Micah4
New American Standard
1And it will come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, And the peoples will stream to it.
2Many nations will come and say, “Come and let’s go up to the mountain of the Lord And to the house of the God of Jacob, So that He may teach us about His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For from Zion will go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift a sword against nation, And never again will they train for war.
4Instead, each of them will sit under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid, Because the mouth of the Lord of armies has spoken.
5Though all the peoples walk, Each in the name of his god, As for us, we will walk In the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.
6“On that day,” declares the Lord, “I will assemble those who limp And gather the scattered, Those whom I have afflicted.
7I will make those who limp a remnant, And those who have strayed a mighty nation, And the Lord will reign over them on Mount Zion From now on and forever.
8As for you, tower of the flock, Hill of the daughter of Zion, To you it will come— Yes, the former dominion will come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.
9“Now, why do you cry out loudly? Is there no king among you, Or has your counselor perished, That agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth?
10Writhe and scream, Daughter of Zion, Like a woman in childbirth; For now you will go out of the city, Live in the field, And go to Babylon. There you will be rescued, There the Lord will redeem you From the hand of your enemies.
11And now many nations have been assembled against you Who say, ‘Let her be defiled, And let our eyes gloat over Zion!’
12But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, And they do not understand His plan; For He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion, For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hoofs bronze, So that you may pulverize many peoples, And dedicate to the Lord their unjust profit, And their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Micah 4.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The peace of the kingdom of Christ. (1–8). The judgments to come upon Jerusalem, but the final triumph of Israel. (9–13).
vv1-8
The nations have not yet so submitted to the Prince of Peace, as to beat their swords into ploughshares, nor has war ceased. But very precious promises these are, relating to the gospel church, which will be more and more fulfilled, for He is faithful that has promised. There shall be a glorious church for God set up in the world, in the last days, in the days of the Messiah. Christ himself will build it upon a rock. The Gentiles worshipped their idol gods; but in the period spoken of, the people will cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and delight in doing his will. The word “halteth,” describes those who walk not according to the Divine word. The collecting the captives from Babylon was an earnest of healing, purifying, and prospering the church; and the reign of Christ shall continue till succeeded by the everlasting kingdom of heaven. Let us stir up each other to attend the ordinances of God, that we may learn his holy ways, and walk in them, receiving the law from his hands, which, being written in our hearts by his Spirit, may show our interest in the Redeemer's righteousness.
vv9-13
Many nations would assemble against Zion to rejoice in her calamities. They would not understand that the Lord had collected them as sheaves are gathered to be threshed; and that Zion would be strengthened to beat them to pieces. Nothing has yet taken place in the history of the Jewish church agreeing with this prediction. When God has conquering work for his people to do, he will furnish them with strength and ability for it. Believers should cry aloud under distresses, with the prayer of faith, not with despondency.
Key Words
אַחֲרִית: the last or end, hence, the future; also posterity
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)
הַר: a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
כּוּן: properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous)
רֹאשׁ: the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)
נָשָׂא: to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
גִּבְעָה: a hillock
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
Cross References
Micah 4Direct verbal parallel; Isaiah's nearly identical prophecy of the mountain of the Lord's house.
Supported by JFB
Direct textual match regarding nations saying, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.'
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct verbal parallel describing nations beating swords into plowshares and learning war no more.
Supported by JFB
The historical proverb of safety, sitting under one's own vine and fig tree.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Prophetic parallel of peace where every man invites his neighbor under the vine and fig tree.
Supported by JFB
God's pastoral promise to seek that which was lost and bind up that which halted.
Supported by JFB
Verbal parallel of gathering her that halteth and assembling her that was driven out.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the promise that the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and Jerusalem.
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Textual link to 'Migdal Eder' (tower of the flock), associated with the Bethlehem-Zion line.
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Christ's use of the woman in travail metaphor for sorrow turning into joy.
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Babylon itself compared to a threshing floor, mirroring the gathering of sheaves here.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Zion is promised to become a sharp threshing instrument with teeth to beat mountains.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The literal reversal where nations beat plowshares into swords for war.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The God of heaven setting up an everlasting, indestructible kingdom that consumes others.
Supported by JFB
Gabriel's declaration that the Messiah shall reign over the house of Jacob forever.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB