Matthew Poole and continuators on Micah 2

1 WO 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 .

The Prophet now denounceth judgment against oppressours in particular, of which sort of men Iudah had too many▪ and Israel had many more at that day▪

Contrive and frame mischiefs to others, how they may be ruined, as appears ver. 2. and all the gain can be made of their fall may be brought into the hand of the contrivers, which was the sin of the great ones in Israel, who for near forty years together were plotting to undo one another.

Here is a dislocation of the words, unless the Prophet would intimate to us, that in Gods account the resolving to do evil is doing it.

When they should rest from making trouble to others, as well as they rest from their labour and troubles of the day, when they should praise God for their own ease, safety and rest, then their inhumanity and cruelty is forecasting how to grieve, vex and swallow up others.

So soon as they rise, and that is early when such practices are in design, these cannot sleep till they make them fall on whom they fix their designes,

Finish or execute their mischievous purposes.

And care not whether there be either Justice or Reason for what they do, if they have power enough to do they will take confidence to do it, and never blush.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 7.6.; [illegible: 1 word] 36.4.

2 And they covet fields , and take them by violence ; and houses , and take them away : so they oppress a man and his house , even a man and his heritage .

Who devised mischief, verse 1.

First set their minds upon their meaner Neighbours Estate, think how convenient it lieth to theirs, as Ahab thought Naboths did for him.

By power wrest the Estates out of their hands, at their own rate; or if they will not so part with them, these mischievous oppressours will act a Iezabel's part with Naboth, which was no hard matter to do in Israel, during the times that ran parallel with Iotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah's times.

In which their poorer and innocenter Neighbours dwelt, but perhaps these houses spoil'd a prospect, or straitned the great one, who right or wrong will have them, that they may enlarge their own Houses, Orchards or Gardens.

They tear, devour and swallow up the poor man.

His Family, which by this means is left to poverty and beggery.

This explains the former, and addeth somewhat to the greatness of their sin, that this is done against antient right and possession which the oppressed plead, nay, in a case where God hath forbidden them to sell their heritage, Lev. 25.23. Numb. 36.7. and 1 King. 21.3.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 5.8.; [illegible: 1 span]

3 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold against this family do I devise an evil , from which ye shall not remove your necks , neither shall ye go haughtily , for this time is evil .

For this great, inhumane, cruel oppression.

The Lord by his Pro[illegible: 1 letter]het declareth what he will do, and adviseth them to consider it, for 'tis a most manifest retaliation or punishing the offenders, so that every one may see God deals with them, as they dealt with their oppressed Neighbours.

They devised, now God will devise, theirs was evil against others, God will devise evil against them, theirs was evil of sin, Gods is an evil of just punishment, against their Family, as they devised evil against the Family of their poor Neighbours. God will bring the Assyrian power upon them.

They laid snares where open force would not suffice, so that the poor could not get out of their hands, but were empoverisht and enslaved, so God will deal with them by the Assyrian, from whose power they shall not escape.

You have made others hang the head, so shall you now.

You great ones have made it an evil time, evil for sin against me, and the innocent, and for cryes and griefs to the poor, I will make it an evil time, full of penal calamities and miseries on the whole Family or Posterity of Iacob.

4 ¶ In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation and say, we be utterly spoiled ; he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me ? turning away he hath divided our fields.

When God shall retaliate, as verse 3. when he shall by the Assyrian Captivity fulfil what here is threatned by the Prophet.

There shall be taken up, or be in common ordinary use among those that know what is befallen you.

Or taunting, scorning Proverb, this tells them how their Ass[illegible: 2 letters]ian Conquerours should reflect reproach and shame upon captive Israel, much like that Psal. 137.3. which the Babylonians used toward captive Judah.

Your Friends for you, and you for your selves, shall mourn most bitterly, as the import of the Hebraism is, Lament with a Lamentation of Lamentations. So though all are not alike affected, yet every one shall carry it towards miserable Israel, according as they are affected▪ condoling their sad state, or insulting over them.

This is the sum of their mournful lamentation over their own state, our Land wasted, our Friends slain, our Cities taken▪ plunder'd and sackt, our houses and goods either taken away from us, or burnt, and our persons no more our own, but Captives, under the power and will of our enemy, thus spoiled, nothing is any longer ours.

The Assyrian say some▪ God say others; indeed God did it by the Assyrians.

The Estate, Wealth, Plenty, Freedom, Safety, Joy and Honour, into Poverty, Famine, Servitude, Danger, Grief and Dishonour. The Land of Canaan was the inheritance, and all the conveniencies it afforded were part of the portion of Israel, but O doleful change! These all taken away from Israel, and given to others.

It is either the Prophet, who calls them his people, or rather, every one of Israel that useth this lamentation, who saith my people.

How dreadfully hath God dealt with Israel? removing their persons into Captivity, and transferring thei[illegible: 1 letter] right and possession to enemies?

Either thus turning away from us in displeasure, God hath divided our fields among others, given them to the enemy, and he hath divided them to whom he pleaseth, to his own people and souldiers; Or else this word turning away, may be rendred returning, and be spoken of the enemy, when he returned he did divide our fields▪ or as the Margent of our Bibles, instead of restoring our fields, which we hoped, and our mistaken leaders promised, God hath given the enemy success and power to divide our fields, and to allot them to others.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] Lamen [illegible: 3 letters] [illegible: 1 span] 1.15.; [illegible: 1 word] 1.15.; Or, instead of restoring.

5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD ,

Because your sins so great, universal and incorrigible, have provoked God to frame and design this desolation against you, and because he will punish you according to your wayes.

Either oppressour, spoken thus as to one, that it might comprehend every one of them, who are described verse 2. or else, this Thou is the whole Family, spoken of vers▪ 3. perhaps both these may best be meant here.

None that shall ever return to this land, to claim an inheritance there, or to see it allotted by line, and given to them to possess it; the Prophet here alludes to the manner of dividing fields, and inheritance of old in use among them, as in Io[illegible: 1 letter]hua's time; so both the whole Family in general, and the great ones, oppressours and extortioners, are more particularly menaced with an utter and perpetuated exclusion out of the Land in which they sinned, and whence they are carried Captives; whoever do, neither they, nor their posterity, shall possess inheritances in it.

They should no more be the Congregation of the Lord, nor should their children be so, or stand in the Congregation of the Lord at any time hereafter, to claim their portion among Gods people. Thus they are rejected and disinherited, and this to this day is verified on the main body of this people.

Marginal references: Deut. 32.8, 9.

6 Prophesie ye not , say they, to them that prophesie : they o shall not prophesie to them that they shall not take shame .

It is manifest that our version here intends this as an interdict, or prohibition laid upon the true Prophets whose nearers were so far from amending and turning unto God in complyance with his Counsel, and obedience to his Commands given out by his Prophets, that Rulers and People agree to silence the Prophets, and expresly forbid them to distil or drop their severe predictions against the Kingdom.

Faithfully as Isaiah, Hosea, Ioel, and Micah now did. Or my true Prophets saith God,

shall cease from farther troubling, and terrifying these people, who fear not my judgments, and will not by repentance prevent their miserable Captivity, and shame. So God doth in his displeasure grant their desire, and gratifie the interdict in judgment against them.

That they may as they seem resolved to put off all blushing and shame, go on without checks or rebuke, till they be utterly ruin'd; they are impatient of that shame they should take to themselves for their sins, and therefore would not hear the truth, so it shall be, and they shall not be shamed to repentance, but they shall be shamed in their ruine; this seems the meaning of the words in our version, and I will not add any other, though there are several versions which somewhat vary from ours.

Marginal references: Or, Prophesie not as they Prophesie.; Heb. drop. &c.; Isa. 30.1[illegible: 1 letter]. Amos 7.16▪

7 ¶ O thou that art named the house of Jacob : is the spirit of the LORD straitned u? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly ?

You are in name, not in truth, you call your selves, and wou[illegible: 1 letter]d be called by others the seed and posterity of Iacob.

You glory in Iacob, whom God blessed, guided, and preserved, and you think he should so bless you, but you nothing think how Iacob teared, obeyed, and worshipped God, you are not honest, plain hearted, and upright with God as he.

The Power, Goodness, Wisdom, and Kindness of God is not less now then formerly, he is as merciful to design good, as gracious to promise, as great and good to perform his word, but the reason he doth not promise Good to you, but threatens punishment upon you by his Prophets is all from your selves, 'tis for your sins, you do the things that must be discountenanced, and if you would hear better things by the Prophets, you must do better, you must do what God requires by them.

Are these severer proceedings against you, the doings your God delighteth in? Doth he choose to take this way? Doth not mercy better please him? He would be more pleased to speak comfortably to you, do you as Iacob did, and God will deal with you as he did with him.

My words promise all Good, and my Prophets declare Good to those that are indeed the house of Iacob. All the wayes of God are in an even tenor, mercy and truth to such as keep his Covenant, and Testimonies to do them, as Psal. 25.10.

That with honest hearts walk in the wayes of God, but froward sinners, and dissembling Hypocrites cannot with reason expect the same usage from God, who will give peace, and shew mercy to Israel, whilest the workers of iniquity are led out to punishment, this whole verse is excellently cleared by the Prophet Isaiah. 59.1, 2, 3, &c.

Marginal references: Or, shortned.; Heb. upright.

8 Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe, with the garment from them that pass by securely , as men averse from war .

from a long time since they have revolted from me, and of later dayes they have renewed with addition of new violence to their old.

All of them have risen up, and acted hostilities among themselves: Israel against Iudah, and Iudah against Israel, and of late the Ten Tribes have conspired against one another, Subjects against their Kings, and great ones against the meaner sort, all places are full of the sins and woful effects of Civil Seditions, and the Treasonable practices of violent men.

You strip those to their skin, take away their clothes, and leave them naked:

That in peace and fearing no evil, go about their private affairs,

disliking such rebellious, bloody, and oppressive courses and wishing every one might enjoy his right without plunderings, sequestrations, confiscations, and decimations for not being of their party. All which we may easily believe attended the Factious and Rebellious times which succeeded after Ieroboam's Death, briefly mentioned 2 Kings 15.8, &c. which read with this verse, and diligently consider how it paints out those times of Israels sinning.

This verse to me seems to be designed as a proof of the perverseness and iniquity of this people, and consequently a justifying of God, and his Prophet threatning severity against them, they flattered themselves, and were angry with the Prophet, but God doth in these words convince them, that they could not with reason expect better tydings. For

Marginal references: Heb. yesterday ▪; Heb. over against a garment

9 The women of my people have ye cast out of their pleasant houses , from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever .

The poor disconsolate Widows, whose Husbands you had first slain with their sword of War, or unjustly condemned to Death, or else the Wives of Husbands whom you had oppressed, and by preverted judgment had condemned to forfeit their Estates.

This aggravates the sin that this was done against Israelitish women not strangers, against those that were by peculiar provision of God's law to be tenderly and mercifully dealt with, Exod. 22.22.

Disseise, and turn out, as if unworthy to dwell longer in their old habitations, which they pretend forfeited as Paradise by Adam, who was therefore in this very word cast out, Gen. 3.24. or as Hagar out of Abraham's Family, Gen. 21.15.

Either pleasant for scituation, such fears were to these as dangerous as Naboth's Vineyard was to him, or else pleasant to them, because they were their own, where they enjoyed their Husbands and Children, and wisht no more preferment, content with their beloved habitation, and domestick conveniencies.

You have by your violence, and oppression ruined their Posterity, turn'd their Children out of Houses, and Estates, which were secured by the Law of God from any legal alienation, and sale beyond the Jubilee, you have confiscated them for ever.

Which was the Glory of my bounty to them, in use of which they did give glory to me, and by continuance of which they might have lived above contempt,

either continually you have done this, or what you have done, you intend to stand for ever.

Marginal references: Or, wives.

10 Arise ye and depart , for this is not your rest : because it is polluted , it shall destroy you, even with a [illegible: 1 letter]ore destruction .

You Inhabitants of Israel, especially you oppressours, bestir your selves, and prepare for your departure out of this Land; for, will ye, nill ye, so 'tis, you shall be carryed away, the words also may fairly be applyed to the oppressed, to lessen the troubles they were under, and to advise them to retire out of this Land.

Though 'twas given this people for a rest under God's wing; yet 'twas on condition of continued Obedience, but since they do not observe the condition, they shall never find the expected rest; one trouble shall succeed another, until the Captivity, sweep them all away, both oppressours and oppressed, these therefore should grieve the less at their present trouble, nor grudge to transplant themselves;

with many, and great, and old sins,

Spue them out as a burthen intolerable to the earth that bears them, as Lev. 18.25. this polluted Land shall be destroyed;

Such as may will require a lamentation, such as ver. 4. a grievous desolation, such as never shall be repaired.

11 If a man walking in the spirit and falshood , do [illegible: 1 letter]ie , saying, I will prophesie unto thee of wine, and of strong drink , he shall even be the Prophet of this people .

This people were weary of true Prophets, and silenced them ver. 6. but they were fondly taken with the false Prophets, and what these promised them, and these, as here described, are by a dreadful judgment on this people permitted, or left to deceive them: Prophets that pretend to walk in the Spirit, i. e. to have the Spirit of prophesie,

And on that pretence takes the boldness to promise pleasing things in God's Name, whereas he never received such promises of Good from God.

Against God, and to the people.

Micah, and his male-contented Brethren foretel scarcity, war, dismal calamities, and an Assyrian Captivity of all for ever; I tell you these are idle dreams, you shall have plenty, and good dayes, and may eat, drink, and be merry, such times of evil you shall never see.

By a just and dreadful judgment from God, as well as by an unhappy and fatal choice of the people. 1 Kings 22.6, 10, 11, 12. with ver. 34. Ezek. 13.3, 10.

Doomed to unparallel'd misery by God for their sins, and pulling it upon themselves by their obstinate impenitence, and blindness.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 span]

12 ¶ I will surely assemble , O Jacob , all of thee : I will surely gather the remnant of Israel ; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah , as the flock in the midst of their fold : they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men .

i. e. God offended with them.

By his providence will cause to come together.

He calls to the house of Israel to consider it.

Who were flying, shall upon hope of what their false Prophets promise to return to their own Land and Cities,

The same thing in little different words repeated to assure us the truth of the thing.

All that remain of the Ten Tribes, (for some were before carryed away by Tiglath-Pi[illegible: 1 letter]eser) shall most assuredly be gathered together, that they may all be in one Covey covered with the Assyrian net.

In multitudes like those flocks,

whence none of the sheep can get and make their escape, so should this people be enclosed and taken.

Of cryes and lamentation for their distresses, and lost condition.

Such great multitudes coopt up, shall hideously lament their own condition like multitudes that suffer shipwrack together; all this God will bring upon them by the multitude of the Assyrian Souldiers which come up against them.

There are three different interpretations of this verse, of which 'tis hard to say, which is most agreeable to the intent o[illegible: 1 letter] this Scripture, I will propose all three, and, leave each reader to choose for himself. First, Some will that these words be a continuation of the false Prophets preaching prosperity and good dayes. So the words are a promise made to them contradictory to the Menaces of the Lord by Micah, he foretold all would end in destruction; the false Prophet foretels the assembling of all the seed of Iacob into their Land and Cities, and bringing back the remnant of the Captive Israelites, carryed away by Tiglath-Pileser, and their safety in their own fold as the flock of Bozrah, and should make great noise of joy and rejoycing in their multitudes. All which spoken by the false Prophet Micah refutes in the 12th verse. Secondly▪ Others make it an Evangelical promise of the restitution of Israel by the Messiah, and many Jews agree with Christian Expositors herein, though the Jews refer it to a temporal restitution, not yet fulfilled: the Christians refer it to a spiritual partly fulfilled, yet more fully to be accomplisht hereafter, and suitably to this hypothesis they interpret all the passages of this Text, and the 13th verse, both which will very fairly bear the sense by these put upon them, and may be the mystical sense of the words, but we who inquire into the literal meaning, think it adviseable not to swell the Volum by long digressions. A third opinion ought to be considered e're we can choose which we shall adhere to: now the third opinion in expounding the Text, makes it a commination or dreadful threat against this people, and thus suits it.

13 The breaker is come up before them : they have broken up , and have passed thorow the gate , and are gone out by it , and their king shall pass before them , and the LORD on the head of them .

The Assyrian with his mighty host, i. e. Salmaneser and his Army.

The Present (put after the stile of the Prophets) for the Future, because the thing was near, and very certain.

The people of Israel might see them, would they open their eyes, the preparations for this expedition are visible to all that will observe what is doing abroad. The mighty Army of the Assyrian King shall e're long approach the confines, enter the Land, invest the Cities, yea, the Metropolis of Israel.

No Frontiers shall be strong enough to keep them out of the Land.

No Cities so strong with Walls and Gates, which the Assyrian shall not take and possess, and enter in through the Gates, as of his own Cities.

And securely go out too.

Salmaneser.

In triumphant manner.

His own Army, and the Captive Iacob,

offended with the Jews.

Leading, and succeeding the Assyrians in this War.

In the opinion of those, who account the 12th ve[illegible: 1 letter]se to be part of the flattering discourse of false Prophets: This verse is the Prophet Micah's reply to those false Teachers; so far is it from truth, that God will restore the remnant, and establish them, that he assures them the contrary will surely and suddenly befall them; and these do in some manner expound the words as they of the third opinion, mentioned ver. 12. thus.