Mic. 1:1 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.
This book is a record of YHWH’s prophecies through the prophet Micah. He is identified as ministering during the reigns of three kings of Judah—Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. He was a contemporary of Isaiah, Amos and Hosea. His hometown was Moresheth-Gath, southwest of Jerusalem. His message is directed to all of Israel—Samaria being the capital of the Northern Kingdom and Jerusalem the capital of the Southern.
Courson: “The Book of Micah has been called ‘Isaiah in shorthand’ because much of what is written in Isaiah is also recorded verbatim in Micah.”
Wiersbe: “Jeremiah informs us that it was the ministry of Micah that encouraged the great reformation in Judah under the leadership of King Hezekiah.”
Jeremiah 26:18–19 “Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest. Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.”
Mic. 1:2 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.
The prophet is calling for all the people of Israel to listen to what YHWH has to say in testimony against His people. Point is made that the LORD is testifying from His holy temple, a reference to His heavenly temple in context with the following verses.
Clarke: “Let him who has sent me with this message be witness that I have delivered it faithfully; and be a witness against you, if you take not the warning.”
Mic. 1:3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
Mic. 1:4 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.
These verses speak of a time that YHWH is going to leave His heavenly throne and come down to earth in judgment and destruction. His coming will result in the mountains melting and the valleys being ripped apart (from the Hebrew), both of which are characteristic of an earthquake. This sounds very similar to what happens when the final bowl judgment is poured out in the tribulation period as recorded in Revelation.
Revelation 16:17-20 “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.”
As is often the case with the prophets, I don’t think Micah could distinguish the times to which his prophecies referred. I’m sure many will choose to interpret this figuratively and make application specifically to the people to whom Micah was prophesying. I don’t disagree with that application, but I think there is further application to future more literal events.
Mic. 1:5 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?
Mic. 1:6 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.
Why is this happening? Because of the transgressions (deliberate sins) and sins (missing the mark of perfection) of the house of Israel. Verse 5 makes it clear that Samaria and Jerusalem represent the Northern (Jacob/Ephraim) and Southern (Judah) Kingdoms respectively. The LORD is declaring His intent to make Samaria a ruined land (from the Hebrew), a place given over to the planting of vineyards. The stones are probably a reference to the walls around the city, which will be torn down to the foundations.
I am reminded that the 70th week of Daniel that we generally call “the tribulation” is that last seven years before Jesus returns to earth to establish His kingdom. One of its specific purposes is to bring in everlasting righteousness to the nation of Israel.
Daniel 9:24 “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”
Mic. 1:7 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.
God is fed up with the idol worship of His people. His people had been unfaithful to Him, so He describes them as adulterers consorting with harlots.
“for she gathered…” – This section was a bit harder to understand. It seems to be saying that the people had gotten wealthy through their idolatrous connections with heathen nations, and God was going to see that their wealth was taken away by idolatrous heathen nations.
Mic. 1:8 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.
Mic. 1:9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
This message is a source of great distress to the prophet Micah. He describes himself as weeping loudly with sorrow and walking about stripped and naked. This action is not unique to Micah; Isaiah did the same, except we are told that Isaiah was instructed to.
Isaiah 20:2 “At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.”
It would certainly indicate a serious concern about his message for the prophet to resort to such drastic actions. It shows how much he cared about his people. Micah knows that his prophecy is certain, because the wound to the people is incurable.
I think God often chose His prophets based on their heart for their people. So many times I have read of the prophets weeping or mourning for their people as they declare God’s message. It is really convicting to me. I love my country and would love to see a revival take place; but I can’t honestly say I have grieved in the same way these prophets grieved over the sin of their people. I am more and more disgusted and saddened as our country continues to spiral downward in our morality and rejection of God. “Father, please give me a true burden for this nation. Teach my heart to connect with your heart as an intercessor and servant.”
Mic. 1:10 Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
Joe Focht identified many interesting puns in this passage.
Gath = weep; no weeping in weep town
I had to do some research for help on these next few verses. Gath was one of the main Philistine cities and would rejoice in the coming judgment of Israel. So the admonition not to publicize the prophecy or show any public display of fear or grief would be to keep their enemies from getting that pleasure.
Although many say that Aphrah means dust, that is not the case according to Strong’s; Questia (www.questia.com) indicated that the Hebrew sounded like the word for dust. Rolling in the dust or covering yourself with dust was one of the signs of mourning.
Focht: house of dust will be rolling in the dust
Mic. 1:11 Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing.
The Hebrew for Saphir means beautiful. I think the NLT had the right idea of a reference to going off to captivity stripped of beauty.
Focht: no beauty in beauty town
It sounds like Zaanan and Bethezel were allies. The Hebrew for receive means “to take.” The KJV is confusing, but it seems that the people of Zaanan were staying at home mourning over the removal or capture of Bethezel.
Focht: Bethezel = neighbors; no nearness in near town
Zaanan = marching; no marching from march town
Mic. 1:12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.
I like the CJB translation of this verse: “The inhabitants of Marot have no hope of anything good; for ADONAI has sent down disaster to the very gate of Yerushalayim.”
Maroth means “bitter springs” and was located near Jerusalem.
Focht: only bitterness in bitter town
Focht: Jerusalem = peace; no peace in peace town
Mic. 1:13 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.
According to Easton’s, Lachish became one of Judah’s strongest fortresses. I thought it was interesting that the British Museum has a stone slab upon which Sennacherib, King of Assyria, recorded his permission to destroy this city. It reads: “Sennacherib, the mighty king, king of the country of Assyria, sitting on the throne of judgment before the city of Lachish: I gave permission for its slaughter.”
I think the NLT got it right regarding the last part of the verse: “You were the first city in Judah to follow Israel in the sin of idol worship, and so you led Jerusalem into sin.”
Focht: Lachish = horse; horses not free in horse town
Mic. 1:14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
Again, the NLT translation makes good sense to me: “Send a farewell gift to Moresheth-gath (Micah’s home); there is no hope of saving it. The town of Aczib has deceived the kings of Israel, for it promised help it could not give.”
Focht: Achzib = a lie; only lies in lie town
Mic. 1:15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.
“heir” = to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruin:
The Hebrew for heir certainly wasn’t what I expected to see. It seems to be saying that an enemy is coming that will drive out the inhabitants of Mareshah. The “he” seems to refer back to the “heir,” and would indicate that Adullam, the glory of Israel, would also be conquered. This was the place where David killed Goliath. There was a large cave close to the city in which David and his first followers gathered after he fled from Saul. Maybe that is why Micah calls it “the glory of Israel.” JFB suggests that it is because of its superior situation.
1Samuel 22:1-2 “David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.”
Focht: Mareshah = possession; no possession in possession town; will be conquered
Adullam = testimony; no testimony in testimony town
Mic. 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.
Again, I like the CJB translation: “Shave the hair from your head as you mourn for the children who were your delight; make yourselves as bald as vultures, for they have gone from you into exile.”
Shaving the head was another sign of mourning.
Job 1:20-21 “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
Ezra 9:2-3 “For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.”
Another interesting observation by Focht: Children going into captivity are better off than living with parents who would sacrifice them to idols.
Mic. 2:1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Mic. 2:2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
Woe is a reference to evil tidings. The prophet is pronouncing judgment to come from God against those who spend their nights planning evil schemes against their fellowmen. They plan how to take what they want using force and violence. They use their strength to defraud weaker men and their families.
This is a very sad description of those known as God’s people. I am reminded of the scripture that describes evil as an activity of the night.
John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
The culture in Israel had gotten to the point that men weren’t afraid of doing evil in the light of day. Sad to say, that is becoming more descriptive of America’s culture every day.
Power always corrupts when man refuses to recognize his accountability before God.
Guzik: “There are some sins we never commit because we are never put in a place where we can commit them. The real test comes when it is in the power of our hand to sin and we remain faithful to the LORD.”
Wiersbe application re verse 2: “The name for this sin is materialism, and it’s committed by people who are covetous and obsessed with acquiring more and more wealth and material things. Parents rob their children of time and companionship by working at several jobs so they can make more money to buy more ‘fun.’ People rob God of tithes and offerings that are rightfully His just so they can enjoy ‘the good life.” People forget Matthew 6:33 and put everything else ahead of the kingdom of God.
Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Mic. 2:3 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
The prophet again makes clear that this message is from YHWH. We don’t usually think of God as “devising evil,” but I think the wording is deliberate in application to those described in the previous two verses. They may think they are getting away with their evil actions because of their strength and influence, but they are no match for YHWH. God’s judgment is certain and will destroy their pride.
“this time is evil” – I’m not sure if this emphasizing God’s coming judgment or the fact that this time in the history of His people is evil and morally corrupt. Both seem to apply.
Mic. 2:4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.
In this context the parable is a reference to a narrative song or poem that their enemies will use to mock them. It is basically a narrative depicting the truth that their judgment fits the crime; they are reaping what they have sown. Just as they were taking by force from those weaker than they, God was going to allow their enemies to take His wicked people by force.
Mic. 2:5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.
When God’s people entered the promised land, the land was apportioned to the people by lot.
Numbers 33:53-54 “And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it. And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man’s inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.”
When God allows them to be conquered by their enemies, those lots will no longer be recognized. They will have no land to call their own.
Mic. 2:6 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
This verse is basically saying that the people don’t want to hear what the true prophets have to say. They refuse to believe that God will allow His own people to experience such disgrace and shame.
Mic. 2:7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
The Hebrew for straightened includes “much discouraged, grieve…trouble, and vex.” The questions (my paraphrase): O people of Israel, don’t you think you have grieved or vexed God’s Spirit? Is this the way He instructed you to live? Don’t My words benefit those who live according to them?
Mic. 2:8 Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
Mic. 2:9 The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
These verses are an indictment against the wickedness of God’s people. They are acting no differently than those of heathen nations. They don’t hesitate to steal from others. They don’t even hesitate to take advantage of helpless women and children. Point is made that they are taking away from others what God has given them. Scripture teaches that God is the protector of the weak.
Psalm 35:10 “All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?”
Psalm 72:12-14 “For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.”
By positioning themselves as enemies of the weak and helpless, they were positioning themselves as enemies of God.
Mic. 2:10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
It seems as if the prophet is telling the people who will listen to leave their land because it has become so unclean. The longer they stay, the more they will suffer at the hands of the wicked people who dominate it.
Ironside: “To continue in fellowship with what is opposed to God’s mind will result in desolation.”
Mic. 2:11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
I like the CJB translation of this verse: “If a man who walks in wind and falsehood tells this lie: “I will preach to you of [how good it is to drink] wine and strong liquor” — this people will accept him as their preacher!”
I would change the first phrase to: “If a man walks in the spirit of falsehood.” In other words, as long as the prophet is saying what they want to hear, the people will listen. Doesn’t that sound a lot like the “seeker sensitive” message proclaimed from many churches today? God is clear that we are to declare the truth of His Word—not just in part, but in whole—not according to what is politically correct, but according to the truth—not according to what the people want to hear, but according to what God wants them to hear.
Mic. 2:12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
This verse is a word of encouragement to those in Israel who were still following God as LORD. This group is identified as “the remnant,” and God has promised that He will always preserve a remnant of the nation of Israel.
2Kings 19:30-31 “And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.”
Isaiah 10:20-21 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.”
Ezekiel 6:7-8 “And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries.”
Romans 11:1-5 “I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying…. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
Not only is there always going to be a remnant, but the day is coming when that remnant will number in the multitudes. Bozrah’s meaning in Hebrew is “an enclosure, i.e. sheep fold,” and I am sure that is the main reason for the use of this name. I can’t help, however, but think of my studies on end times. Bozrah is the name of a city also known as Petra in today’s Jordan. There are indications in scripture that this will be the very location where God protects the believing remnant during that last 3.5 years of tribulation before the LORD Jesus returns to establish His kingdom.
Mic. 2:13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.
“breaker” – The shepherd going before the flock to clear the way.
This sounds like the victorious march of the remnant behind the lead of King Messiah as He sets out to destroy the antichrist and his armies and establish His people back in the land for the millennial kingdom. I remember getting much clearer understanding once I understood that the Lord would be coming from Bozrah as described by Isaiah.
Isaiah 63:1-4 “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.”
There are many scriptures that describe the kingdom as a time of great prosperity for Abraham’s descendants in the land of Israel according to God’s promise.
Jeremiah 33:7-11 “And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it. Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast, The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.”
Hosea 1:10 “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.”