---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Micah 4"
description: "CHAPTER 4   :-. TRANSITION TO THE
GLORY, PEACE,
KINGDOM, AND VICTORY
OF ZION. 1-3. Almost identical with  :-. the mountain of the house of
the Lord—which"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/4"
---

CHAPTER 4

. TRANSITION TO THE
GLORY, PEACE,
KINGDOM, AND VICTORY
OF ZION.

**1-3.** Almost identical with .
**the mountain of the house of
the Lord**—which just before () had been doomed to be a wild forest height. Under Messiah,
its elevation is to be not that of situation, but of moral dignity,
as the seat of God's universal empire.
**people shall flow into it**—In
Isaiah it is "all nations": a more universal prophecy.

**3. rebuke**—convict of sin
([John 16:8](../../../kjv/john/16/8); [John 16:9](../../../kjv/john/16/9));
and subdue with judgments ([Psalms 2:5](../../../kjv/psalms/2/5);
[Psalms 2:9](../../../kjv/psalms/2/9); [Psalms 110:5](../../../kjv/psalms/110/5);
[Psalms 110:6](../../../kjv/psalms/110/6); [Revelation 2:27](../../../kjv/revelation/2/27);
[Revelation 12:5](../../../kjv/revelation/12/5)).
**many people . . . strong
nations afar off**—In [Isaiah 2:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/2/4)
it is "the nations . . . many people."

**4. sit every man under his vine,**
c.—that is, enjoy the most prosperous tranquillity ([1 Kings 4:25](../../../kjv/1-kings/4/25)
[Zechariah 3:10](../../../kjv/zechariah/3/10)). The "vine"
and "fig tree" are mentioned rather than a *house,* to
signify, there will be no need of a covert; men will be safe even in
the fields and open air.
**Lord of hosts hath spoken
it**—Therefore it must come to pass, however unlikely now it may
seem.

**5. For**—rather, *Though it be
that* all people walk after their several gods, yet we (the Jews
in the dispersion) will walk in the name of the Lord. So the *Hebrew*
particle means in the *Margin,* [Genesis 8:21](../../../kjv/genesis/8/21);
[Exodus 13:17](../../../kjv/exodus/13/17); [Joshua 17:18](../../../kjv/joshua/17/18).
The resolution of the exile Jews is: As Jehovah gives us hope of so
glorious a restoration, notwithstanding the overthrow of our temple
and nation, we must in confident reliance on His promise persevere in
the true worship of Him, however the nations around, our superiors
now in strength and numbers, walk after their gods [ROSENMULLER].
As the Jews were thoroughly weaned from idols by the Babylonian
captivity, so they shall be completely cured of unbelief by their
present long dispersion ([Joshua 17:18](../../../kjv/joshua/17/18)).

**6. assemble her that
halteth**—feminine for neuter in *Hebrew* idiom, "*whatever
halteth*": metaphor from sheep wearied out with a journey:
all the suffering exiles of Israel ([Ezekiel 34:16](../../../kjv/ezekiel/34/16);
[Zephaniah 3:19](../../../kjv/zephaniah/3/19)).
**her . . . driven out**—all
Israel's outcasts. Called "the Lord's flock" ([Jeremiah 13:17](../../../kjv/jeremiah/13/17);
[Ezekiel 34:13](../../../kjv/ezekiel/34/13); [Ezekiel 37:21](../../../kjv/ezekiel/37/21)).

**7. I will make her that halted a
remnant**—I will cause a remnant to remain which shall not
perish.
**Lord shall reign . . . in . .
. Zion**—David's kingdom shall be restored in the person of
Messiah, who is the seed of David and at the same time Jehovah ().
**for ever**— ([Isaiah 9:6](../../../kjv/isaiah/9/6);
[Isaiah 9:7](../../../kjv/isaiah/9/7); [Daniel 7:14](../../../kjv/daniel/7/14);
[Daniel 7:27](../../../kjv/daniel/7/27); [Luke 1:33](../../../kjv/luke/1/33);
[Revelation 11:15](../../../kjv/revelation/11/15)).

**8. tower of the flock**—following
up the metaphor of *sheep* (see on ). Jerusalem is called the "tower," from which the
King and Shepherd observes and guards His flock: both the spiritual
Jerusalem, the Church now whose tower-like elevation is that of
doctrine and practice ([Song of Solomon 4:4](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/4/4),
"Thy neck is like the *tower* of David"), and the
literal hereafter ([Jeremiah 3:17](../../../kjv/jeremiah/3/17)).
In large pastures it was usual to erect a high wooden tower, so as to
oversee the flock. JEROME
takes the *Hebrew* for "flock," *Eder* or *Edar,*
as a proper name, namely, a village near Beth-lehem, for which it is
put, Beth-lehem being taken to represent the *royal stock of David*
([Micah 5:2](../../../kjv/micah/5/2); compare [Micah 5:2](../../../kjv/micah/5/2)). But the explanatory words, "the stronghold of the
daughter of Zion," confirm *English Version.*
**stronghold**—*Hebrew,*
"Ophel"; an impregnable height on Mount Zion ([2 Chronicles 27:3](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/27/3);
[2 Chronicles 33:14](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/33/14); [Nehemiah 3:26](../../../kjv/nehemiah/3/26);
[Nehemiah 3:27](../../../kjv/nehemiah/3/27)).
**unto thee shall . . . come .
. . the first dominion**—namely, the dominion formerly exercised
by thee shall come back to thee.
**kingdom shall come to the
daughter of Jerusalem**—rather, "the kingdom *of* the
daughter of Jerusalem shall come (again)"; such as it was under
David, before its being weakened by the secession of the ten tribes.

**9.** Addressed to the daughter of
Zion, in her consternation at the approach of the Chaldeans.
***is there*****no
king in thee?**—asked tauntingly. There is a king in her; but it
is the same as if there were none, so helpless to devise means of
escape are he and his counsellors [MAURER].
Or, Zion's pains are because her king *is* taken away from her
([Jeremiah 52:9](../../../kjv/jeremiah/52/9); [Lamentations 4:20](../../../kjv/lamentations/4/20);
[Ezekiel 12:13](../../../kjv/ezekiel/12/13)) [CALVIN].
The former is perhaps the preferable view (compare [Ezekiel 12:13](../../../kjv/ezekiel/12/13)). The latter, however, describes better Zion's kingless
state during her present long dispersion ([Hosea 3:4](../../../kjv/hosea/3/4);
[Hosea 3:5](../../../kjv/hosea/3/5)).

**10. Be in pain, and labour**—carrying
on the metaphor of a pregnant woman. Thou shalt be affected with
bitter sorrows before thy deliverance shall come. I do not forbid thy
grieving, but I bring thee consolation. Though God cares for His
children, yet they must not expect to be exempt from trouble, but
must prepare for it.
**go forth out of the city**—on
its capture. So "come out" is used [2 Kings 24:12](../../../kjv/2-kings/24/12);
[Isaiah 36:16](../../../kjv/isaiah/36/16).
**dwell in the field**—namely,
in the open country, defenseless, instead of their fortified *city.*
Beside the Chebar ([Psalms 137:1](../../../kjv/psalms/137/1);
[Ezekiel 3:15](../../../kjv/ezekiel/3/15)).
**Babylon**—Like Isaiah,
Micah looks beyond the existing Assyrian dynasty to the Babylonian,
and to Judah's captivity under it, and restoration ([Isaiah 39:7](../../../kjv/isaiah/39/7);
[Isaiah 43:14](../../../kjv/isaiah/43/14); [Isaiah 48:20](../../../kjv/isaiah/48/20)).
Had they been, as rationalists represent, merely sagacious
politicians, they would have restricted their prophecies to the
sphere of the existing *Assyrian* dynasty. But their seeing into
the far-off future of *Babylon's* subsequent supremacy, and
Judah's connection with her, proves them to be inspired prophets.
**there . . . there**—emphatic
repetition. The very scene of thy calamities is to be the scene of
thy deliverance. In the midst of enemies, where all hope seems cut
off, *there* shall Cyrus, the deliverer, appear (compare [Isaiah 48:20](../../../kjv/isaiah/48/20)). Cyrus again being the type of the greater Deliverer, who
shall finally restore Israel.

**11. many nations**—the subject
peoples composing Babylon's armies: and also Edom, Ammon, c., who
exulted in Judah's fall ([Lamentations 2:16](../../../kjv/lamentations/2/16)
[Obadiah 1:11-13](../../../kjv/obadiah/1/11-13)).
**defiled**—metaphor from a
virgin. Let her be defiled (that is, outraged by violence and
bloodshed), and let our eye gaze insultingly on her shame and sorrow
([Micah 7:10](../../../kjv/micah/7/10)). Her foes desired to
feast their *eyes* on her calamities.

**12. thoughts of the Lord**—Their
*unsearchable wisdom,* overruling seeming disaster to the final
good of His people, is the very ground on which the restoration of
Israel hereafter (of which the restoration from Babylon is a type) is
based in [Isaiah 55:8](../../../kjv/isaiah/55/8); compare with
[Micah 4:3](../../../kjv/micah/4/3); [Micah 4:12](../../../kjv/micah/4/12);
[Micah 4:13](../../../kjv/micah/4/13), which prove that
*Israel,* not merely the Christian Church, is the ultimate
subject of the prophecy; also in [Micah 4:13](../../../kjv/micah/4/13). God's counsel is to discipline His people for a time with
the foe as a scourge; and then to destroy the foe by the hands of His
people.
**gather them as . . .
sheaves**—them who "gathered" themselves for Zion's
destruction ([Micah 4:11](../../../kjv/micah/4/11)) the Lord
"shall gather" for destruction by Zion ([Micah 4:11](../../../kjv/micah/4/11)), like *sheaves gathered to be threshed* (compare
[Isaiah 21:10](../../../kjv/isaiah/21/10); [Jeremiah 51:33](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/33)).
The *Hebrew* is *singular,* "sheaf." However
great the numbers of the foe, they are all but as *one sheaf*
ready to be threshed [CALVIN].
Threshing was done by treading with the feet: hence the propriety of
the image for treading under foot and breaking asunder the foe.

**13. thresh**—destroy thy foes
"gathered" by Jehovah as "sheaves" ([Isaiah 41:15](../../../kjv/isaiah/41/15);
[Isaiah 41:16](../../../kjv/isaiah/41/16)).
**thine horn**—Zion being
compared to an ox treading corn, and an ox's strength lying in the
horns, her *strength* is implied by giving her a *horn of iron*
(compare [1 Kings 22:11](../../../kjv/1-kings/22/11)).
**beat in pieces many**—
([Daniel 2:44](../../../kjv/daniel/2/44)).
**I will consecrate their gain
unto the Lord**—God subjects the nations to Zion, not for her own
selfish aggrandizement, but for His glory ([Isaiah 60:6](../../../kjv/isaiah/60/6);
[Isaiah 60:9](../../../kjv/isaiah/60/9); [Zechariah 14:20](../../../kjv/zechariah/14/20),
with which compare [Isaiah 23:18](../../../kjv/isaiah/23/18))
and for their ultimate good; therefore He is here called, not merely
God of Israel, but "Lord of the whole earth."

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