1.
The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
The word of the LORD. The only occurrence of this expression in this book: bidding us to receive it from Jehovah, not Micah, and to note Micah's pen but Jehovah's words.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
Micah = Who is like Jehovah? An abbreviated form of Micaiah (2 Chronicles 18:7 , &c.); it is used in Jeremiah 26:18 (in the Heb). Compare Micah 7:18 .
Morasthite: Mareshah (Micah 1:15 ) or Moresheth-gath (Micah 1:14 ); now Tel Sandahanna, in the Shephelah, or plain, between Judea and Philistia. In the excavations at Sandahanna the ancient name is seen as Marissa. Marissa was a Sidonian colony (cent. 3 B. C), and was afterward used as the capital of' Idumea by the Edomites during the captivity of Judah (see Records of the Past, vol. iv, part x, pp. 291-306).
which he saw. Compare Isaiah 1:1 .Obadiah 1:1 .Nahum 1:1 .
concerning, &c. This furnishes the subject.
2.
Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
Hear, all ye people. Micah begins by taking up the concluding words of the other Micah or Micaiah (1 Kings 22:28 ), and recurs to them in Micah 3:1 , Micah 3:9 ; Micah 6:1 , Micah 6:2 . Five times, not three, as some say; and forms no part of the Structure of the whole book. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:1 ). App-92 .
all ye = ye peoples, all of them.
people = peoples. Including ourselves.
all that therein is = her fullness.
let the Lord GOD be witness. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 31:50 ).
the Lord. Hebrew Adonai. App-4 .
GOD Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
the LORD*. One of the 134 places where the Sopherim say they altered "Jehovah" of the primitive text to "Adonai". See App-32 .
from His holy temple. Compare Psalms 11:4 .Jonah 2:7 . Habakkuk 2:20 .
holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 .
3.
For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
tread upon, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 32:13 ; Deuteronomy 33:29 ). App-92 . Compare Amos 4:13 .
4.
And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.
the mountains, &c. This verse foretells the calamities of 2 Kings 17 and 25.
5.
For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?
transgression = rebellion. Hebrew. pasha'. App-44 .
sins. Hebrew. chata'. App-44 . Aram, and Syriac read singular.
What = Whose.
is it not Samaria? = is it not Samaria's [idolatry]? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
high places. Compare 1 Kings 12:31 ; 1 Kings 14:23 .Ezekiel 6:6 . These existed in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 32:35 ); hence the mention of them in the further question. Figure of speech Erotesis. Compare 2 Kings 16:4 .
are they not Jerusalem? = is it not Jerusalem's [idol altars]?
6.
Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.
discover, &c. This has now recently (1911) been done in the unearthing of Ahab's wine-cellars.
7.
And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
graven images. Hebrew. pesilim. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:4 ). App-92 .
hires. The technical Pentateuchal word for a harlot's hire, to which idolatry is compared. Compare Hosea 8:9 , Hosea 8:10 ; Hosea 9:1 . Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 23:18 ). App-92 .
they shall return, &c.: i.e. the wealth gained by idolatry shall be taken away by the Assyrian idolaters.
8.
Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
wail = lament. Compare the Structure above; and note weight of the prophetic "burden".
dragons = jackals.
owls. Hebrew daughters of a doleful cry.
9.
For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
wound = stroke. Hebrew. makkah (feminine)
it. Aramaean and Syriac read "she". Referring to her stroke, which is feminine.
he = he, referring to some unnamed foe. Aram, and Syriac read "she", referring to the "stroke" of judgment.
the gate. Compare Obadiah 1:11 , Obadiah 1:13 .
10.
Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
Declare ye it not at Gath. Compare 2 Samuel 1:20 .
Gath. Now Tell es Safi (Joshua 11:22 , &c).
at all. Hebrew. bakko, written defectively for beakko. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ). Hebrew. bakko 'al tibku "[in] Weep-town weep not".
in . . . Aphrah roll thyself in the dust. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ). Hebrew in 'aphrah . . . 'aphar, English, "in Dust-house roll thyself in dust, "
11.
Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of you his standing.
Pass ye away: i.e. go into exile.
Saphir, having thy shame, &c. Here we have contrast. Saphir = Beautytown, with beauty shamed; now es Suafir.
inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth. Hebrew not gone forth hath . . . Zaanan. Hebrew Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ): lo yatz'ah . . . tz'anan = not gone out [to weep] hath the inhabitant of Outhouse.
in the mourning . . . his standing. Commence a fresh sentence here; thus: "The trouble of Beth-ezel (Neighbour-town) shall be a useless neighbour". Or, "the Bystander's house will, from you, get its standing-room".
he shall receive, &c. : or, he will take from you its support.
12.
For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.
Maroth waited carefully. The inhabitress of Bitter town bitterly grieved for her goods [taken from her].
evil = calamity. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 . Not by chance.
the gate of Jerusalem. In Taylor's Cylinder, Sennacherib mentions his breaking of this gate (col. iii, lines 22:23).
13.
O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.
inhabitant = inhabitress.
Lachish . . . swift beast. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ). Hebrew. larekesh . . . lakish = [bind the chariot] to the horse, O inhabitress of Horse-town,
Lachish. Now Ummtum Lakis, or Tell el Hesy. See notes on 2 Kings 14:19 ; 2 Kings 19:8 .
she. Evidently Samaria. Compare verses: Micah 5:9 ; Micah 6:16 .
14.
Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
give presents to = give up possessions at.
Achzib . . . a lie. Note the Figure of speech Paronomasia, = the houses of False-town ( 'Akzib) shall prove false ( iakzab).
Achzib. Now es Zib (Joshua 15:44 ; Joshua 19:29 . Judges 1:31 ).
15.
Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.
an heir . . . Mareshah. Hebrew the possessor ( hayyoresh) . . . O Possession ( Mareshah) . The possessor whom Jehovah would bring was Assyria.
he shall come, &c. The glory: i.e. the nobility (Isaiah 5:13 ) of Israel shall go (or flee) unto [the cave] Adullam; as David had done (1 Samuel 22:1 ).
16.
Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.
Make thee bald, &c. The signs of mourning. Compare Job 1:20 . Isaiah 15:2 ; Isaiah 22:12 .Jeremiah 7:29 ; Jeremiah 16:6 ; Jeremiah 47:5 ; Jeremiah 48:37 ). This is addressed to Judah. It was forbidden under the law (Deuteronomy 14:1 ). Judah had become as the heathen: let them mourn as the heathen.
children = sons.