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Micah 1 - Utley - Bible Commentary

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Micah 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.

The House of Israel

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.

3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

The House of Judah

10 Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the 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.

12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.

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.

14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.

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.

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Micah 1

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mic 1:1-7 1The Word of the LORD which came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2Hear, O peoples, all of you;

Listen, O earth and all it contains,

And let the LORD God be a witness against you,

The LORD from His holy temple.

3For behold, the LORD is coming forth from His place.

He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.

4The mountains will melt under Him,

And the valleys will be split,

Like wax before the fire,

Like water poured down a steep place.

5And all this is for the rebellion of Jacob

And for the sins of the house of Israel.

What is the rebellion of Jacob?

Is it not Samaria?

What is the high place of Judah?

Is it not Jerusalem?

6For I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the open country,

Planting places for a vineyard.

I will pour her stones down into the valley,

And will lay bare her foundations.

7All of her idols will be smashed,

All of her earnings will be burned with fire,

And all of her images I will make desolate,

For she collected them from a harlot's earnings,

And to the earnings of a harlot they will return.

Mic 1:1 “The Word of the LORD” These prophecies are not Micah's words, thoughts, or feelings, but YHWH's (cf. Hos 1:1 )! This is revelation, not political or theological guesswork.

▣ “Micah” This is a short form of the Hebrew name Micaiah, which means “who is like YHWH” (cf. Jer 26:18 ). This prophet was a “country preacher” (i.e., no mention of his father or ancestor) like Amos, not associated with the professional prophetic guild or the court prophets (i.e., Isaiah).

▣ “the Moresheth” This refers to the city mentioned in Mic 1:14 (Moresheth-Gath), which was a small village between Lachish and Gath in the Philistine area about 2:0 miles southwest of Jerusalem.

▣ “in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah” See chart, “The Kings of the Divided Kigdom” in the Appendix. The exact dates on these reigns are disputed because of (1) different ways to count the ascension year and (2) the dates of co-reigns. See Edwin R. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings.

▣ “which he saw” The term (BDB 30:2 ) is used of prophets in an ecstatic state receiving a message from God (e.g., Isa 1:1 ; Isa 2:1 ; Isa 13:1 ; Amo 1:1 ; Hab 1:1 ). Often it refers to prophecies or visions of judgment (e.g., Isa 2:1 ; Isa 28:7 ; Isa 30:10 ; Amo 1:1 ). The term is often used to describe a prophet as a “seer” (e.g., Amo 7:12 ; Mic 3:7 ; Isa 29:10 ; Isa 30:10 ). See Special Topic: Prophet (the different Hebrew terms) <http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/special_topics/prophet.html>.

▣ “Samaria” The capitals stand for the nations. Most of Micah's prophecy deals with the southern kingdom of Judah. However, his prophecy is introduced by a judgment pronouncement against the capital of the Northern Ten Tribes, Samaria (cf. Mic 1:2-9 ). This may have been a literary technique to get the attention of the people in Judah or it may show how Micah was influenced by Amos' ministry and message, who also was a prophet to the north and included references to Judah.

Mic 1:2 “Hear” Chapters 1 and 6 both use the literary technique of a court scene to describe God's legal case against His people. Both of them begin with the word “hear” (BDB 103:3 , KB 157:0 , Qal IMPERATIVE), as does chapter 3. See notes at Amo 3:1 and Hos 4:1 . This threefold use of shema (i.e., hear so as to do, cf. Deu 6:4 ) may reveal the author's outline (see Introduction, VII. C.). However, Micah uses this word often (cf. Mic 1:2 ; Mic 3:1 ; Mic 3:9 ; Mic 5:15 ; Mic 6:1 [twice],2,9; Mic 7:7 ). Seven of them, like this one, are Qal IMPERATIVES (cf Mic 3:1 ; Mic 3:9 ; Mic 6:1-2 ; Mic 6:9 ).

▣ “Listen” The VERB (BDB 90:4 , KB 115:1 , Hiphil IMPERATIVE), meaning “give attention to,” is parallel to “hear.” This same pattern is found in Isa 28:23 ; Hos 5:1 , and Zec 1:4 and similar in Jer 34:1 ; Jer 49:1 .

▣ “let the LORD God be a witness against you” The VERB (BDB 22:4 , KB 24:3 , Qal JUSSIVE) matches the two previous IMPERATIVES (hear, listen) and now God is a witness! This is obviously a court scene. God witnesses wickedness (e.g., Jer. 29:33) and then He becomes one who testifies in court (e.g., 1Sa 12:5 ; Mal 3:5 ). He is (1) the judge; (2) the witness; and (3) the one who exercises the court's decision.

▣ “O peoples. . .O earth” In Jewish law, two or three witnesses are needed to confirm a point in a law court (cf. Num 35:30 ; Deu 17:6 ; Deu 19:15 ). Therefore, God of the earth and all the people of the earth itself are to be the witnesses in this court case (cf. Deu 4:26 ; Isa 1:2 ). YHWH Himself acts as a witness against His own people (cf. Deu 31:19-21 ; Deu 31:26 ).

▣ “the LORD God” Literally this is translated Adon - YHWH (e.g., Isa 56:7 ). See Special Topic: Names for Deity <http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/special_topics/names_deity.html>.

▣ “The LORD from His holy temple” YHWH symbolically dwelt above and between the wings of the Cherubim, which were on the lid of Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was housed in the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem (cf. Exo 25:22 ). This is where heaven and earth, the spiritual and the physical, the transcendent and the immanent met. The line of poetry in Mic 1:2 d is parallel to Mic 1:3 a (also a judgment idiom, cf. Isa 26:21 ).

For the word “holy” see Special Topic: Holy <http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/special_topics/holy.html>.

Mic 1:3 “tread on the high places of the earth” This VERB (BDB 20:1 , KB 23:1 , Qal PERFECT) is also in Amo 4:13 , which speaks of the intimate presence of God with His physical creation (cf. Job 9:8 ). The term “earth” (BDB 7:5 ) may mean “land” (i.e., His land, the Promised Land), but here probably all creation.

“To tread” may imply (1) God's intimate presence or (2) His judgment in the symbol of crushing grapes with His feet (e.g., Isa 63:3 ; Lam 1:15 ).

The term “high places” (BDB 11:9 ) can refer to the mountains of the earth or, because the same word is used in Mic 1:5 for the local fertility altars, it may reflect YHWH's destruction of these local worship sites (cf. Mic 1:7 ).

Mic 1:4 God's coming (for blessing or judgment, in this context, judgment) is often associated with upheavals in nature (e.g., Exo 19:16-20 ; Psa 18:7-15 ; Psa 97:1-6 ; Isa 40:4 ; Isa 64:1-2 ; Joe 2:30-31 ; Amo 9:5 ). Mic 1:4 has a poetic pattern of parallelism (i.e., line 1 goes with line 3 and line 2 with line 4). This is incipient apocalyptic imagery. Human sin has affected physical creation (cf. Genesis 3; Rom 8:19-22 ).

▣ “fire” See Special Topic: FIRE <http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/special_topics/fire.html>.

▣ “poured” This VERB (BDB 62:0 , KB 66:9 ) and “smashed” (BDB 51:0 , KB 50:7 ) are both Hophal forms, which are PASSIVE and ACCUSATIVE.

Mic 1:5 “all of this is for the rebellion of Jacob. . .Israel” See Special Topic: HEBREW POETRY <http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/special_topics/hebrew_poetry.html>. Lines 1 and 2 of Mic 1:5 are a good example of synonymous parallelism. There are no VERBS in Mic 1:5 .

▣ “Samaria” This is the capital of the Northern Ten Tribes called Israel, built by Omri, whose son, Ahab, married Jezebel and thereby introduced Canaanite fertility worship into the northern kingdom (cf. 1Ki 16:29-33 ; 1 Kings 1:7-18 ). It was a heavily fortified city that took the Assyrians three years to conquer (finally Sargon II in 72:2 B.C. did). These capitals are a way of referring to the nation as a whole. The leaders (kings, prophets, and priests) of both Israel and Judah are responsible for their nation's idolatry and collapse!

▣ “What is the high place of Judah” The word “place” is plural in the Masoretic Text; therefore, it might refer to the idolatrous high places of Ba'al spread throughout the land (cf. 2Ch 34:3-4 ; 2Ch 34:7 ). By parallelism it refers to the capital of Judah, Jerusalem.

Mic 1:6-7 YHWH is the speaker as He may be in Mic 1:8-16 .

Mic 1:6 “Samaria a heap of ruins” This refers to the fall of the city in 72:2 B.C. under Sargon II of Assyria.

▣ “Planting places for a vineyard” Samaria will be so destroyed she will look like an open field which could be turned into a vineyard. This is parallel in thought to Jerusalem being plowed as a field (cf. Mic 3:12 ; Jer 26:18 ).

▣ “I will pour her stones down into the valley” This refers to Samaria's stone fortifications being pulled down from the mesa into the valley.

Mic 1:7 This reflects the worship of the female fertility god, Asherah, which amounted to spiritual adultery against YHWH, thus divorce court.

▣ “earnings” The term (BDB 107:2-1073 ) is used three times and refers to Israel's idolatry (TEV, cf. Deu 23:18 ; Isa 23:17 ). In some contexts it refers to foreign alliances (e.g., Eze 16:23-29 ) and may be an allusion to them here (cf. NRSV). The NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 1281, suggests three possible meanings:

1. the wages of cultic prostitutes (who were used to beautify the shrines)

2. the produce of the land regarded as a gift from Ba'al

3. the offerings at the idol shrines used to beautify the shrines

4. gold and silver idols sold at the shrines (NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 207)



NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mic 1:8-16 8Because of this I must lament and wail,

I must go barefoot and naked;

I must make a lament like the jackals

And a mourning like the ostriches.

9For her wound is incurable,

For it has come to Judah;

It has reached the gate of my people,

Even to Jerusalem.

10Tell it not in Gath,

Weep not at all.

At Beth-le-aphrah roll yourself in the dust.

11Go on your way, inhabitant of Shaphir in shameful nakedness.

The inhabitant of Zaanan does not escape.

The lamentation of Beth-ezel: “He will take from you its support.”

12For the inhabitant of Maroth

Becomes weak waiting for good,

Because a calamity has come down from the LORD

To the gate of Jerusalem.

13Harness the chariot to the team of horses,

O inhabitant of Lachish—

She was the beginning of sin

To the daughter of Zion—

Because in you were found

The rebellious acts of Israel.

14Therefore, you will give parting gifts

On behalf of Moresheth-gath;

The houses of Achzib will become a deception

To the kings of Israel.

15Moreover, I will bring on you

The one who takes possession,

O inhabitant of Mareshah.

The glory of Israel will enter Adullam.

16Make yourself bald and cut off your hair,

Because of the children of your delight;

Extend your baldness like the eagle,

For they will go from you into exile.

Mic 1:8-9 This could signal (1) the personal mourning of Micah (cf. Ibn Ezra; NET Bible footnote 1, p. 1622); (2) Mic 1:8-16 could continue YHWH's direct speech (cf. The Jewish Study Bible, p. 1207) using human metaphors (cf. Hos 11:8 ) and Hebrew sound plays (cf. Isa 10:24-32 ); or (3) the Targums change “I” to “they” and have the speaker be corporate Israel.

Mic 1:8 “Because of this” In Mic 1:5 “this” referred to Samaria's sin, but in Mic 1:8 it refers to God's judgment (by means of a foreign invasion) on His people, both Samaria (722 B.C.) and later Jerusalem (605, 597, 586, 582 B.C.).

▣ “lament. . .wail. . .go barefooted. . .naked. . .lament. . .mourning” All of the VERBS in Mic 1:8 are COHORTATIVE in form and/or meaning. See Special Topic: Grieving Rites <http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/special_topics/grieving_rites.html>.



1. 2. 3. 4. NASB, NRSV NKJV TEV NJB (BDB 70:4 , KB 76:3 , Qal COHORTATIVE) NASB, NRSV, NJB NKJV TEV (BDB 41:0 , KB 41:3 , Hiphil COHORTATIVE) NASB NKJV NRSV, NJB TEV (BDB 22:9 , KB 24:6 , Qal COHORTATIVE) NASB NKJV p; NRSV TEV, NJB - lament - wail - mourn - howl - wail - howl - lament - “I must go barefoot and naked” - “I will go stripped and naked' - “I will go barefoot and naked” - “I will walk around barefoot and naked” - “I must make a lament” - “I will make a wailing” - “I will make lamentation” - “I will howl”

(BDB 79:3 , KB 88:9 , Qal IMPERFECT, but COHORTATIVE in meaning because of parallelism)

These are all signs of mourning. Possibly the prophet was dressed in sackcloth when he preached. This scene is continued in Mic 1:16 (cf. Amo 8:10 ). The animals mentioned represent both the absence of people and the presence of the demonic (cf. NEB).

“Naked” would mean not total nudity, but wearing just the inner loincloth without the usual outer robe (cf. 1Sa 19:24 ; 2Sa 6:20 ; Isa 20:2-4 ; Joh 21:7 ). However, Assyria used total nudity as a way to embarrass and demoralize its captives (cf. Mic 1:11 ; Isa 47:2-3 ; Jer 13:26 ; Hos 2:3 ; Hos 2:10 ).

▣ “ostriches” The word (BDB 41:9 , “greed”; better KB 42:1 ; “ostrich” in the Septuagint and Vulgate, NKJV, NRSV, TEV) refers to an animal that sounds to humans as “mourning.” Ostriches make little sound, therefore, some think “owls” (cf. Peshitta, NJV, NJB, NEB, NIV, REB has “desert-owl”). Also because it is one of several creatures that lived in the ruins of destroyed cities (cf. Isa 13:21 ; Isa 34:13 ; Isa 43:20 ; Jer 50:39 ). However, the Hebrew word is simply uncertain.

Mic 1:9 The shocking sin of the Northern Ten Tribes had infected the tribe of Judah (i.e., “wound,” cf. Isa 1:5-6 ; Jer 10:19 ; Jer 14:17 ; Jer 15:18 ; Jer 30:12-17 ). At this point in the message the prophet must have surprised his Judean hearers at his denunciation of them along with the Northern Ten Tribes (cf. Ezekiel 2:3 ). For God, judgment was the only option so that His idolatrous children might turn back to Him!

▣ “For her wound is incurable” The term “wound” (BDB 64:6 ) is used as a metaphor for sin. There are several different terms used:

1. here, mkh (BDB 64:6 ) - Isa 1:6 ; Jer 6:7 ; Jer 30:12 ; Jer 30:17 2. mzr (BDB 26:7 ) - Hos 5:13 3. hbrh (BDB 28:9 ) - Psa 38:5 ; Isa 53:5 4. mhll (BDB 31:9 ) - Isa 53:5 Sin is also depicted as a disease in Deu 32:29 ; 2Ch 7:14 ; Psa 30:2 ; Psa 41:4 ; Psa 103:3 ; Psa 107:20 ; Isa 6:10 ; Isa 30:26 ; Isa 57:18-19 ; Jer 3:22 ; Jer 17:14 ; Jer 33:6 ; Hos 6:1 ; Hos 7:1 ; Hos 11:3 ; Hos 14:4 , which YHWH heals!

▣ “gate” The city gate was the social, commercial, judicial center of a city (e.g., Amo 5:10 ; Amo 5:12 ; Amo 5:15 ).

Mic 1:10-16 Isaiah uses word plays to compare cities to their judgment in Isa 10:24-32 . Micah follows this pattern. Mic 1:10-16 contain a series of Hebrew word plays between certain towns in the Shephelah or coastal plains of Judah. They would have been affected by the Assyrian invasion by Sennacherib in 70:1 B.C. (although there were several earlier encroachments, i.e., Sargon II in 71:1 ).

Mic 1:10 “Tell it not in Gath” The VERB (BDB 61:6 , KB 66:5 ) is Hiphil IMPERFECT, but JUSSIVE in meaning. This may be an allusion to 2Sa 1:20 , where David grieves over the death of Saul and Jonathan. This would imply, “Do not tell Judah's enemy, the Philistines, who live in Gath.” The Philistines invaded Judah in 73:5 B.C. to gain territory.

▣ “Weep not at all” The VERB is a combination of an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE of “weep” (BDB 11:3 , KB 12:9 ) and a Qal IMPERFECT, which is JUSSIVE in meaning.

▣ “Beth-le-aphrah” There is a play on the term aphrah, which sounds very close to the term “dust” (BDB 77:9 ), therefore, “house of dust” (Beth-le-apharah).

The VERB “roll” (BDB 81:4 , KB 93:5 , e.g., Jer 6:26 ; Eze 27:30 ) is repeated, a Hithpael PERFECT and a Hithpael IMPERATIVE. It is similar in sound to the word Philistine (those who live in Gath).

There is an interesting article on gestures in the Bible in the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, pp. 326-328. It lists several uses of dust in mourning:

1. sit in dust, Isa 47:1 2. roll in dust, Mic 1:10 3. bowed down to the dust, Psa 44:25 ; Psa 119:25 4. dust (ashes) on the head, 2Sa 1:2 ; Neh 9:1 ; Est 4:1 ; Job 2:12 ; Isa 58:5 ; Jer 6:26 Mic 1:11 “Go on your way” The VERB (BDB 71:6 , KB 77:8 ) is a Qal IMPERATIVE. The inhabitants of this city are to parade in shame as they are taken into exile by Assyria.

▣ “Shaphir” This is a play on the name”beautiful city” or “pleasant city” (BDB 105:1 , cf. Jos 15:48 ), which is now shamed (BDB 10:2 ) and naked (BDB 28:9 ), which was the punishment of prostitutes (cf. Eze 23:29 ).

▣ “Zaanan” This is a sound play on the name צאנן (BDB 83:8 ) of the city and the VERB “coming out” or “going out” (possibly צדא BDB 83:8 or BDB 42:2 , KB 42:5 , Qal PERFECT). This city will not be able to escape God's coming judgment (i.e., exile). They cannot leave their besieged city, but will leave their homeland forever.

▣ “Beth-ezel: He will take from you its support” Possibly this is a sound play on “house of removal” or “house of nearness.” God will take away this city's foundation (i.e., support, BDB 76:5 , this is the only use of this term with this meaning) or take it into exile. The meaning of the city's name is uncertain (BDB 11:1 ) as is the whole line following it.

Mic 1:12 “Maroth Becomes weak waiting for good” The name of this city (BDB 59:8 , cf. Jos 15:59 ) sounds like “bitterness” (BDB 60:0 , cf. Rth 1:20 ) and is a play on the Hebrew term “waiting for good” (or MT “writhing') with “good” meaning physical deliverance.

▣ “calamity has come down from the LORD” The term “calamity” is from the Hebrew root “evil” (BDB 94:8 II). These types of verses in the OT do not describe God's character as much as denote monotheism (there is only one ultimate causality in the universe). The One Cause (i.e., YHWH Elohim) is ethical and covenantal. Disobedience brings consequences!

▣ “Jerusalem” This is a word play between the concept of “calamity” (BDB 94:8 II) and the latter part of the word “Jerusalem” (BDB 43:6 ), which means “peace and safety” (BDB 102:2 ).

Mic 1:13 “Harness” The VERB (BDB 95:8 , KB 129:9 ) is a Qal IMPERATIVE. The meaning is uncertain, but refers to binding or attaching something, so in a context of horses and chariots it refers to their rigging.

▣ “Lachish” This is a sound play on “Lachish” (BDB 54:0 ) as a military installation (cf. 2Ch 32:9 ; Jer 34:7 ) chiefly for chariots, which sounds like the Hebrew term “to the steeds” (Hebrew PREPOSITION, and, BDB 94:0 , cf. 1Ki 4:28 ). Lachish would have been the strongest and best fortified of all the cities listed.

▣ “daughter of Zion” This is an idiom for Jerusalem; Zion being one of several hills inside the walls. For more information, see notes at Amo 5:2 and Jer 46:11 .

Mic 1:14 “Moresheth” This was Micah's hometown. Its name sounds very much like the Hebrew word “purchase price of a wife” (BDB 55:5 , e.g., 1Ki 9:16 ). This play on marriage practices can be seen in Mic 1:14 a. With exile coming there will be no more weddings. The wedding gifts (cf. 1Ki 9:16 ) will now be parting gifts or wedding gifts as the wife leaves the father's house (i.e., exile).

▣ “Achzib” This Hebrew city's name (BDB 46:9 , cf. Jos 15:44 ) is very close to the Hebrew term “deception” (BDB 46:9 ).

Mic 1:15 “Mareshah” This city's name in Hebrew is uncertain (BDB 60:1 ). There is a sound play between the VERB (BDB 43:9 , KB 44:1 , Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE) meaning “the one who takes possession” and the city's name.

▣ “Adullam” This is the cave (BDB 72:6 ) where David hid from Saul (cf. 1Sa 22:1-2 ). This phrase may mean (1) the leaders (i.e., “glory of Israel”) of Israel (cf. TEV) will enter the underworld; (2) David's old place of hiding; or (3) that YHWH Himself will send an heir (NKJV) or conqueror (NRSV) to Mareshah and then Adullam. God Himself (the glory of Israel, cf. 1Sa 15:29 ) will judge and destroy these cities. The NJB considers the cities as “the glory of Israel.” Obviously the poetry is ambiguous, but the context is one of judgment, not deliverance.

Mic 1:16 “Make yourself bald and cut off your hair” The first three VERBS are all IMPERATIVES:

1. “make bald” - BDB 90:1 , KB 114:0 , Qal IMPERATIVE

2. “cut off” (shear) - BDB 15:9 , KB 18:6 , Qal IMPERATIVE

3. “extend” - BDB 93:1 , KB 121:0 , Hiphil IMPERATIVE

These were signs of mourning (cf. Isa 15:2 ; Jer 16:6 ; Amo 8:10 ), but they often became associated with idolatry (cf. Lev 21:5 ; Deu 14:1 ).

▣ “children of your delight” This means (1) your idolatry (Canaanite fertility worship) has been judged and your illegitimate children have paid the price; (2) you should mourn over the loss of your children. Assyria killed the very young and the very old, then took the rest into exile (cf. Amo 7:17 ); or (3) the word “children” is a metaphor for the small cities surrounding Jerusalem.

▣ “the eagle” This probably refers to the white headed griffin vulture that, from a distance, looked as if it were bald. Its presence was a sign of carnage (i.e., warfare, cf. Jer 48:40 ; Jer 49:22 ; Hosea 8; Hosea 1).

▣ “For they will go into exile” Micah is the first prophet to assert the exile of the southern two tribes. This must have caused them some great consternation because they were depending on God's promises to the Davidic throne made in 2 Samuel 7. One wonders if the prophet Micah was discredited when this did not occur in 70:1 B.C.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Which of Micah's three contemporaries, Isaiah, Hosea, and Amos, is he most like?

2. Why does Micah begin his prophecy with Samaria?

3. Why are Mic 1:9 ; Mic 1:16 so startling?




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