Micah4
New King James Version
1Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it.
2Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.
4But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, And no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
5For all people walk each in the name of his god, But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God Forever and ever.
6“In that day,” says the Lord, “I will assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast And those whom I have afflicted;
7I will make the lame a remnant, And the outcast a strong nation; So the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion From now on, even forever.
8And you, O tower of the flock, The stronghold of the daughter of Zion, To you shall it come, Even the former dominion shall come, The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”
9Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in your midst? Has your counselor perished? For pangs have seized you like a woman in labor.
10Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, Like a woman in birth pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city, You shall dwell in the field, And to Babylon you shall go. There you shall be delivered; There the Lord will redeem you From the hand of your enemies.
11Now also many nations have gathered against you, Who say, “Let her be defiled, And let our eye look upon Zion.”
12But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, Nor do they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
13“Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hooves bronze; You shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate their gain to the Lord, And their substance to the Lord of the whole 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.
Supported by JFB
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