Old Testament Commentary - Micah 1

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 1 Micah prophesies the downfall of Samaria and Jerusalem.
1 THE word of the LORD that came to ^aMicah the Morasthite *in the days of ^bJotham, ^cAhaz, and* ^d**Hezekiah^a, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. 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.	*1^a in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and* Hezekiah** Micah precedes and in his late time is contemporay with Isaiah. It is of some interest that some of the themes of Micah are picked up by Isaiah such as the mountain of the house of the Lord being established in the tops of the mountains (compare Micah 4 and Isaiah 2). Both prophets warn of the coming destruction and scattering of Israel and eventually Judah though they both seem primarily to be located at Jerusalem. Where Micah ends in the days of Hezekiah, Isaiah begins then and runs according to tradition down to wicked King Manasseh who has Isaiah sawn in half per Josephus account.
3 For, behold, the ^aLORD ^bcometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4 And the ^amountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as ^bwax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. 5 For the ^atransgression 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 ^aSamaria 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 ^bdiscover 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.
10 ¶ Declare ye it not at ^aGath, weep ye not at all: in the house of ^bAphrah 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 ^apoll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.