---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Micah 6"
description: "CHAPTER 6   :-. APPEAL BEFORE
ALL CREATION
TO THE ISRAELITES TO
TESTIFY, IF THEY
CAN, IF JEHOVAH
EVER DID
AUGHT BUT ACTS
OF KINDNESS TO THEM
FROM THE EARL"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/6"
---

CHAPTER 6

. APPEAL BEFORE
ALL CREATION
TO THE ISRAELITES TO
TESTIFY, IF THEY
CAN, IF JEHOVAH
EVER DID
AUGHT BUT ACTS
OF KINDNESS TO THEM
FROM THE EARLIEST
PERIOD: GOD
REQUIRES OF THEM
NOT SO
MUCH SACRIFICES,
AS REAL PIETY
AND JUSTICE: THEIR
IMPIETIES AND COMING
PUNISHMENT.

**1. contend thou**—Israel is
called by Jehovah to plead with Him in controversy. suggested the transition from those happy times described
in the fourth and fifth chapters, to the prophet's own degenerate
times and people.
**before the mountains**—in
their presence; personified as if witnesses (compare [Micah 1:2](../../../kjv/micah/1/2);
[Deuteronomy 32:1](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/32/1); [Isaiah 1:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/1/2)).
Not as the *Margin,* "with"; as God's controversy is
with Israel, not *with* them.

**2. Lord's controversy**—How
great is Jehovah's condescension, who, though the supreme Lord of
all, yet wishes to prove to worms of the earth the equity of His
dealings ([Isaiah 5:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/5/3); [Isaiah 43:26](../../../kjv/isaiah/43/26)).

**3. my people**—the greatest
aggravation of their sin, that God always treated them, and still
treats them, as *His people.*
**what have I done unto
thee?**—save kindness, that thou revoltest from Me ([Jeremiah 2:5](../../../kjv/jeremiah/2/5);
[Jeremiah 2:31](../../../kjv/jeremiah/2/31)).
**wherein have I wearied
thee?**—What commandments have I enjoined that should have
wearied thee as irksome ([1 John 5:3](../../../kjv/1-john/5/3))?

**4. For**—*On the contrary,*
so far from doing anything harsh, I did thee every kindness from the
earliest years of thy nationality.
**Miriam**—mentioned, as
being the prophetess who led the female chorus who sang the song of
Moses ([Exodus 15:20](../../../kjv/exodus/15/20)). God sent
Moses to give the best laws; Aaron to pray for the people; Miriam as
an example to the women of Israel.

**5. what Balak . . . consulted**—how
Balak plotted to destroy thee by getting Balaam to curse thee ().
**what Balaam . . .
answered**—how the avaricious prophet was constrained against his
own will, to bless Israel whom he had desired to curse for the sake
of Balak's reward () [MAURER].
GROTIUS explains it, "how
Balaam *answered,* that the only way to injure thee was by
tempting thee to idolatry and whoredom" (). The mention of "Shittim" agrees with this: as
it was the scene of Israel's sin ([Numbers 25:1-5](../../../kjv/numbers/25/1-5);
[2 Peter 2:15](../../../kjv/2-peter/2/15); [Revelation 2:14](../../../kjv/revelation/2/14)).
**from Shittim unto Gilgal**—not
that Balaam accompanied Israel from Shittim *to Gilgal:* for he
was slain in Midian ([Numbers 31:8](../../../kjv/numbers/31/8)).
But the clause, "from Shittim," alone applies to Balaam.
"Remember" God's kindnesses "from Shittim," the
scene of Balaam's wicked counsel taking effect in Israel's sin,
whereby Israel merited utter destruction but for God's sparing mercy,
"to Gilgal," the place of Israel's first encampment in the
promised land between Jericho and Jordan, where God renewed the
covenant with Israel by circumcision ([Numbers 31:8](../../../kjv/numbers/31/8)).
**know the
righteousness**—Recognize that, so far from God having treated
thee harshly ([Micah 6:3](../../../kjv/micah/6/3)), His
dealings have been kindness itself (so "righteous acts" for
*gracious,* [Judges 5:11](../../../kjv/judges/5/11); [Psalms 24:5](../../../kjv/psalms/24/5);
[Psalms 112:9](../../../kjv/psalms/112/9)).

**6. Wherewith shall I come before the
Lord?**—The people, convicted by the previous appeal of Jehovah
to them, ask as if they knew not (compare ) what Jehovah requires of them to appease Him, adding that
they are ready to offer an immense heap of sacrifices, and those the
most costly, even to the fruit of their own body.
**burnt offerings**— ().
**calves of a year old**—which
used to be offered for a priest ([Leviticus 9:2](../../../kjv/leviticus/9/2);
[Leviticus 9:3](../../../kjv/leviticus/9/3)).

**7. rivers of oil**—used in
sacrifices ([Leviticus 2:1](../../../kjv/leviticus/2/1); [Leviticus 2:15](../../../kjv/leviticus/2/15)).
Will God be appeased by my offering so much oil that it shall flow in
myriads of torrents?
**my first-born**— ([Leviticus 2:15](../../../kjv/leviticus/2/15)). As the king of Moab did.
**fruit of my body**—*my
children,* as an atonement ([Leviticus 2:15](../../../kjv/leviticus/2/15)). The Jews offered human sacrifices in the valley of
Hinnom ([Jeremiah 19:5](../../../kjv/jeremiah/19/5); [Jeremiah 32:35](../../../kjv/jeremiah/32/35);
[Ezekiel 23:27](../../../kjv/ezekiel/23/27)).

**8. He**—Jehovah.
**hath showed thee**—long
ago, so that thou needest not ask the question as if thou hadst never
heard ([Micah 6:6](../../../kjv/micah/6/6); compare [Deuteronomy 10:12](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/10/12);
[Deuteronomy 30:11-14](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/30/11-14)).
**what is good**—"the
good things to come" under Messiah, of which "the law had
the shadow." The Mosaic sacrifices were but suggestive
foreshadowings of His *better* sacrifice ([Hebrews 9:23](../../../kjv/hebrews/9/23);
[Hebrews 10:1](../../../kjv/hebrews/10/1)). To have this "good"
first "showed," or *revealed* by the Spirit, is the
only basis for the superstructure of the moral requirements which
follow. Thus the way was prepared for the Gospel. The banishment of
the Jews from Palestine is designed to preclude the possibility of
their looking to the Mosaic rites for redemption, and shuts them up
to Messiah.
**justly . . . mercy**—preferred
by God to sacrifices. For the latter being *positive*
ordinances, are only *means* designed with a view to the former,
which being *moral* duties are the *ends,* and of
everlasting obligation ([1 Samuel 15:22](../../../kjv/1-samuel/15/22);
[Hosea 6:6](../../../kjv/hosea/6/6); [Hosea 12:6](../../../kjv/hosea/12/6);
[Amos 5:22](../../../kjv/amos/5/22); [Amos 5:24](../../../kjv/amos/5/24)).
Two duties towards *man* are specified—*justice,* or
strict equity; and *mercy,* or a kindly abatement of what we
might justly demand, and a hearty desire to do good to others.
**to walk humbly with thy
God**—passive and active obedience towards God. The three moral
duties here are summed up by our Lord ([Amos 5:24](../../../kjv/amos/5/24)), "judgment, mercy, and faith" (in [Amos 5:24](../../../kjv/amos/5/24), "the love of God"). Compare [Amos 5:24](../../../kjv/amos/5/24). *To walk with God* implies constant prayer and
watchfulness, familiar yet "humble" converse with God
([Genesis 5:24](../../../kjv/genesis/5/24); [Genesis 17:1](../../../kjv/genesis/17/1)).

**9. unto the city**—Jerusalem.
***the man of*****wisdom**—As in [Proverbs 13:6](../../../kjv/proverbs/13/6),
*Hebrew,* "sin" is used for "*a man of*
sin," and in [Psalms 109:4](../../../kjv/psalms/109/4),
"prayer" for "*a man of* prayer"; so here
"wisdom" for "*the man of* wisdom."
**shall see thy name**—shall
regard Thee, in Thy revelations of Thyself. Compare the end of [Psalms 109:4](../../../kjv/psalms/109/4). God's "name" expresses the sum-total of His
revealed attributes. Contrast with this [Psalms 109:4](../../../kjv/psalms/109/4), "will not behold the majesty of the Lord."
Another reading is adopted by the *Septuagint, Syriac,* and
*Vulgate,* "there is deliverance for those who *fear*
Thy name." *English Version* is better suited to the
connection; and the rarity of the *Hebrew* expression, as
compared with the frequency of that in the other reading, makes it
less likely to be an interpolation.
**hear . . . the rod,**
c.—Hear what punishment (compare [Micah 6:13](../../../kjv/micah/6/13)
[Isaiah 9:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/9/3); [Isaiah 10:5](../../../kjv/isaiah/10/5);
[Isaiah 10:24](../../../kjv/isaiah/10/24)) awaits you, and from
whom. I am but a man, and so ye may disregard me; but remember my
message is not mine, but God's. Hear the rod when it is come, and you
feel its smart. Hear what counsels, what cautions it speaks.
**appointed it**— ([Isaiah 10:24](../../../kjv/isaiah/10/24)).

**10. Are there yet**—notwithstanding
all My warnings. Is there to be no end of acquiring treasures by
wickedness? Jehovah is speaking ().
**scant measure . . .
abominable**— ([Proverbs 11:1](../../../kjv/proverbs/11/1);
[Amos 8:5](../../../kjv/amos/8/5)).

**11. Shall I count them
pure**—literally, "Shall I be pure with?" c. *With
the pure God shows Himself pure* but *with the froward* God
*shows Himself froward* (). Men often are changeable in their judgments. But God, in
the case of the impure who use "wicked balances," cannot be
pure, that is, cannot deal with them as He would with the pure.
VATABLUS and HENDERSON
make the "I" to be "any one"; "Can I (that
is, one) be innocent with wicked balances?" But as "I,"
in [Micah 6:13](../../../kjv/micah/6/13), refers to Jehovah,
it must refer to Him also here.
**the bag**—in which
weights used to be carried, as well as money ([Deuteronomy 25:13](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/25/13);
[Proverbs 16:11](../../../kjv/proverbs/16/11)).

**12. For**—rather, "Inasmuch
as"; the conclusion "therefore," &c. following in
[Micah 6:13](../../../kjv/micah/6/13).
**thereof**—of Jerusalem.

**13. make*****thee*****sick in smiting**— ([Leviticus 26:16](../../../kjv/leviticus/26/16),
to which perhaps the allusion here is, as in [Micah 6:14](../../../kjv/micah/6/14);
[Psalms 107:17](../../../kjv/psalms/107/17); [Psalms 107:18](../../../kjv/psalms/107/18);
[Jeremiah 13:13](../../../kjv/jeremiah/13/13)).

**14. eat . . . not be
satisfied**—fulfiling the threat, .
**thy casting down shall be in
the midst of thee**—Thou shalt be cast down, not merely on My
borders, but in the midst of thee, thy metropolis and temple being
overthrown [TIRINUS]. Even
though there should be no enemy, yet thou shalt be consumed with
intestine evils [CALVIN].
MAURER translates as from
an *Arabic* root, "there shall be *emptiness* in thy
belly." Similarly GROTIUS,
"there shall be a sinking of thy belly (once filled with food),
through hunger." This suits the parallelism to the first clause.
But *English Version* maintains the parallelism sufficiently.
The casting down in the midst of the land, including the failure of
food, through the invasion thus answering to, "Thou shalt eat,
and not be satisfied."
**thou shalt take hold, but . .
. not deliver**—Thou shalt take hold (with thine arms), in order
to save [CALVIN] thy
wives, children and goods. MAURER,
from a different root, translates, "thou shalt remove them,"
in order to save them from the foe. But thou shalt fail in the
attempt to deliver them ().
**that which thou deliverest**—If
haply thou dost rescue aught, it will be for a time: I will give it
up to the foe's sword.

**15. sow . . . not reap**—fulfilling
the threat ([Leviticus 26:16](../../../kjv/leviticus/26/16); [Deuteronomy 28:38-40](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/38-40);
[Amos 5:11](../../../kjv/amos/5/11)).

**16. statutes of Omri**—the
founder of Samaria and of Ahab's wicked house; and a supporter of
Jeroboam's superstitions (). This verse is a recapitulation of what was more fully
stated before, Judah's sin and consequent punishment. Judah, though
at variance with Israel on all things else, imitated her impiety.
**works of . . . Ahab**—
([1 Kings 21:25](../../../kjv/1-kings/21/25); [1 Kings 21:26](../../../kjv/1-kings/21/26)).
**ye walk in their
counsels**—Though these superstitions were the fruit of their
king's "counsels" as a master stroke of state policy, yet
these pretexts were no excuse for setting at naught the counsels and
will of God.
**that I should make thee a
desolation**—Thy conduct is framed so, as if it was thy set
purpose "that I should make thee a desolation."
**inhabitants thereof**—namely,
of Jerusalem.
**hissing**— ([1 Kings 21:26](../../../kjv/1-kings/21/26)).
**the reproach of my people**—The
very thing ye boast of, namely, that ye are "My people,"
will only increase the severity of your punishment. The greater My
grace to you, the greater shall be your punishment for having
despised it, Your being God's people in name, while walking in His
love, was an honor; but now the name, without the reality, is only a
"reproach" to you.

```json
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/6#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","width":640,"height":370,"caption":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Micah 6"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/6#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/6","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Micah 6","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/6#primaryimage"},"datePublished":null,"dateModified":null,"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"CHAPTER 6   :-. APPEAL BEFORE\nALL CREATION\nTO THE ISRAELITES TO\nTESTIFY, IF THEY\nCAN, IF JEHOVAH\nEVER DID\nAUGHT BUT ACTS\nOF KINDNESS TO THEM\nFROM THE EARL","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/6#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/6"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/6#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries","name":"Commentaries"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible","name":"Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah","name":"Micah"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/6","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/micah/6","name":"6"}}]},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/android-chrome-512x512.png","width":512,"height":512},"logo":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#personlogo"},"sameAs":["https://twitter.com/RBiblebeliever","https://www.facebook.com/RBibleBelievers"]}]}
```