Micah Chapter 1

From The Open Bible Project

1:1 The word of [1] Yahweh [See Micah Footnotes 1] that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

• The Argument - Micah the prophet of the tribe of Judah served in the work of the Lord concerning Judah and Israel at least thirty years: during which time Isaiah prophesied. He declares the destruction first of the one kingdom, and then of the other, because of their manifold wickedness, but chiefly because of their idolatry. And to this end he notes the wickedness of the people, the cruelty of the princes and governors, and the allowing of the false prophets, and the delighting in them. Then he sets forth the coming of Christ, his kingdom, and the felicity of it. This Prophet was not that Micah who resisted Ahab and all his false prophets, (1 Kings 22:8) but another with the same name.
• (a) Born in Mareshah, a city of Judah.

1:2 Hear, you peoples, all of you. Listen, O earth, and all that is therein: and let the [2] Lord [See Micah Footnotes 2] Yahweh be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

• (b) Because of the malice and obstinacy of the people, whom he had so often exhorted to repentance, he summons them to God’s judgments, taking all creatures, and God himself as witness, that the preaching of the Prophets, which they have abused, will be avenged.

1:3 For, behold, Yahweh comes forth out of his place, and will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.

• (c) Meaning by this that God will come to judgment against the strong cities and strongholds.

1:4 The mountains melt under him, and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like waters that are poured down a steep place.

1:5 "All this is for the disobedience of Jacob, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the disobedience of Jacob? Isn't it Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Aren't they Jerusalem?

• (d) Samaria, which should have been an example to all Israel of true religion and justice, was the dirty pool and the tank that all idolatry and corruption was kept alive in, and who prided themselves in their father Jacob, and boasted of him.
• (e) That is, the idolatry and infection.

1:6 Therefore I will make Samaria like a rubble heap of the field, like places for planting vineyards; and I will pour down its stones into the valley, and I will uncover its foundations.

1:7 All her idols will be beaten to pieces, and all her temple gifts will be burned with fire, and all her images I will destroy; for of the hire of a prostitute has she gathered them, and to the hire of a prostitute shall they return."

• (f) Which they gathered by evil practices, and thought that their idols had enriched them with these wages because of their service to them.
• (g) The gain that came by their idols will be consumed as a thing of nothing: for as the wages or riches of harlots are wickedly gotten, so are they vilely and quickly spent.

1:8 For this I will lament and wail; I will go stripped and naked; I will howl like the jackals, and moan like the daughters of owls.

1:9 For her wounds are incurable; for it has come even to Judah. It reaches to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

1:10 Don't tell it in Gath. Don't weep at all. At [3] Beth Ophrah [See Micah Footnotes 3] I have rolled myself in the dust.

• (h) Lest the Philistines our enemies rejoice at our destruction.
• (i) Which was a city near to Jerusalem (Joshua 18:23), there called Ophrah, and signifies dust: therefore he wants them to mourn and roll themselves in the dust, for their dusty city.

1:11 Pass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. The inhabitant of Zaanan won't come out. The wailing of Beth Ezel will take from you his protection.

• (k) These were cities by which the enemy would pass as he came to Judah.
• (l) He will not depart before he has overcome you, and so you will pay for his staying.

1:12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waits anxiously for good, because evil has come down from Yahweh to the gate of Jerusalem.

• (m) For Rabshakeh had shut up Jerusalem, so that they could not send to help them.

1:13 Harness the chariot to the swift steed, inhabitant of Lachish. She was the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion; For the transgressions of Israel were found in you.

• (n) To flee away: for Sennacherib laid siege first to that city, and remained there when he sent his captains and army against Jerusalem.
• (o) You first received the idolatry of Jeroboam, and so infected Jerusalem.

1:14 Therefore you will give a parting gift to Moresheth Gath. The houses of Achzib will be a deceitful thing to the kings of Israel.

• (p) You will bribe the Philistines your neighbours, but they will deceive you, as well as those of Jerusalem.

1:15 I will yet bring to you, inhabitant of Mareshah. He who is the glory of Israel will come to Adullam.

• (q) He prophesies against his own city: and because it signified a heritage, he says that God would send an heir to possess it.
• (r) For so they thought themselves because of the strength of their cities.

1:16 Shave your heads, and cut off your hair for the children of your delight. Enlarge your baldness like the vulture; for they have gone into captivity from you!