Micah1
King James Version · Public Domain
1The 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.
2Hear, 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.
3For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
4And 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.
5For 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?
6Therefore 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.
7And 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.
8Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
9For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
10Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
11Pass 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.
12For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem.
13O 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.
14Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth–gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
15Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.
16Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Micah 1.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The wrath of God against Israel. (1–7). Also against Jerusalem and other cities, Their precautions vain. (8–16).
vv1-7
The earth is called upon, with all that are therein, to hear the prophet. God's holy temple will not protect false professors. Neither men of high degree, as the mountains, nor men of low degree, as the valleys, can secure themselves or the land from the judgments of God. If sin be found in God's people he will not spare them; and their sins are most provoking to him, for they are most reproaching. When we feel the smart of sin, it behoves us to seek what is the sin we smart for. Persons and places most exalted, are most exposed to spiritual diseases. The vices of leaders and rulers shall be surely and sorely punished. The punishment answers the sin. What they gave to idols, never shall prosper, nor do them any good. What is got by one lust, is wasted on another.
vv8-16
The prophet laments that Israel's case is desperate; but declare it not in Gath. Gratify not those that make merry with the sins or with the sorrows of God's Israel. Roll thyself in the dust, as mourners used to do; let every house in Jerusalem become a house of Aphrah, “a house of dust.” When God makes the house dust it becomes us to humble ourselves to the dust under his mighty hand. Many places should share this mourning. The names have meanings which pointed out the miseries coming upon them; thereby to awaken the people to a holy fear of Divine wrath. All refuges but Christ, must be refuges of lies to those who trust in them; other heirs will succeed to every inheritance but that of heaven; and all glory will be turned into shame, except that honour which cometh from God only. Sinners may now disregard their neighbours' sufferings, yet their turn to be punished will some come.
Key Words
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
מִיכָה: Micah, the name of seven Israelites
מוֹרַשְׁתִּי: a Morashtite or inhabitant of Moresheth-Gath
יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
יוֹתָם: Jotham, the name of three Israelites
אָחָז: Achaz, the name of a Jewish king and of an Israelite
יְחִזְקִיָּה: Jechizkijah, the name of five Israelites
מֶלֶךְ: a king
יְהוּדָה: Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
Cross References
Micah 1Micah uses the identical opening warning of his predecessor Micaiah son of Imlah.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Solemn covenant appeal summoning the heaven, earth, and all creatures to witness Israel's judgment.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel description of complete ruin, where the city becomes a heap of field stones.
Supported by JFB
Israel credits her idolatrous hires to false gods, which will be consumed as harlot's wages.
Supported by JFB
Verbal echo of crying out with the wailing of jackals (dragons) and ostriches (owls).
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Echoes David's famous lament 'tell it not in Gath' to avoid enemy rejoicing.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Same imagery of mountains melting like wax before the presence of the Lord.
Supported by JFB
Going stripped and barefoot as a visible prophetic sign of shameful captivity and mourning.
Supported by JFB
Verbal and geographic connection to Adullam, where David hid and Israel's glory was brought low.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Explicit historical confirmation of Micah's prophetic ministry in the days of King Hezekiah.
Identifies the Lord's witness originating from His holy temple in heaven.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel imagery of completely uncovering and discovering the foundations of the judged city.
Supported by JFB
Lachish featured as the critical fortress during Sennacherib's invasion of Judah.
Establishes Isaiah as Micah's contemporary prophet ministering during the same reigns.
Supported by John Calvin
Similar depiction of the sovereign Creator stepping forth and treading upon the high places.