Annotations for Micah

1:1 Title. See Introduction.

1:1 Samaria and Jerusalem. Figures for the leaders: kings, judges, priests, and prophets of the northern kingdom and Judah, respectively.

1:2—2:13 First Cycle. The first cycle’s four judgment-prophecies are against Samaria and Jerusalem, and against land-grabbers and the prophets who are in cahoots with them. Samaria will be destroyed and Jerusalem sent into exile. The land-grabbers will lose their land. The cycle ends with a salvation-prophecy that a remnant will survive.

1:2—2:11 Judgment-Prophecies Against Samaria and Jerusalem. Micah accuses the leaders of both Samaria and Jerusalem of leading their kingdoms into sin and idolatry (1:5). The Lord sentences Samaria to destruction (1:6–7), and Micah laments Judah’s sentence to exile (1:8–16). In particular Micah sentences land-grabbers to lose the land from which they drove off its rightful heirs (2:1–5) and condemns false prophets for not preaching justice (2:6–11).

1:2–7 Prophecy Against Samaria. It consists of four parts: (1) Introduction. Micah summons Israel to a trial as defendants (v. 2). (2) Vision. The Lord descends in a punitive epiphany (v. 3) to convulse the land (v. 4). (3) Accusation. Samaria (v. 5a) and Jerusalem (v. 5b) broke covenant. (4) Sentence. Samaria will be leveled (v. 6) and its idols reused in another cult (v. 7).

1:2 earth. Or “land” [of Israel] (see 1:1). bear witness against you. Cf. 6:1–6. temple. God’s royal residence, where his throne of judgment was located. The ark of the covenant in Jerusalem is linked inseparably to the Lord’s throne in heaven (1 Kgs 8:30; 1 Chr 28:2). See “Temple.”

1:3 the LORD is coming. The punitive epiphany depicts God’s wrath against the land, and may depict the fall of Samaria in particular (see v. 6). If so, the epiphany probably represents the Lord’s march behind the Assyrian army. heights. Possibly “high places” for pagan shrines (see v. 5b).

1:4 mountains . . . valleys. Topographical extremes for the entire land. rushing down a slope. Removing vineyards and any place for humans to live.

1:5 Israel. The alternate name for Jacob. It may refer to the northern kingdom (see v. 13), to Judah (3:1, 8–9; 5:1, 3; 6:2), or to the entire nation (2:12–13; 5:2). The parallel “Jacob’s transgression . . . is it not Samaria” favors the first meaning. Samaria . . . Jerusalem. See v. 1. The judgment-prophecy in vv. 1–7 sentences only Samaria to destruction and the judgment prophecy against Jerusalem in vv. 8–16 lacks the expected motif of accusation. By putting the accusation motif against Jerusalem in this verse, Micah weaves the two prophecies into a unity, implying that Jerusalem is no better than notoriously wicked Samaria (cf. 6:16; see “because of this,” v. 8).

1:6 I. The Lord. Samaria a heap of rubble. Some of Samaria’s superbly cut stones for its walls and fortifications are still visible. stones into the valley. Samaria was built on a hill over 300 feet (100 meters) high.

1:7 temple gifts. The gold and silver “gifts” paid to temple prostitutes were used to make idols. will again be used. As wages for the temple prostitutes in Assyria, from which new idols will be made.

1:8–16 Prophecy Against Jerusalem. It consists of three parts. (1) Introduction. Intention to mourn (vv. 8–9). (2) Dirge. A lament song for exiles (vv. 10–15). (3) Conclusion. Call to the house of David to join in mourning rites (v. 16).

1:8 Micah mimics the captives going into exile (2 Kgs 17). this. The accusation against Jerusalem (v. 5) and the exemplary punishment of Samaria (vv. 6–7). barefoot. Or “stripped.”

1:9 plague. Probably Sennacherib’s blows. incurable. Nothing survives because Sennacherib’s invasion reaches right to Jerusalem’s “gate” (see 2 Kgs 18:27).

1:10–15 Micah’s song of lament uses several wordplays on names (see NIV text notes). These towns lie in Judah’s Shephelah (the foothills between the Mediterranean and Judah’s high mountains where Jerusalem was located). They form a circle with a radius of about a day’s journey by foot (ca. 10 miles or 16 kilometers) from Moresheth Gath. To capture Jerusalem, Sennacherib had to conquer these fortified cities. He boasted about them: “I laid siege to 46 of Hezekiah’s strong cities” (from “The Prism of Sennacherib”).

1:10 Tell it not in Gath. From David’s eulogy of Saul and Jonathan (2 Sam 1:20), linking the defeat of the house of David with the death of the house of Saul. Judah’s defeat must not be mentioned in the hostile Philistine city, lest the city gloat over Israel’s dead (cf. 7:8). roll in the dust. Symbolizes lamenting death.

1:11 Pass by. Into exile. naked. See v. 8. will not come out. From behind their walls to battle because they fear death and/or exile. Ezel. May mean “taken away.”

1:13 Lachish. In the British Museum one can see Sennacherib’s palace reliefs that celebrate this triumph. fast horses. War horses may be fast but not as face as race horses. The irony of hitching race horses to chariots emphasizes the speed with which the people of Lachish must flee. sin. Probably of relying on military might, not on the Lord (cf. 5:10–11; Deut 17:16; 2 Chr 26:9, 11–15; Isa 2:7; 31:1–2; Hos 10:13–15; 14:4). Daughter Zion. Jerusalem. Cities are personified as women because the Hebrew word for “city” is a feminine noun.

1:14 Therefore. Without the protection of Lachish, Micah’s home town of Moresheth Gath is doomed (see 1:1). you. Feminine form, for Daughter Zion. The rulers of Israel, not Lachish, paid tribute to Sennacherib (2 Kgs 18:14; cf. 2 Kgs 16:8). parting gifts. May refer to a dowry. Jerusalem’s greedy rulers not only lose the income of Moresheth but also pay tribute (cf. 2 Kgs 18:16). Moresheth. Sounds like the Hebrew word for “bride.” town. Or “workshops.” The tribute the leaders of Jerusalem counted on from the workshops of Akzib (see NIV text note) proved “deceptive” because they counted on it but did not receive it.

1:15 Adullam. As David fled to Adullam as a fugitive from Saul (1 Sam 22:1; 2 Sam 23:13), now his descendants must flee there as fugitives from the Assyrians.

1:16 Shave . . . head. Part of a mourning ritual to conform one’s outer appearance with one’s inner feelings (cf. Isa 3:24; 15:2; 22:12; Jer 47:5; 48:37; Ezek 7:18; 27:31). your. Feminine form, for Daughter Zion. Probably not Mareshah (v. 15) because v. 15b separates v. 16 from v. 15a. children in whom you delight. Israel’s future nobles.

2:1–5 Prophecy Against Land-Grabbers. It consists of three parts. (1) Accusation. Greedy and violent land-grabbers seize sacred property (vv. 1–2). (2) Puns. Two wordplays between accusation and sentence show that the punishment is just: (a) “those who plot rā ʿ ” (Hebrew for “evil,” v. 1) and “I am planning rā ʿ ” (Hebrew for “disaster,” v. 3); (b) “they covet fields” (v. 2) and “he assigns our fields” (v. 4). (3) Sentence. Land-grabbers consigned to eternal death but hope for remnant (v. 5).

2:1 iniquity. The Hebrew signifies negative power and deception. morning’s light. Ironic because in the biblical world, court was held at sunrise, symbolizing that light dispels darkness (cf. Job 38:12–13; possibly Ps 101:8). These “legal sharks” who plotted their unlawful deeds at night perverted the legal system in the morning light.

2:2 defraud. By dishonest scales (Hos 12:7–8) or extortion (Isa 52:4; Jer 50:33) or, as here, manipulating the legal system (Amos 5:7, 10–17). people. Or “man” (Hebrew geber). Geber signifies a strong and capable man. inheritance. Land that was to be the permanent possession of a particular family (cf. Lev 25:13; Num 27:1–11; 36:1–12; 1 Kgs 21:3).

2:3 disaster. The Assyrian invasion.

2:4 takes it from me! The Lord gave Israel their land as a gift to be used and enjoyed as long as it was not abused (cf. Lev 25:23; 26:33; Deut 28:49–68). traitors. The Assyrians.

2:5 assembly of the LORD. Composed of the faithful remnant. to divide the land by lot. As Joshua did at the beginning of Israel’s settlement of the Holy Land (Josh 14:1–2).

2:6–11 Prophecy Against Land-Grabbers and False Prophets. It consists of four parts: (1) Setting. Micah rebuffs false prophets (v. 6). (2) Accusation. False prophets misrepresent the Lord’s patience and his justice (v. 7) and the people exploit the defenseless (vv. 8–9). (3) Sentence. Exile. (4) Conclusion. People choose liars for prophets (v. 11).

2:6 Do not prophesy. Plural verb addressed to Micah and prophets such as Hosea and Isaiah. their. The greedy land-grabbers. us. “Descendants of Jacob” (v. 7).

2:7 should it be said. Expects a negative answer. Do not. Expects a positive answer. my. The Lord’s (God is now speaking). words. Delivered through true prophets.

2:8-9 rich robe . . . pleasant homes . . . blessing from their children. Accusation expands v. 2. The oppressed belong to Israel’s middle class.

2:8 like an enemy. As an invading army plunders Israel from without, the greedy people plunder the defenseless from within. without a care, like men returning from battle. Soldiers returning from battle do not expect to be attacked by their own people.

2:10 Get up, go away! Ironically, the Lord sentences the greedy to exile by using the same words they used to drive the women from their pleasant homes (v. 9). For . . . remedy. Or “For this is not a resting place! Because it is defiled, it will bring destruction beyond all remedy.” resting place. Alludes to a family’s well-being in their own possession (Deut 3:20; Josh 21:43–44; 22:4). defiled. An abhorrent, ritually unclean thing that must be removed from God’s presence.

2:12–13 A Salvation-Prophecy: A Remnant Delivered. It consists of two parts: Israel’s Shepherd-King gathers the remnant within protective walls (v. 12) and then leads them out triumphantly (v. 13).

2:12 I. The Lord. Jacob . . . Israel. The entire nation (see note on 1:5). remnant. The relatively few faithful people who survive the Lord’s judgment on Israel (see 4:7; 5:7–8; 7:18). The remnant will become a strong nation (4:7b; Isa 60:22), bringing life and death to the nations (5:7–8). in a pen. Jerusalem, during Sennacherib’s siege.

2:13 The release from besieged Jerusalem occurs in three stages: (1) the Shepherd-King “breaks open the way”; (2) the masses “break through the gate [of Jerusalem] and go out”; (3) “the LORD” takes his rightful place “at their head” (cf. 5:4).

3:1—5:15 Second Cycle. The second cycle’s three judgment-prophecies are against Jerusalem’s leaders: rulers, prophets, and priests. The climax in the prophecy is that Jerusalem will be destroyed. Seven salvation-prophecies pertain to Israel’s future golden age, when Zion will be exalted and the remnant will rule the nations under the Messiah, and Israel will be purged of its sins.

3:1–12 Judgment-Prophecies Against Israel’s Leaders. The next three judgment-prophecies, each four verses, share a common form: (1) Address. Leaders (rulers and judges, v. 1), prophets (v. 5), and leaders plus priests (vv. 9, 11). The addressed leaders, prophets and priests represent the same branches of Israel’s government as those stipulated in Israel’s so-called constitution (Deut 16:18—18:22). (2) Accusation. Introduced by “who” (vv. 2b, 5, 9b). (3) Sentence. Introduced by “then”/“therefore” (vv. 4, 6, 12). Instead of working together to foster justice, the constituted leaders are all in cahoots to plunder the helpless. The judicial sentences escalate from God’s silence (v. 4) to his silence plus darkness (vv. 6–7) to his absence when he destroys his temple (v. 12).

3:1–4 Prophecy Against Unjust Rulers: Shepherds Turned Cannibals. The Lord will turn a deaf ear to the cannibalistic rulers at the time of judgment.

3:1 Jacob . . . Israel. The entire nation (see note on 1:5). justice. As codified in the Mosaic law.

3:2–3 The grinding poverty the greedy magistrates inflicted on the innocent led to their early death. Micah, in a sustained, grotesque metaphor depicts them as cannibals.

3:4 they will cry out to the LORD. For salvation when disaster comes (cf. Prov 1:26; Matt 25:11–13; Luke 16:26; Heb 10:31; 12:17). will not answer them. As the corrupt judges turned a deaf ear to the pleas of the oppressed.

3:5–8 Prophecy Against False Prophets: Prophets for Profit. The Lord will make the future dark for the false prophets, who bite like serpents.

3:5 This is what the LORD says. A messenger formula. prophets. Are like angels, who are God’s messengers from his heavenly court to earth, especially to the rulers of Samaria and Jerusalem. In both calls of Isaiah, the prophet envisions himself in the heavenly court with other potential messengers (cf. Isa 6:1–8; 40:1–3). As messengers from God, prophets are vested with the full authority of the one who commissions them. lead my people astray. By preaching only God’s patience, never his justice. (cf. v. 7). if they have something to eat. Or “bite [Hebrew n-š-k] with their teeth.” Ten of the eleven uses of the Hebrew root n-š-k have to do with snakes that kill their victims to feed themselves. If that nuance is intended, the grotesque picture of biting snakes matches the grizzly picture of cannibalism in the preceding prophecy. prepare to wage war. Along with the greedy rich (see 2:8–9).

3:6 without visions. False prophets, like Balaam, may be able to see beyond the ordinary range of human perception (cf. Num 22:5–41; Deut 23:1–5). sun will set. Symbolizes their losing their exceptional perception.

3:7 disgraced. When a prophet was exposed as a fraud, he was regarded as unclean (cf. Lam 4:13–15). faces. Or “mustache,” “lower part of their face” (i.e., the place of their gift), like unclean lepers (Lev 13:45).

3:8 filled with. A sign of being filled with the Spirit of the Lord is a zeal for justice. power. Spirit-directed energy and dynamism (cf. Ezek 2:2; 3:12, 14, 24). might. Valor, making Micah equal to formidable adversaries.

3:9–12 Prophecy Against Rulers, Prophets, and Priests: Jerusalem Leveled. The Lord will level Jerusalem because of its greedy leaders: rulers, prophets, and priests.

3:10 Zion. A poetic parallel to “Jerusalem” (cf. Isa 2:3; 4:3). The title invests the capital with a theological quality: it was regarded as the center of the nations in the biblical world and the place where God uniquely dwelled (Ezek 5:5; cf. Ezek 5:7–8). bloodshed. See Exod 20:13 (cf. Mic 2:2–3; 3:2–3). Micah saw beneath Jerusalem’s grandeur its bloody economic base (2:9–10: 3:1–4). “Bloodshed” recalls payment in kind (cf. Gen 4:10; 9:6; Num 35:33; Deut 19:11–13; 21:9; 2 Sam 1:16; 4:11; 1 Kgs 2:31–33; 2 Kgs 9:7).

3:11 judge. Give specific judicial verdicts. teach [the law]. On which judgments were to be based. tell fortunes. The same Hebrew word as “divination” in v. 6; special revelations in deciding options. money. Love of money is the “root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim 6:10). LORD among us. See notes on 1:2 (“temple”); 3:10 (“Zion”).

3:12 temple. Not the “house of the LORD” (unlike 4:1). By omitting “the LORD” Micah implies the Lord has left the temple and handed it over to destruction. Ezekiel envisioned God’s glory departing from the temple to the Mount of Olives before he handed over the city and its temple to destruction (Ezek 10:1–22; 11:22–23). After Jesus denounced the religious leaders for misusing their positions of leadership, he also departed to the Mount of Olives before handing over Jerusalem to destruction (Matt 23–24). Micah’s prophecy was not fulfilled because Hezekiah repented (Jer 26:16–19). The fulfillment of a prophecy is contingent upon human behavior (Jer 18:7–8).

4:1—5:15 Salvation-Prophecies. The three prophecies of judgment in the first section of the second cycle (ch. 3) give way to seven prophecies of salvation for the remnant. The cycle’s two halves (see Introduction: Content) are woven together by references to Zion and its temple. In a breathtaking shift, as sudden as a resurrection, the dismantled Zion (3:9–12) is transformed into a temple mountain that, towering over the earth, becomes a magnet drawing nations to it (4:1–4).

4:1–5 Exaltation of Zion. These verses are almost identical to Isa 2:2–4. It makes no difference in meaning if Micah is quoting Isaiah or vice versa, or if both are quoting an earlier prophecy. The prophecy is inspired and meaningful in both contexts. The prophet first sees “the mountain of the LORD’s temple” (v. 1) exalted above other mountains, drawing to itself many people (v. 1). Then he overhears the nations exhorting one another to go up the Lord’s temple mountain to receive the law and the divine word (v. 2). He reflects on this vision and relates in detail the life of this pacified world, the fruit of converted hearts, which issues into three unfolding benefits: (1) God arbitrates among the peoples (v. 3a). (2) Disputes are no longer settled by war (v. 3b). (3) Every individual enjoys the fruit of their own labor (v. 4a). The prophecy ends with a twofold conclusion: (1) “the LORD Almighty has spoken,” guaranteeing the prophecy’s fulfillment (v. 4b), and (2) a liturgical response to the vision by Micah and the faithful congregation (v. 5).

4:1 last days. See note on v. 6. In the unfolding drama of salvation-history, there seems to be a certain chronological series of events contained in this prophetic term, of which the prophet was unaware. If so, this prophecy found a partial fulfillment when the temple was rebuilt, is finding a much more intense fulfillment in the heavenly Mount Zion to which the church now comes (Heb 12:22–24), and will find its consummation when the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven (Rev 21:1, 10, 22–27). Some salvation-prophecies can be fitted into different epochs in salvation-history. The untroubled peace for which people hope does not lie exclusively in a presently unattainable utopia but is available now to all who come to Jesus in the heavenly Jerusalem, but the faithful wait for consummate peace in a new heaven and earth. highest of the mountains. Because of Zion’s association with the living God, it was viewed as towering above all other temple mountains, though in terms of topography it was lower (cf. Ps 68:16–17). Great and powerful nations began to discern its true heavenly quality when the Lord raised Zion out of its ashes. Today people learn of its heavenly quality when they hear that God raised his Son from the dead in a heavenly body and set him at his right hand in the heavenly Jerusalem. Here people from many nations worship Israel’s incomparable God (7:18; cf. John 2:20–21; 4:24; 12:32; Heb 12:22–24). stream. May be a polemic against Babylon, which was located on the Euphrates River. It was the historic, religious center of Micah’s world, to which people “streamed” by boat (see Jer 51:44).

4:4 own vine . . . fig tree. Symbolizes peace and prosperity (cf. 1 Kgs 4:25; Zech 3:10). LORD Almighty. A military title.

4:5 we. Micah and the remnant (2:12; see Introduction: Message).

4:6–7 Restoration of the Remnant: Lame Become Strong. The Lord will transform the remnant into a strong nation and rule over them.

4:6 In that day. Unlike the word “tomorrow,” the phrase refers not to a 24-hour period but to a time that is beyond humankind’s immediate reach and that is in the hand of God. It probably should be associated with “in the last days” (4:1) and interpreted as the first of the following six salvation-prophecies that unpack the grand vision of Zion’s restoration in 4:1–5. lame. A rare word in Hebrew, probably alluding to the laming (same Hebrew word) of Jacob (Gen 32:31), when his name was changed to Israel, which means “you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome” (Gen 32:28). The transformation of Jacob to Israel through laming foreshadows the history of his offspring

4:7 remnant. See 2:12; Isa 1:9. strong nation. Cf. 1 Pet 2:9, 10.

4:8 Restoration of Zion. The Lord will restore Zion as an impregnable fortress.

4:8 you. Jerusalem. watchtower. A fortified tower to which people ran for protection. stronghold. Hebrew ʿ ōpel, an architectural term, denotes the acropolis on which the city’s fortress was built. It was located on the north end of the city, just south of the temple mount (2 Chr 27:3; 33:14).

4:9–13 The Lord’s Secret Strategy: Captivity to Freedom; Besieged to Victory. Two originally distinct prophecies of salvation (vv. 9–10, 11–13) are unified by form—“now [the time of distress]” (vv. 9, 11), “Daughter Zion” (vv. 10, 13), and a command (vv. 10, 13)—and movement from present distress to future deliverance. “Now” in 5:1 links the salvation-prophecy of the Messiah (5:1–6) with the two salvation-prophecies in 4:9–13.

4:9 you. Feminine form; for Daughter Zion. now. Present distress. cry aloud. Probably because of Sennacherib’s blockade of Jerusalem. king . . . ruler Or “counselor” or “planner.” The NIV text interprets this verse as a judgment-prophecy (and as Micah using sarcasm). Alternatively, this could read “King . . . Ruler” (see NIV text notes on v. 9), interpreting the verse as a salvation-prophecy. It contains neither accusation nor threatened punishment but assumes the reality of a present distress (see Introduction: Content). Moreover, the formally parallel prophecy in vv. 11–13 (see note on vv. 9–13) clearly states that the Lord has a “plan” ( ʿ ēṣâ, v. 12), from the same Hebrew root as “Ruler” in 4:9, identifying the Ruler/Planner in v. 9 as the Lord.

4:10 woman in labor. Through her distress Zion will give birth to a new age (see 5:1–6). Babylon. The relatively unique naming of the enemy may highlight this amazing prophecy that will be fulfilled more than a century after Micah prophesied it.

4:12 the LORD. He has a secret plan behind the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem in 701 BC (vv. 11–13) and Israel’s exile. plan. God arranges history so that what appears to the enemy as victory leads to their defeat in the war for the meaning of history (cf. 1 Cor 2:6–9).

4:13 Rise and thresh. Jerusalem’s destruction of her enemies is likened to a fearsome animal. horns of iron . . . hooves of bronze. None can stop Zion from totally thrashing her enemy. many nations. Assyria’s imperial army was composed of mercenaries from many nations.

5:1–6 A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem. The prophecy is framed by “us” (i.e., Micah and the faithful remnant) and the Assyrian invaders (vv. 1, 6). Like the two preceding salvation-prophecies (4:9–10, 11–13), it envisions Israel’s historic tragedy (v. 1) being transformed into her triumph, but it adds the transformation of her helpless ruler (v. 1) into the Messiah—theological shorthand for Israel’s ideal future king whose rule extends to the ends of the earth (v. 4).

5:1 troops. Connotes the smallness of the army in her distress (cf. 2 Kgs 18:23). now. See note on 4:9–13. city of troops. Jerusalem. siege. By Sennacherib (see 4:9–13). strike . . . on the cheek. The humiliated ruler cannot defend himself (cf. Job 16:10; Ps 3:7; Isa 50:6; Lam 3:30).

5:2 Bethlehem. Chosen by the Lord to exhibit paradoxically both the Messiah’s inauspicious and most auspicious origins. Jesus of Nazareth’s birth in Bethlehem fulfills this prophecy (Matt 2:6). Ephrathah . . . Judah. Associated with David’s origins (1 Sam 17:12; cf. Ruth 1:2; 2 Sam 7:8–16). small. In quantity and quality, signifying the Messiah’s inauspicious origin. from ancient times. Hebrew ʿ ôlām, which signifies the Messiah’s humble origins from Jesse and David (cf. 1 Sam 16:1). Hebrew ʿ ôlām may mean “eternal,” but when qualified by “days,” “years,” or “generations,” the phrase always refers to remote historical times, not to eternity (cf. 7:14; Deut 32:7; Ps 77:6; Isa 51:9; 61:9, 11; Amos 9:11; Mal 3:4). The phrase here alludes to the covenantal promises to David (2 Sam 7:11b–16). The NT reveals that the origin of Jesus Christ, who is so much greater than his biological father, is from eternity, implying his divinity as also the Son of God (see John 1:1, 14, 18; 8:58; 17:5; Phil 2:5–11; Col 1:15–20; Heb 1:1–3; cf. Isa 11:1).

5:3 will be abandoned. Will be without a shepherd-king. Israel was without a king from her exile until the birth of Jesus Christ. she who is in labor. The remnant of Zion who survive the Babylonian exile will birth the Messiah (see 4:9–10; cf. Luke 1:5—2:40). a son. The Messiah. the rest of his brothers return to join. The rest of nominal Israel will unite with the faithful remnant under the Messiah’s rule in his coming kingdom.

5:4 stand. Endure forever. shepherd. The figure here refers to his protection (cf. John 10:11; Heb 13:20). in the strength . . . in the majesty of the name. The Messiah lives by faith in “the LORD his God.” they will live securely. For his kingdom “will reach to the ends of the earth” (cf. 4:1–6; Matt 28:16–20; Acts 28:30–31).

5:5 our . . . We. Micah and the faithful community. peace. Hebrew šālôm is often associated with prosperity, but this context pertains primarily to conflict. Faith in the Messiah unifies and fortifies his people for battle (cf. Isa 9:6; Luke 2:14; Eph 2:14). the Assyrians. Symbolize the enemy of God’s people (cf. Isa 11:11; Zech 10:10). seven . . . eight. Typical Hebrew poetry for the real number, here “eight.” There will be more than a perfect number of under-shepherds (cf. Eph 4:7–12; 1 Pet 5:4).

5:6 Assyria. This relatively rare specification of the enemy dates this salvation-prophecy to the time of Micah. sword. Prophets often describe the future in terms of their own historical context. The NT uses “sword” as a figure for the Spirit and the Word of God (cf. Eph 6:17). the land of Nimrod. This phrase could mean either “even” or “also” the land of Nimrod. The latter interpretation fits Micah’s historical context, for at that time Babylon was a subordinate of Assyria. Also, Gen 10:8–12 associates Nimrod with both Babylon and Nineveh.

5:7–9 The Remnant Among the Nations: Life and Death. Using the similes of dew and of a lion, two similarly structured verses present the paradox that the remnant, “in the midst of many peoples,” will bring life to some (v. 7) and death to others (v. 8; cf. John 3:18; 6:28–29; 2 Cor 2:14–16). The prophecy ends with the promise that the remnant will be triumphant (v. 9; cf. 5:5).

5:7 from the LORD. The remnant’s life-giving ministry does not depend on impotent “man.” wait for. Or “wait upon” (see the parallel “depend on”).

5:9 Your. The remnant’s.

5:10–15 The Lord Purges and Protects His Kingdom. The Lord promises to purge Israel of her false reliance on military might, witchcraft, and idolatry (vv. 10–14). But he will punish the disobedient nations (v. 15).

5:10 In that day. See notes on 4:1, 6. destroy. Hebrew kārat, here with the connotation “to purge.” Kārat is used for purging the nation of persons who have violated the holiness of Israel (see Lev 17:10; cf. Lev 10:2–6).

5:13 sacred stones. Symbols of male deities. work of your hands. Military arms and fortifications (v. 10; cf. 1:13; Deut 17:16), witchcraft (see note on v. 10; cf. Deut 18:10), and idolatry (vv. 13–14; Rom 1:22–23).

Standing stones worshiped at Canaanite Hazor. God tells the people he will destroy their sacred stones (Mic 5:13).

Kim Walton, taken at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem

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5:14 Asherah poles. Symbols of female deities.

6:1—7:20 Third Cycle. The third cycle consists of three judgment-prophecies in diverse forms: a lawsuit, a typical judgment-prophecy, and a dirge. The dirge is replaced in a concluding salvation-prophecy by a song of victory.

6:1—7:7 Judgment-Prophecies. The three judgment-prophecies in the first half of the third cycle are presented in the form of (1) a lawsuit (6:1–8), (2) a typical judgment-prophecy (6:9–16), and a dirge (7:1–6). Micah’s personal testimony of faith in this dark hour (7:7) forms a smooth transition from the dirge to the song of victory (7:8–20). The song consists of four probably originally independent salvation-prophecies of about equal length. The dirge, Micah’s testimony, and the song of victory each begins with the catchword “I” (7:1, 7, 8), probably referring to the Lord, Micah, and Daughter Zion, respectively. Possibly, Micah should be regarded as in corporate solidarity with the Lord and with Zion.

6:1–8 The Lord’s Case Against Israel. Cf. Deut 32; Ps 50; Isa 1:2–3. It consists of four parts: (1) Setting. The Lord summons Micah to plead the Lord’s case (see v. 1a) and the mountains are summoned as witnesses for the Lord (v. 2). (2) Accusation. Israel did not reciprocate the Lord’s love (v. 3), supported by two exhibits of his love in his saving acts at the beginning (v. 4) and end (v. 5) of Israel’s formation as a nation. The Lord’s complaint aims to bring Israel to its senses, to “remember” his saving and to “know” him personally (v. 5). (3) Israel’s Response Repudiated. An apostate worshiper, representing the nation, responds by bribing God with sacrifices to gain his favor. Using absurd extremes, Micah sarcastically denounces their bribe: sacrifices by themselves can never establish a proper relationship with God (vv. 6–7). A proper relationship with God depends on heartfelt obedience to God’s law (v. 8). Such a standard condemns implicitly religious, but unrepentant, Israel.

6:1, 2 mountains. Called upon as witnesses because these “everlasting foundations” (v. 2) were firsthand witnesses of the Lord’s saving acts (see Deut 32:1).

6:4-5 Egypt . . . Gilgal. Extremes, representing all of God’s saving acts during Israel’s formative period as a nation. Today, reciting and accepting God’s saving acts includes the gospel message of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:3–5).

6:5 remember. Hebrew zākar, which means to actualize the past into the present by “re-membering” oneself to the past, not merely recalling as on a history exam. This re-identification with salvation-history entails a faith commitment (cf. Luke 22:19). know. Personal knowledge: the human spirit resonates with God’s Spirit.

6:6 With what. Micah charges the questions in vv. 6–7 with escalating, absurd hyperboles to show he is using sarcasm. Each question demands a resounding negative answer. Micah is not denying the desirability of offering sacrifices but is asserting they are worthless without obedience (cf. 1 Sam 15:22; Ps 51:17; Isa 1:11–15; Hos 6:6). I. Either a representative false worshiper or corporate Israel represented as an individual (see “mortal,” v. 8). come before the LORD. To find protection in his temple.

6:7 thousands of rams. Only kings can offer this amount (1 Kgs 3:4; cf. 1 Kgs 8:63). ten thousand rivers of olive oil. An absurd amount that none can offer. my firstborn. An outrage in God’s sight.

6:8 This famous standard defining a proper relationship with God (cf. Jer 22:3; Hos 6:6; Jas 1:27) must be read within the lawsuit context (6:1–8). The accusing plaintiff asked his people to “re-member” themselves to his saving act (6:5). Without repentance and a new heart to identify with God’s salvation-history, one cannot satisfy the standard of a heartfelt obedience. mortal. See v. 6 and note. humbly. Or “prudently” (see NIV text note). “Humbly” is the traditional translation of a Hebrew word that occurs only here, but new philological evidence argues for “prudently.”

6:9–16 Covenant Curses Fulfilled. This section consists of four parts. (1) Address. Jerusalem (v. 9). (2) Accusation. Unethical business practices and false, violent speech (vv. 10–12). (3) Sentence. Diseases (vv. 13–14) and pillaging of crops (v. 15). (4) Summary. Recapitulates the accusation and the judicial sentence, adding “the scorn of the nations” (v. 16; cf. Deut 28:37). The judicial sentence fulfills the futility curses threatened in the Mosaic covenant (Lev 26:16, 26; Deut 28:18, 40, 51).

6:10 Am I. If the Lord turned a blind eye to unscrupulous business practices, he would be an accomplice in the crime. ephah. This dry measure varied from place to place but weighed about 285 pounds (about 130 kilograms).

6:11 scales. The Lord stands behind standard weights and measures (Lev 19:35–36; Deut 25:13–16; Ezek 45:10–12). During the monarchy the king set the standard (cf. 2 Sam 14:26; Prov 16:10–13).

6:13 See NIV text note.

6:14 your stomach will still be empty. See NIV text note. Or “dysentery will strike you.” store up . . . save. See NIV text note.

6:16 Omri . . . Ahab’s house. Kings of Israel a century before Micah who were legendary for apostasy (1 Kgs 16:25, 30–33), immorality, and injustice (cf. 1 Kgs 21).

7:1–6 A Dirge: Israel’s Misery. It consists of: (1) Accusation. Total corruption (vv. 1–4a). (2) Punishment. Social anarchy (vv. 4b–6). The accusation and consequences are linked by the alliteration of “hedge” (Hebrew mĕsûkâ, v. 4a) and “confusion” (Hebrew mĕbûkâ, v. 4b).

7:1–4a The accusation has two parts: an allegory (v. 1) with its interpretation (v. 2), and a figurative depiction of the judge’s malpractices (vv. 3–4).

7:1 mine. The Lord or Micah speaking for him (cf. Isa 5:1–3). vineyard. The “land” of Israel (v. 2). grapes . . . figs. The “faithful” and “upright” (see v. 2), especially a faithful “ruler” and a just “judge” (v. 3).

7:2 not one upright person remains. General accusation narrowed down to the ruler and judge in v. 3. Everyone. Does not include true prophets who inveighed against these crimes (see 3:8) and the righteous remnant (see note on 2:12; cf. 7:8). lies in wait. Tactics are sinister and covert (cf. Prov 1:10–14). hunt . . . with nets. So none escape. hunt. Cf. 3:1–3.

7:3 Both hands. The king and the judge.

7:4a best of them. The officials. hedge. Obstruction of justice.

7:4b–6 See note on 7:1–6. A general statement (v. 4b) and specific illustrations (vv. 5–6).

7:4b The day. The time (see 4:6) of judgment prophets warned about. It may be a reference to Sennacherib’s invasion. watchmen. Lookouts posted on city walls to warn of approaching danger; a figure for the prophets (Ezek 3:16–21; 33:7–9; Hos 9:8). time of your confusion. Social anarchy.

7:5 Corrupt officials have torn the fabric of national solidarity; now the invasion snaps the strongest ties of social solidarity: closest friends (v. 5a) and intimate lovers (v. 5b) They dare not confide in one another how they hope to cope with the crisis of Sennacherib’s siege of Jerusalem; otherwise, their confidant will abuse their trust to ensure their own survival.

7:6 Micah pictures a world turned upside-down. Normally, the father had authority over his sons and the men of his household, and the mother had authority over her unmarried daughters and married daughters-in-law. Jesus uses v. 6 to illustrate the divisions that his advent would produce (cf. Matt 10:35–39; Luke 12:53).

7:7 Personal Testimony: Hope in Darkness. Micah’s confident hope in God’s promises turns the dirge into a song of victory.

7:7 I. Micah. The pronoun is a suture linking the “I” of the preceding dirge (v. 1) to the “I” of the climactic victory song (v. 8). watch. The “watchmen” foresaw the judgment (v. 4), but now Micah watches “in hope” for salvation (cf. v. 20). wait. The same Hebrew word is translated “depend” in 5:7. The persevering faith of Micah, who represents the faithful remnant, preserves the lamented Israel (vv. 1–6) until it becomes triumphant Israel (vv. 8–20). God will hear. The living God, not death, will have the last word.

7:8–20 Salvation-Prophecies: A Song of Victory. Probably four or five original prophecies have been stitched together as four escalating stanzas—almost equal in length—in a unified song: (1) Jerusalem’s confession of faith in the Lord (vv. 8–10). (2) Micah’s promise of restoration (vv. 11–13). (3) Micah’s petition to the Lord to again shepherd his people (v. 14), and the Lord’s response that he will again show them his wonders by vanquishing the hostile nations (vv. 16–17). (4) The remnant’s climactic song of praise to the Lord (vv. 18–20). The song is framed by Jerusalem’s confession of its sin (v. 9) and Micah’s praise to God for forgiving their sins (v. 18). There are striking textual connections with Moses’ “Song of the Sea,” Israel’s first victory song (Exod 15): the vanquished “tremble” (Exod 15:14; cf. Mic 7:17b) and become mute (Exod 15:16; cf. Mic 7:16); the Lord does “wonders” (Exod 15:11; cf. Mic 7:15) and is praised as incomparable in similar rhetorical questions (Exod 15:11; cf. Mic 7:18), and in a unique metaphor “hurled [the enemy/Israel’s sins] into the sea” (Exod 15:1; cf. Mic 7:19).

7:8 me. Personification of Jerusalem. The addressed “you” of the second stanza probably has as its antecedent the speaker of the first stanza. This “you” has “walls” (v. 11) and so personifies a city, undoubtedly Jerusalem. The speaker of the second stanza is a prophet vested with the authority of God to command the rulers of Jerusalem and its people to rebuild its walls and in so doing infers their confessions are accepted by God. enemy. Probably Nineveh. will rise. Continues Micah’s theme of hope (v. 7). sit in darkness. In a dungeon. the LORD will be my light. A confession of faith.

7:9 I have sinned against. Another confession on the part of the prophet. bear the LORD’s wrath. Because it is just and temporary (“until”) and restorative. Micah goes on to acknowledge that Assyria is the Lord’s disciplinary agent (cf. Isa 10:5).

7:11–13 Micah’s command to confessing Jerusalem consists of two parts: (1) a command to rebuild her walls (v. 11) and (2) an explanation (vv. 12–13).

7:11 The day. See note on 4:6. building . . . walls. Assurance that God accepted Jerusalem’s confessions. your. Feminine form of “your,” refers to Jerusalem.

7:12 that day. The prophets seemingly do not see the historical chronological gap between Israel’s restoration from the Babylonian exile and her final restoration (see note on 4:1). people. The remnant (cf. v. 14) and/or the nations (cf. 4:1–5; Isa 19:23–25). Assyria. See notes on 5:5, 6. Egypt. The periphery of Micah’s world, representing all who are saved from the Lord’s coming wrath on all the earth (v. 15).

7:13 earth will become desolate. Outside of Zion there will be universal judgment.

7:14 Shepherd. Probably addressed to the Lord (see v. 18), because “your people” are probably the same as “my people” in 6:4–5 and the song mentions “God” (v. 18), not the Messiah. The figure depicts the love and trust between the people and their protector. staff. Symbolizes rule. inheritance. Israel’s permanent possession of the land by virtue of ancient right. Bashan and Gilead. Extremes of Transjordan, famous for rich pasture lands (Gen 31:21; Ps 22:12; Ezek 39:18; Amos 4:1) that Moses gave to Israel “in days long ago” (see Deut 3:12–17; Josh 13).

7:16 will put their hands over their mouths. Will no longer taunt Zion (cf. v. 8). will become deaf. Will no longer listen to the vain boast of others.

7:17 lick dust. A figure of humiliating defeat (cf. Gen 3:14; Ps 44:25).

7:18–20 The concluding stanza of the victory song, and so of the book, praises God’s gracious attributes (v. 18; cf. Exod 34:6), his consequent deeds (v. 19), and his fulfilling his covenant obligations to the patriarchs (v. 20).

7:18 Who is a God like you . . . ? See Introduction: Author, where it is noted that Micah’s name means “Who is like the LORD?” No other gods, who are manufactured in the imaginations of the nations, have the sublime attributes of Israel’s God to present the message of this book (cf. Exod 34:6–7; see Introduction: Message). You do not stay angry forever. If that is not true, Micah’s ministry is pointless, for otherwise people would become hardened in sin and despair of hope (cf. Ps 130:3–4).

7:19 tread our sins underfoot. When God takes away sin’s guilt so that it does not condemn (v. 18), he also takes away its power so that it does not rule (cf. Ps 19:13; Rom 6:14). our. Micah and the faithful remnant. hurl . . . into the depths of the sea. As Israel began its journey as a nation with God hurling the Egyptians into the sea, so too it will end with God hurling Israel’s iniquities into the metaphoric “depths of the sea.”

7:20 faithful. In his word and in his deeds. to Abraham. See Introduction: Message. God keeps his promise to Abraham by raising Christ from the dead and by giving him a spiritual seed from all the nations (cf. Rom 4:17; Gal 3:6–29).