Matthew Poole and continuators on Micah 3:12

12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field , and Jerusalem shall become heaps , and the mountain of the house ▪ as the high places of the forrest .

By this it appears, that this Sermon was preach'd to Iudah and its Governours, Priests and Prophets who were thus wicked in A[illegible: 1 letter]az his time, and probably continued so in the beginning of Hezekiah's time; Ieremiah does put this out of all doubt, chap. 26.18. saying that Micah spake these words to all Iudah. As for the time, it was in all likelihood before the thirteenth year of Hezekiah, say some; I rather think 'twas in the very beginning of Hezekiah, and that this might awaken them of that Age to comply with Hezekiah in the Reformation. Zi[illegible: 2 letters] here is threatned as endangered, nay ruin'd by the sins of Magistrates, Priests and Prophets, they thought that Zion should be their safety, hower'e they sin'd, God by his Prophet assures them the quite contrary, their sins should be the danger and destruction of Zion.

Because your sins are so great and many, God would have spared Sodom for the sake of righteous men, these may be safety to a City; but God will not spare the wicked for any places sake, nor shall a Temple be more security to a wicked people, than Heaven was to sinning Angels. Though these flagitious men cry'd out against Micah, and such like men, as a publick danger, Truth is, the Injustice, Idolatry, and Inhumanity of publick persons were the great danger.

Either by the Enemy, and Conquerour, thereby forbidding it to be plowed without his leave, or by such as remained after the body of the People were carried Captive.

One of the goodliest Cities of the World, proud in its lofty, and beautiful buildings, the City of the great king.

Shall all lie in rubbish, its stately buildings shall be demolished and lie buried in their own ruines.

Holy mountain, on which the Temple, one of the Wonders of the World, did stand, beautified with rarest Buildings.

Shall lye so long waste, as to be run over with Wood as a Forrest, and be a Lodge of wild Beasts.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 paragraph]