to exhort them continually to repentance, and to stretch forth thy hand to them by thy Prophets, — O grant, that the same word may sound in our ears; and when we do not immediately profit by thy teaching, O cast us not away, but, by thy Spirit, so subdue all our thoughts and affections, that we, being humbled, may give glory to thy majesty, such as is due to thee, and that, being allured by thy paternal favor, we may submit ourselves to thee, and, at the same time, embrace that mercy which thou offerest and presentest to us in Christ, that we may not doubt but thou wilt be a Father to us, until we shall at length enjoy that eternal inheritance, which has been obtained for us by the, blood of thine only-begotten Son. Amen.

Lecture Eighty-second

Micah 1:6

6. Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.

6. Et ponam Samariam (hoc est, ideo; enim hic sumitur pro illativa particula; ponam igitur Samariam) in acervum agri, in plantationes vinae; et devolvam in vallem lapides ejus, et fundamenta ejus retegam.

Though Micah intended especially to devote his services to the Jews, as we have said yesterday, he yet, in the first place, passes judgment on Samaria; for it was his purpose afterwards to speak more fully against Jerusalem and the whole of Judea. And this state of the case ought to be borne in mind; for the Prophet does not begin with the Israelites, because he directs his discourse peculiarly to them; but his purpose was briefly to reprove them, and then to address more especially his own people, for it was for this purpose that he was called. Now, as he threatens destruction to Samaria and the whole kingdom of Israel on account of their corrupted forms of worship, we may hence learn how displeasing to God is superstition, and that he regards nothing so much as the true worship of his name. There is no reason here for men to advance this position — that they do not designedly sin; for God shows how he is to be worshipped by us. Whenever, then, we deviate in any thing from the rule which he has prescribed, we manifest, in that particular, our rebellion and obstinacy. Hence the superstitious ever act like fools with regard to God, for they will not submit to his word, so as to be thereby alone made wise.

And he says, I will set Samaria as an heap of the field, that is, such shall be the ruins that they shall differ nothing from the heaps of the fields: for husband men, we know, when they find stones in their fields, throw them into some corner, that they may not be in the way of the slough. Like such heaps then, as are seen in the fields, Samaria would be, according to what God declared. He then says, that the place would be empty, so that vines would be planted there; and, in the third place, that its stones would be scattered through the valley; as when one casts stones where there is a wide plain, they run and roll far and wide; so would be the scattering of Samaria according to what the Prophet says, it was to be like the rolling of stones in a wide field. He adds, in the fourth place, I will uncover her foundations, that is, I will entirely demolish it, so that a stone, as Christ says, may not remain on a stone, (Matthew 24:2.) We now perceive the import of the words; and we also perceive that the reason why the Prophet denounces on Samaria so severe a judgment was, because it had corrupted the legitimate worship of God with its own inventions; for it had devised, as we well know, many idols, so that the whole authority of the law had been abolished among the Israelites. It now follows —

Micah 1:7

7. And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

7. Et omnia sculptilia פסילים, from פסל, to chip or cut with a tool. They were graven or carved images, made of wood, and overlaid with gold or silver.

“The graven image,” says Bishop Horsley, “Was not a thing wrought in metal by the tool of the workman we should now call an engraver; nor was the molten image an image made of metal. In fact, the graven image and the molten image are the same thing under different names. The images of the ancient idolaters were first cut out of wood by the carpenter, as is very evident from the Prophet Isaiah. This figure of wood was overlaid with plates, either of gold or of silver, or, sometimes perhaps, of an inferior metal. And, in this finished state, it was called a graven image, i.e., a carved image, in reference to the inner solid figure of wood, and a molten, i.e., an overlaid or covered image, in reference to the outward metalline case or covering: and sometimes both epithets are applied to it at once, ‘I will cut off the graven and molten image,’ Nahum 1:14.” See also Deuteronomy 7:25; Isaiah 30:22. — Ed. ejus diruentur, et omnes mercedes ejus exurentur igne (alii transferunt, donaria,) et omnia idola ejus ponam in vastitatem; quia e mercede meretricis congregavit, et ad mercedem meretricis revertentur.

The Prophet goes on with the same subject, and says, that the ruin of Samaria was at hand, so that its idols would be broken, and also, that its wealth would be destroyed which she had gathered by illegitimate means, and which she thought to be the reward of her idolatry. But God mentions idols here expressly by his Prophet, in order to confirm what we noticed yesterday — that the cause of vengeance was, because Samaria had abandoned itself to ungodly forms of worship, and had departed from the Law. That the Israelites might then understand the cause for which God would so severely punish them, the Prophet here makes express mention of their graven images and idols. God is not indeed angry with stones and wood; but he observes the abuse and the perversion of them, when men pollute themselves by wickedly worshipping such things. This is the reason why God says here that the graven images of Samaria would be broken in pieces, and that its idols would be destroyed.

With regard to the wages, the Prophet no doubt designed to stamp with disgrace all the wealth of Samaria. אתנן, atanen, is properly a gift or a present. But as he twice repeats it, and says, that what Samaria possessed was the reward of an harlot, and then, that it would return to the reward of an harlot, he, in the first place, I have no doubt, upbraids the Israelites, because they, after the manner of harlots and strumpets, had heaped together their great riches: and this was done by Jeroboam, who constructed a new form of worship, in order to secure his own kingdom. The Israelites then began to flourish; and we also know how wealthy that kingdom became, and how proud they were on account of their riches. As, then, the Israelites despised the kingdom of Judah, and thought themselves in every way happy, and as they ascribed all this, as we have seen in Hosea, to their superstitions, Micah speaks here according to their view of things, when he says, Idolatry has been gainful to you, this splendor dazzles your eyes; but your rewards I have already doomed to the burning: they shall then be burnt, and thus perish. Hosea also, as we have seen, made use of the same comparison, — that the children of Israel felicitated themselves in their impiety, like a harlot, who, while she gains many presents from those who admire her beauty, seems not conscious of her turpitude and baseness: such were the Israelites. The Prophets therefore does not say, without reason, Behold, your rewards, by burning, shall perish, or, be consumed with fire. Why so? Because ye have gathered them, he says, from the reward of an harlot, and all this shall return to the reward of an harlot.

This last clause ought to be restricted to the gifts or wealth of Samaria; for it cannot properly be applied to idols or graven images. The import of the whole then is that God would be the avenger of idolatry with regard to the city of Samaria and the whole kingdom of Israel. Besides, as the Israelites boasted that their ungodly forms of worship turned out to their happiness and prosperity, God declares that the whole of this success would be evanescent, like that of the harlot, who amasses great wealth, which soon vanishes away: and we see that thus it commonly happens.

Some explain the passage thus, — that the gifts, with which the Israelites adorned their temples, would return to be the reward of an harlot, that is, would he transferred to Chaldea, and that the Babylonians would, in their turn, adorn with them their idols. But this view is not suitable to the place; for the Prophet does not say that what Samaria had gathered would be a prey or a spoil to enemies but that it would perish by fire. The view given above is the one embraced by Henderson; but the reason given here is improbable. Newcome mentions the above, and also the following, “She imputed her wealth to her spiritual idolatry, and her conquerors shall distribute it as the reward of harlots in the literal sense.” But inasmuch as it is said, that her rewards would be burnt, it is more consistent to take the last clause as a proverbial expression, signifying the destruction of all the wealth that was ascribed to idolatry as its source.

“It is common,” says Henry, “that what is squeezed out by one lust, is squandered away by another.” — Ed. He speaks therefore, proverbially when he says that the produce, from the reward of an harlot, would return to be the reward of an harlot, that is, that it would become nothing; for the Lord sets a curse on such riches as strumpets gain by their baseness, while they prostitute themselves. Since, then, the whole of such wealth is under the curse of God, it must necessarily soon pass away like smoke: and this, in my view, is the real meaning of the Prophet. It now follows —

Micah 1:8-9

8. Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.

8. Super hoc plangam et ululabo; incedam spoliatus et nudus; faciam planctum tanquam draconum, et luctum tanquam filiarum struthionis: All the verbs in this verse are in the Septuagint in the third person, κοψεται—”she will mourn,” etc. The whole is applied to Samaria. The Hebrew will admit of this sense, if the verbs be considered to be, as they may be, in Hiphil, the omission of the ו is not uncommon. Then the rendering of the two verses will be the following:—

8. I will therefore make her to moan and howl, I will cause her to go stripped and naked; I will make her to moan like the whales, And to wail like the ostriches:

9. For grievous will be her stroke; Yea it will come even to Judah, Reaching to the gate of my people—to Jerusalem.

תגים, rendered “dragons” in our common version, and by Calvin, and by many others, is rendered “foxes” by Newcome, “wolves” by Henderson, but by Bochart, “whales,” or those species called “dolphins;” and Professor Lee, in his Notes on Job 41:1, seems to be of the same opinion. The mournful groans of the dolphins, when taken, are said to be extremely distressing; their doleful moanings, too, in the night, when at liberty, have been testified by historians. — בכית יענה, “owls” in our version, is rendered both by Calvin and Newcome, “daughters of the ostrich,” and by Henderson, “ostriches.” The Septuagint has θυγατερων σειρηνων — “the daughters of sea-monsters:” στρουθοκαμηλων — “camel-sparrows — ostriches,” is the rendering of Aquila and Symmachus. The literal expression is, “the daughters of the ostrich,” meaning evidently the females. Dr. Shaw, as quoted by Newcome, says, “During the lonesome part of the night, they often make a very doleful and hideous noise. I have often heard them groan, as if they were in the greatest of agonies; an action beautifully alluded to by the Prophet Micah.” — Ed.

9. For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

9. Quia acerbae sunt plagae ejus (est mutatio numeri;) quia venit usque ad Jehudam; accessit ad portam populi mei, ad Jerusalem.

The Prophet here assumes the character of a mourner, that he might more deeply impress the Israelites; for we have seen that they were almost insensible in their torpidity. It was therefore necessary that they should be brought to view the scene itself, that, seeing their destruction before their eyes they might be touched both with grief and fear. Lamentations of this kind are everywhere to be met with in the Prophets, and they ought to be carefully noticed; for we hence gather how great was the torpor of men, inasmuch as it was necessary to awaken them, by this form of speech, in order to convince them that they had to do with God: they would have otherwise continued to flatter themselves with delusions. Though indeed the Prophet here addresses the Israelites, we ought yet to apply this to ourselves; for we are not much unlike the ancient people: for however God may terrify us with dreadful threatening, we still remain quiet in our filth. It is therefore needful that we should be severely treated, for we are almost void of feeling.

But the Prophets sometimes assumed mourning, and sometimes they were touched with real grief: for when they spoke of aliens and also of the enemies of the Church, they introduce these lamentations. When a mention is made of Babylon or of Egypt, they sometimes say, Behold, I will mourn, and my bowels shall be as a timbrel. The Prophets did not then really grieve; but, as I have said, they transferred to themselves the sorrows of others, and ever with this object, that they might persuade men that God’s threatenings were not vain, and that God did not trifle with men when he declared that he was angry with them. But when the discourse was respecting the Church and the faithful, then the Prophets did not put on grief. The representation here is then to be taken in such a way as that we may understand that the Prophet was in real mourning, when he saw that a dreadful ruin was impending over the whole kingdom of Israel. For though they had perfidiously departed from the Law, they were yet a part of the holy race, they were the children of Abraham, whom God had received into favor. The Prophet, therefore, could not refrain from mourning unfeignedly for them. And the Prophet does here these two things, — he shows the fraternal love which he entertained for the children of Israel, as they were his kindred, and a part of the chosen people, — and he also discharges his own duty; for this lamentation was, as it were, the mirror in which he sets before them the vengeance of God towards men so extremely torpid. He therefore exhibits to them this representation, that they might perceive that God was by no means trifling with men, when he thus denounced punishment on the wicked and such as were apostates.

Moreover, he speaks not of a common lamentation, but says, I will wail and howl, and then, I will go spoiled The word אנושה, shulal, some take as meaning one out of his mind or insane, as though he said, “I shall be now as one not possessed of a sound mind.” But as this metaphor is rather unnatural, I prefer the sense of being spoiled; for it was the custom with mourners, as it is well known, to tear and to throw away their garments from them. I will then go spoiled and naked; and also, I will make wailing, not like that of men, but like the wailing of dragons: I will mourn, he says, as the ostriches are wont to do. In short, the Prophet by these forms of speech intimates, that the coming evil would by no means be of an ordinary kind: for if he adopted the usual manner of men, he could not have set forth the dreadfulness of God’s vengeance that was impending.

He afterwards subjoins, that the wounds vault be grievous; but he speaks as of what was present, Grievous, he says, are the wounds Grievous means properly full of grief; others render it desperate or incurable, but it is a meaning which suits not this place; for אנושה, anushe, means what we express in French by douloureuse. The wounds, then, are full of grief: for it came, (something is understood; it may suitably be referred to the enemy, or, what is more approved, to the slaughter) — It came then, that is, the slaughter, Or rather the stroke before mentioned; for the true reading is no doubt מכתה, her wound or her stroke, in the singular. Though there are but two MSS. which have this reading, yet the previous participle noun, אנושה, being singular, and the following verbs or participles being in the same number, favor this supposition. The corresponding word in the Septuagint is also in the singular number — ἡ πληγη ἀυτης, her stroke, stripe or scourge. — Ed. to Judah; it has reached to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem itself. He says first, to Judah, speaking of the land; and then he confines it to the cities; for when the gates are closed up against enemies, they are forced to stop. But the Prophet says, that the cities would be no hindrance to the enemies to approach the very gates and even the chief city of Judah, that is, Jerusalem; and this, we know, was fulfilled. It is the same then as though he said that the whole kingdom of Israel would be so laid waste, that their enemies would not he content with victory, but would proceed farther and besiege the holy city: and this Sennacherib did. For after having subverted the kingdom of Israel, as though it was not enough to draw the ten tribes into exile, he resolved to take possession of the kingdom of Judah; and Jerusalem, as Isaiah says, was left as a tent. We hence see that the threatening of the Prophet Micah were not in vain. It now follows —

Micah 1:10

10. Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.

10. In Gath ne annuntietis, flendo ne fleatis; Henderson renders this clause, “weep not in Acco,” and mentions Gesenius and others, who consider that בכי is put here for בעכו, and Ocu or Acco was a town in the tribe of Asher; see Judges 1:31. The Septuagint favors this rendering, at least in one copy, for it has εν ακείμ, though in Judges the name is Ακχω. — Ed. propter domum Aphrah pulvere te involve (vel, voluta te in pulvere.)

The Prophet seems here to be inconsistent with himself: for he first describes the calamity that was to be evident to all; but now he commands silence, lest the report should reach the enemies. But there is here nothing contradictory; for the evil itself could not be hid, since the whole kingdom of Israel would be desolated, the cities demolished or burnt, the whole country spoiled and laid waste, and then the enemies would enter the borders of Judah: and when Jerusalem should have been nearly taken how could it have been concealed? No, this could not have been. There is no wonder then that the Prophet had referred here to a solemn mourning. But he now speaks of the feeling of those who were desirous of hiding their own disgrace, especially from their enemies and aliens: for it is an indignity which greatly vexes us, when enemies taunt us, and upbraid us in our misfortunes; when no hope remains, we at least wish to perish in secret, so that no reproach and disgrace should accompany our death; for dishonor is often harder to be borne, and wounds us more grievously, than any other evil. The Prophet then means that the Israelites would not only be miserable, but would also be subject to the reproaches and taunts of their enemies. We indeed know that the Philistine were inveterate in their hatred to the people of God; and we know that they ever took occasion to upbraid them with their evils and calamities.

This then is the meaning of the Prophet, when he says, In Gath declare it not, by weeping weep not; as though he said, “Though extreme evils shall come upon you, yet seek to perish in silence; for you will find that your enemies will gape for the opportunity to cut you with their taunts, when they shall see you thus miserable. He then forbids the people’s calamities to be told in Gath; for the Philistine usually desired nothing more than the opportunity to torment the people of God with reproaches.

It now follows, In the house of Aphrah, in dust roll thyself There is here an alliteration which cannot be conveyed in Latin: for עפרה, ophre, means dusty, and עפר, opher, is dust. That city attained its name from its situation, because the country where it was, was full of dust; as if a city were called Lutosa, muddy or full of clay; and indeed many think that Lutetia (Paris) had hence derived its name. And he says, Roll thyself in dust, in the house full of dust; as though he had said that the name would be now most suitable, for the ruin of the city would constrain all neighboring cities to be in mourning to cast themselves in the dust; So great would be the extremity of their evils.

But we must ever bear in mind the object of the Prophet: for he here rouses the Israelites as it were with the sharpest goads, who entertained no just idea of the dreadfulness of God’s vengeance, but were ever deaf to all threatening. The Prophet then shows that the execution of this vengeance which he denounced was ready at hand; and he himself not only mourned, but called others also to mourning. He speaks of the whole country, as we shall see by what follows. I shall quickly run over the whole of this chapter; for there is no need of long explanation, as you will find.

Micah 1:11

11. Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing.

11. Transi pariter (ad verbum, transi vobis עברי לכם, pass over or migrate, as to you. One MS. Has לך, as to thee; but the anomaly of number is common through all the Prophets. “The inhabitant” here is a poetical noun of number, including the whole people. What usage has thus sanctioned in one language, cannot at all times be retained in another. We must in the present instance make “Inhabitant” in our language plural, or לכם, “as to you, or yea, you,” singular. The latter is the best mode. Then as to the peculiar form of לכס or לך after an imperative, we have similar instances; see Genesis 12:1; Jeremiah 5:5; Hosea 7:12. It is an emphatic mode of speaking. The sentence here may be thus expressed, “Pass thou over, yea, thou, O inhabitant of Saphir.” Amaziah said to Amos, ברח לך, “Flee, yea, thou,” etc. Or to give to ל its most usual meaning, we may suppose “I say” to be understood; then it would be, “Flee, I say, to thee.” — Ed. habitatrix Saphir, nuda probrose; non egredietur habitatrix Zaanan in luctu Beth-Aezel, sumet a vobis stationem suam (alii vertunt, substantiam; sed male, meo judicio.)

The Prophet here addresses the cities which were on the borders of the kingdom of Israel, and through which the enemy would pass in entering the kingdom of Judah. He therefore bids the inhabitants of the city Saphir to pass over, and says, that the city would be ashamed or in a shameful manner naked. The word שפיר, shaphir, means splendid. He then says, “Thou art now beautiful, but the Lord will discover thy shame, so that thy nakedness shall be a shame to all, and the greatest disgrace to thyself.” There is a correspondence in the words, though not an alliteration. Hence the Prophet says, that though the city was called splendid, it would yet be deformed, so that no one would deign to look on it, at least without feeling shame. There is the same correspondence in the word Zaanan; for צעה, tsoe, means to transfer, as צען, tson, is to migrate. Hence the Prophet says, Go forth shall not the inhabitant of Zaanan for the mourning of Beth-Aezel; that is, he will remain quiet at home: this he will do contrary to what will be natural; for whence is the name of the city? even from removing, for it was a place of much traffic. But he will remain, he says, at home: though he may see his neighbors dragged into exile, he will not dare to move from his place.

He now adds, Take will the enemy from you his station. The verb עמד, omad, means to stand; nor is there a doubt but that when the Prophet says, He will take from you his standing, he speaks of the standing or station of the enemy: but interpreters however vary here. Some understand, that when the enemy had continued long in the land, they would not depart before they possessed the supreme power; as though he said, “Ye will think that your enemy can be wearied out with delay and tediousness, when not able soon to conquer your cities: this, he says, will not be the case; for he will resolutely persevere, and his expectation will not disappoint him; for he will receive the reward of his station, that is, of his delay.” But some say, He will receive his station from you. They explain the verb לקח, lakech, metaphorically, as meaning to receive instruction from hand to hand; as though the Prophet had said, Some, that is, your neighbors, will learn their own position from you. What does this mean? Zaanan will not go forth on account of the mourning of its neighboring city Aezel: others will afterwards follow this example. How so? For Zaanan will be, as it were, the teacher to other cities; as it will not dare to show any sign of grief for its neighbors, being not able to succor them; so also, when it shall be taken in its turn into exile, that is, its citizens and inhabitants, its neighbors will remain quiet, as though the condition of the miserable city was no object of their care. They shall then learn from you their standing; that is, Ye will remain quiet and still, when your neighbors will be destroyed; the same thing will afterwards happen to you. But as this bears but little on the main subjects we may take either of these views. This verse is variously rendered; by Newcome thus,—

Pass on, thou inhabitress of Saphir, naked and in confusion. The inhabitants of Zanan went not forth to wailing. O Beth-Ezel, he shall receive of you the reward of his station against you.

By Henderson thus,—

Pass on, thou inhabitant of Shaphir, naked and ashamed; The inhabitant of Zanan goeth not forth; The wailing of Beth-Ezel will take away continuance from you.

It seems more consistent to take all the verbs in this and the preceding verse as imperatives, though they be not in the same person. Those in the second are evidently so; and I would render such as are in the third person as imperatives too. That Saphir, Zaanan, etc, as well as those which follow, are not appellatives, but proper names of places within or on the borders of Judah, is what is allowed by most, though not by all, especially by some of the ancient commentators, at least with regard to some of the names. I offer the following version of the tenth and eleventh verses, —

10. In Gath declare ye it not, in Acco weep not; In Beth-Ophrah, roll thyself in dust:

11. Pass thou over, yea, thou, O inhabitant of Saphir, Naked and in shame; Let not the inhabitant of Zaanan go forth wailing; Let Beth-Azel take from you its position; that is, follow your example.

The last word, עמדתו, presents the greatest difficulty. It is found here alone in this form. It occurs as עמד, a pillar, a station, עמוד, a stand, stage, and as מעמד, a standing, and also a state, Isaiah 22:19 Buxtorf gives the same meaning to the last with the one in the text, constitutio, constitution, a fixed order of things. The verb עמד signifies to stand, to stand erect, to remain the same, either in motion or at rest, to continue. Hence it may rightly signify a position, a standing, that is taken and maintained. It afterwards follows —

Micah 1:12

12. For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.

12. Quia doluit propter bonum (alii, expectavit ad bonum; alii, infirmata est) habitatrix Maroth; quia descendit malum a Jehova ad portam Jerusalem.

The Prophet joins here another city even Maroth, and others also in the following verses. But in this verse he says, that Maroth would be in sorrow for a lost good. The verb חול, chul, means to grieve; and it has this sense here; for the Marothites, that is, the inhabitants of that city, would have to grieve for losing their property and their former happy condition. But as the verb means also to expect, some approve of a different exposition, that is, — that the inhabitants of the city Maroth would in vain depend on an empty and fallacious expectation, for they were doomed to utter destruction. In vain then will the inhabitant of Maroth expect or entertain hope; for an evil descends from Jehovah to the gate of the city. This view is very suitable, that is, that its hope will disappoint Maroth, since even the city of Jerusalem shall not be exempted. For though God had then by a miracle delivered the chief city, and its siege was raised through the intervention of an angel, when a dreadful slaughter, as sacred history records, took place; yet the city Maroth was not then able to escape vengeance. We now see the reason why this circumstance was added. Some give a harsher explanation, — that the citizens of Maroth were to be debilitated, or, as it were, demented. As this metaphor is too strained, I embrace the other, — that the citizens of Maroth would grieve for the loss of good, Grieving is the idea commonly given to the verb here used. “Dolebit, will grieve,” Grotius, — “Parturit, travails,” Marckius,—”Pineth,” Henderson. Newcome, following the mere conjecture of Houbigant changes the original, and substitutes למות for לטוב, and gives this version, — “is sick unto death.” Not only is this wholly unwarranted, but it destroys the evident contrast there is in the verse — the good and the evil. — Ed. or that they would vainly expect or hope, since they were already doomed to utter ruin, without any hope of deliverance.

But we must notice, that evil was nigh at hand from Jehovah, for he reminds them, that though the whole country would be desolated by the Assyrians, yet God would be the chief leader, since he would employ the work of all those who would afflict the people of Israel. That the Jews then, as well as the Israelites might know, that they had to do, not with men only, but also with God, the celestial Judge, the Prophet distinctly expresses that all this would proceed from Jehovah. He afterwards adds —

Micah 1:13

13. O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.

13. Alliga currum ad camelum (vel, dromedarium; alii vertunt, equos celeres) habitatrix Lachis: principium sceleris ipsa est filiae Zion; quia in te inventae sunt transgressiones Israel.

By bidding the citizens of Lachish to tie their chariots to dromedaries he intimates that it would not be not safe for them to remain in their city, and that nothing would be better for them than to flee elsewhere and to carry away their substance. “Think,” he says, “of flight, and of the quickest flight.” The word רכש, recash, which I render dromedary or camel, is of an uncertain meaning among the Hebrews; some render it swift horses: but we understand the Prophet’s meaning; for he intimates that there would be no time for flight, except they made great haste, for the enemies would come upon them quickly.

And he then subjoins that that city had been the beginning of sin to the Jews; for though he names here the daughter of Zion, he still includes, by taking a part for it the whole, all the Jews. And why he says that Lachish had been the beginning of sin to the citizens of Jerusalem, we may collect from the next clauses, In thee, he says, were found the transgressions of Israel. The citizens of Lachish were then, no doubt, the first who had embraced the corruptions of Jeroboam, and had thus departed from the pure worship of God. When, therefore, contagion had entered that city, it crept, by degrees, into neighboring places, until at length, as we find, the whole kingdom of Judah had become corrupt: and this is what the Prophet repeats more fully in other places. It was not then without reason that he denounces desolation here on the citizens of Lachish; for they had been the authors of sin to their own kindred. However alienated the ten tribes had become from pure faith and pure worship, the kingdom of Judah remained still upright, until Lachish opened the door to ungodly superstitions; and then its superstitions spread through the whole of Judea. She therefore suffered the punishment which she deserved, when she was drawn away into distant exile, or, at least, when she could not otherwise escape from danger, than by fleeing into some fear country, and that very swiftly. She is the beginning, he says, of sin to the daughter of Zion How so? For in thee — (it is more emphatical when the Prophet turns his discourse to Lachish itself) — in thee, he says, were found the transgressions of Israel. It follows —

Micah 1:14

14. Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

14. Propterea mittes dona super Moreseth (vel, propter Moreseth-) Gath, filiis Achzib in mendacium regibus Israel.

Here the Prophet alludes to another thing, — that they would attempt to pacify their enemies with gifts, and would try to redeem themselves and their neighbors. But the Prophet expressly mentions this, that the event might teach them that nothing happens without a design; for it ought to work a greater conviction in blind and obstinate men, when they see that they really find that to be true which had been long before predicted. This, then, is the reason why the Prophet enumerates here various particulars; it was, that the hand of God might be more evident and conspicuous when he would begin, in an especial manner, to fulfill all the things which he now in words foretells, Thou, he says, wilt send a gift for Moreseth-gath; that is, for a neighboring city. And he calls it Moreseth-gath, to distinguish it from another city of the same name. Thou wilt then send gifts for Moreseth-gath, to the sons of Achzib for a lie אכזיב, aczib, is a word derived from one which means a lie. There is, therefore, a striking alliteration, when he says, Thou wilt send gifts to the sons of אכזיב, Aczib, for a lie, לאכזב, laaczeb; that is Thou wilt send gifts to the sons of a lie, for a lie. The city had obtained its name from its fallacies or guiles. And he says, for a lie to the kings of Israel; because it profited the children of Israel nothing to pacify them with gifts or to attempt to draw them to their side, as they hired the services of one another. So then he says, that they would be for a lie to the kings of Israel, for they would gain nothing by having many auxiliaries. Some take the words actively, — that the kings of Israel had first deceived the citizens of Achzib: but this view is less probable; I am therefore disposed to adopt the other, — that though the citizens of Lachish tried to conciliate their neighbors with a great sum of money, especially the people of Achzib, this would be yet to no purpose; for it would be a lie to the people of Israel: or, it may be, that the Prophet’s meaning is this, — that the citizens of Achzib had already wished to bring aid, but in vain to the kings of Israel; for Lachish was one of the first cities which the Assyrians conquered; but it was within the kingdom of Judah, or on its borders. It is then probable that the kings of Israel had recourse to the aid of this people, and were not assisted. Now, as the citizens of Lachish also endeavored to extricate themselves from the hand of their enemies by such aid, the prophet derides such a folly, inasmuch as they did not become wise by experience, having seen with their own eyes, that such an help had been useless and deceptive to the kings of Israel: they ought then to have tried some other means rather than to expose themselves to the same deceptions. The two lines of this verse are improperly connected, and the word “sons” is substituted for “houses,” בתי, and there are no various readings, and the Septuagint has “houses.” The literal rendering is this, —

Therefore thou wilt send presents to Moresheth-gath: The houses of Achzib will be a lie (i.e., false) to the kings of Israel.

Henderson, after Cocceius, gives a different meaning to “presents,” שלוחים; and he renders it “divorce,” and says that it signifies letters of repudiation, and that it is to be taken here metaphorically for the breaking up of connection. The word only occurs in two other places, that is, in Exodus 18:2, and in 1 Kings 9:16; and in neither does it mean what is alleged. — Ed. I cannot finish the chapter to-day.

Prayer.

Grant, Almighty God, that, being warned by so many examples, the record of which thou hast designed to continue to the end of the world, that we may learn how dreadful a judge thou art to the perverse, — O grant, that we may not, at this day, be deaf to thy teaching, which is conveyed to us by the mouth of thy Prophet, but that we may strive to be so reconciled to thee, that, passing by all men, we may present ourselves unreservedly to thee, so that, relying on thy mercy alone which thou hast promised to us in Christ, we may not doubt but thou wilt be propitious to us, and be so touched with the spirit of true penitence, that, if we have been to others a bad example and an offense, we may lead others to the right way of salvation, and each of us may so endeavor to assist our neighbors in a holy life, that we may together attain that blessed and celestial life, which thine only-begotten Son has procured for us by his own blood. Amen.

Lecture Eighty-third

Micah 1:15

15. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.

15. Adhuc possessorem mittam, אבי, there is א left out, which is supplied in several MSS. It ought to be אביא which means, I will bring, rather than, I will send. tibi habitatrix Maresah; usque ad Adullam veniet gloria Israel.

The Prophet here threatens his own birth place, as he had done other cities; for, as we have stated, he sprung from this city. He does not now spare his own kindred: for as God is no respecter of persons, so also God’s servants ought, as with closed eyes, to deal impartially with all, so as not to be turned here and there either by favor or by hatred, but to follows without any change, whatever the Lord commands them. We see that Micah was endued with this spirit, for he reproved his own kindred, as he had hitherto reproved others.

There is a peculiar meaning in the word, Mareshah, for it is derived from ירש, iresh, and it means possession. The Prophet now says, I will send to thee הורש, euresh, a possessor; the word is from the same root. The instances of paranomasia or alliteration in this passage, including this line and the five preceding verses, are unparalleled in any other parts of the Prophets; and when there is no coincidence of sound in the words, there is sometimes a direct contrast in the ideas, as good and evil in verse12. — Ed. But he means that the Morasthites would come into the power of their enemies no less than their neighbors, of whom he had spoken before. He says, to Adullam This was also a city in the tribe of Judah, as it is well known. But some would have “enemy” to be here understood and they put כבוד, cabud, in the genitive case: The enemy of the glory of Israel shall come to Adullam; but this is strained. Others understand the passage thus that the glory of Israel would come to disgrace; for Adullam, we know, was a cave. Since then it an obscure place, the Prophet here, as they think, declares that the whole glory of Israel would be covered with dishonor, because the dignity and wealth, in which they gloried would lose their pristine fixate, so that they would differ nothing from an ignoble cave. If any approve of this meaning, I will not oppose them. Yet others think that the Prophet speaks ironically and that the Assyrian is thus called because the whole glory and dignity of Israel would by him be taken away. But there is no need of confining this to enemies; we may then take a simpler view, and yet regard the expression as ironical, — that the glory, that is, the disgrace or the devastation of Israel, would come to Adullam. But what if we read it, in apposition, He shall come to Adullam, the glory of Israel? For Adullam was not obscure, as those interpreters imagine, whom I have mentioned, but it is named among the most celebrated cities after the return and restoration of the people. When, therefore, the whole country was laid waste, this city, with a few others, remained, as we read in the Nehemiah 11. It might then be, that the Prophet called Adullam the glory of Israel; for it was situated in a safe place, and the inhabitants thought that they were fortified by a strong defense, and thus were not open to the violence of enemies. This meaning also may be probable; but still, as the glory of Israel may be taken ironically for calamity or reproach if any one approves more of this interpretation, it may be followed. I am, however, inclined to another, — that the Prophet say, that the enemy would come to Adullam, which was the glory of Israel, Of all the various renderings of this clause, this is the most satisfactory, which is that of our own version. The substitution of “honor” for “glory,” on the mere authority of the Targum, as is done by Newcome, is wholly indefensible.

Εως Οδαλαμ ἤξει την δοξην Ισραηλ, Symmachus. At the same time, the most obvious and natural construction of the clause is the following, though its meaning is obscure; To Adullam shall come the glory of Israel. — Ed. because that city was as it were in the recesses of Judea, so that an access to it by enemies was difficult. It may be also that some may think, that the recollection of its ancient history is here revived; for David concealed himself in its cave, and had it as his fortress. The place no doubt had, from that time, attained some fame; then this celebrity, as I have said, may be alluded to, when Adullam is said to be the glory of Israel. It follows —

Micah 1:16

16. Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

16. Decalvare et tondeas te super filiis delitiarum tuarum; dilata calvitium sicut aquila, quoniam migrarunt abs te.

The Prophet at length concludes that nothing remained for the people but lamentation; for the Lord had resolved to desolate and destroy the whole country. Now they were wont in mourning, as we have seen in other places, to shave and even tear off their hair: and some think that the verb קרחי, korechi, implies as much as though the Prophet said “Pluck, tear, pull off your hair.” When afterwards he adds רגזי, regizi, they refer it to shavings which is done by a razor. However this may be, the Prophet here means that the condition of the people would be so calamitous that nothing would be seen anywhere but mourning.

Make bald, he says, for the children of thy delicacies Or, “children of thy indulgences or luxuries,” i.e., luxurious children, rather than “darling children,” as rendered by Henderson. The Septuagint has τα τεκνα τα τρυφερα σου —”thy voluptuous children.” The version of Newcome is, “thy delicate children.” What seems to be intended is, their indulgence in pleasures and luxuries. — Ed. The Prophet here indirectly upbraids those perverse men, who after so many warnings had not repented, with the neglect of God’s forbearance: for whence did those delicacies proceed, except from the extreme kindness of God in long sparing the Israelites, notwithstanding their disobedience? The Prophet then shows here that they had very long abused the patience of God, while they each immersed themselves in their delicacies. Now, he says, Enlarge thy baldness as the eagle Eagles are wont to cast off their feathers; and hence he compares here bald men to eagles, as though he called them, Hairless. As then the eagles are for a certain time without feathers until they recover them; so also you shall be hairless, even on account of your mourning. He says, For they have migrated from thee He intimates that the Israelites would become exiles, that the land might remain desolate. Now follows —

Chapter 2

Micah 2:1

1. Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.

1. Vae cogitantibus iniquitatem et fabricantibus malitiam super cubilibus suis! Quum illuxerit mane, exequentur eam, quia est ad potentiam manus ipsorum.

INTRODUCTION

Micah was a native of Moresheth, not the same as Mareshah in Mi 1:15, but the town called Moresheth-gath (Mi 1:14), which lay near Eleutheropolis, west of Jerusalem, on the border of the Philistine country; so called to distinguish it from Moresheth of Judah. His full name is Micaiah (not the Micaiah mentioned 1Ki 22:8, the son of Imlah), signifying, Who is like Jehovah? The time of his prophesying is stated in the introduction to be in the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, that is, between 757 and 699 B.C. Jeremiah (Jr 26:18) quotes Mi 3:12, as delivered in the reign of Hezekiah. He was thus a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea. The idolatries practised in the reign of Ahaz accord with Micah's denunciations of such gross evils, and confirm the truth of the time assigned Mi 1:1. His prophecies are partly against Israel (Samaria), partly against Judah. As Samaria, Israel's metropolis, was taken first, and Jerusalem, the capital of Judah subsequently, in the introductory heading, Mi 1:1, Samaria is put first, then Jerusalem. He prophesies the capture of both; the Jews' captivity and restoration; and the coming and reign of Messiah. His style is full, round, and perspicuous; his diction pure, and his parallelisms regular. His description of Jehovah (Mi 7:18, 19) is not surpassed by any elsewhere in Scripture. The similarity between Isaiah and Micah in some passages (compare Mi 4:1-3, with Is 2:2-4) is to be accounted for by their being contemporaries, acquainted with each other's inspired writings, and having the same subjects for their theme. Hengstenberg maintains that the passage in Micah is the original. Isaiah was somewhat the older, being a prophet in the reign of Uzziah, Jotham's predecessor, whereas Micah began his prophecies under Jotham.

The book consists of two parts: (1) the first through fifth chapters; (2) the sixth and seventh chapters, a dialogue or contestation between Jehovah and His people, in which He reproaches them with their unnatural and ungrateful conduct, and threatens judgment for their corruptions, but consoles them with the promise of restoration from captivity.

Micah stands sixth of the minor prophets in the Hebrew canon, but third in the Septuagint.

CHAPTER 1

Mi 1:1-16. God's Wrath against Samaria and Judah; the Former Is to Be Overthrown; Such Judgments in Prospect Call for Mourning.

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2. all that therein is--Hebrew, "whatever fills it." Micaiah, son of Imlah, our prophet's namesake, begins his prophecy similarly, "Hearken, O people, every one of you." Micah designedly uses the same preface, implying that his ministrations are a continuation of his predecessor's of the same name. Both probably had before their mind Moses' similar attestation of heaven and earth in a like case (De 31:28; 32:1; compare Is 1:2).

God be witness against you--namely, that none of you can say, when the time of your punishment shall come, that you were not forewarned. The punishment denounced is stated in Mi 1:3, &c.

from his holy temple--that is, heaven (1Ki 8:30; Psa 11:4; Jon 2:7; compare Ro 1:18).

3. tread upon the high places of the earth--He shall destroy the fortified heights (compare De 32:13; 33:29) [Grotius].

4. Imagery from earthquakes and volcanic agency, to describe the terrors which attend Jehovah's coming in judgment (compare Jud 5:5). Neither men of high degree, as the mountains, nor men of low degree, as the valleys, can secure themselves or their land from the judgments of God.

as wax--(Psa 97:5; compare Is 64:1-3). The third clause, "as wax," &c., answers to the first in the parallelism, "the mountains shall be molten"; the fourth, "as the waters," &c., to the second, "the valleys shall be cleft." As wax melts by fire, so the mountains before God, at His approach; and as waters poured down a steep cannot stand but are diffused abroad, so the valleys shall be cleft before Jehovah.

5. For the transgression of Jacob is all this--All these terrors attending Jehovah's coming are caused by the sins of Jacob or Israel, that is, the whole people.

What is the transgression of Jacob?--Taking up the question often in the mouths of the people when reproved, "What is our transgression?" (compare Mal 1:6, 7), He answers, Is it not Samaria? Is not that city (the seat of the calf-worship) the cause of Jacob's apostasy (1Ki 14:16; 15:26, 34; 16:13, 19, 25, 30)?

and what are the high places of Judah?--What city is the cause of the idolatries on the high places of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem (compare 2Ki 18:4)?

6. Samaria's punishment is mentioned first, as it was to fall before Jerusalem.

as an heap of the field--(Mi 3:12). Such a heap of stones and rubbish as is gathered out of fields, to clear them (Ho 12:11). Palestine is of a soil abounding in stones, which are gathered out before the vines are planted (Is 5:2).

as plantings of a vineyard--as a place where vines are planted. Vineyards were cultivated on the sides of hills exposed to the sun. The hill on which Samaria was built by Omri, had been, doubtless, planted with vines originally; now it is to be reduced again to its original state (1Ki 16:24).

pour down--dash down the stones of the city into the valley beneath. A graphic picture of the present appearance of the ruins, which is as though "the buildings of the ancient city had been thrown down from the brow of the hill" [Scottish Mission of Inquiry, pp. 293,294].

discover the foundations--destroy it so utterly as to lay bare its foundations (Eze 13:14). Samaria was destroyed by Shalmaneser.

7. all the hires--the wealth which Israel boasted of receiving from her idols as the "rewards" or "hire" for worshipping them (Ho 2:5, 12).

idols ... will I ... desolate--that is, give them up to the foe to strip off the silver and gold with which they are overlaid.

she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot--Israel gathered (made for herself) her idols from the gold and silver received from false gods, as she thought, the "hire" of her worshipping them; and they shall again become what they had been before, the hire of spiritual harlotry, that is, the prosperity of the foe, who also being worshippers of idols will ascribe the acquisition to their idols [Maurer]. Grotius explains it, The offerings sent to Israel's temple by the Assyrians, whose idolatry Israel adopted, shall go back to the Assyrians, her teachers in idolatry, as the hire or fee for having taught it. The image of a harlot's hire for the supposed temporal reward of spiritual fornication, is more common in Scripture (Ho 9:1).

8. Therefore I will wail--The prophet first shows how the coming judgment affects himself, in order that he might affect the minds of his countrymen similarly.

stripped--that is, of shoes, or sandals, as the Septuagint translates. Otherwise "naked" would be a tautology.

naked--"Naked" means divested of the upper garment (Is 20:2). "Naked and barefoot," the sign of mourning (2Sa 15:30). The prophet's upper garment was usually rough and coarse-haired (2Ki 1:8; Zec 13:4).

like the dragons--so Jerome. Rather, "the wild dogs," jackals or wolves, which wail like an infant when in distress or alone [Maurer]. (See on Job 30:29).

owls--rather, "ostriches," which give a shrill and long-drawn, sigh-like cry, especially at night.

9. wound ... incurable--Her case, politically and morally, is desperate (Jr 8:22).

it is come--the wound, or impending calamity (compare Is 10:28).

he is come ... even to Jerusalem--The evil is no longer limited to Israel. The prophet foresees Sennacherib coming even "to the gate" of the principal city. The use of "it" and "he" is appropriately distinct. "It," the calamity, "came unto" Judah, many of the inhabitants of which suffered, but did not reach the citizens of Jerusalem, "the gate" of which the foe ("he") "came unto," but did not enter (Is 36:1;37:33-37).

10. Declare ye it not at Gath--on the borders of Judea, one of the five cities of the Philistines, who would exult at the calamity of the Hebrews (2Sa 1:20). Gratify not those who exult over the falls of the Israel of God.

weep ye not at all--Do not betray your inward sorrow by outward weeping, within the cognizance of the enemy, lest they should exult at it. Reland translates, "Weep not in Acco," that is, Ptolemais, now St. Jean d'Acre, near the foot of Mount Carmel; allotted to Asher, but never occupied by that tribe (Jud 1:31); Acco's inhabitants would, therefore, like Gath's, rejoice at Israel's disaster. Thus the parallelism is best carried out in all the three clauses of the verse, and there is a similar play on sounds in each, in the Hebrew Gath, resembling in sound the Hebrew for "declare"; Acco, resembling the Hebrew for "weep"; and Aphrah, meaning "dust." While the Hebrews were not to expose their misery to foreigners, they ought to bewail it in their own cities, for example, Aphrah or Ophrah (Jos 18:23; 1Sa 13:17), in the tribe of Benjamin. To "roll in the dust" marked deep sorrow (Jr 6:26; Eze 27:30).

11. Pass ye away--that is, Thou shall go into captivity.

inhabitant of Saphir--a village amidst the hills of Judah, between Eleutheropolis and Ascalon, called so, from the Hebrew word for "beauty." Though thy name be "beauty," which heretofore was thy characteristic, thou shalt have thy "shame" made "naked." This city shall be dismantled of its walls, which are the garments, as it were, of cities; its citizens also shall be hurried into captivity, with persons exposed (Is 47:3; Eze 16:37; Ho 2:10).

the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth--Its inhabitants did not come forth to console the people of Beth-ezel in their mourning, because the calamity was universal; none was exempt from it (compare Jr 6:25). "Zaanan" is the same as Zenan, in Judah (Jos 15:37), meaning the "place of flocks." The form of the name used is made like the Hebrew for "came forth." Though in name seeming to imply that thou dost come forth, thou "camest not forth."

Beth-ezel--perhaps Azal (Zec 14:5), near Jerusalem. It means a "house on the side," or "near." Though so near, as its name implies, to Zaanan, Beth-ezel received no succor or sympathy from Zaanan.

he shall receive of you his standing--"he," that is, the foe; "his standing," that is, his sustenance [Piscator]. Or, "he shall be caused a delay by you, Zaanan." He shall be brought to a stand for a time in besieging you; hence it is said just before, "Zaanan came not forth," that is, shut herself up within her walls to withstand a siege. But it was only for a time. She, too, fell like Beth-ezel before her [Vatablus]. Maurer construes thus: "The inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth; the mourning of Beth-ezel takes away from you her shelter." Though Beth-ezel be at your side (that is, near), according to her name, yet as she also mourns under the oppression of the foe, she cannot give you shelter, or be at your side as a helper (as her name might lead you to expect), if you come forth and be intercepted by him from returning to Zaanan.

12. Maroth--possibly the same as Maarath (Jos 15:59). Perhaps a different town, lying between the previously mentioned towns and the capital, and one of those plundered by Rab-shakeh on his way to it.

waited carefully for good--that is, for better fortune, but in vain [Calvin]. Gesenius translates, "is grieved for her goods," "taken away" from her. This accords with the meaning of Maroth, "bitterness," to which allusion is made in "is grieved." But the antithesis favors English Version, "waited carefully (that is, anxiously) for good, but evil came down."

from the Lord--not from chance.

unto the gate of Jerusalem--after the other cities of Judah have been taken.

13. "Bind the chariot to the swift steed," in order by a hasty flight to escape the invading foe. Compare Note, see on Is 36:2, on "Lachish," at which Sennacherib fixed his headquarters (2Ki 18:14, 17; Jr 34:7).

she is the beginning of the sin to ... Zion--Lachish was the first of the cities of Judah, according to this passage, to introduce the worship of false gods, imitating what Jeroboam had introduced in Israel. As lying near the border of the north kingdom, Lachish was first to be infected by its idolatry, which thence spread to Jerusalem.

14. shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath--that its inhabitants may send thee help. Maurer explains it, "thou shalt give a writing of renunciation to Moresheth-gath," that is, thou shalt renounce all claim to it, being compelled to yield it up to the foe. "Thou," that is, Judah. "Israel" in this verse is used for the kingdom of Judah, which was the chief representative of the whole nation of Israel. Moresheth-gath is so called because it had fallen for a time under the power of the neighboring Philistines of Gath. It was the native town of Micah (Mi 1:1).

Achzib--meaning "lying." Achzib, as its name implies, shall prove a "lie to ... Israel," that is, shall disappoint Israel's hopes of succor from her (compare Job 6:15-20; Jr 15:18). Achzib was in Judah between Keilah and Mareshah (Jos 15:44). Perhaps the same as Chezib (Ge 38:5).

15. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee--rather, "the heir." As thou art now occupied by possessors who expelled the former inhabitants, so will I bring "yet" again the new possessor, namely, the Assyrian foe. Other heirs will supplant us in every inheritance but that of heaven. There is a play upon the meaning of Mareshah, "an inheritance": there shall come the new heir of the inheritance.

Adullam the glory of Israel--so called as being superior in situation; when it and the neighboring cities fell, Israel's glory was gone. Maurer, as the Margin, translates, "the glory of Israel" (her chief citizens: answering to "thy delicate children," Mi 1:16) "shall come in flight to Adullam." English Version better preserves the parallelism, "the heir" in the first clause answering to "he" in the second.

16. Make thee bald, &c.--a token of deep mourning (Ezr 9:3; Job 1:20). Mourn, O land, for thy darling children.

poll--shave off thy hair.

enlarge thy baldness--Mourn grievously. The land is compared to a mother weeping for her children.

as the eagle--the bald eagle, or the dark-winged vulture. In the moulting season all eagles are comparatively bald (compare Psa 103:5).

The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite - For all authentic particulars relative to this prophet, see the introduction.

In the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah - These three kings reigned about threescore years; and Micah is supposed to have prophesied about forty or fifty years; but no more of his prophecies have reached posterity than what are contained in this book, nor is there any evidence that any more was written. His time appears to have been spent chiefly in preaching and exhorting; and he was directed to write those parts only that were calculated to profit succeeding generations.

Hear, all ye people - The very commencement of this prophecy supposes preceding exhortations and predictions.

Hearken, O earth - ארץ arets, here, should be translated land, the country of the Hebrews being only intended.

And let the Lord God be Witness - Let him who has sent me with this message be witness that I have delivered it faithfully; and be a witness against you, if you take not the warning.

The Lord from his holy temple - The place where he still remains as your King, and your Judge; and where you profess to pay your devotions. The temple was yet standing, for Jerusalem was not taken for many years after this; and these prophecies were delivered before the captivity of the ten tribes, as Micah appears to have been sent both to Israel and to Judah. See Mic 1:5-9, Mic 1:12, Mic 1:13.

For, behold, the Lord cometh forth - See this clause, Amo 4:13 (note). He represents Jehovah as a mighty conqueror, issuing from his pavilion, stepping from mountain to mountain, which rush down and fill the valleys before him; a consuming fire accompanying him, that melts and confounds every hill and dale, and blends all in universal confusion. God is here represented as doing that himself which other conquerors do by the multitude of their hosts; levelling the mountains, filling some of the valleys, and digging for waters in others, and pouring them from hills and dales for the use of the conquering armies, by pipes and aqueducts.

And why is all this mighty movement? Mic 1:5. "For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel."

What is the transgression of Jacob? - Is it not something extremely grievous? Is it not that of Samaria? Samaria and Jerusalem, the chief cities, are infected with idolatry. Each has its high places, and its idol worship, in opposition to the worship of the true God. That there was idolatry practiced by the elders of Israel, even in the temple of Jehovah, see Eze 8:1, etc. As the royal cities in both kingdoms gave the example of gross idolatry, no wonder that it spread through the whole land, both of Israel and Judah.

I will make Samaria - I will bring it to desolation: and, instead of being a royal city, it shall be a place for vineyards. Newcome observes, that Samaria was situated on a hill, the right soil for a vineyard.

I will discover the foundations thereof - I will cause its walls and fortifications to be razed to the ground.

All the hires thereof shall be burned - Multitudes of women gave the money they gained by their public prostitution at the temples for the support of the priesthood, the ornamenting of the walls, altars, and images. So that these things, and perhaps several of the images themselves, were literally the hire of the harlots: and God threatens here to deliver all into the hands of enemies who should seize on this wealth, and literally spend it in the same way in which it was acquired; so that "to the hire of a harlot these things should return."

I will make a wailing like the dragons - Newcome translates: -

I will make a wailing like the foxes, (or jackals),

And mourning like the daughters of the ostrich.

This beast, the jackal or shiagal, we have often met with in the prophets. Travellers inform us that its howlings by night are most lamentable; and as to the ostrich, it is remarkable for its fearful shrieking and agonizing groanings after night. Dr. Shaw says he has often heard them groan as if they were in the greatest agonies.

Her wound is incurable - Nothing shall prevent their utter ruin, for they have filled up the measure of their iniquity.

He is come - even to Jerusalem - The desolation and captivity of Israel shall first take place; that of Judah shall come after.

Declare ye it not at Gath - Do not let this prediction be known among the Philistines, else they will glory over you.

House of Aphrah - Or, Beth-aphrah. This place is mentioned Jos 18:23, as in the tribe of Benjamin. There is a paronomasia, or play on words, here: בבית לעפרה עפר bebeith leaphrah aphar, "Roll thyself in the dust in the house of dust."

Inhabitant of Saphir - Sapher, Sepphoris, or Sephora, was the strongest place in Galilee. - Calmet. It was a city in the tribe of Judah, between Eleutheropolis and Ascalon. - Houbigant.

Zaanan - Another city in the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:13.

Beth-ezel - A place near Jerusalem, Zac 14:5. Some think that Jerusalem itself is intended by this word.

The inhabitant of Maroth - There was a city of a similar name in the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:59.

Inhabitant of Lachish - This city was in the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:39, and was taken by Sennacherib when he was coming against Jerusalem, 2Kgs 18:13, etc., and it is supposed that he wished to reduce this city first, that, possessing it, he might prevent Hezekiah's receiving any help from Egypt.

She is the beginning of the sin - This seems to intimate that Lachish was the first city in Judah which received the idolatrous worship of Israel.

Give presents to Moresheth-gath - Calmet says that Moresa or Morashti, and Achzib, were cities not far from Gath. It is possible that when Ahaz found himself pressed by Pekah, king of Israel, he might have sent to these places for succor, that by their assistance he might frustrate the hopes of the king of Israel; and this may be the meaning of "The houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel." In these verses there are several instances of the paronomasia. See Mic 1:10, עפר aphar, dust, and עפרה aphrah, the name of the city. Mic 1:11. צאנן tsaanan, the city, and יצאה yatsah, to go out. Mic 1:13, לכיש lachish, the city, and רכש rechesh, the swift beast. Mic 1:14, אכזיב achzib, the city, and אכזב achzab, a lie. Such paronomasias were reputed ornaments by the prophets. They occur in Isaiah with great effect. See Isa 5:7.

Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O - Mareshah - Here is another instance, הירש haigeresh, to bring an heir, and מרשה mareshah, the city, the name of which signifies heirship. And so of the above proper names.

Adullam the glory of Israel - This was a fenced city in the south of Judah (see 2Chr 11:7) towards the Dead Sea.

There is much obscurity in the concluding verses of this chapter. They undoubtedly refer to the captivity of Israel, and to circumstances of distress, etc., which are not mentioned in any of the historical books, and therefore their reference and meaning can only be conjectured.

Make thee bald - Cutting off the hair was a sign of great distress, and was practised on the death of near relatives; see Amo 8:10.

The desolation should be so great that Israel should feel it to her utmost extent; and the mourning should be like that of a mother for the death of her most delicate children.

Enlarge thy baldness as the eagle - Referring to the mounting of this bird, when in casting its feathers and breeding new ones, it is very sickly, and its strength wholly exhausted.

They are gone into captivity - This is a prediction of the captivity by Shalmaneser. Samaria, the chief city, is called on to deplore it, as then fast approaching.

Hezekiah - The best son, of the worst father. How long Micah prophesied during his reign, we can but conjecture, possibly 'till the fourteenth year of Hezekiah. So this prophet may be supposed to have prophesied sixteen years in Jotham's time, as many under Ahaz, and fourteen under Hezekiah, in all forty - six years. And he survived the captivity of Israel ten years, which he lamented as well as foretold.

O earth - This seems to be an appeal to the senseless creatures, or a summons to bring them in evidences for God against those kingdoms. Therein - Animate or inanimate creatures, all that are on the earth. Temple - Either from his temple at Jerusalem, or from heaven.

The Lord - He comes forth as a judge, to hear, determine, and punish. His place - Heaven, the place of his glorious throne. Come down - Shew, by the effects of his power, justice, and wisdom, that he is more eminently present there. Tread upon - Trample under foot all that is high, excellent, and matter of your glorying.

Cleft - Or rent in sunder, broken up and slide away.

Jacob - The sons of Jacob, the ten tribes. What - Or, who is the spring, and cause of that overflowing transgression? Of Jacob - The kingdom of the ten tribes, the head of which was Samaria, where the kings had their residence, where they worshiped idols, and set an example to the rest of the Israelitish kingdom. And what - Or, who is the cause of the high places, and the idolatry there practised? Jerusalem - Which was the chief city of that kingdom, and had the same influence over Judah, as Samaria had on the ten tribes.

As an heap - As a heap of ruins. Of a vineyard - In planting vineyards, they dig up the earth, and cast it up in hillocks; so shall they make this city. Into the valley - The city was built on a high hill, and a deep valley beneath it. I will discover - I will raze the walls, fortresses, and public buildings of this city, to the very foundations.

The hires - The rich gifts given for the honour and service of the idols by deceived idolaters. She - The kingdom of Samaria. It - Their wealth, or the rich presents made to their idols. Of an harlot - As harlots get rich gifts of their lovers. They - These rich presents shall be turned by the Assyrians to the service and honour of their idols.

Therefore - Because of those dreadful slaughters in Israel and Samaria. And naked - As one that in bitterness of passion hath cast off his upper garment. Dragons - Or rather, Jackals, which haunt desolate places, and make a great and hideous noise by night.

Her wound - The wounds of Samaria, her own sins, and God's just displeasure. It is come - The contagion of her sins, and the indignation of God against it, have reached to Judah also, yea, to Jerusalem.

Declare ye it not - Lest the Philistines triumph. Weep ye not - Make no public weeping. Aphrah - This was farther from the Philistines. Roll thyself - Express thy sorrow.

Pass ye away - The imperative is here put for the future; they shalt go into captivity. Saphir - Probably Samaria and Jerusalem. Naked - Stript by the conquering enemy. Zaanan - It is thought, this was a considerable garrison full of people and soldiers. Came not forth - To help their neighbouring town Beth - ezel. Beth - ezel - A strong town taken by the Assyrians. His standing - The enemy shall encamp among you, shall stand on your ground, so that you will have no opportunity of coming out to help your neighbours.

Maroth - A town in Judea. But evil - The flood of affliction by the Assyrian, swallowed up other cities, and swelled even to the head city, Jerusalem.

Lachish - A strong fortress on the confines of Judah. Bind the chariot - To fly from the sword of the enemy. She - Lachish, which being the nearest to idolatrous Israel, took the infection of them, and conveyed it to Jerusalem. The transgressions - Not only the idolatry, but other sins also. Of Israel - Of the ten tribes.

Give presents - The inhabitants of Lachish courted the assistance of the Philistines against the Assyrian. Moresheth - gath - A known city of the Philistines, called Moresheth - gath, to distinguish it from a town of the same name in the tribe of Judah. Achzib - This was also a city of the Philistines. A lie - A lying refuge, a prop that will break under them.

An heir - The Assyrian, who in the right of conquest shall possess thee. Mareshah - A town of the Philistines. Adullam - Perhaps this city was considerable enough at that time, to be the glory of Israel.

Thee - O Judea and Israel, tear off thy hair. Shave what thou canst not tear off. For thy children - For the loss of them, some being slain, others starved, or swept away with pestilence, and the residue carried captive. As the eagle - One species of which is entirely bald.

1 THE word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the dayes of Jotham, Ahaz , and Hezekiah , kings of Judah , which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

Thus Hosea begins his Prophesie, chap. 1.1. and Joel 1.1 and Jonah 1.1. and Zeph. 1.1. which see.

Though Hierome, Epiphanius and Dorotheus are said to report this Micah to be the same with the Son of Imlah, 1 King. 22.8. yet R. Sel. Jarchi's reason why this could not be is satisfactory, for one generation and almost half interven'd between Ahab, and Jetham, Ahab died about 3046. year of the World; Jotham began to reign about 3190. by which it appears there were one hundred fourty and four years between Micaiah the Son of Imlah, and Micah our Prophet.

Whether Mar[illegible: 1 letter]ha[illegible: 1 letter], rebuilt by Rehobo[illegible: 2 letters], 2 Chron. 11.8. (called also Beth-gebarim in after time) of which ver. 14. of this Chapter. Or whether Moresheth (of which ver. 15) gave him this surname, and whether because Micah was born there or else did dwell there is not easily resolved, nor material if 'twere resolved.

It is not said what year of Iotham this Prophet begun, it is probable 'twas about the beginning of Jotham's Reign, An M. 3190. of which we have this Character, 2 King. 15.34, 35. he did right, &c. yet the high places were not removed. Religion was not wholly corrupted as in Israel, yet was it exceedingly abased with their own mixtures.

The very worst of all Judah's Kings, all things considered, he brought the Ba[illegible: 1 letter]litical Idolatry into Judah.

The best Son, of the worst Father, who reformed Judah. How long Micah prophesied during his Reign, we can but conjecture, possibly till the fourteenth year of Hezekiah. So this Prophet may be supposed to have prophesied sixteen years in Jotham's time, as many under Ahaz, and fourteen under Hezekiah, in all forty six years, and survived the Captivity of Israel ten years, which he lamented as well as foretold.

Judah onely named, but Benjamin is included.

Vid. Amos 1.1. let. e.

The Metropolis of the Kingdom of the ten Tribes, and by a well known figure put for the whole Kingdom, as Jerusalem chief City of Judah is, by the same figure, put for the whole Kingdom. As both had link'd together in sinning, God doth link them together in Suffering, and commands Micah to do so.

Marginal references: Jer. 26.18.

2 Hear , all ye people , hearken, O earth , and all that therein is, and let the Lord GOD be witness against you , the Lord from his holy temple .

The Prophet here by Proclamation requires earnest attention to his word. So Moses Deut. 4.26. and 30.19. and 32.1. So the Psalmist, Psal. 50.1, 4. and so Isa. 1.2. and 34.1.

Either all the people of both Kingdoms, all Israel and Judah, or else universally all people of all Kingdoms whatever both of that present Age and all of future Ages.

It may be taken for the meaner sort of People, the Commonalty, but I rather incline to interpret it as both a tacit reproof of the deafness of this sinful, and hardned People, with whom Micah now contends, and an Appeal to the senseless Creatures, or a Summons to bring them in Evidences for God against those Kingdoms.

animate or inanimate Creatures, all that are on the Earth: If we interpret Earth for the meaner sort of People, then this fulness of the Earth will be the whole multitude of the People. It is a lofty strain, such as those of Moses, Deut. 32.1. David, Psal. 50.1. Isaiah, chap. 1.1, 2. and Ieremiah, chap. 6.19.

The mighty, holy, gracious and faithful God, Lord of Heaven and Earth; who knows all your wayes, who is a just Judge, and a severe Avenger of obdurate sinners.

By his Word, the voice of his Law, by his Prophets whom he hath sent, by the Judgments he doth execute according to his Menaces, as by his Sovereignty, he is supream Judge, so by his Omniscience and Truth he is an authentick witness against you O house of Jacob.

Either from his Temple at Jerusalem, or else from Heaven, as Psal. 11.4. and Hab. 2.20.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]; Heb. [illegible: 1 span]

3 For behold , the LORD cometh forth out of his place , and will come down , and tread upon the high places of the earth .

There is great reason for my earnestness with all people, and therefore once more I advise you to consider it well. Behold, attend to what is said.

Who is Judge himself, Psal. 50.1, 4. whose Holy Ma[illegible: 1 letter]esty you have provoked to displeasure, who is a Jealous God, and hath an Almighty Power to dash his Enemies into pieces. He cometh forth as a Judge prepared to hear, determine and punish; Now when God who is in all places at all times is said to come forth, 'tis not to be meant of his leaving a place where he was, to come to a place where before he was not; but 'tis to be understood of his discovering his Presence by some effects of it, which before in that place were not discovered.

Heaven, the place of his glorious Throne.

Shew by the effects of his Power, Justice and Wisdom that he is more eminently present there.

Trample under foot, stain, abase and break.

All that is high, excellent, and matter of your glorying▪ whether flourishing state of your Kingdomes, or power of your Kings, or strength of your Fortresses, and Temples, Altars, or Cities and Palaces. In that day the haughtiness of man shall be laid low, and the Pride of man shall be brought down, Isa. 2.17. your sins will procure this to you, O Samaria, and Jerusalem, of which God is my Witness, I have plainly told you.

Marginal references: Isa. 26.21.; Psal. 115.[illegible: 1 letter].; Deut. 32.13. [illegible: 1 word] 33, 29.

4 And the mountains shall be molten under him , and the valleys shall be cleft : as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place .

If literally understood, we know it hath been so; when God will kindle that fire which shall burn up the Earth, and the works of it, as he will when he cometh finally to Judge the World, it shall be done again. But figuratively Mountains are mighty States and Kingdoms, flourishing with Prosperity, and which do think the foundation of this sure as Mountains. So chap. 6.1, 2. Hab. 3.6. Isa. 2.14. Or possibly these mountains may be by a Synecdoche put for those who dwell on them, Mountainers who were usually more fierce, secure, hardy and of difficult access, and therefore less regardful of Threats and Punishments.

Which way so ever you take Mountains, yet the effect of Gods powerful Anger and Justice shall be this, they shall be no more able to bear his Indignation, or withstand it, than that which like wax melts before a strong fire.

Which either are Emblems of the lower sort of men, or the men that dwell in the Valleys with their Cities built there, which might hope to escape the storm lying more under covert. But such shall be the sweeping, searching, and rapid storm of Gods Judgments, that no places, no persons shall either withstand or divert them.

Or rent in sunder, broken up, as the word Gen. 7.11. and slide away.

Which doth easily and speedily dissolve, and run before the fire.

Which immediately spreads it self and runs down the precipice, not able to keep together in one body, but scatter'd one part from other, loseth it self without remedy, so shall the glory and strength of Samaria melt away before the fire of Gods displeasure executed by Salmaneser, and by Sennacherib and Neb[illegible: 1 letter]chadnezzar on Judah.

Marginal references: Psal. 97.5. Isa. 64.1, 2. Amos. 9.5.; Heb. a descent.

5 For the transgression of Jacob is all this , and for the sins of the house of Israel . What is the transgression of Jacob ? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem .

The singular for the plural, the many transgressions committed amongst them, but especially that [illegible: 1 letter]loud of iniquity which springing up in Samaria did overflow the whole Kingdom, Idolatry, pride, luxury, cruelty and oppression.

The sons of Jacob, the Ten Tribes most likely are here meant by Jacob.

All these, many, and great, inevitable and irresistible Judgments of God foretold, and which will overtake, and utterly ruin these Sinners.

The people of the Kingdom of Judah called here by the name of Israel. Or else this and the former phrase may comprehend the Twelve Tribes which were fallen from Gods Law and Worship, and be an elegant ingemination to confirm the thing spoken.

Or, who is? i. e. the spring, and cause of that over[illegible: 1 letter]lowing Transgression, who brought in the abominable Idolatry?

Here is meant the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes▪ the head of which was Samaria, where the Kings of that Kingdom had their Royal Residence, where they worshipped Idols, whence they issued out their Edicts, and which became Example to the rest of the Israelitish Kingdom.

Or, who is, i. e. cause of the high places, and the Idolatry there practised?

Which was chief City of that Kingdom, and place where their Kings dwelt, had the same influence of that Kingdom as Samaria had on the Ten Tribes, there was the Example they imitated, thence the Laws they obey'd contrary to Gods Law.

6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field , and as plantings of a vineyard ; and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley , and I will discover the foundations thereof. .

For these sins of Samaria, and the Kingdom of Israel.

Not by an immediate hand from Heaven, but by the Assyrians under the Conduct of Salman[illegible: 1 letter]s[illegible: 1 letter]r, they shall do it as my Servants saith the Lord.

Much like Isa. 25.2. that beautiful City shall be made, and so left as a ruinous heap in the field.

In planting Vineyards, they did dig up the earth▪ and cast it up in hillocks, cast out all the stones, so shall they make this City;

The City was built on a high Hill, and a deep Valley beneath it, now when 'twas sackt by the Assyrians, they pull'd down the buildings, and cast the stones thereof into that Valley, so God did by them throw down the stones of Samaria.

Rase the Walls, Fortresses, and publick buildings of this City to the very foundations of it, nor leave one stone upon another, as Mat. 24.2. and Luk. 19.44. in a word, here is foretold an utter desolation upon Samaria for her sin, such a desolation as shall not leave the least foorsteps of Samaria in the place where once it stood.

Marginal references: chap. 2.12.

7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces , and all the hires thereof shall be burnt with the fire , and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate : for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot , and they shall return to the hire of an harlot .

Erected in honour to the Idols they worshipt, which usually were the Images or similitudes resembling their Idols, their Gods of silver, gold, or stone and brass, or wood.

Pull'd out of their Chappels, Shrines, or Repositories by the conquering Assyrians who would, as was customary with such Nations▪ deal with the Gods as with Enemies conquered, trample upon them, and use them most contemptibly, and when they break into pieces Idols of rich materials, 'twas to carry it away with them as their booty, others were broken in contempt of them.

Or rewards, or gifts which Idolaters thought their Idols gave them as Hos. 2.5. or the rich gifts given for the honour and service of the Idols by deceived Idolaters; or all the wealth Israel got by leagues with Idolaters

When their Cities or Temples are burnt, as no doubt many were burnt by the Assyrian before he could reduce them to obedience, in which conflagrations many rich donatives belonging to Idols were consumed to ashes, or melted down.

Thus shall the Idols of Samaria be made desolate, i. e. their Temples burnt, their Images either beaten in pieces in contempt, or to be carryed away (if the materials they were made of were worth the carriage,) however they shall neither remain, nor be worshipt any more in Israel or Samaria, but be carryed away Captives with their Captive Worshippers.

The Kingdom of the Ten Tribes or Samaria.

Their Wealth, or the rich Presents made to their Idols, or both.

As Harlots get rich gifts of their Lovers; so did this deceived people think, and say, that their Idols gave them the wealth they had; or else as impudent Adulteresses that hire lew'd men to come into them; so this hire was that these blind Idolaters, (like shameless Adultresses,) gave to their Idols.

These rich Presents

shall be either turn'd by the Assyrians to the service and honour of their Idols, presented as gifts in acknowledgment of their greatness, and prosperity to be the blessings their Idols have given to them, as Hos. 10.6. or else thus, as what is got by Harlots, brings shame, and a curse with it, and never continues long, but is as basely wasted as 'twas gotten, so shall it be with all the ill gotten Goods of these Samaritan Idolaters, and all their wealth.

8 Therefore I will wail, and howl , I will go stript and naked : I will make a wailing like the dragons , and mourning as the owles .

Because of those dreadful slaughters and devastations made in Israel and Samaria.

Solemnly, as when they who are skilful in lamentation do at Funerals bewail in most affective manner to stir up the like sorrow in others, vid. Amos 5.16. let. r.

The same in a word of like sense to ascertain the thing, and to intimate the doubled sorrow, the multiplyed miseries of this people.

As one spoiled of his Clothes by force, or as one that in bitterness of passion hath cast off his upper Garment, or as if discompos'd in mind through the greatness of his vexations, now this the Prophet either speaks as fellow-sufferer with them, or as intimating what they should be reduced to at last: So Isa. 20.2, 3. whether of these, or whether both, I determine not.

Vid. Mal. 1.3. rather Iaka[illegible: 2 letters]s which haunt desolate places, and make great and hideous noise by night, and by their wailing, or doleful cryes in which 'tis said they answer one another, and fill the Air with the sound, and travellers with fear, these Creatures are between a Fox and Wolf for bigness, and seem somewhat like each in qualities, and probably their noise may be as mixt of the barking of the Fox, and howling of the Wolf. It is possible the Prophet by this kind of wailing would intimate the near approach of the Assyrian Lyon hungering and thirsting, and pursuing the prey, as the Jakale runs a little before the Lion, so this wailing of the Prophet should be followed very suddenly with the roaring of the Lyon.

A melancholy Creature, and loves night, and makes a most unpleasant noise, haunts desolate places, and so fitly is an emblem of Israels doleful, desolate state: Others render it Ostrich, which makes a doleful cry in the Deserts, either will fit the place.

Marginal references: Isa. 21.3. and 22.4. Jer. 4.19.; Job 30.29. Psal. 102.6.; Heb. daughters of the owl.

9 For her wound is incurable , for it is come unto Judah : he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem .

The Wounds of Samaria, and the Ten Tribes her own sins, God's just displeasure, and the Enemies rage have deeply wounded her, she is sensless, impenitent, and furious against her Physitian, and she shall at last dy by Sword, Famine. Pestilence, and Captivity.

The contagion of her sins, and the indignation of God against it, and the Enemies successes, viz. Senna[illegible: 4 letters]b's, or Nebuchadnezza[illegible: 1 letter] 's like a flood have reached to Iudah also, and this is reason why the Prophet foretels such mourning, and is willing to personate it to awaken both Kingdoms to repent, and turn to God

The insulting, conquering, and cruel Enemy, or in the [illegible: 3 letters]nter Gender it i. e. the evil is come, i. e. in the Prophetick [illegible: 1 word] will certainly and suddenly come.

Either signifying the Assyrians besieging Ierusalem, as Sennacherib Son of Salmaneser did some few years after the sack of Samaria, or else by Gate of my people is meant the City where the Sovereign Court of Judicature to the whole Kingdom is, denoting the Victories of the Assyrian over the rest of the Kingdom of Iudah, or else the Victories of Nebuchadnezzar.

This seems added to explain the former phrase.

Marginal references: Or. she is gri[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 2 letters]sly sic[illegible: 1 letter] [illegible: 1 span] [illegible: 1 letter]ound.

10 ¶ Declare ye it not at Gath , weep ye not at all : in the house of Aphrah roll thy self in the dust.

Do what you can to keep your grie[illegible: 1 letter]s to your selves, let them not be publick, that the Philistines your bitter Enemies should know how sad 'tis with you and re[illegible: 1 letter]oice at it, Gath was a principall City of the Philistines and though this onely is mentioned the rest are understood, such phrase you have, 2 Sam. 1. 20.

You that are of Israel or Iudah make no publick weeping, that your cryes and tears should inform your Enemies in Palestine how deplorable your state is, let not your griefs be their joyes.

We render it as a proper name of some City or Town, though of no great note, yet we meet with one. 1 Sam. 13.23. in the Tribe of Benjamine, a second we find in M[illegible: 1 letter]nasse[illegible: 1 letter]s lot, and was the place where Gideon's father dwelt, Iud. 6.11. these Towns were somewhat remote from the Philistines, and there the Prophet does direct them to weep with the greatest expressions of it, and to keep it private from the Philistines. Others account the word to be a common name denoting dust, and so give the sense in the house of d[illegible: 1 letter]st, roll thy self in d[illegible: 1 letter]st.

Or. I have rolled my self, viz. in compassion to the miserable I[illegible: 2 letters]aelites, or as a pattern to which they shall conform, so the word as written, but as by direction of the Masorets it is read, and as here 'tis rendred roll thy self, it directs and foretells, it foretells what they shall do at last, and directs what they should do at present. They shall be brought to fit, nay to wallow in the dust, and in foresight of this it would become them to sit in the dust now.

Marginal references: Or, dust.; Jer. 6.26.

11 Passe ye away thou inhabitant of Saphir , having thy shame naked ; the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel , he shall receive of you his standing .

The imperative is here put for the future, and the Prophet does here foretel and threaten what shall befall this people, they shall go before the Enemy into Captivity.

Deno[illegible: 1 letter]es either the beautiful, and pleasant habitation, and so may be applyed to any pleasant seat, such as were many in Iudea, such w[illegible: 2 letters] Samaria and Ierusalem, which perhaps are here intended. Or else 'tis the proper name of some particular Town or City, who read Eusebius will meet such a village in the Mountains between [illegible: 1 word] and Hebron or (as later 'tis called) Eleutheropolis.

Stript by thy conquering Enemy, so that thou shalt not have so much left as shall cover thy nakedness; with shame shalt thou be thus led into Captivity, and change all thy beauty into shameful nakedness.

A place rich in pastures and Sheep say some, others take it for the proper name of a particular place in the Tribe of Iudah it is likely at this time it might be some considerable Garrison full of people and Souldiers.

Neither sent out succours to relieve their neighbouring besieged Town Beth [illegible: 3 letters]l, but stood on their own guard, nor yet durst send out any to condole the Captive state of their neighbours.

A strong Town taken and wasted by the Assyrians the people carried Captive under the eye of the inhabitants of Zaanan, who mean time dare not stir or make many signes of sorrow.

The invading Enemy say some, others say 'tis the inhabitant of Zaanan.

Who refer this to the Enemy make this the sense, viz. That the Enemy should make his stay among them till he had conquered, spoiled, and captivated them. Or, that he should by severe dealing make them pay dear for their obstinacy in defending their town against his Forces, that he should strip them of all to recompence his expenses of treasure, time and blood in taking them. But they that refer this to Zaanan and its inhabitants make this the sense, That they should take their measures and [illegible: 1 letter]udge what the Enemy would do against them, by that which he had done against Beth-ezel their neighbour.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 span].; Heb. [illegible: 1 letter]nhabit[illegible: 2 letters]s.; Isa. 20.4. and 47.2, 3. Jer. 13.22.; Or, the co[illegible: 1 letter]ntry [illegible: 1 span]; [illegible: 1 paragraph]

12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem .

Yet, or certainly, as the Heb. particle is often to be rendred.

One put for all, because all should [illegible: 1 letter]are a[illegible: 1 letter]le.

Some say 'tis by transposing the [illegible: 4 letters]ers put [illegible: 1 letter]or R[illegible: 3 letters]l, others say 'tis as the word imports, the [illegible: 1 word] embittered Cities, others take it for the [illegible: 1 letter]roper na[illegible: 2 letters] [illegible: 1 span] place in Iudah.

Long, earnestly and patiently.

For peace prosperity, and what might make them happy.

Of trouble▪ sword, famine, and pestilence, all sorts of evil comprised in this on[illegible: 1 letter]

In mighty tempests or as a sweeping Rain.

By his special command and charge, and as a punishment inflicted on them from Heaven.

The flood of affliction by the Assyrian swallowed up other Towns and Cities, and swelled high to the head City Ierusalem, as partly by Senacheribs invasion, but more fully by Neb[illegible: 1 letter]chadnezzar's besieging and taking Ierusalem, and carrying the Citizens captive to Babylon.

Marginal references: Or, was grieved.; Amos 3.6.

13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish , bind the chariot to the swift beast : she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion , for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee .

A very strong Fortress [illegible: 1 letter]n the confines of Iudah towards the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes, and which as it did to the last stand out against Senacherib, so 'tis very probable they did boast of their strength and valour.

Either to fly from the Sword of the Enemy, and to seek safety in another Countrey forsaking their own. Or else by way of derision, you will be besieged and coopt up by the Assyrian, and then you may harness your Horses or Mules to carry you in Chariots about your own Streets; or else the Prophet foretels Senacherib's commanding Post-chariots to carry his messengers to summon Ierusalem to yield up all to him.

Lachish.

From thence Idolatry spread it self into Iudah and Ierusalem. Lachish nearest to Idolatrous Israel took the infection of them and conveyed it to I[illegible: 1 letter] dah, or Ierusalem, here called the daughter of Zion.

Not only the Idolatry but other sins also.

Of the ten Tribes.

Thou didst receive and worship the same Idols that Samaria did.

14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth- gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel .

For so much as thou hast imitated Israel in sin, and been at least an occasion to Ierusalem, and the Kingdom of Iudah to commit the same sins.

Lachish.

Though I do not remember the sacred story reporting this in matter of fact, we read not what Presents were given, or by whom sent, or when: yet as 'twas foretold by the Prophet so no doubt it was fulfilled, and the inhabitants of Lachish courted the assistance of the Philistines against the Assyrian, and possibly against the Babylonian.

A known City or Town of the Philistins called here Moresheth-Gath to distinguish it from a Town of the same name in the Tribe of Iudah and in the valley of Zephatha, where Asa smote Z[illegible: 1 letter]rab the Ethiopian King who invaded Asa with a million of men.

This was also a City of the Philistines not far from Marcha, A[illegible: 1 letter]bl[illegible: 2 letters]n and Gaza, it was a Maritine Town and strong. There was another City of that name toward Tyrus also, but of this the Prophet doth [illegible: 1 letter]ot speak in this place.

A lying refuge or a prop that should break under them that leant upon it, as Egypt proved a broken Reed to Iudah, when trusted to, in the Heb. there is an elegant allusion, which the Translation cannot expresse.

Some say 'tis meant of the Kings of Iudah, but we find not that Hez[illegible: 1 letter]kiah made any use of the Houses of Ac[illegible: 1 letter]zib when Sennacherib invaded him. It is more probable the Kings of the Ten Tribes are meant, and that Hoshea did rely on Gath, Achzib, &c. and on the friendship of the rest of the Philistines to join with the Egyptians, or to give them a quiet passage through their Countrey to help Israel against the Assyrian.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]; [illegible: 1 paragraph]

15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah : he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel .

The Lord God will cause the Assyrian to rise up and prosper in his Wars, to the subduing and possessing of the Cities of Israel and the Philistines.

The Assyrian who in the right of conquest shall possesse and account himself heir of what he possesseth.

Most think the Prophet speaks of Mareshah in his own Countrey, but I think the Assyrian did not inherit that, though he might inherit that of the Philistins.

Ironically (say some) called thus, [illegible: 2 letters]natorily threatning that the glory of Israel should be brought as low, into as mean condition, as Adu[illegible: 2 letters]am; others think it should be read, and to the glory of Israel that is Ierusalem, so there should be an Ellipsis of ([non-Latin text not transcribed]) the particle conjunctive. Others think 'tis the Prophets deep sigh at the thoughts how the glory of Israel is laid in the dust. Others think it was then considerable enough at that time to be called the glory of Israel, though we know not how.

Famous for its strength say some, but I rather think it better known for the Cave where David lay hid, 1 Samuel 22.1. 'Twas made a Town of defence by Rhehoboam, 2 Chronicles 11.7. 'twas once a Royal City, and had several Villages belonging to it, Iosh. 12.15.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 span]

16 Make thee bald , and poll thee for thy delicate children , enlarge thy baldness as the eagle , for they are gone into captivity from thee .

O Iudea, and Israel in token of sorrow for these wasting [illegible: 3 letters]gments tear off thy hair with thine own hands,

Shave off with the Razor, and by others hand what thou canst not tear off.

For the loss of them, some being slain, others starved, or swept away with Pestilence, and the residue carried Captive, express thy deep sorrow for these miseries conformably to the custome of bitter mourning, Iob 1.20. Isa. 3.24. and 15.2. Ier. 7.29.

Make thy baldness greater then usual for the occasion does require and will justifie it.

Which loseth at once her strength, courage and beauty and languisheth in her baldness.

Thy delicate children.

Never to return more, or not till a long captivity expire.

Marginal references: Isa. [illegible: 2 letters]

Micah

Introduction

Person of the Prophet. - Micah, מיכה, an abbreviated form of מיכיה (Micaiah), as he is called in Jer 26:18, which is also a contraction of מיכיהוּ, “who is as Jehovah?” - i.e., one dedicated to Jehovah the incomparable God (Greek, Μιχαίας; Vulg. Michaeas or Micha, Neh 11:17) - is called hammorashtı̄, the Morashitite, i.e., sprung from Moresheth-gath in the plain of Judah (see at Mic 1:14), to distinguish him from the elder prophet Micah the son of Imlah (1Ki 22:8.), as well as from other persons of the same name, of whom ten are met with in the Old Testament, apart from Maacah the wife of Rehoboam, a grand-daughter of Absalom (1Ki 15:2, 1Ki 15:10, 1Ki 15:13; 2Ch 11:20.), who is also called מכיהוּ in 2Ch 13:2 (see Caspari on Micha, p. 3ff.). Our Micah was therefore a Judaean, and prophesied, according to the heading to his book, in the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah; so that he was contemporaneous with Isaiah. He prophesied “concerning Samaria and Jerusalem,” the capitals of the two kingdoms, that is to say, concerning all Israel, the fate of which was determined by the circumstances and fates of the two capitals. The correctness of this statement, and at the same time the genuineness of the heading, are confirmed by the contents of the book. Micah not only predicts, in Mic 1:6-7, the destruction of Samaria, which took place in the sixth year of Hezekiah; but he also mentions Asshur, the great enemy of Israel at that time, as the representative of the power of the world in its hostility to the kingdom of God (Mic 5:4); and he agrees so thoroughly with Isaiah in his description of the prevailing moral corruption, as well as in his Messianic prophecies, that we are warranted in inferring the contemporaneous labours of the two prophets (compare Mich. Isa 2:11 with Isa 28:7; Mich. Mic 3:5-7 with Isa 29:9-12; Mich. Mic 3:12 with Isa 32:13-14; and Mich. Mic 4:1-5 with Isa 2:2-5; Mic 5:2-4 with Isa 7:14 and Isa 9:5). To this we may add the account in Jer 26:18-19, that certain men of the elders of Judah, when seeking to vindicate Jeremiah, who was condemned to death on account of his prophecies concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, quoted word for word Mic 3:12, to show that in the days of Hezekiah Micah had predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, without having been put to death by king Hezekiah and all Judah. It is true that Hitzig, Ewald, and others, have founded an argument upon this against the correctness of the heading to our book, according to which Micah prophesied not only under Hezekiah, but also under Jotham and Ahaz, interpreting it as meaning that the elders of Judah knew from good historical tradition the time when the particular words in Micah 3-5 had first been uttered. But they are wrong in this. For even if Micah had uttered this prophecy for the first time in the reign of Hezekiah, it would by no means follow that he had not also prophesied before that, namely, in the reign of Hezekiah. The relation in which Mic 4:1-5 stands to Isa 2:2-5 is sufficient of itself to point to the times of Jotham (see at Mic 4:1). Again, Mic 6:16 does not suit the times of Hezekiah, but only those of Ahaz, who walked to such an extent in the ways of the kings of Israel (2Ki 16:3; 2Ch 28:2), that Judah could be charged with holding by the statutes of Omri and all the deeds of the house of Ahab. Moreover, the assumption that the elders of Judah in the time of Jehoiakim knew from good traditional authority the precise time in which Micah uttered that threat, is quite an unfounded one. They simply knew that Micah’s prophetic writings sprang from the time of Hezekiah; and of the kings under whom Micah prophesied according to the statement of the writings themselves (Mic 1:1), they mention only Hezekiah, because he was the only one who “constituted a spiritual authority” (Hengstenberg). But the fact that Micah’s prophecies were committed to writing in the time of Hezekiah by no means precludes the supposition that either the prophecies themselves, or certain portions of them, were uttered orally to the people before that time. Hitzig’s attempt to prove that all the three addresses in our book were composed in the time of Hezekiah, is founded upon a false historical interpretation, and upon unscriptural ideas of the nature of prophecy.

We know nothing more about the circumstances of Micah’s life, than what may be gathered from his writings. According to these, he no doubt prophesied in Jerusalem, the capital of his native land. This is evident from the fact that he chiefly condemns the moral corruption of the great and mighty men of the kingdom, and makes Zion and Jerusalem for the most part the centre of his prophecies. There is not sufficient ground for Ewald’s assertion, that there are many signs which indicate an inhabitant of the plain. The introduction of the names of particular places in Judah in Mic 1:10-15 furnishes no proof of any “peculiar interest in the Jewish country, more especially the Jewish lowland, as being his home.” Only a portion of the places mentioned in this passage were situated in the lowland. Moreover, Isaiah also enumerates a whole list of places in Judah (Isa 10:28-32), and is minutely acquainted with the circumstances of Zebulun and Naphtali, and the neighbourhood of the Sea of Galilee (Isa 9:1), although he was settled in Jerusalem, and had probably been born there. Still more precarious is the inference that has been drawn from Micah’s somewhat rough and rugged style. For all that can be adduced in support of this is confined to the rapid and abrupt transitions from threatening to promise, in which he resembles Hosea (vid., Mic 2:1-13; Mic 3:9-12; Mic 4:1.), and generally from one subject to another (e.g., Mic 7:1-7, Mic 7:11-13), but more especially from one person to another, or from one number and gender to another (Mic 1:10; Mic 6:16; Mic 7:15-19). This may be all explained from the vivacity of his won individuality, and the excited state of his mind; and simply indicaters the boldness of his words, but not any want of culture in his style. His words are never deficient in clearness or evenness; whilst in abundance of figures, similes (Mic 1:8, Mic 1:16; Mic 2:12-13; Mic 4:9, etc.), and rhetorical tropes, as well as in speciality, paronomasia, in play upon words (Mic 1:10-15), and dialogue (Mic 2:7-11; Mic 6:1-8; Mic 7:7-20, his style resembles that of his highly cultivated contemporary Isaiah. The traditional accounts respecting his descent from the tribe of Ephraim, his death, and his grave, contained in Ps. Dorotheus and Ps. Epiphanius (collected in Carpzovii, Introd. iii. pp. 373-4), have partly originated in the confounding of our Micah with the elder Micah the son of Imlah, who lived in the reign of Ahab, and are partly inferences from the heading to our book.

2. The Book of Micah. - The contents of the book consist of three prophetic addresses, which are clearly distinguished from one another in form by similarity of introduction (all three commencing with שׁמעוּ, Mic 1:2; Mic 3:1; Mic 6:1), and substantially by their contents, which pass through the various stages of reproof, threat, and promise, and are thereby rounded off; so that all attempts at any other division, such as that of Ewald to connect Mic 3:1-12 with the first address, or to arrange the book in two parts (ch. 1-5 and Mic 6:1, Mic 7:1), are obviously arbitrary. Mic 3:1-12 can only be connected with ch. 1 and Mic 2:1-13 so as to form one address, on the groundless assumption that Mic 2:12-13 are a later gloss that has crept into the text; and though the ואמר before שׁמעוּ־נא in Mic 3:1 does indeed connect the second address more closely with the first than with the third, it by no means warrants our dividing the whole book into two parts. In the three addresses, ch. 1, Mic 2:1-13, 3-5, and Mic 6:1, Mic 7:1, we have not “three prophecies of Micah, delivered to the people at three different times,” as Hitzig and Maurer still suppose, but merely a condensation rhetorically arranged of the essential contents of his verbal utterances, as committed to writings by Micah himself at the end of his prophetic course in the time of Hezekiah. For these addresses are proved to be merely portions or sections of a single whole, by the absence of all reference to the concrete circumstances of any particular portion of time, and still more by their organic combination, as seen in the clearly marked and carefully planned progressive movement apparent in their contents. In the first address, after a general announcement of judgment on account of the sins of Israel (Mic 1:2-5), Micah predicts the destruction of Samaria (Mic 1:6, Mic 1:7), and the devastation of Judah with the deportation of its inhabitants (Mic 1:8-16), and justifies this threat by an earnest and brief reproof of the existing acts of injustice and violence on the part of the great men (Mic 2:1-5), and a sharp correction of their abettors the false prophets. (Mic 2:6-11); after which this address closes with a brief promise of the eventual restoration of the remnant of Israel to favour (Mic 2:12, Mic 2:13). The second address closes with a brief promise of the eventual restoration of the remnant of Israel to favour (Mic 2:12, Mic 2:13). The second address spreads itself out still more elaborately in the first half (Mic 3:1-12) over the sins and crimes of the heads of the nation, viz., the princes, the false prophets, the unjust judges and bad priests; and because of these sins threatens the destruction and utter devastation of Zion, and the temple hill. As an antithesis to this threat, the second half (Mic 4:1-13 and Mic 5:1-15) contains a promise, commencing with the opening of a prospect of the glorification of Zion and Israel at the end of the days (Mic 4:1-7), advancing to an assurance of the restoration of the former dominion of the daughter of Zion, after the people have first been carried away to Babel, and rescued again out of the hand of their enemies, and of her triumph in the last conflict with the nations of the world (Mic 4:8 -14), and culminating in the announcement of the birth of the great Ruler in Israel, who will arise out of Bethlehem, and feed His people in the majesty of Jehovah (Mic 5:1-5), and not only protect the rescued remnant of Jacob against the attacks of the imperial kingdom, but exalt it into a beneficent, and at the same time fearful, power to the heathen nations (Mic 5:6-8), and establish a kingdom of blessed peace (Mic 5:9-14). The third address sets forth the way to salvation in the dramatic dress of a law-suit between Jehovah and His people, by exhibiting the divine benefits for which Israel had repaid its God with ingratitude, and by a repeated allusion to the prevailing sins and unrighteousness which God must punish (ch. 6), and also by showing how the consciousness of misery will lead to the penitential confession of guilt and to conversion, and by encouraging to believing trust in the compassion upon His people, rebuild Zion, and humble the foe, and by renewing the miracles of the olden time fill all nations with fear of His omnipotence (Micah 7:1-17); after which the prophet closes his book with praise for the sin-forgiving grace of the Lord (Mic 7:18-20).

From this general survey of the contents of the three addresses, their internal connection may be at once perceived. In the first the threatening of judgment predominates; in the second the announcement of the Messianic salvation; in the third there follows the paraenesis or admonition to repentance and humiliation under the chastising hand of the Lord, in order to participate in the promised salvation. As this admonition rests upon the threat of judgment and promise of salvation in the two previous addresses, so does the allusion to the judgment contained in the words, “Then will they cry to Jehovah, and He will not answer them” (Mic 3:4), presuppose the announcement in ch. 1 of the judgment about to burst upon the land, without which it would be perfectly unintelligible. Consequently there can be no doubt whatever that Micah has simply concentrated the quintessence of his oral discourses into the addresses contained in his book. This quintessence, moreover, shows clearly enough that our prophet was not at all behind his contemporary Isaiah, either in the clearness and distinctness of his Messianic announcements, or in the power and energy with which he combated the sins and vices of the nation. There is simply this essential difference, so far as the latter point is concerned, that he merely combats the religious and moral corruptness of the rulers of the nation, and does not touch upon their conduct on its political side. (For the exegetical literature, see my Lehrbuch der Einleitung, p. 296.)

I. Israel’s Banishment into Exile, and Restoration - Micah 1 and Mic 2:1-13

The prophet’s first address is throughout of a threatening and punitive character; it is not till quite the close, that the sun of divine grace breaks brightly shining through the thunder clouds of judgment. The announcement of the judgment upon Samaria as well as upon the kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem forms the first part (Mic 1:2-16); the reproof of the sins, especially of the unrighteousness of the great and mighty of the nation, the second part (Mic 2:1-11); and a brief but very comprehensive announcement of the salvation that will dawn upon the remnant of all Israel after the judgment, the conclusion of the address (Mic 2:12-13).

The Judgment upon Samaria and Judah - Micah 1

Micah, commencing with the appeal to all nations to observe the coming of the Lord for judgment upon the earth (Mic 1:2-4), announces to the people of Israel, on account of its sins and its apostasy from the Lord, the destruction of Samaria (Mic 1:5-7) and the spreading of the judgment over Judah; and shows how, passing from place to place, and proceeding to Jerusalem, and even farther, it will throw the kingdom into deep lamentation on account of the carrying away of its inhabitants.

Mic 1:1-4

The heading in Mic 1:1 has been explained in the introduction. Mic 1:2-4 form the introduction to the prophet’s address. Mic 1:2. “Hear, all ye nations: observe, O earth, and that which fills it: and let the Lord Jehovah be a witness against you, the Lord out of His holy palace. Mic 1:3. For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth from His place, and cometh down, and marcheth over the high places of the earth. Mic 1:4. And the mountains will melt under Him, and the valleys split, like wax before the fire, like water poured out upon a slope.” The introductory words, “Hear, ye nations all,” are taken by Micah from his earlier namesake the son of Imlah (1Ki 22:28). As the latter, in his attack upon the false prophets, called all nations as witnesses to confirm the truth of his prophecy, so does Micah the Morashite commence his prophetic testimony with the same appeal, so as to announce his labours at the very outset as a continuation of the activity of his predecessor who had been so zealous for the Lord. As the son of Imlah had to contend against the false prophets as seducers of the nation, so has also the Morashtite (compare Mic 2:6, Mic 2:11; Mic 3:5, Mic 3:11); and as the former had to announce to both kingdoms the judgment that would come upon them on account of their sins, so has also the latter; and he does it by frequently referring to the prophecy of the elder Micah, not only by designating the false prophets as those who walk after the rūăch and lie, sheqer (Mic 2:11), which recals to mind the rūăch sheqer of the prophets of Ahab (1Ki 22:22-23), but also in his use of the figures of the horn of iron in Mic 4:13 (compare the horns of iron of the false prophet Zedekiah in 1Ki 22:11), and of the smiting upon the cheek in Mic 5:1 (compare 1Ki 22:14). ‛Ammı̄m kullâm does not mean all the tribes of Israel; still less does it mean warlike nations. ‛Ammı̄m never has the second meaning, and the first it has only in the primitive language of the Pentateuch. But here both these meanings are precluded by the parallel ארץ וּמלאהּ; for this expression invariably signifies the whole earth, with that which fills it, except in such a case as Jer 8:16, where 'erets is restricted to the land of Israel by the preceding hâ'ârets, or Eze 12:19, where it is so restricted by the suffix 'artsâh. The appeal to the earth and its fulness is similar to the appeals to the heaven and the earth in Isa 1:2 and Deu 32:1. All nations, yea the whole earth, and all creatures upon it, are to hear, because the judgment which the prophet has to announce to Israel affects the whole earth (Mic 1:3, Mic 1:4), the judgment upon Israel being connected with the judgment upon all nations, or forming a portion of that judgment. In the second clause of the verse, “the Lord Jehovah be witness against you,” it is doubtful who is addressed in the expression “against you.” The words cannot well be addressed to all nations and to the earth, because the Lord only rises up as a witness against the man who has despised His word and transgressed His commandments. For being a witness is not equivalent to witnessing or giving testimony by words, - say, for example, by the admonitory and corrective address of the prophet which follows, as C. B. Michaelis supposes, - but refers to the practical testimony given by the Lord in the judgment (Mic 1:3 ff), as in Mal 3:5 and Jer 42:5. Now, although the Lord is described as the Judge of the world in Mic 1:3 and Mic 1:4, yet, according to Mic 1:5., He only comes to execute judgment upon Israel. Consequently we must refer the words “to you” to Israel, or rather to the capitals Samaria and Jerusalem mentioned in Mic 1:1, just as in Nah 1:8 the suffix simply refers to the Nineveh mentioned in the heading, to which there has been no further allusion in Nah 1:2-7. This view is also favoured by the fact that Micah summons all nations to hear his word, in the same sense as his earlier namesake in 1Ki 22:28. What the prophet announces in word, the Lord will confirm by deed, - namely, by executing the predicted judgment, - and indeed “the Lord out of His holy temple,” i.e., the heaven where He is enthroned (Psa 11:4); for (1Ki 22:3) the Lord will rise up from thence, and striding over the high places of the earth, i.e., as unbounded Ruler of the world (cf. Amo 4:13 and Deu 32:13), will come down in fire, so that the mountains melt before Him, that is to say, as Judge of the world. The description of this theophany is founded upon the idea of a terrible storm and earthquake, as in Psa 18:8. The mountains melt (Jdg 5:4 and Psa 68:9) with the streams of water, which discharge themselves from heaven (Jdg 5:4), and the valleys split with the deep channels cut out by the torrents of water. The similes, “like wax,” etc. (as in Psa 68:3), and “like water,” etc., are intended to express the complete dissolution of mountains and valleys. The actual facts answering to this description are the destructive influences exerted upon nature by great national judgments.

Mic 1:5-7

This judicial interposition on the part of God is occasioned by the sin of Israel. Mic 1:5. “For the apostasy of Jacob (is) all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. Who is Jacob’s apostasy? is it not Samaria? And who Judah’s high places? is it not Jerusalem? Mic 1:6. Therefore I make Samaria into a stone-heap of the field, into plantations of vines; and I pour her stones into the valley, and I will lay bare her foundations. Mic 1:7. And all her stone images will be beaten to pieces, and all her lovers’ gifts be burned with fire, and all her idols will I make into a waste: for she has gathered them of prostitute’s hire, and to prostitute’s hire shall they return.” “All this” refers to the coming of Jehovah to judgment announced in Mic 1:3, Mic 1:4. This takes place on account of the apostasy and the sins of Israel. ב (for) used to denote reward or wages, as in 2Sa 3:27 compared with 2Sa 3:30. Jacob and Israel in Mic 1:5 are synonymous, signifying the whole of the covenant nation, as we may see from the fact that in Mic 1:5 Jacob and not Israel is the epithet applied to the ten tribes in distinction from Judah. מי, who? - referring to the author. The apostasy of Israel originates with Samaria; the worship on the high places with Jerusalem. The capitals of the two kingdoms are the authors of the apostasy, as the centres and sources of the corruption which has spread from them over the kingdoms. The allusion to the bâmōth of the illegal worship of the high places, which even the most godly kings were unable to abolish (see at 1Ki 15:14), shows, moreover, that פּשׁע denotes that religious apostasy from Jehovah which was formally sanctioned in the kingdom of the ten tribes by the introduction of the calf-worship. But because this apostasy commenced in the kingdom of the ten tribes, the punishment would fall upon this kingdom first, and Samaria would be utterly destroyed. Stone-heaps of the field and vineyard plantations harmonize badly, in Hitzig’s view: he therefore proposes to alter the text. But there is no necessity for this. The point of comparison is simply that Samaria will be so destroyed, that not a single trace of a city will be left, and the site thereof will become like a ploughed field or plain. השּׂדה is added to עי, a heap of ruins or stones, to strengthen it. Samaria shall become like a heap, not of ruins of building stones, but of stones collected from the field. למטּעי כרם, i.e., into arable land upon which you can plant vineyards. The figure answers to the situation of Samaria upon a hill in a very fruitful region, which was well adapted for planting vineyards (see at Amo 3:9). The situation of the city helps to explain the casting of its stones into the valley. Laying bare the foundations denotes destruction to the very foundation (cf. Psa 137:7). On the destruction of the city all its idols will be annihilated. Pesı̄lı̄m, idols, as in Isa 10:10; not wooden idols, however, to which the expression yukkattū, smitten to pieces, would not apply, but stone idols, from pâsal (Exo 34:1). By the lovers’ gifts ('ethnân, see at Hos 9:1) we are to understand, not “the riches of the city or their possessions, inasmuch as the idolaters regarded their wealth and prosperity as a reward from their gods, according to Hos 2:7, Hos 2:14” (Rashi, Hitzig, and others), but the temple gifts, “gifts suspended in the temples and sacred places in honour of the gods” (Rosenmüller), by which the temple worship with its apparatus were maintained; so that by 'ethnân we may understand the entire apparatus of religious worship. For the parallelism of the clauses requires that the word should be restricted to this. עצבּים are also idolatrous images. “To make them into a waste,” i.e., not only to divest them of their ornament, but so utterly to destroy them that the place where they once stood becomes waste. The next clause, containing the reason, must not be restricted to the ‛ătsabbı̄m, as Hitzig supposes, but refers to the two clauses of the first hemistich, so that pesı̄lı̄m and ‛ătsabbı̄m are to be supplied as objects to qibbâtsâh (she gathered), and to be regarded as the subject to yâshūbhū (shall return). Samaria gathered together the entire apparatus of her idolatrous worship from prostitute’s gifts (the wages of prostitution), namely, through gifts presented by the idolaters. The acquisition of all this is described as the gain of prostitute’s wages, according to the scriptural view that idolatry was spiritual whoredom. There is no ground for thinking of literal wages of prostitution, or money which flowed into the temples from the voluptuous worship of Aphrodite, because Micah had in his mind not literal (heathenish) idolatry, but simply the transformation of the Jehovah-worship into idolatry by the worship of Jehovah under the symbols of the golden calves. These things return back to the wagers of prostitution, i.e., they become this once more (cf. Gen 3:19) by being carried away by the enemies, who conquer the city and destroy it, and being applied to their idolatrous worship. On the capture of cities, the idols and temple treasures were carried away (cf. Isa 46:1-2; Dan 1:3).

Mic 1:8-10

The judgment will not stop at Samaria, however, but spread over Judah. The prophet depicts this by saying that he will go about mourning as a prisoner, to set forth the misery that will come upon Judah (Mic 1:8, Mic 1:9); and then, to confirm this, he announces to a series of cities the fate awaiting them, or rather awaiting the kingdom, by a continued play upon words founded upon their names (Mic 1:10-15); and finally he summons Zion to deep mourning (Mic 1:16). Mic 1:8. “Therefore will I lament and howl, I will go spoiled and naked: I will keep lamentation like the jackals, and mourning like the ostriches. Mic 1:9. For her stripes are malignant; for it comes to Judah, reaches to the gate of my people, to Jerusalem.” על־זאת points back to what precedes, and is then explained in Mic 1:9. The prophet will lament over the destruction of Samaria, because the judgment which has befallen this city will come upon Judah also. Micah does not speak in his own name here as a patriot (Hitzig), but in the name of his nation, with which he identifies himself as being a member thereof. This is indisputably evident from the expression אילכה שׁילל וערום, which describes the costume of a prisoner, not that of a mourner. The form אילכה with י appears to have been simply suggested by אילילה. שׁילל is formed like הידד in Isa 16:9-10, and other similar words (see Olshausen, Gramm. p. 342). The Masoretes have substituted שׁלל, after Job 12:17, but without the slightest reason. It does not mean “barefooted,” ἀνυπόδετος (lxx), for which there was already יחף in the language (2Sa 15:30; Isa 20:2-3; Jer 2:25), but plundered, spoiled. ערום, naked, i.e., without upper garment (see my comm. on 1Sa 19:24), not merely vestitu solido et decente privatus. Mourners do indeed go barefooted (yâchēph, see 2Sa 15:30), and in deep mourning in a hairy garment (saq, 2Sa 3:31; Gen 37:34, etc.), but not plundered and naked. The assertion, however, that a man was called ̀ârōm when he had put on a mourning garment (saq, sackcloth) in the place of his upper garment, derives no support from Isa 20:2, but rather a refutation. For there the prophet does not go about ‛ârōm veyâchēph, i.e., in the dress of a prisoner, to symbolize the captivity of Egypt, till after he has loosened the hairy garment (saq) from his loins, i.e., taken it off. And here also the plundering of the prophet and his walking naked are to be understood in the same way. Micah’s intention is not only to exhibit publicly his mourning fore the approaching calamity of Judah, but also to set forth in a symbolical form the fate that awaits the Judaeans. And he can only do this by including himself in the nation, and exhibiting the fate of the nation in his own person. Wailing like jackals and ostriches is a loud, strong, mournful cry, those animals being distinguished by a mournful wail; see the comm. on Job 30:29, which passage may possibly have floated before the prophet’s mind. Thus shall Judah wail, because the stroke which falls upon Samaria is a malignant, i.e., incurable (the suffix attached to מכּותיה refers to Shōmerōn, Samaria, in Mic 1:6 and Mic 1:7. For the singular of the predicate before a subject in the plural, see Ewald, §295, a, and 317, a). It reaches to Judah, yea, to Jerusalem. Jerusalem, as the capital, is called the “gate of my people,” because in it par excellence the people went out and in. That עד is not exclusive here, but inclusive, embracing the terminus ad quem, is evident from the parallel “even to Judah;” for if it only reached to the border of Judah, it would not have been able to come to Jerusalem; and still more clearly so from the description in Mic 1:10. The fact that Jerusalem is not mentioned till after Judah is to be interpreted rhetorically, and not geographically. Even the capital, where the temple of Jehovah stood, would not be spared.

Mic 1:11-12

The penetration of the judgment into Judah is now clearly depicted by an individualizing enumeration of a number of cities which will be smitten by it. Mic 1:10. “Go not to Gath to declare it; weeping, weep not. At Beth-Leafra (dust-home) I have strewed dust upon myself. Mic 1:11. Pass thou away, O inhabitress of Shafir (beautiful city), stripped in shame. The inhabitress of Zaanan (departure) has not departed; the lamentation of Beth-Haëzel (near-house) takes from you the standing near it. Mic 1:12. For the inhabitress of Maroth (bitterness) writhes for good; for evil has come down from Jehovah to the gate of Jerusalem.” The description commences with words borrowed from David’s elegy on the death of Saul and Jonathan (2Sa 1:20), “Publish it not in Gath,” in which there is a play upon the words in begath and taggı̄dū. The Philistines are not to hear of the distress of Judah, lest they should rejoice over it. There is also a play upon words in בּכו אל־תּבכּוּ. The sentence belongs to what precedes, and supplies the fuller definition, that they are not to proclaim the calamity in Gath with weeping, i.e., not to weep over it there.On the ground of the Septuagint rendering, καὶ οἱ Ἐνακεὶμ μὴ ἀνοικοδομεῖτε, most of the modern expositors follow Reland (Palaest. ill. p. 534ff.) in the opinion that בּכו is the name of a city, a contraction of בּעכּו, “and weep not at Acco.” There is no force in the objection brought against this by Caspari (Mich. p. 110), namely, that in that case the inhabitants of both kingdoms must have stood out before the prophet’s mind in hemistich a, which, though not rendered actually impossible by Mic 1:9, and the expression על־זאת in Mic 1:8, is hardly reconcilable with the fact that from Mic 1:11 onwards Judah only stands out before his mind, and that in Mic 1:8-10 the distress of his people, in the stricter sense (i.e., of Judah), is obviously the pre-eminent object of his mourning. For Acco would not be taken into consideration as a city of the kingdom of Israel, but as a city inhabited by heathen, since, according to Jdg 1:31, the Canaanites were not driven out of Acco, and it cannot be shown from any passage of the Old Testament that this city ever came into the actual possession of the Israelites. It is evidently a more important objection to the supposed contraction, that not a single analogous case can be pointed out. The forms נשׁקה for נשׁקעה (Amo 8:8) and בּלה for בּעלה (Jos 19:3 and Jos 15:29) are of a different kind; and the blending of the preposition ב with the noun עכּו, by dropping the ע, so as to form one word, is altogether unparalleled. The Septuagint translation furnishes no sufficient authority for such an assumption. All that we can infer from the fact that Eusebius has adopted the reading Ἐναχείμ in his Onom. (ed. Lars. p. 188), observing at the same time that this name occurs in Micah, whilst Aq. and Symm. have ἐν κλαυθμῶ (in fletu) instead, is that these Greek fathers regarded the Ἐναχείμ of the lxx as the name of a place; but this does not in the smallest degree prove the correctness of the lxx rendering. Nor does the position of בּכו before אל furnish any tenable ground for maintaining that this word cannot be the inf. abs. of בּכה, but must contain the name of a place. The assertion of Hitzig, that “if the word were regarded as an inf. abs., neither the inf. itself nor אל for לא would be admissible in a negative sentence (Jer 22:10),” has no grammatical foundation. It is by no means a necessary consequence, that because אל cannot be connected with the inf. abs. (Ewald, §350, a), therefore the inf. abs. could not be written before a finite verb with אל for the sake of emphasis.

After this reminiscence of the mourning of David for Saul, which expresses the greatness of the grief, and is all the more significant, because in the approaching catastrophe Judah is also to lose its king (cf. Mic 4:9), so that David is to experience the fate of Saul (Hengstenberg), Micah mentions places in which Judah will mourn, or, at any rate, experience something very painful. From Mic 1:10 to Mic 1:15 he mentions ten places, whose names, with a very slight alteration, were adapted for jeux de mots, with which to depict what would happen to them or take place within them. The number ten (the stamp of completeness, pointing to the fact that the judgment would be a complete one, spreading over the whole kingdom) is divided into twice five by the statement, which is repeated in Mic 1:12, that the calamity would come to the fate of Jerusalem; five places being mentioned before Jerusalem (Mic 1:10-12), and five after (Mic 1:13-15). This division makes Hengstenberg’s conjecture a very natural one, viz., that the five places mentioned before Jerusalem are to be sought for to the north of Jerusalem, and the others to the south or south-west, and that in this way Micah indicates that the judgment will proceed from the north to the south. On the other hand, Caspari’s opinion, that the prophet simply enumerates certain places in the neighbourhood of Moresheth, his own home, rests upon no firm foundation. בּית לעפרה is probably the Ophrah of Benjamin (עפרה, Jos 18:23), which was situated, according to Eusebius, not far from Bethel (see comm. on Josh. l.c.). It is pointed with pathach here for the sake of the paronomasia with עפר. The chethib התפּלּשׁתּי is the correct reading, the keri התפּלּשׁי being merely an emendation springing out of a misunderstanding of the true meaning. התפּלּשׁ does not mean to revolve, but to bestrew one’s self. Bestrewing with dust or ashes was a sign of deep mourning (Jer 6:26; 2Sa 13:19). The prophet speaks in the name of the people of what the people will do. The inhabitants of Shafir are to go stripped into captivity. עבר, to pass by, here in the sense of moving forwards. The plural לכם is to be accounted for from the fact that yōshebheth is the population. Shâphı̄r, i.e., beautiful city, is not the same as the Shâmı̄r in Jos 15:48, for this was situated in the south-west of the mountains of Judah; nor the same as the Shâmı̄r in the mountains of Ephraim (Jdg 10:1), which did not belong to the kingdom of Judah; but is a place to the north of Jerusalem, of which nothing further is known. The statement in the Onomast. s.v. Σαφείρ ἐν γῆ ὀρεινῆ between Eleutheropolis and Askalon - is probably intended to apply to the Shâmı̄r of Joshua; but this is evidently erroneous, as the country between Eleutheropolis and Askalon did not belong to the mountains of Judah, but to the Shephelah. עריה־בשׁת, a combination like ענוה־צדק in Psa 45:5, equivalent to stripping which is shame, shame-nakedness = ignominious stripping. עריה is an accusative defining the manner in which they would go out. The next two clauses are difficult to explain. צאנן, a play upon words with יצאה, is traceable to this verb, so far as its meaning is concerned. The primary meaning of the name is uncertain; the more modern commentators combine it with צאן, in the sense of rich in flocks. The situation of Zaanan is quite unknown. The supposed identity with Zenân see at Jos 15:37) must be given up, as Zenân was in the plain, and Zaanan was most probably to the north of Jerusalem. The meaning of the clause can hardly be any other than this, that the population of Zaanan had not gone out of their city to this war from fear of the enemy, but, on the contrary, had fallen back behind their walls (Ros., Casp., Hitzig). בּית האצל is most likely the same as אצל in Zec 14:5, a place in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, to the east of the Mount of Olives, as Beth is frequently omitted in the names of places (see Ges. Thes. p. 193). Etsel signifies side, and as an adverb or preposition, “by the side of.” This meaning comes into consideration there. The thought of the words mispad bēth, etc., might be: “The lamentation of Beth-Haezel will take away its standing (the standing by the side of it, 'etslō) from you (Judaeans), i.e., will not allow you to tarry there as fugitives (cf. Jer 48:45). The distress into which the enemy staying there has plunged Beth-Haezel, will make it impossible for you to stop there” (Hitzig, Caspari). But the next clause, which is connected by כּי, does not suit this explanation (Mic 1:12). The only way in which this clause can be made to follow suitably as an explanation is by taking the words thus: “The lamentation of Beth-Haezel will take its standing (the stopping of the calamity or judgment) from you, i.e., stop near it, as we should expect from its name; for (Mic 1:12) Maroth, which stands further off, will feel pain,” etc. With this view, which Caspari also suggests, Hengstenberg (on Zec 14:5) agrees in the main, except that he refers the suffix in עמדּתו to מספּד, and renders the words thus: “The lamentation of Beth-Haezel will take its stopping away from you, i.e., the calamity will not stop at Beth-Haezel (at the near house), i.e., stop near it, as we should expect from its name; for (Mic 1:12) Maroth, which stands further off, will feel pain,” etc. With this view, which Caspari also suggests, Hengstenberg (on Zec 14:5) agrees in the main, except that he refers the suffix in עמדתו to מספּד, and renders the words thus: “The lamentation of Beth-Haezel will take its stopping away from you, i.e., will not allow you the stopping of the lamentation.” Grammatically considered, this connection is the more natural one; but there is this objection, that it cannot be shown that עמד is used in the sense of the stopping or ceasing of a lamentation, whereas the supposition that the suffix refers to the calamity simply by constructio ad sensum has all the less difficulty, inasmuch as the calamity has already been hinted at in the verb נגע in Mic 1:9, and in Mic 1:10 also it forms the object to be supplied in thought. Maroth (lit., something bitter, bitternesses) is quite unknown; it is simply evident, from the explanatory clause כּי ירד וגו, that it was situated in the immediate neighbourhood of Jerusalem. The inhabitants of Maroth writhe (châlâh, from chūl, to writhe with pain, like a woman in child-birth), because they are also smitten with the calamity, when it comes down to the gate of Jerusalem. לטוב, “on account of the good,” which they have lost, or are about to lose.

Mic 1:13-16

And the judgment will not even stop at Jerusalem, but will spread still further over the land. This spreading is depicted in Mic 1:13-15 in the same manner as before. Mic 1:13. “Harness the horse to the chariot, O inhabitress of Lachish! It was the beginning of sin to the daughter Zion, that the iniquities of Israel were found in her. Mic 1:14. Therefore wilt thou give dismissal-presents to Moresheth-gath (i.e., the betrothed of Gath); the houses of Achzib (lying fountain) become a lying brook for Israel’s kings. Mic 1:15. I will still bring thee the heir, O inhabitress of Mareshah (hereditary city); the nobility of Israel will come to Adullam. Mic 1:16. Make thyself bald, and shave thyself upon the sons of thy delights: spread out thy baldness like the eagle; for they have wandered away from thee.” The inhabitants of Lachish, a fortified city in the Shephelah, to the west of Eleutheropolis, preserved in the ruins of Um Lakis (see at Jos 10:3), are to harness the horses to the chariot (rekhesh, a runner; see at 1Ki 5:8 : the word is used as ringing with lâkhı̄sh), namely, to flee as rapidly as possible before the advancing foe. רתם, ἁπ. λεγ. “to bind ... the horse to the chariot,” answering to the Latin currum jungere equis. Upon this city will the judgment fall with especial severity, because it has grievously sinned. It was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion, i.e., to the population of Jerusalem; it was the first to grant admission to the iniquities of Israel, i.e., to the idolatry of the image-worship of the ten tribes (for פּשׁעי ישׂראל, see Mic 1:5 and Amo 3:14), which penetrated even to the capital. Nothing more is known of this, as the historical books contain no account of it. For this reason, namely, because the sin of Israel found admission into Jerusalem, she (the daughter Zion) will be obliged to renounce Moresheth-gath. This is the thought of Mic 1:14, the drapery of which rests upon the resemblance in sound between Moresheth and me'orâsâh, the betrothed (Deu 22:23). Shillūchı̄m, dismissal, denotes anything belonging to a man, which he dismisses or gives up for a time, or for ever. It is applied in Exo 18:2 to the sending away of wife and children to the father-in-law for a time; and in 1Ki 9:16 to a dowry, or the present which a father gives to his daughter when she is married and leaves his house. The meaning “divorce,” i.e., sēpher kerı̄thuth (Deu 24:1, Deu 24:3), has been arbitrarily forced upon the word. The meaning is not to be determined from shillēăch in Jer 3:8, as Hitzig supposes, but from 1Ki 9:16, where the same expression occurs, except that it is construed with ל, which makes no material difference. For נתן אל signifies to give to a person, either to lay upon him or to hand to him; נתן ל, to give to him. The object given by Zion to Moresheth as a parting present is not mentioned, but it is really the city itself; for the meaning is simply this: Zion will be obliged to relinquish all further claim to Moresheth, to give it up to the enemy. Mōresheth is not an appellative, as the old translators suppose, but the proper name of Micah’s home; and Gath is a more precise definition of its situation - “by Gath,” viz., the well-known Philistian capital, analogous to Bethlehem-Judah in Jdg 17:7-9; Jdg 19:1, or Abel-maim (Abel by the water) in 2Ch 16:4. According to Jerome (comm. in Mich. Prol.), Morasthi, qui usque hodie juxta Eleutheropolin, urbem Palaestinae, haud grandis est viculus (cf. Robinson, Pal. ii. p. 423). The context does not admit of our taking the word in an appellative sense, “possession of Gath,” since the prophet does not mean to say that Judah will have to give up to the enemy a place belonging to Gath, but rather that it will have to give up the cities of its own possession. For, as Maurer correctly observes, “when the enemy is at the gate, men think of defending the kingdom, not of enlarging it.” But if the addition of the term Gath is not merely intended to define the situation of Moresheth with greater minuteness, or to distinguish it from other places of the same name, and if the play upon words in Moresheth was intended to point to a closer relation to Gath, the thought expressed could only be, that the place situated in the neighbourhood of Gath had frequently been taken by the Philistines, or claimed as their property, and not that they were in actual possession of Gath at this time.

The play upon words in the second clause of the verse also points to the loss of places in Judaea: “the houses of Achzib will become Achzab to the kings of Israel.” אכזב, a lie, for נחל אכזב, is a stream which dries up in the hot season, and deceives the expectation of the traveller that he shall find water (Jer 15:18; cf. Job 6:15.). Achzib, a city in the plain of Judah, whose name has been preserved in the ruins of Kussabeh, to the south-west of Beit-Jibrin (see at Jos 15:44). The houses of Achzib are mentioned, because they are, properly speaking, to be compared to the contents of the river’s bed, whereas the ground on which they stood, with the wall that surrounded them, answered to the river’s bed itself (Hitzig), so that the words do not denote the loss or destruction of the houses so much as the loss of the city itself. The “kings of Israel” are not the kings of Samaria and Judah, for Achzib belonged to the kingdom of Judah alone, but the kings of Judah who followed one another (cf. Jer 19:13); so that the plural is to be understood as relating to the monarchy of Israel (Judah). Mareshah will also pass into other hands. This is affirmed in the words, “I will bring the heir to thee again” (אבי for אביא, as in 1Ki 21:29). The first heir of Mareshah was the Israelites, who received the city, which had been previously occupied by the Canaanites, for their possession on the conquest of the land. The second heir will be the enemy, into whose possession the land is now to pass. Mareshah, also in the lowland of Judah, has been preserved, so far as the name is concerned, in the ruins of Marash (see at Jos 15:44, and Tobler, Dritte Wanderung, pp. 129, 142-3). To the north of this was Adullam (see at Jos 12:15), which has not yet been discovered, but which Tobler (p. 151) erroneously seeks for in Bêt Dûla. Micah mentions it simply on account of the cave there (1Sa 22:1), as a place of refuge, to which the great and glorious of Israel would flee (“the glory of Israel,” as in Isa 5:13). The description is rounded off in Mic 1:16, by returning to the thought that Zion would mourn deeply over the carrying away of the people, with which it had first set out in Mic 1:8. In קרחי וגזּי Zion is addressed as the mother of the people. קרח, to shave smooth, and גּזז, to cut off the hair, are synonyms, which are here combined to strengthen the meaning. The children of thy delights, in whom thou hast thy pleasure, are the members of the nation. Shaving the head bald, or shaving a bald place, was a sing of mourning, which had been handed down as a traditional custom in Israel, in spite of the prohibition in Deu 14:1 (see at Lev 19:28). The bald place is to be made to spread out like that of a nesher, i.e., not the true eagle, but the vulture, which was also commonly classed in the eagle family, - either the bearded vulture, vultur barbatus (see Oedmann, Verm. Samml. i. p. 54ff.), or more probably the carrion vulture, vultur percnopterus L., common in Egypt, and also in Palestine, which has the front part of the head completely bald, and only a few hairs at the back of the head, so that a bald place may very well be attributed to it (see Hasselquist, Reise, p. 286ff.). The words cannot possibly be understood as referring to the yearly moulting of the eagle itself.

If we inquire still further as to the fulfilment of the prophecy concerning Judah (Mic 1:8-16), it cannot be referred, or speaking more correctly, it must not be restricted, to the Assyrian invasion, as Theod., Cyril, Marck, and others suppose. For the carrying away of Judah, which is hinted at in Mic 1:11, and clearly expressed in Mic 1:16, was not effected by the Assyrians, but by the Chaldeans; and that Micah himself did not expect this judgment from the Assyrians, but from Babel, is perfectly obvious from Mic 4:10, where he mentions Babel as the place to which Judah was to be carried into exile. At the same time, we must not exclude the Assyrian oppression altogether; for Sennacherib had not only already conquered the greater part of Judah, and penetrated to the very gates of Jerusalem (2Ki 18:13-14, 2Ki 18:19; Isaiah 36:1-38:22), but would have destroyed the kingdom of Judah, as his predecessor Shalmaneser had destroyed the kingdom of Israel, if the Lord had not heard the prayer of His servant Hezekiah, and miraculously destroyed Sennacherib’s army before the walls of Jerusalem. Micah prophesies throughout this chapter, not of certain distinct judgment, but of judgment in general, without any special allusions to the way in which it would be realized; so that the proclamation embraces all the judgments that have fallen upon Judah from the Assyrian invasion down to the Roman catastrophe. Guilt and Punishment of Israel. Its Future Restoration - Mic 2:1-13

After having prophesied generally in ch. 1 of the judgment that would fall upon both kingdoms on account of their apostasy from the living God, Micah proceeds in Mic 2:1-13 to condemn, as the principal sins, the injustice and oppressions on the part of the great (Mic 2:1, Mic 2:2), for which the nation was to be driven away from its inheritance (Mic 2:3-5). He then vindicates this threat, as opposed to the prophecies of the false prophets, who confirmed the nation in its ungodliness by the lies that they told (Mic 2:6-11); and then closes with the brief but definite promise, that the Lord would one day gather together the remnant of His people, and would multiply it greatly, and make it His kingdom (Mic 2:12, Mic 2:13). As this promise applies to all Israel of the twelve tribes, the reproof and threat of punishment are also addressed to the house of Jacob as such (Mic 2:7), and apply to both kingdoms. There are no valid grounds for restricting them to Judah, even though Micah may have had the citizens of that kingdom more particularly in his mind.

Micah

We shall have some account of this prophet in the first verse of the book of his prophecy; and therefore shall here only observe that, being contemporary with the prophet Isaiah (only that he began to prophesy a little after him), there is a near resemblance between that prophet's prophecy and this; and there is a prediction of the advancement and establishment of the gospel-church, which both of them have, almost in the same words, that out of the mouth of two such witnesses so great a word might be established. Compare Isa. ii. 2, 3, with Mic. iv. 1, 2. Isaiah's prophecy is said to be concerning Judah and Jerusalem, but Micah's concerning Samaria and Jerusalem; for, though this prophecy be dated only by the reigns of the kings of Judah, yet it refers to the kingdom of Israel, the approaching ruin of which, in the captivity of the ten tribes, he plainly foretels and sadly laments. What we find here in writing was but an abstract of the sermons he preached during the reigns of three kings. The scope of the whole is, I. To convince sinners of their sins, by setting them in order before them, charging both Israel and Judah with idolatry, covetousness, oppression, contempt of the word of God, and their rulers especially, both in church and state, with the abuse of their power; and also by showing them the judgments of God ready to break in upon them for their sins. II. To comfort God's people with promises of mercy and deliverance, especially with an assurance of the coming of the Messiah and of the grace of the gospel through him. It is remarkable concerning this prophecy, and confirms its authority, that we find two quotations out of it made publicly upon very solemn occasions, and both referring to very great events. 1. One is a prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem (ch. iii. 12), which we find quoted in the Old Testament, by the elders of the land (Jer. xxvi. 17, 18), in justification of Jeremiah, when he foretold the judgments of God coming upon Jerusalem, and to stay the proceedings of the court against him. "Micah (say they) foretold that Zion should be ploughed as a field, and Hezekiah did not put him to death; why then should we punish Jeremiah for saying the same?" 2. Another is a prediction of the birth of Christ (ch. v. 2) which we find quoted in the New Testament, by the chief priests and scribes of the people, in answer to Herod's enquiry, where Christ should be born (Matt. ii. 5, 6); for still we find that to him bear all the prophets witness.

In this chapter we have, I. The title of the book (ver. 1) and a preface demanding attention, ver. 2. II. Warning given of desolating judgments hastening upon the kingdoms of Israel and Judah (ver. 3, 4), and all for sin, ver. 5. III. The particulars of the destruction specified, ver. 6, 7. IV. The greatness of the destruction illustrated, 1. By the prophet's sorrow for it, ver. 8, 9. 2. By the general sorrow that should be for it, in the several places that must expect to share in it, ver. 10-16. These prophecies of Micah might well be called his lamentations.

Judgments Predicted. (b. c. 743.)

1 The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. 2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 3 For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. 5 For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? 6 Therefore I will make Samaria as a heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof. 7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of a harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

Here is, I. A general account of this prophet and his prophecy, v. 1. This is prefixed for the satisfaction of all that read and hear the prophecy of this book, who will give the more credit to it when they know the author and his authority. 1. The prophecy is the word of the Lord; it is a divine revelation. Note, What is written in the Bible, and what is preached by the ministers of Christ according to what is written there, must be heard and received, not as the word of dying men, which we may be judges of, but as the word of the living God, which we must be judged by, for so it is. This word of the Lord came to the prophet, came plainly, came powerfully, came in a preventing way, and he saw it, saw the vision in which it was conveyed to him, saw the things themselves which he foretold, with as much clearness and certainty as if they had been already accomplished. 2. The prophet is Micah the Morasthite; his name Micah is a contraction of Micaiah, the name of a prophet some ages before (in Ahab's time, 1 Kings xxii. 8); his surname, the Morasthite, signifies that he was born, or lived, at Moresheth, which is mentioned here (v. 14), or Mareshah, which is mentioned v. 15, and Josh. xv. 44. The place of his abode is mentioned, that any one might enquire in that place, at that time, and might find there was, or had been, such a one there, who was generally reputed to be a prophet. 3. The date of his prophecy is in the reigns of three kings of Judah—Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Ahaz was one of the worst of Judah's kings, and Hezekiah one of the best; such variety of times pass over God's ministers, times that frown and times that smile, to each of which they must study to accommodate themselves, and to arm themselves against the temptations of both. The promises and threatenings of this book are interwoven, by which it appears that even in the wicked reign he preached comfort, and said to the righteous then that it should be well with them; and that in the pious reign he preached conviction, and said to the wicked then that it should be ill with them; for, however the times change, the word of the Lord is still the same. 4. The parties concerned in this prophecy; it is concerning Samaria and Jerusalem, the head cities of the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah, under the influence of which the kingdoms themselves were. Though the ten tribes have deserted the houses both of David and Aaron, yet God is pleased to send prophets to them.

II. A very solemn introduction to the following prophecy (v. 2), in which, 1. The people are summoned to draw near and give their attendance, as upon a court of judicature: Hear, all you people, Note, Where God has a mouth to speak we must have an ear to hear; we all must, for we are all concerned in what is delivered. "Hear, you people" (all of them, so the margin reads it), "all you that are now within hearing, and all others that hear it at second hand." It is an unusual construction; but those words with which Micah begins his prophecy are the very same in the original with those wherewith Micaiah ended his, 1 Kings xxii. 28. 2. The earth is called upon, with all that therein is, to hear what the prophet has to say: Hearken, O earth! The earth shall be made to shake under the stroke and weight of the judgments coming; sooner will the earth hear than this stupid senseless people; but God will be heard when he pleads. If the church, and those in it, will not hear, the earth, and those in it, shall, and shame them. 3. God himself is appealed to, and his omniscience, power, and justice, are vouched in testimony against this people: "Let the Lord God be witness against you, a witness that you had fair warning given you, that your prophets did their duty faithfully as watchmen, but you would not take the warning; let the accomplishment of the prophecy be a witness against your contempt and disbelief of it, and prove, to your conviction and confusion, that it was the word of God, and no word of his shall fall to the ground." Note, God himself will be a witness, by the judgments of his hand, against those that would not receive his testimony in the judgments of his mouth. He will be a witness from his holy temple in heaven, when he comes down to execute judgment (v. 3) against those that turned a deaf ear to his oracles, wherein he witnessed to them, out of his holy temple at Jerusalem.

III. A terrible prediction of destroying judgments which should come upon Judah and Israel, which had its accomplishment soon after in Israel, and at length in Judah; for it is foretold, 1. That God himself will appear against them, v. 3. They boasted of themselves and their relation to God, as if that would secure them; but, though God never deceives the faith of the upright, he will disappoint the presumption of the hypocrites, for, behold, the Lord comes forth out of his place, quits his mercy-seat, where they thought they had him fast, and prepares his throne for judgment; his glory departs, for they drive it from them. God's way towards this people had long been a way of mercy, but now he changes his way, he comes out of his place, and will come down. He had seemed to retire, as one regardless of what was done, but now he will show himself, he will rend the heavens, and will come down, not as sometimes, in surprising mercies, but in surprising judgments, to do things not for them, but against them, which they looked not for, Isa. lxiv. 1; xxvi. 21. 2. That when the Creator appears against them it shall be in vain for any creature to appear for them. He will tread with contempt and disdain upon the high places of the earth, upon all the powers that are advanced in competition with him or in opposition to him; and he will so tread upon them as to tread them down and level them. High places, set up for the worship of idols or for military fortifications, shall all be trodden down and trampled into the dust. Do men trust to the height and strength of the mountains and rocks, as if they were sufficient to bear up their hopes and bear off their fears? They shall be molten under him, melted down as wax before the fire, Ps. lxviii. 2. Do they trust to the fruitfulness of the valleys, and their products? They shall be cleft, or rent, with those fiery streams that shall come pouring down from the mountains when they are melted. They shall be ploughed and washed away as the ground is by the waters that are poured down a steep place. God is said to cleave the earth with rivers, Hab. iii. 9. Neither men of high degree, as the mountains, nor men of low degree, as the valleys, shall be able to secure either themselves or the land from judgments of God, when they are sent with commission to lay all waste, and, like a sweeping rain, to leave no food, Prov. xxviii. 3. This is applied particularly to the head city of Israel, which they hoped would be a protection to the kingdom (v. 6): I will make Samaria, that is now a rich and populous city, as a heap of the field, as a heap of dung laid there to be spread, or as a heap of stones gathered together to be carried away, and as plantings of a vineyard, as hillocks of earth raised to plant vines in. God will make of that city a heap, of that defenced city a ruin, Isa. xxv. 2. Their altars had been as heaps in the furrows of the fields (Hos. xii. 11) and now their houses shall be so, as ruinous heaps. The stones of the city are poured down into the valley by the fury of the conqueror, who will thus be revenged on those walls that so long held out against him. They shall be quite pulled down, so that the very foundations shall be discovered, that had been covered by the superstructure; and not one stone shall be left upon another.

IV. A charge of sin upon them, as the procuring cause of these desolating judgments (v. 5): For the transgression of Jacob is all this. If it be asked, "Why is God so angry, and why are Jacob and Israel thus brought to ruin by his anger?" the answer is ready: Sin has done all the mischief; sin has laid all waste; all the calamities of Jacob and Israel are owing to their transgressions; if they had not gone away from God, he would never have appeared thus against them. Note, External privileges and professions will not secure a sinful people from the judgments of God. If sin be found in the house of Israel, if Jacob be guilty of transgression and rebellion, God will not spare them; no, he will punish them first, for their sins are of all others most provoking to him, for they are most reproaching. But it is asked, What is the transgression of Jacob? Note, When we feel the smart of sin it concerns us to enquire what the sin is which we smart for, that we may particularly war against that which wars against us. And what is it? 1. It is idolatry; it is the high places; that is the transgression, the great transgression which reigns in Israel; that is spiritual whoredom, the violation of the marriage-covenant, which merits a divorce. Even the high places of Judah, though not so bad as the transgression of Jacob, were yet offensive enough to God, and a remaining blemish upon some of the good reigns. Howbeit the high places were not taken away. 2. It is the idolatry of Samaria and Jerusalem, the royal cities of those two kingdoms. These were the most populous places, and where there were most people there was most wickedness, and they made one another worse. These were the most pompous places; there men lived most in wealth and pleasure, and they forgot God. These were the places that had the greatest influence upon the country, by authority and example; so that from them idolatry and profaneness went forth throughout all the land, Jer. xxiii. 15. Note, Spiritual distempers are most contagious in persons and places that are most conspicuous. If the head city of a kingdom, or the chief family in a parish, be vicious and profane, many will follow their pernicious ways, and write after a bad copy when great ones set it for them. The vices of leaders and rulers are leading ruling vices, and therefore shall be surely and sorely punished. Those have a great deal to answer for indeed that not only sin, but make Israel to sin. Those must expect to be made examples that have been examples of wickedness. If the transgression of Jacob is Samaria, therefore shall Samaria become a heap. Let the ringleaders in sin hear this and fear.

V. The punishment made to answer the sin, in the particular destruction of the idols, v. 7. 1. The gods they worshipped shall be destroyed: The graven images shall be beaten to pieces by the army of the Assyrians, and all the idols shall be laid desolate. Samaria and her idols were ruined together by Sennacherib (Isa. x. 11), and their gods cast into the fire, for they were no gods (Isa. xxxvii. 19); and this was the Lord's doing: I will lay the idols desolate. Note, If the law of God prevail not to make men in authority destroy idols, God will take the work into his own hands, and will do it himself. 2. The gifts that passed between them and their gods shall be destroyed; for all the hires thereof shall be burnt with fire, which may be meant either of the presents they made to their idols for the replenishing of their altars, and the adorning of their statues and temples (these shall become a prey to the victorious army, which shall rifle not only private houses, but the houses of their gods), or of the corn, and wine, and oil, which they called the rewards, or hires, which their idols, their lovers, gave them (Hos. ii. 12); these shall be taken from them by him whom (by ascribing them to their dear idols) they had defrauded of the honour due to him. Note, That cannot prosper by which men either are hired to sin or hire others to sin; for the wages of sin will be death. She gathered it of the hire of the harlot, and it shall return to the hire of a harlot. They enriched themselves by their leagues with the idolatrous nations, who gave them advantages, to court them into the service of their idols, and their idols' temples were enriched with gifts by those who went a whoring after them. And all this wealth shall become a prey to the idolatrous nations, and so be the hire of a harlot again, wages to an army of idolaters, who shall take it as a reward given them by their gods. It shall be a present to king Jareb, Hos. x. 6. What they gave to their idols, and what they thought they got by them, shall be as the hire of a harlot; the curse of God shall be upon it, and it shall never prosper, nor do them any good. It is common that what is squeezed out by one lust is squandered away upon another.

Judgments Predicted. (b. c. 743.)

8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls. 9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem. 10 Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust. 11 Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of you his standing. 12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem. 13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee. 14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. 15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel. 16 Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

We have here a long train of mourners attending the funeral of a ruined kingdom.

I. The prophet is himself chief mourner (v. 8, 9): I will wail and howl; I will go stripped and naked, as a man distracted with grief. The prophets usually expressed their own grief for the public grievances, partly to mollify the predictions of them, and to make it appear that is was not out of ill-will that they denounced the judgments of God (so far were they from desiring the woeful day that they dreaded it more than any thing), partly to show how very dreadful and mournful the calamities would be, and to stir up in the people a holy fear of them, that by repentance they might turn away the wrath of God. Note, We ought to lament the punishments of sinners as well as the sufferings of saints in this world; the weeping prophet did so (Jer. ix. 1); so did this prophet. He makes a wailing like the dragons, or rather the jackals, ravenous beasts that in those countries used to meet in the night, and howl, and make hideous noises; he mourns as the owls, the screech-owls, or ostriches, as some read it. Two things the prophet here thus dolefully laments:—1. That Israel's case is desperate: Her wound is incurable; it is ruin without remedy; man cannot help her; God will not, because she will not by repentance and reformation help herself. There is indeed balm in Gilead and a physician there; but they will not apply to the physician, nor apply the balm to themselves, and therefore the wound is incurable. 2. That Judah likewise is in danger. The cup is going round, and is now put into Judah's hand: The enemy has come to the gate of Jerusalem. Soon after the destruction of Samaria and the ten tribes, the Assyrian army, under Sennacherib, laid siege to Jerusalem, came to the gate, but could not force their way any further; however, it was with great concern and trouble that the prophet foresaw the fright, so dearly did he love the peace of Jerusalem.

II. Several places are here brought in mourning, and are called upon to mourn; but with this proviso, that they should not let the Philistines hear them (v. 10): Declare it not in Gath; this is borrowed from David's lamentation for Saul and Jonathan (2 Sam. i. 20), Tell it not in Gath, for the uncircumcised will triumph in Israel's tears. Note, One would not, if it could be helped, gratify those that make themselves and their companions merry with the sins or with the sorrows of God's Israel. David was silent, and stifled his griefs, when the wicked were before him, Ps. xxxix. 1. But, though it may be prudent not to give way to a noisy sorrow, yet it is duty to admit a silent one when the church of God is in distress. "Roll thyself in the dust" (as great mourners used to do) "and so let the house of Judah and every house in Jerusalem become a house of Aphrah, a house of dust, covered with dust, crumbled into dust." When God makes the house dust it becomes us to humble ourselves under his mighty hand, and to put our mouths in the dust, thus accommodating ourselves to the providences that concern us. Dust we are; God brings us to the dust, that we may know it, and own it. Divers other places are here named that should be sharers in this universal mourning, the names of some of which we do not find elsewhere, whence it is conjectured that they are names put upon them by the prophet, the signification of which might either indicate or aggravate the miseries coming upon them, thereby to awaken this secure and stupid people to a holy fear of divine wrath. We find Sennacherib's invasion thus described, in the prediction of it, by the impressions of terror it should make upon the several cities that fell in his way, Isa. x. 28, 29, &c. Let us observe the particulars here, 1. The inhabitants of Saphir, which signifies neat and beautiful (thou that dwellest fairly, so the margin reads it), shall pass away into captivity, or be forced to flee, stripped of all their ornaments and having their shame naked. Note, Those who appear ever so fine and delicate know not what contempt they may be exposed to; and the more grievous will the shame be to those who have been inhabitants of Saphir. 2. The inhabitants of Zaanan, which signifies the country of flocks, a populous country, where the people are as numerous and thick as flocks of sheep, shall yet be so taken up with their own calamities, felt or feared, that they shall not come forth in the mourning of Bethezel, which signifies a place near, shall not condole with, nor bring any succour to, their next neighbours in distress; for he shall receive of you his standing; the enemy shall encamp among you, O inhabitants of Zaanan! shall take up a station there, shall find footing among you. Those may well think themselves excused from helping their neighbours who find they have enough to do to help themselves and to hold their own. 3. As for the inhabitants of Maroth (which, some think, is put for Ramoth, others that it signifies the rough places), they waited carefully for good, and were grieved for the want of it, but were disappointed; for evil came from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem, when the Assyrian army besieged it, v. 12. The inhabitants of Maroth might well overlook their own particular grievances when they saw the holy city itself in danger, and might well overlook the Assyrian, that was the instrument, when they saw the evil coming from the Lord. 4. Lachish was a city of Judah, which Sennacherib laid siege to, Isa. xxxvi. 1,2. The inhabitants of that city are called to bind the chariot to the swift beast, to prepare for a speedy flight, as having no other way left to secure themselves and their families; or it is spoken ironically: "You have had your chariots and your swift beasts, but where are they now?" God's quarrel with Lachish is that she is the beginning of sin, probably the sin of idolatry, to the daughter of Zion (v. 13); they had learned it from the ten tribes, their near neighbours, and so infected the two tribes with it. Note, Those that help to bring sin into a country do but thereby prepare for the throwing of themselves out of it. Those must expect to be first in the punishment who have been ringleaders in sin. The transgressions of Israel were found in thee; when they came to be traced up to their original they were found to take rise very much from that city. God knows at whose door to lay the blame of the transgressions of Israel, and whom to find guilty. Lachish, having been so much accessory to the sin of Israel, shall certainly be reckoned with: Thou shalt give presents to Moresheth-gath, a city of the Philistines, which perhaps had a dependence upon Gath, that famous Philistine city; thou shalt send to court those of that city to assist thee, but it shall be in vain, for (v. 14) the houses of Achzib (a city which joined to Mareshah, or Moresheth, and is mentioned with it, Josh. xv. 44) shall be a lie to the kings of Israel; though they depend upon their strength, yet they shall fail them. Here there is an allusion to the name. Achzib signifies a lie, and so it shall prove to those that trust in it. 5. Mareshah, that could not, or would not, help Israel, shall herself be made a prey (v. 15): "I will bring a heir (that is, an enemy) that shall take possession of thy lands, with as much assurance as if he were heir at law to them, and he shall come to Adullam, and to the glory of Israel, that is, to Jerusalem the head city;" or "The glory of Israel shall come to be as Adullam, a poor despicable place;" or, "The king of Assyria, whom Israel had gloried in, shall come to Adullam, in laying the country waste." 6. The whole land of Judah seems to be spoken to (v. 16) and called to weeping and mourning: "Make thee bald, by tearing thy hair and shaving thy head; poll thee for thy delicate children, that had been tenderly and nicely brought up; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle when she casts her feathers and is all over bald; for they have gone into captivity from thee, and are not likely to return; and their captivity will be the more grievous to them because they have been brought up delicately and have not been inured to hardship." Or this is directed particularly to the inhabitants of Mareshah, as v. 15. That was the prophet's own city, and yet he denounces the judgments of God against it; for it shall be an aggravation of its sin that it had such a prophet, and knew not the day of its visitation. Its being thus privileged, since it improved not the privilege, shall not procure favour for it either with God or with his prophet.

CHAP. I.

Verſe 1. THe word of the Lord &c.] See the Note on Hoſ. 1.1. to Micah the Moraſthite to diſtinguiſh him from Micaiah the ſon of Imlah, who prophecied in Ahabs dayes, above an hundred yeares before this. Micah the Moraſthite, ſo called from the place of his birth or abode which is made famous by him (as Abdera was by Democritus, Hippo by Auſtin) and not He by it; Ambroſe ſaith hi[illegible: 1 letter] name ſignifieth, Quis iſte? who's this? who? (ſaith that Father in anſwer) Not one of the common ſort, but an elect veſſell to carry Gods name to his people. Hierome from his title Moraſthite interpreted, calleth him Cohaeredem Chriſti Coheire with Chriſt, of whom and his kingdome he ſweetly Prophecieth: and may therefore be called the Evangelicall Prophet; as was Eſay, his contemporary with whom he hath many things common: and this one thing above him, that he nameth Bethlehem Chriſts birth-place chap. 5.2. for the which (as well as for his boldneſſe Ier. 26.18.) he was famous in the Church Mat. 2.6. Ioh. 7.42.

in the dayes of Iotham, Ahaz. Hezekiah] Ahaz ſtandeth between Iotham and Hezekiah, as thiſtle or thorn between two lillyes or roſes. Manaſſeh comes after, and degenerates into his grandfather Ahaz. To his time Micah attained not, much leſſe to Joſiahs, as Iſidore hath it: for betwixt Iotham and Ioſiah were an hundred and twenty yeares at leaſt. It is probable that Micah Propheſied forty yeares, if not more: wherein he ſaw many changes, and met with many moleſtations: had cauſe enough to cry out with his Colleague, Who hath beleeved our report? My leaneneſſe, my leaneneſſe &c. Yet held he on his courſe; as being of Latimers mind, who ſpeaking in one of his ſermons of a miniſter that gave this anſwer why he left off preaching? viz. becauſe he ſaw he did no good; this ſaith Latimer, is a naughty, a very naughty anſwer.

which he ſaw] ſc. with the eyes of his mind, for the uſe of the Church; whereto this propheſie comes commended, firſt as the word of the Lord, and ſecondly, as extraordinarily revealed to this Prophet.

concerning Samaria and Ieruſalem] Samaria ſeemeth to be firſt named becauſe moſt guilty before God. They are yoked together, becauſe there was ſcrace ever a better (Aholah and Aholibah ſiſters in ſin) and one the much worſe for the others neighbourhood. Jeruſalem would take it in high ſcorn (likely) to be matched with Samaria (ſo much ſlighted and ſhunned by her Ion. 4.9.) as Papiſts now do to be ſet by Proteſtants, Turks by Chriſtians (the word of a muſſulman beares down all other teſtimony amongſt them) But this Prophet is very bold (as it is ſaid of Iſay his coaetaneus Rom. 10.20) binds them both up in one bundle, and ſpareth not to ſhew Judah their tranſgreſſions, and the houſe of Jacob their ſins.

Verſe 2. Heare, all ye people,] He beginneth as Eſay, in a lofty and ſtately ſtile, powring himſelf out in a golden flood of words (as Tully ſpeaketh of Ariſtotles Politicks) and calling for utmoſt attention and affection: as knowing that he had to do with men more deaf then ſea-monſters, and more dull then the very earth they trod on; which is therefore here commanded to hearken, ſith men (that habitable part of Gods earth Pro. 8.31) will not heare and give eare: wherein they are worſe then the inſenſible creatures Pſal. 119.91.

and let the Lord God be witneſſe against you] Here he turneth his ſpeech to the refractary Jewes: ſpeaking to God as a righteous judge and ſwift witneſſe, Judex, Judex, vindex, againſt them if they hearkened not to his meſſage, niſi pareant, ideoque pereant.

the Lord from his holy temple] that is, let him teſtifie from heaven Pſal. 11.4, that he is diſpleaſed with you, and that I have carefully ſought your ſoules-health. Or, from his temple at Ieruſalem wherein ye glory, and where ye think ye have him as faſt bound to you, as the Tyrians had their idol Apollo, whom they chained and nailed to a poſt, that he might not forſake them, when Alexander beſieged their town, and took it. The Heathens had a trick when they beſieged a city,Macrob. lib. 3. cap. 9. Virg. Ae[illegible: 1 letter]. 2. to call the Tutelar gods out of it by a certain charme, as beleeving that it could not otherwiſe be taken. In a like ſenſe whereunto ſome have interpreted the following verſes here.

Verſe 3. For behold the Lord commeth out of his place] that is, ſay they out of Iudaea and his temple there, leaving it to the Chaldaeans and Aſſyrians. See Ezech. 3.12. and chapters 9.10, and 11. where God makes divers removes from the Cherubins to the threſhold, from thence to the Eaſt-gate, from thence to mount Olivet, quite out of the city chap. 11.23 and when God was gone, then followed the fatall calamity, in the ruine of the city. But by Gods comming forth out of his place here, I conceive is meant his deſcending from heaven to do juſtice on this hypocriticall nation, Eſay 26.21, and becauſe hypocritis nihil stupidius hypocrites reſting on their externall performances and priviledges will hardly be perſwaded of any evill toward them Mic. 3.11. Is not the Lord, ſay they amongst us? none evill can come upon us; therefore we have heare an emphaticall Ecce, Behold the Lord commeth: he is even upon the way already, and will be here with the firſt. He will come down as once at Sodom, when their ſin was very grievous Gen. 18.20. when they were overcharged with the ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe; God came from heaven to give their land a vomit; And ſo he would do here: for Unregenerate Iſrael was to God as Ethiopia Am. 9.7. as the Rulers of Sodom, and people of Gomorrah Eſay 1.10.

and tread upon the high-places of the earth] the High and mighty Ones, that having gotten on the top of their hillocks as ſo many Ants, think themſelves ſo much the better and ſafer, repoſe confidence in their high places and ſtrong-holds, as Nebuchadnezzar did in his Babel, Edom in his clifts of the rocks, munitions of rocks, Obad. 3. the rich fool in his heapes and hoards Luk. 12. theſe, with their falſe confidences, God will tread down in his anger, and trample them in his fury, as the mire of the ſtreets: he will bring down their ſtrength to the earth, and lay their honour in the duſt. Iſa. 63.3, 6.

Verſe 4. And the mountaines ſhall be molten under him] This is to the ſelf-ſame ſenſe: Though men ſwell in their own eyes, to the hugeneſſe of ſo many mountains: and though gotten upon their hill of ice, they think they ſhall never be moved, Pſal. 30.6, 7. yet when God with his devouring fire, and everlaſting burnings comes in preſence, theſe craggie mountains ſhall ſoon diſſolve and melt as wax, they ſhall be as waters, poured down a deſcent, they ſhall flow as a land-flood, &c. By which ſimilitudes, and familiar compariſons is notably ſet forth the irreſiſtible wrath of God for the affrighting of hard-hearted ſinners, that they may take hold of his ſtrength, and make peace with him, Eſay 27.5.

The valleys alſo ſhall be cleft.] The poorer ſort alſo ſhall have their ſhare in the common calamity. God will neither ſpare the high for their might, nor the baſe for their meanneſſe, but Lords and loſels together, ſhall be as wax before the fire, &c.] Wax is a poor fence againſt fire, ſticks and ſtubble againſt a ſtrong torrent: ſo humane force, againſt divine judgements.

Verſe 5. For the tranſgreſſion of Iacob is all this,] Leſt they ſhould think, either that theſe things were threatned in terrorem onely, and would never be inflicted: or elſe that they had not deſerved ſuch ſeverity, but that God ſhould pour out his wrath rather upon the Heathen that knew him not, and upon the families that called not on his name. The Prophet here ſheweth that Jacob was become a juſt object of Gods indignation, by his tranſgreſſions or rebellions, and the whole houſe of Iſrael by their ſinnes: there was a generall defection, and therefore they muſt expect a generall deſtruction. I or why? the juſt Lord is in the middeſt thereof: he will not do iniquity, he will not acquit the guilty: morning by morning doth he bring his judgements to light, he faileth not: but the unjust knoweth no ſhame, will take no warning, which is a juſt both preſage and deſert of his ruine.

What is the tranſgreſſion of Iacob?] ſay they in a chatting way; like theſe miſcreants in Malachy, that ſo worded it with God, chap. 1. and 3.

Is it not Samaria?] ſaith the Prophet, in anſwer to that daring demand of theirs. So, what are the high-places of Iudah?] viz. the ſuperſtitions and carnall confidences thereof? Is it not Jeruſalem? ſaith the Prophet. Are not their capitall cities become their capitall ſinnes? Read we not of the calf of Samaria, Hoſ. 8.5. and did not her kings ſet up idols at Dan and Bethel, and Gilgal. and Beerſheba? As for Jeruſalem, had ſhe not turned the very Temple into an high-place, by reſting in her ceremoniall ſervices, and ſacrifices? Did not ſome of her beſt kings wink at the high-places? And Ahaz, that ſtigmaticall Beli[illegible: 1 letter]liſt, ſhut up Gods Temple, and ſet up ſtrange worſhips? How then could theſe frontleſſe fellowes ask, What is the tranſgreſſion, &c? and What are the high-places &c? The Prophet goes not behind the door to tell them, that the beſt of them were no better then a rabble of rebels againſt heaven: and their chieftains were moſt in fault, though they leaſt liked to hear of it. Samaria is a very Poneropolis, and Jeruſalem is little better: they both are even transformed into ſinnes image: the Prophet here ſpeakes of them, as if they were not onely ſinfull, but ſin it ſelf; as Tully ſaith of one Tubulus a Roman Preter, that he was ſo deſperately wicked,Haraporcorum, vel colluvies rabidorum canum. Aug. ut ejus nomen non hominis ſed vitij eſſe videre[illegible: 2 letters]r; that he paſſed not for a man, but for a Vice, ſo flagitious were his practiſes: or as Auſtin ſaith of this preſent evil world, That it is nothing elſe but a ſtie of filthy hogs, or a kennell of mad dogs.

Verſe 6. Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field,] i.e. like as when ſtones are gathered out of a field, they are laid together on heaps: ſo I will take courſe that where Samaria now is, there ſhall be nothing to be ſeen, but heaps of ſtones and rubbiſh. God is the true [non-Latin text not transcribed]: for thou haſt made of a city an heap, of a defenced city a ruine, a palace of ſtrangers to be no city, it ſhall never be built, Eſay 25.2. Of Rome it was long ſince propheſied: Tota eris in cineres, quaſi nunquam Roma faiſſes.

O that God would haſten that day: Scipio foreſaw it, and wept, ſc. when he ſaw Carthage ſet all on a light fire by himſelf. In the greatneſſe of the Turkiſh Empire are ſwallowed up many kingdomes and countreys: beſides all thoſe Churches and places ſo much ſpoken of in Scripture, the Romans onely excepted: yet no doubt for their many and mighty ſinnes, Time ſhall triumph over this ſo great a Monarchy, when it ſhall but then live by fame, as others now do.Turk. hiſt. pref. Cedren. Jam ſeges eſt ubi Troia fuit. Though thou build thy walls as high as heaven (ſaid the Oracle to wicked Phocas) yet ſinne that lieth at the foundation, will one day over-turn them.

and as plantings of a vineyard,] that is, it ſhall be made a place fit for the planting of vines: it ſhall be utterly raſed and haraſed.— Ʋni mihi pergamo reſtant Incola captivo quae bove victor erat. Bacchus amat colles. A Lapide obſerveth the fitneſſe of the expreſſion here uſed, in that Samaria was ſcituate on an hill that bore vines: and before it was a city, it had been a vineyard: God threatneth to make it ſo again, and ſo to ſtain the pride of all its glory: ſee what a trouble-town ſinne is. Surely did people but know what it will once coſt them, and cauſe to them, they durſt not but be innocent.

and I will pour down the ſtones thereof into the valley,] that is, into a by corner. Elapidation is neceſſary to a vine-yard, Eſay 5.2. there being no poſſeſſion that requireth more pains and care, as Cato hath obſerved.

and I will diſcover the foundation thereof.] I will not leave a ſtone upon a ſtone, nor any foot-ſtep of ſo ſtately a city, that hath ſo long time been a cage of unclean birds, an Augean ſtable of abominable idolatries. God, as he hath loving reſpects to the places of his ſervants birth and abode, Pſal. 87.6. Eſay 49.16. ſo he ſets the marks of his wrath upon thoſe places where foul ſinnes have been perpetrated, as upon our Abbeys and Monaſteries, whoſe very foundations are laid naked.

Verſe 7. And all the graven images thereof,] Upon theſe the jealous God will execute vengeance: ſo to ſhew his hatred of idolatry. The ſtones of the altars hee will make as chalk-ſtones, that are beaten in ſunder: the groves and the images ſhall not ſtand up, Eſay 27.9. As for thoſe that worſhip them, and repent not of the works of their hands, Rev. 9.20. they ſhall ſmart ſurely for their idolatries, as did thoſe of old in the wilderneſſe: and the more ingenuous of their poſterity acknowledge at this day, that there is no puniſhment befalleth them,Moſes Gerand. in which there is not ſtill an ounce of that golden calf. True it is, that the Samaritan ſuperſtition which was groſſer at firſt, (and for which they were carried captive by the Aſſyrian) was afterwards refined by Manaſſeh a Jew-prieſt, that in Alexanders time made a defection to him, and brought many Jews with him: but that ſaved them not from utter deſtruction.

and all the hires thereof ſhall be burnt with fire,] Her rewards given her by her ſweet-hearts, Hoſ. 2.5, 12. and 9.1. her vowed preſents and memories, (as Papiſts now call them) her monies and donaries ſhall be ſet on a light fire. God will confute their vain confidences, as he did thoſe Popiſh rebels of Norfolk in Edward the ſixths time, who brought into the battell the Pix under his canopie, and with all his trinkets, croſſes, banners, candleſticks, memories, &c.Acts & Mon. fol. 1190. which in the end could neither help themſelves, nor ſave their friends from the hands of their enemies.

for ſhe gathered it of the hire of an harlot, &c.] Ill gotten goods thrive not. Few harlots are found to be rich. Indeed we read of Phryne, a notable ſtrumpet, that ſhe offered to rebuild the walls of Thebes on condition that this might be engraven on them; [non-Latin text not transcribed], & Alexander pulled them down, and Phryne ſet them up again, but it would not be accepted. Flora alſo the Roman harlot was very rich: and ſo is the whore of Babylon at this day, by her trading with the merchants of the earth: but this will not hold long, Rev. 18.10. In one hour ſhall her judgement come: and in one hour ſo great riches ſhall come to nothing, verſe 17. England was wont to be counted and called the Popes Aſſe; for bearing his burdens: and his puteus inexhauſtus, his pit of treaſure, whence hee drew at pleaſure. Polydor Virgil was ſometime Collectour of his Peter-pence here, &c. But Henry 8. caſheered and caſt him out hence; depriving him of his harlot-hire. And well he had done, had he not given occaſion to thoſe that came after to complain. Poſſidebant Papiſtae, poſſident jam Rapiſtae, &c.

Verſe 8. Therefore I will wail and howle,] Good men are uſually more deeply affected with the wretched eſtate of wicked perſons, then they themſelves are. Thus Samuel mourned for Sauls rejection; Daniel was aſtonied and troubled at the import of Nebuchadnezzars dream, chap. 4.19. Habakkuks belly trembled,Hab. 3.16. and his lips quivered at the conſideration of the judgements that were to come upon the Chaldeans. Do we ſo (ſaith Mr. Perkins) at other mens ſmartings.

I will go ſtript,] tàm mente quàm veſte, renting off my garments, and caſting them from me, as if bereft of my wits: Pro demente vel inſano quidam accipiunt, ſaith Calvin here. See Eſay 59.15. with the margent, and Eſay 20.2.

I will make a wailing like the dragons,] which ſucking the Elephants blood, till he fall down dead upon them, and oppreſſe them with his huge bulk, make an horrible howling: ſo horrible (ſaith Palacius out of Pliny and Solinus) that they amaze, yea kill thoſe that hear it. Fides ſit penes autores.

and mourning as the owls,] Heb. as the daughters of the owl, or of the oſtrich: young oſtriches caſt off by their dammes, Job 39 14. Lam. 4.3. and hungerbit howl pitifully, as do alſo the young ravens for like cauſe, Pſal. 147.9. Of the ravens of Arabia it is recorded, that full gorged, they have a tuneable ſweet record: but empty, ſcreech horribly. By theſe ſimilitudes here uſed, the Prophet would expreſſe his griefe to be unexpreſſible.

Verſe 9. For her wound is incurable,] Or, ſhe is grievouſly ſick of her wounds; Or, her wounds are full of anguiſh, neither is there any to pour in balm of Gilead, to allay it:Speed. 432. Camd. in Middleſex. any to lick it whole, as the Lady Elinor did her husband Prince Edwards wound, traiterouſly given him in the holy land, by an Aſſaſſine, with a poiſoned knife.

for it is come unto Judah,] viz. Samaria's wound and Plague is come, i. e. ſhall ſhortly come, though now they live, as if out of the reach of Gods rod, or as if they had a protection.

he is come unto the gate of my people.] Sennacherib (fleſhed with former ſucceſſes at Samaria, which had been carried captive by his father) came up to the very gate of Jeruſalem, as an over-flowing ſcourage: and thought to have cut off all the Jews at once: as if they had had all but one neck. He came up over all his channels, and went over all his banks. He paſſed thorow Judah, and over-flowed, reaching even to the neck: and that ſtretching out of his wings filled the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel, Eſay 8.8. But Immanuel ſoon took a courſe with him, Eſay 37.33. ſo that though he came to the gates, yet he entered not into the city: nor ſhot an arrow there, nor caſt a bank againſt it. Look upon Zion, ſaith that Prophet, the city of our ſolemnities, and ſee if Jeruſalem be not ſtill a quiet habitation, Eſay 33.20. Walk about Zion, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, and go round about her, tell the towers thereof. See if any be miſſing ſince Sennacherib came up againſt them. Mark yee well her bulwarks: are they diminiſhed? conſider her palaces: are they at all defaced? Pſal. 48.12, 13. What if Jeruſalem be wicked? yet Sennacherib is inſolent. If therefore Jeruſalem ſhall be ſmitten with the rod of Sennacheribs fear, Sennacherib ſhall be ſmitten with the ſword of Gods revenges, who of all things cannot endure a preſumptuous and ſelf-confident vaunter: but will deal with his people, not according to his ordinary rule, but according to his Prerogative. Surely Iſrael hath not been forſaken, nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of hoſts, though their land was filled with ſinne againſt the Holy One of Iſrael, Ier. 51.5.

Verſe 10. Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all,] ſc. in their ſight and hearing, (though at home, weep your fill, verſe 8.) leſt the daughters of thoſe uncircumciſed triumph, 2 Sam. 1.20. leſt out of your tragedies they compoſe comedies; and ye become their muſick, whileſt they revel in your ruines, and make themſelves merry in your miſery.

In the houſe of Aphrah, roll thy ſelf in the duſt.] An elegant Agnomination in the original: q. d. Duſt thy ſelf in the houſe of duſt. Aphrah had its name from its duſtineſſe; as Paris is called Lutetia à luto, from its dirtineſſe: and as Hiram called the twenty cities of Galilee given him by Solomon, Cabul, that is dirty, or diſpleaſing, 1 King. 9.13. Fitly was this city called Aphrah, or Duſty, ſaith the Prophet: for it ſhall be reduced to duſt, and the inhabitants occaſioned to roll themſelves in the duſt, in token of extreme ſorrow. See Lam. 2.10. Some think Aphrah is put for Ephraim: others, better underſtand it for a particular city; either that in the tribe of Manaſſeh, Gideons city, Judg. 6.11. or that other in the tribe of Benjamin, Joſh. 18.23. not far from Jeruſalem.

Verſe 11. Paſſe ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir,] Or, thou that dwelleſt fairly, as it were in a city ſet with Saphires, ſee Eſay 54.11. ſuch as was Suſa in Perſia, and Antioch in Syria, a city ſo ſweet and ſpecious, that Mahomet never durſt come into it, leſt he ſhould be there detained by the pleaſure of the place. Saphir here (ſay ſome) may allude to Samaria, that inſtead of her fairneſſe ſhall be expoſed to ignominy and nakedneſſe: they ſhall be carried away, young and old, naked and bare-foot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the ſhame of Samaria, Eſay 20.4. So the Popes champions dealt by the Waldenſes in France, thoſe ancient Proteſtants. One great city of theirs they took, and put to the ſword ſixty thouſand. To another they they gave quarter for life; but ſo,Rivet. Jeſuita vapul. 331. as that both the men and the women ſhould depart ſtark naked (partibus illis quae honeſte nominari non poſſunt, ſanctorum illorum cruciatorum oculis expoſitis) and ſhew all.

The inhabitants of Zaanan] Loci pecoroſi, ſaith Junius, the countrey of flocks. Some make it to allude to Zion. Others ſay, it ſignifieth an out-let: and make it to be as a gate to the kingdome of Judah. Theſe came not forth of their gate in the mourning of Bethezel, or of the place over-anent, to condole with them, as having their hands full at home, and matter enough of mourning for their own miſery.

He ſhall receive of you his ſtanding] The enemy ſhall ſtand and ſtay amongſt you, till he hath ſubdued you, and made a clear conqueſt: hee ſhall not give you over, till he have done the deed.

Verſe 12. For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good,] Or, ſhall grieve for the good, viz. that he hath loſt in the common calamity; grieve till he[illegible: 1 letter] be heart-ſick, as Amos 6.6. or wait till he faint, for hope deferred maketh the heart ſick, Prov. 13.12. The name of this city is Maroth, that is, bitterneſſes; and bitter things ſhall befall her: ſee Ruth 1.20. becauſe together with the good of Piety, which ſhe ought to have waited upon, ſhe hath loſt the good of Proſperity, which in vain ſhe hath waited for. The expectation of the wicked is wrath, Prov. 11.23.

But evil came down from the Lord.] It is He that ſends and ſets the enemy awork: as Titus acknowledged, at the laſt deſtruction of Jeruſalem, that he onely lent his hands to the divine juſtice. It was God that ſtirred up enemies to revolted Solomon. And Joh deſcried Gods hand on the arms of the Sabean robbers.

Verſe 13. O thou inhabitant of Lachiſh, bind the charet to the ſwift beaſt,] To the Camel, or Dromedary, ſaith Calvin, which is a very ſwift beaſt, (wee call a [illegible: 1 letter]low body Dromedary, per Antiphraſin) or to the poſt-horſes Angarijs, as Junius: he means, Make haft away. Salmaneſer is already at Samaria, and Sennacherib will be [illegible: 1 letter]re long at Lachiſh, Eſay 36.2. Hannibal ad portas, begone with all poſſible ſpeed: haſt, haſt, haſt.

She is the beginning of ſin to the daughter of Zion,] Not partner onely, but Authour, and Ring-leader. Such are all haereſiarchs, and inventers of evil things, Rom. [illegible: 2 letters] 30. Theſe ſhall drink deep of Gods wrath here, and be caſt alive into the burning [illegible: 1 word], Rev. 19.20. Some apply the words to the confederacy of Lachiſh with Jeruſalem againſt king Amaziah, 2 King. 14.19. ſlain at this city.

for the tranſgreſſions of Iſrael were found in thee.] The often-change of perſon in this verſe is remarkable. The chief ſinne that Lachiſh ſtands charged with is, that being near to Beerſheba, ſhe had learned her manner, Amos 8.14. that is, her rites, and religions, inſtituted by Jeroboam, and tranſmitted them to Jeruſalem. Superſtition ſoon ſpreads, and is catching: like the Jeruſalem-Artichoke, it quickly over-runs the ground, and chokes the Heart.

Verſe 14. Therefore ſhall thou give preſents, &c.] And ſo ſeek to make thee friends among the Philiſtines: but ſuch carnall confederacies never proſper. The Greek Churches, Anno 1438. afraid of the Turks, ſent and ſubjected themſelves to the Biſhop of Rome, that they might have the help of the Latine Churches: but ſhortly after, they were deſtroyed, their Empire ſubdued, and ſwallowed up by the Ottoman greatneſſe, &c. How much better were it to ſend a Lamb to the Ruler of the earth, Eſay 16.1? to bring preſents unto Him that ought to be feared, Pſal. 76.11? even to God, who cutteth off the ſpirits of Princes, and is terrible to the Kings of the earth? verſe 12. Was he not ſo to Sennacherib whom Lachiſh here feared, and fled from? to Nebuchadnezzar, Belſhazzar, Xerxes, who after he had [illegible: 3 letters]ted over two millions of men into Greece, and beaten the Helleſpont (for battering his bridge of boats over it) with three hundred ſtripes, was defeated, routed,Hered. and forced to flee back in a poor fiſhers boat, to ſave his own life?

The houſes of Achzib (that is of a lie) ſhall be a lie to the kings of Iſrael.] Or have been a lie to the kings of Iſrael: never true to thoſe that truſted them: And wilt thou confederate with them, and confide in them?

Verſe 15. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee,] Or, a Poſſeſſour, who ſhall lay claim to thee, as by right of inheritance. This heir was the Aſſyrian, and thoſe Colonies brought by him into the cities of Iſrael, 2 King. 17.34. Theſe took upon them as heirs and owners of the countrey, till turned out afterwards by Ioſiah King of Judah, 2 King. 23.4, 8. Here is another elegant alluſion, (as this Chapter is full of them) for Mareſhah ſignifieth an Inheritance, or Poſſeſſion. And if it were Mi[illegible: 1 letter]ah's own countrey, (as many think) we may ſee the Prophets integrity, in not bearing with his beſt friends: but taking the ſame liberty to tell them of their ſins, and dangers, that they did to commit the one, and to incurre the other. Phyſician heal thy ſelf, ſaid they to our Saviour, Luke 4.23. that is, thine own countrey, as it is there explained.

He ſhall come unto Adullam, the glory of Iſrael.] Haply ſo called, becauſe David was once there hid and harboured: and the place thereby renowned. Or, becauſe it was a ſtrong-hold, wherein Iſrael gloried and truſted, but in vain: ſith the enemie ſhould come to it, and ſurprize it. Some think poor Adullam is called the glory of Iſrael ironically, and by way of ſcorn. Some read it thus, O glory of Iſrael, (to wit, then loſt and overthrown) and they make it to be a deep ſigh of the Prophet, fet from the bottome of his heart; whereby he witneſſeth that he is greatly ſorry for the ruine of the Iſraelites:Danaeus. that hee might move them alſo to mourn in like manner. This he further preſſeth them to in the next words.

Verſe 16. Make thee bald and poll thee,] i. e. Make moſt bitter lamentation: he alludes to a cuſtom among the Eaſterlings, of tearing off the hair of their heads and beards, in times of great heavineſſe. See Iob 1.20. Eſay 15.2 Jer. 7.29. Ezr. 9 3. In other caſes baldneſſe was forbidden Iſrael, (leſt they ſhould ſymbolize with Heathens) but in caſe of ſorrow for ſin, they were called to it, Eſay 22.12.

for thy delicate children,] To whom thou haſt been rather a parricide then a parent: L. Flor. dealing by them, as that fal[illegible: 1 letter]e School-maſter in Italy, that brought forth his ſchollers to Hannibal.

as the Eagl[illegible: 1 letter],] when he is old, and loſeth his feathers; and with them, not onely his beauty, but alſo his ſwiftneſſe and courage.