Micah Chapter 6
From The Open Bible Project
6:1 Listen now to what Yahweh says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say.
- (a) He took the high mountains and hard rocks as witnesses against the obstinacy of his people.
6:2 Hear, you mountains, Yahweh's controversy, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for Yahweh has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel.
6:3 My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me!
6:4 For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
- (b) I have not hurt you, but bestowed infinite benefits upon you.
6:5 My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh."
- (c) That is, remember my benefits from the beginning, how I delivered you from Balaam’s curse, and also spared you from Shittim which was in the plain of Moab, until I brought you into the promised land.
- (d) That is, the truth of his promise and his manifold benefits toward you.
6:6 How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
- (e) Thus the people by hypocrisy ask how to please God, and are content to offer sacrifices, but will not change their lives.
6:7 Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
- (f) There is nothing so dear to man, but the hypocrites will offer it to God, if they think by this to avoid his anger. But they will never by brought to mortify their own affections, and to give themselves willingly to serve God as he commands.
6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
- (g) The Prophet in few words calls them to the observation of the second table of the ten commandments, to know if they will obey God correctly or not, saying that God has commanded them to do this.
6:9 Yahweh's voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: "Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it.
- (h) Meaning, that when God speaks to any city or nation, the godly will acknowledge his majesty and not consider the mortal man that brings the threatening, but God that sends it.
6:10 Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a [5] short ephah [See Micah Footnotes 5] that is accursed?
6:11 Shall I be pure with dishonest scales, and with a bag of deceitful weights?
6:12 Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.
- (i) That is, of Jerusalem.
6:13 Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins.
6:14 You shall eat, but not be satisfied. Your humiliation will be in your midst. You will store up, but not save; and that which you save I will give up to the sword.
- (k) You will be consumed with inward grief and evils.
- (l) Meaning that the city would go about to save her men, as they that lay hold of that which they would preserve.
6:15 You will sow, but won't reap. You will tread the olives, but won't anoint yourself with oil; and crush grapes, but won't drink the wine.
6:16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab. You walk in their counsels, that I may make you a ruin, and her inhabitants a hissing; And you will bear the reproach of my people."
- (m) You have received all the corruption and idolatry with which the ten tribes were infected under Omri and Ahab his son: and to excuse your doings, you allege the King’s authority by his statutes, and also wisdom and policy in so doing, but you will not escape punishment. But as I have shown you great favour, and taken you for my people, so will your plagues be according as your sins; (Luke 12:47).
