Micah2
King James Version · Public Domain
1Woe 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.
2And 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.
3Therefore 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.
4In 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.
5Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the Lord.
6Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
7O 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?
8Even 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.
9The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
10Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
11If 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.
12I 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.
13The 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.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Micah 2.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The sins and desolations of Israel. (1–5). Their evil practices. (6–11). A promise of restoration. (12, 13).
vv1-5
Woe to the people that devise evil during the night, and rise early to carry it into execution! It is bad to do mischief on a sudden thought, much worse to do it with design and forethought. It is of great moment to improve and employ hours of retirement and solitude in a proper manner. If covetousness reigns in the heart, compassion is banished; and when the heart is thus engaged, violence and fraud commonly occupy the hands. The most haughty and secure in prosperity, are commonly most ready to despair in adversity. Woe to those from whom God turns away! Those are the sorest calamities which cut us off from the congregation of the Lord, or cut us short in the enjoyment of its privileges.
vv6-11
Since they say, “Prophesy not,” God will take them at their word, and their sin shall be their punishment. Let the physician no longer attend the patient that will not be healed. Those are enemies, not only to God, but to their country, who silence good ministers, and stop the means of grace. What bonds will hold those who have no reverence for God's word? Sinners cannot expect to rest in a land they have polluted. You shall not only be obliged to depart out of this land, but it shall destroy you. Apply this to our state in this present world. There is corruption in the world through lust, and we should keep at a distance from it. It is not our rest: it was designed for our passage, but not for our portion; our inn, but not our home; here we have no continuing city; let us therefore arise and depart, let us seek a continuing city above. Since they will be deceived, let them be deceived. Teachers who recommend self-indulgence by their doctrine and example, best suit such sinners.
vv12-13
These verses may refer to the captivity of Israel and Judah. But the passage is also a prophecy of the conversion of the Jews to Christ. The Lord would not only bring them from captivity, and multiply them, but the Lord Jesus would open their way to God, by taking upon him the nature of man, and by the work of his Spirit in their hearts, breaking the fetters of Satan. Thus he has gone before, and the people follow, breaking, in his strength, through the enemies that would stop their way to heaven.
Key Words
הוֹי: oh!
חָשַׁב: properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e. (literally) to weave or (generally) to fabricate; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from the mental effort) to think, regard, value, compute
אָוֶן: strictly nothingness; also trouble. vanity, wickedness; specifically an idol
פָּעַל: to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practise
רַע: bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
מִשְׁכָּב: a bed (figuratively, a bier); abstractly, sleep; by euphemism, carnal intercourse
בֹּקֶר: properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning
אוֹר: illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Cross References
Micah 2The historical prototype of coveting and taking a neighbor's ancestral vineyard and house by violence.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel woe against those who join house to house and field to field to dispossess others.
Supported by JFB
Explicates the phrase 'power of their hand' as having the might but not the moral right.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Verbal link to the Hebrew idiom of having power in one's hand to execute action.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Parallel indictment of Israel commanding the prophets not to prophesy.
Supported by JFB
Theological fulfillment of 'this is not your rest' applied to the believer's heavenly rest.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Prophetic parallel of Israel and Judah gathered under one head who passes before them.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Deplores the wicked who deliberately devise mischief on their beds during the night.
Supported by John Calvin
The foundational law of land tenure forbidding the permanent alienation of ancestral heritages.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Confirms that the day of judgment and captivity is indeed 'an evil time'.
Supported by JFB
Internal book connection where the inheritance of Israel is transferred to an heir/conqueror.
Supported by JFB
Illuminates the literal meaning of 'prophesy' as 'dropping' words or preaching.
Supported by JFB
Messianic connection where the Shepherd-King goes before His sheep and they follow Him.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels God's judgment against 'this evil family' which faces captivity and death.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrast to the original measuring out of the land by lot for the congregation.
Supported by JFB