---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Micah 2"
description: "CHAPTER 2   :-. DENUNCIATION OF THE
EVILS PREVALENT:
THE PEOPLE"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/2"
---

CHAPTER 2

. DENUNCIATION OF THE
EVILS PREVALENT:
THE PEOPLE'S
UNWILLINGNESS TO HEAR
THE TRUTH: THEIR
EXPULSION FROM
THE LAND THE
FITTING FRUIT
OF THEIR SIN:
YET JUDAH
AND ISRAEL ARE
HEREAFTER TO BE
RESTORED.

**1. devise . . . work . . .
practise**—They do evil not merely on a sudden impulse, but with
deliberate design. As in the former chapter sins against the first
table are reproved, so in this chapter sins against the second table.
A gradation: "devise" is the *conception* of the evil
purpose; "work" (), or "fabricate," the *maturing* of the
scheme; "practise," or "effect," the *execution*
of it.
**because it is in the power of
their hand**—for the phrase see [Genesis 31:29](../../../kjv/genesis/31/29);
[Proverbs 3:27](../../../kjv/proverbs/3/27). Might, not right, is
what regulates their conduct. Where they can, they commit oppression;
where they do not, it is because they cannot.

**2.** Parallelism, "Take by
violence," answers to "take away"; "fields"
and "houses," to "house" and "heritage"
(that is, one's land).

**3. against this family**—against
the nation, and especially against those reprobated in [Micah 2:1](../../../kjv/micah/2/1);
[Micah 2:2](../../../kjv/micah/2/2).
**I devise an evil**—a
happy antithesis between God's dealings and the Jews' dealings ([Micah 2:2](../../../kjv/micah/2/2)). Ye "devise evil" against your fellow countrymen;
I devise evil against you. Ye devise it wrongfully, I by righteous
retribution in kind.
**from which ye shall not
remove your necks**—as ye have done from the law. The yoke I
shall impose shall be one which ye cannot shake off. They who will
not bend to God's "easy yoke" ([Matthew 11:29](../../../kjv/matthew/11/29);
[Matthew 11:30](../../../kjv/matthew/11/30)), shall feel His iron
yoke.
**go haughtily**—(Compare
*Note,* see on [Matthew 11:30](../../../kjv/matthew/11/30)). Ye
shall not walk as now with neck haughtily uplifted, for the yoke
shall press down your "neck."
**this time is evil**—rather,
"for *that* time shall be an evil time," namely, the
time of the carrying away into captivity (compare [Amos 5:13](../../../kjv/amos/5/13);
[Ephesians 5:16](../../../kjv/ephesians/5/16)).

**4. one take up a parable against
you**—that is, Some of your foes shall do so, taking in derision
from your own mouth your "lamentation," namely, "We be
spoiled," c.
**lament with a doleful
lamentation**—literally, "lament with a lamentation of
lamentations." *Hebrew, naha, nehi, nihyah,* the repetition
representing the continuous and monotonous wail.
**he hath changed the portion
of my people**—a charge of injustice against Jehovah. He
transfers to other nations the sacred territory assigned as the
rightful portion of our people ().
**turning away he hath divided
our fields**—Turning away from us to the enemy, He hath divided
among them our fields. CALVIN,
as the *Margin,* explains, "*Instead of restoring* our
territory, He hath divided our fields among our enemies, each of whom
henceforward will have an interest in keeping what he hath gotten: so
that we are utterly shut out from hope of restoration." MAURER
translates as a noun, "He hath divided our fields *to a
rebel,*" that is, to the foe who is a rebel against the true
God, and a worshipper of idols. So "backsliding," that is,
backslider ([Jeremiah 49:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/4)). *English
Version* gives a good sense and is quite tenable in the *Hebrew.*

**5. Therefore**—resumed from . On account of your crimes described in [Micah 2:1](../../../kjv/micah/2/1);
[Micah 2:2](../../../kjv/micah/2/2).
**thou**—the ideal
individual ("me," [Micah 2:2](../../../kjv/micah/2/2)), representing the guilty people in whose name he spoke.
**none that . . . cast a cord
by lot**—none who shall have any possession *measured out.*
**in the congregation of the
Lord**—among the people consecrated to Jehovah. By covetousness
and violence ([Micah 2:2](../../../kjv/micah/2/2)) they had
forfeited "the portion of Jehovah's people." This is God's
implied answer to their complaint of injustice ([Micah 2:2](../../../kjv/micah/2/2)).

**6. Prophesy ye not, say they**—namely,
the Israelites say to the true prophets, when announcing unwelcome
truths. Therefore God judicially abandons them to their own ways:
"The prophets, by whose ministry they might have been saved from
*shame* (ignominious captivity), shall not (that is, no longer)
prophesy to them" ([Isaiah 30:10](../../../kjv/isaiah/30/10);
[Amos 2:12](../../../kjv/amos/2/12); [Amos 7:16](../../../kjv/amos/7/16)).
MAURER translates the
latter clause, "they shall not prophesy *of such things*"
(as in [Micah 2:3-5](../../../kjv/micah/2/3-5), these
being rebellious Israel's words); "let them not prophesy";
"they never cease from insult" (from prophesying insults to
us). *English Version* is supported by the parallelism: wherein
the similarity of sound and word implies how exactly God makes their
punishment answer to their sin, and takes them at their own word.
"Prophesy," literally, "drop" ([Deuteronomy 32:2](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/32/2);
[Ezekiel 21:2](../../../kjv/ezekiel/21/2)).

**7. O thou . . . named the house of
Jacob**—priding thyself on the *name,* though having naught
of the spirit, of thy progenitor. Also, bearing the name which ought
to remind thee of God's favors granted to thee because of His
covenant with Jacob.
**is the Spirit of the Lord
straitened?**—Is His *compassion* contracted within narrower
limits now than formerly, so that He should delight in your
destruction (compare [Psalms 77:7-9](../../../kjv/psalms/77/7-9);
[Isaiah 59:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/59/1); [Isaiah 59:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/59/2))?
**are these his doings?**—that
is, Are such threatenings His delight? Ye dislike the prophets'
threatenings ([Micah 2:6](../../../kjv/micah/2/6)): but who
is to blame? Not God, for He delights in blessing, rather than
threatening; but yourselves ([Micah 2:6](../../../kjv/micah/2/6)) who provoke His threatenings [GROTIUS].
CALVIN translates, "Are
your doings such as are prescribed by Him?" Ye boast of being
God's peculiar people: Do ye then conform your lives to God's law?
**do not my words do good to
him that walketh uprightly**—Are not My words good to the
upright? If your ways were upright, My words would not be threatening
(compare [Psalms 18:26](../../../kjv/psalms/18/26); [Matthew 11:19](../../../kjv/matthew/11/19);
[John 7:17](../../../kjv/john/7/17)).

**8.** Your ways are not such that I
can deal with you as I would with the upright.
**Even of late**—literally,
"yesterday," "long ago." So "of old."
*Hebrew,* "yesterday" (); "heretofore," *Hebrew,* "since
yesterday" ([Joshua 3:4](../../../kjv/joshua/3/4)).
**my people is risen up as an
enemy**—that is, has rebelled against My precepts; also has
become *an enemy* to the unoffending passers-by.
**robe with the garment**—Not
content with the outer "garment," ye greedily rob
passers-by of the ornamental "robe" fitting the body
closely and flowing down to the feet [LUDOVICUS
DE DIEU]
([Matthew 5:40](../../../kjv/matthew/5/40)).
**as men averse from war**—in
antithesis to (*My people*) "as an enemy." Israel
treats the innocent passers-by, though "averse from war,"
as an enemy" would treat captives in his power, stripping them
of their habiliments as lawful spoils. GROTIUS
translates, "as men *returning* from war," that is, as
captives over whom the right of war gives the victors an absolute
power. *English Version* is supported by the antithesis.

**9. The women of my people**—that
is, the *widows* of the men slain by you () ye cast out from their homes which had been their delight,
and seize on them for yourselves.
**from their children**—that
is, from the orphans of the widows.
**taken away my glory**—namely,
their substance and raiment, which, being the fruit of God's blessing
on the young, reflected *God's glory.* Thus Israel's crime was
not merely robbery, but sacrilege. Their sex did not save the women,
nor their age the children from violence.
**for ever**—There was no
repentance. They persevered in sin. The pledged garment was to be
restored to the poor before sunset ([Exodus 22:26](../../../kjv/exodus/22/26);
[Exodus 22:27](../../../kjv/exodus/22/27)); but these *never*
restored their unlawful booty.

**10. Arise ye, and depart**—not
an exhortation to the children of God to depart out of an ungodly
world, as it is often applied; though that sentiment is a scriptural
one. This world is doubtless not our "rest," being
"polluted" with sin: it is our passage, not our portion;
our aim, not our home ([2 Corinthians 6:17](../../../kjv/2-corinthians/6/17);
[Hebrews 13:14](../../../kjv/hebrews/13/14)). The imperatives
express the *certainty* of the *future* event *predicted.*
"Since such are your doings (compare [Micah 2:7](../../../kjv/micah/2/7);
[Micah 2:8](../../../kjv/micah/2/8), c.), My sentence on you
is irrevocable ([Micah 2:4](../../../kjv/micah/2/4) [Micah 2:5](../../../kjv/micah/2/5)),
however distasteful to you ([Micah 2:5](../../../kjv/micah/2/5)); ye who have *cast out* others from their homes and
possessions ([Micah 2:2](../../../kjv/micah/2/2); [Micah 2:8](../../../kjv/micah/2/8);
[Micah 2:9](../../../kjv/micah/2/9)) must *arise, depart,*
and be cast out of your own ([Micah 2:4](../../../kjv/micah/2/4);
[Micah 2:5](../../../kjv/micah/2/5)): *for this is not your
rest*" ([Numbers 10:33](../../../kjv/numbers/10/33); [Deuteronomy 12:9](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/12/9);
[Psalms 95:11](../../../kjv/psalms/95/11)). Canaan was designed
to be a *rest* to them after their wilderness fatigues. But it
is to be so no longer. Thus God refutes the people's self-confidence,
as if God were bound to them inseparably. The promise ([Psalms 95:11](../../../kjv/psalms/95/11)) is quite consistent with temporary withdrawal of God from
Israel for their sins.
**it shall destroy you**—*The
land* shall spew you out, because of the defilements wherewith ye
"polluted" it ([Leviticus 18:25](../../../kjv/leviticus/18/25);
[Leviticus 18:28](../../../kjv/leviticus/18/28); [Jeremiah 3:2](../../../kjv/jeremiah/3/2);
[Ezekiel 36:12-14](../../../kjv/ezekiel/36/12-14)).

**11. walking in the spirit**—The
*Hebrew* means also "wind." "If a man professing
to have the 'spirit' of inspiration (; so 'man of the spirit,' that is, one claiming inspiration,
[Hosea 9:7](../../../kjv/hosea/9/7)), but really walking in
'wind' (prophecy void of nutriment for the soul, and unsubstantial as
the *wind*) and falsehood, do lie, saying (that which ye like to
hear), I will prophesy," c., even such a one, however false his
prophecies, since he flatters your wishes, shall be your prophet
(compare [Micah 2:6](../../../kjv/micah/2/6) [Jeremiah 5:31](../../../kjv/jeremiah/5/31)).
**prophesy . . . of wine**—that
is, of an abundant supply of wine.

**12.** A sudden transition from
threats to the promise of a glorious restoration. Compare a similar
transition in [Hosea 1:9](../../../kjv/hosea/1/9); [Hosea 1:10](../../../kjv/hosea/1/10).
Jehovah, too, prophesies of good things to come, but not like the
false prophets, "of wine and strong drink" ([Hosea 1:10](../../../kjv/hosea/1/10)). After I have sent you into captivity as I have just
threatened, I will thence assemble you again (compare [Micah 4:6](../../../kjv/micah/4/6);
[Micah 4:7](../../../kjv/micah/4/7)).
**all of thee**—The
restoration from Babylon was partial. Therefore that here meant must
be still future, when "*all* Israel shall be saved"
([Romans 11:26](../../../kjv/romans/11/26)). The restoration
from "Babylon" (specified ([Romans 11:26](../../../kjv/romans/11/26)) is the type of the future one.
**Jacob . . . Israel**—the
ten tribes' kingdom ([Hosea 12:2](../../../kjv/hosea/12/2))
and Judah ([2 Chronicles 19:8](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/19/8); [2 Chronicles 21:2](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/21/2);
[2 Chronicles 21:4](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/21/4)).
**remnant**—the elect
remnant, which shall survive the previous calamities of Judah, and
from which the nation is to spring into new life ([Isaiah 6:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/6/13);
[Isaiah 10:20-22](../../../kjv/isaiah/10/20-22)).
**as the sheep of Bozrah**—a
region famed for its rich pastures (compare [Isaiah 10:20-23](../../../kjv/isaiah/10/20-23)). GESENIUS for
Bozrah translates, "sheepfold." But thus there will be
tautology unless the next clause be translated, "in the midst of
their *pasture.*" *English Version* is more favored by
the *Hebrew.*

**13. The breaker**—Jehovah-Messiah,
who *breaks* through every obstacle in the way of their
restoration: not as formerly *breaking forth* to destroy them
for transgression ([Exodus 19:22](../../../kjv/exodus/19/22);
[Judges 21:15](../../../kjv/judges/21/15)), but breaking a way for
them through their enemies.
**they**—the returning
Israelites and Jews.
**passed through the gate**—that
is, through the gate of the foe's city in which they had been
captives. So the image of the resurrection ([Judges 21:15](../../../kjv/judges/21/15)) represents Israel's restoration.
**their king**—"the
Breaker," peculiarly "*their* king" ([Hosea 3:5](../../../kjv/hosea/3/5);
[Matthew 27:37](../../../kjv/matthew/27/37)).
**pass before them**—as He
did when they went up out of Egypt ([Exodus 13:21](../../../kjv/exodus/13/21);
[Deuteronomy 1:30](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/1/30); [Deuteronomy 1:33](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/1/33)).
**the Lord on the head of
them**—Jehovah at their head ([Deuteronomy 1:33](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/1/33)). Messiah, the second person, is meant (compare [Exodus 23:20](../../../kjv/exodus/23/20);
[Exodus 33:14](../../../kjv/exodus/33/14); [Isaiah 63:9](../../../kjv/isaiah/63/9)).

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