TEXT [Commentary]

black diamond   I.   The Book of Doom (1:2–3:12)

A.   Grief over Samaria and Jerusalem (1:2-16)

2 Attention! Let all the people of the world listen!

Let the earth and everything in it hear.

The Sovereign LORD is making accusations against you;

the Lord speaks from his holy Temple.

3 Look! The LORD is coming!

He leaves his throne in heaven

and tramples the heights of the earth.

4 The mountains melt beneath his feet

and flow into the valleys

like wax in a fire,

like water pouring down a hill.

5 And why is this happening?

Because of the rebellion of Israel[*]—

yes, the sins of the whole nation.

Who is to blame for Israel’s rebellion?

Samaria, its capital city!

Where is the center of idolatry in Judah?

In Jerusalem, its capital!

6 “So I, the LORD, will make the city of Samaria

a heap of ruins.

Her streets will be plowed up

for planting vineyards.

I will roll the stones of her walls into the valley below,

exposing her foundations.

7 All her carved images will be smashed.

All her sacred treasures will be burned.

These things were bought with the money

earned by her prostitution,

and they will now be carried away

to pay prostitutes elsewhere.”

8 Therefore, I will mourn and lament.

I will walk around barefoot and naked.

I will howl like a jackal

and moan like an owl.

9 For my people’s wound

is too deep to heal.

It has reached into Judah,

even to the gates of Jerusalem.

10 Don’t tell our enemies in Gath[*];

don’t weep at all.

You people in Beth-leaphrah,[*]

roll in the dust to show your despair.

11 You people in Shaphir,[*]

go as captives into exile—naked and ashamed.

The people of Zaanan[*]

dare not come outside their walls.

The people of Beth-ezel[*] mourn,

for their house has no support.

12 The people of Maroth[*] anxiously wait for relief,

but only bitterness awaits them

as the LORD’s judgment reaches

even to the gates of Jerusalem.

13 Harness your chariot horses and flee,

you people of Lachish.[*]

You were the first city in Judah

to follow Israel in her rebellion,

and you led Jerusalem[*] into sin.

14 Send farewell gifts to Moresheth-gath[*];

there is no hope of saving it.

The town of Aczib[*]

has deceived the kings of Israel.

15 O people of Mareshah,[*]

I will bring a conqueror to capture your town.

And the leaders[*] of Israel

will go to Adullam.

16 Oh, people of Judah, shave your heads in sorrow,

for the children you love will be snatched away.

Make yourselves as bald as a vulture,

for your little ones will be exiled to distant lands.

NOTES

1:2 Attention! Lit., “Listen!” (shama‘ [TH8085, ZH9048]). This imperative verb introduces a summons-to-listen formula (cf. Deut 4:1; 6:4; Hos 4:1; Amos 3:1). In prophetic contexts the word typically means “listen to, heed by acting upon, or putting into practice what has been said” (NIDOTTE 5.178). The formula signals that an important message is forthcoming or a divine truth is about to be revealed. Micah uses the imperative “listen!” elsewhere in 3:1, 9; 6:1, 2, 9.

Sovereign LORD. This epithet literally means “my Master Yahweh”; the title expresses the intimate connection between Yahweh and the acts of judgment threatened in the prophet’s sermons. God’s rule of creation and the nations is embodied in this compound divine name.

accusations. Lit., “witness” (‘ed [TH5707, ZH6332]). The word connotes a courtroom setting. God will serve as both the witness who brings testimony against Israel and the court that carries out the sentence (see the discussion in Andersen and Freedman 2000:155-156).

holy Temple. “The earthly shrine [i.e., the Jerusalem Temple] was but an outpost, a replica of the real headquarters [of God] in heaven” (Andersen and Freedman 2000:157).

1:3 throne. The NLT thus renders “place” (maqom [TH4725, ZH5226]) interpretively due to its parallel construction with “holy Temple” (1:2). Allen (1976:270) notes that the description of God’s leaving his Temple to “[trample] the heights of the earth” (1:3) “is a mode of expression that denies any suggestion that Yahweh is limited to his terrestrial sanctuary” (cf. Judg 5:4-5; Ps 11:4; Hab 2:20).

1:5 rebellion. This word (pesha‘ [TH6588, ZH7322]; 1:5, 13; 3:8; 6:7; 7:18) means to commit a legal offense and signifies an act of rebellion in the form of social transgression. Such treacherous “conduct constituted rebellion against Yahweh himself” (NIDOTTE 3.708). Andersen and Freedman (2000:170) further note, “in a political setting it means ‘treason,’ in religion ‘apostasy.’ Both ideas merge in idolatry as Israel’s worst violation of covenant obligations to Yahweh.”

Israel. This is the name of the northern kingdom after the split of the Hebrew united monarchy upon the death of Solomon (c. 930 BC). The kingdom of Israel was comprised of those 10 Hebrew tribes that settled north of Jerusalem and east of the Jordan River. This rival kingdom to Judah was established by God through the prophet Ahijah as a punishment for Solomon’s sin of idolatry (1 Kgs 11:29-39). The kingdom of Israel endured as a geo-political entity c. 930–722 BC, when the Assyrians conquered the nation and annexed the territory into their empire (cf. 2 Kgs 17:7-23).

sins. The word khatta’th [TH2403A, ZH2633] is often used by the OT prophets of covenant violations (especially idolatry; cf. Lev 26:18, 21; Deut 9:21; Jer 17:3). The term refers not only to the evil action or deed committed but also to the associated consequences (cf. TDOT 4.312).

Judah. This is the name of the southern kingdom after the split of the Hebrew united monarchy upon the death of Solomon (c. 930 BC). The kingdom of Judah was comprised of those Hebrew tribes that settled south of Jerusalem (essentially Judah, Dan, and Simeon). God preserved the kingdom of Judah for the sake of his servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, where his Temple resided (1 Kgs 11:34-39). The kingdom of Judah endured as a geo-political entity from c. 930–587 BC, when the Babylonians conquered the nation and annexed the territory into their empire (cf. 2 Kgs 25:1-21).

1:7 carved images. The word pasil [TH6456, ZH7178] refers to statues of gods (or goddesses) carved from wood or stone (and sometimes overlaid with silver or gold; cf. NIDOTTE 3.644-646). Such carved images were prohibited for the Hebrews by Mosaic law (Exod 20:4; Deut 5:8). The Hebrew prophets consistently condemned the worship of these carved images, often with scathing satire (e.g., Isa 44:9ff; Hab 2:18).

sacred treasures. The term ’ethnan [TH868, ZH924] means “gift” generally, often in the context of a harlot’s pay (e.g., Deut 23:18; Hos 9:1). Micah associated the carved images with the earnings of prostitutes. It is unclear whether the idea is that these idols were donated to the prostitute or purchased with her wages (cf. Andersen and Freedman 2000:181). The NLT opts for the latter (“bought with the money earned”; 1:7).

prostitution. This is probably a reference to the ritual prostitution characteristic of Canaanite fertility cult worship incorporated into Hebrew worship by means of religious syncretism. According to Allen (1976:273-274), the Israelites had degraded Yahweh into a fertility cult god and “the destruction of its material representations is Yahweh’s vindication of himself and his true character.”

1:8 mourn and lament. The impending destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem prompted Micah to break into lamentation over the two cities. The prophet’s pastoral heart for his people caused him to weep for his audience (cf. Alexander, Baker, and Waltke 1988:154).

barefoot and naked. This was one of several rituals for mourning the dead in the biblical world. The stripping away of clothing and footwear signified the laying aside of one’s former status and was a symbolic admission of defeat (Walton, Matthews, and Chavalas 2000:781; cf. the enacted prophecy of Isaiah, Isa 20:2).

jackal . . . owl. The habitations of these animals are typically associated with desert wastelands (cf. Isa 34:13; Jer 50:39).

1:10 Gath. One of the five principal city-states of the Philistines, located nine miles east of Ashdod and six miles south of Ekron. Gath was a border town and the nearest of the Philistine city-states to the east of Judah. The words introduce a funeral lamentation (see 1:8-9). Micah did not want the pagan Philistines, who were the archrivals of the Hebrews, to gloat over their downfall (cf. 2 Sam 1:20).

Beth-leaphrah. A village or town of unknown location (probably in the Shephelah region), mentioned in the OT only by Micah.

1:11 Shaphir. A village or town of unknown location (probably in the Shephelah region), mentioned in the OT only by Micah.

Zaanan. A village of unknown location, possibly the Zenan (Josh 15:37) of the Shephelah near Lachish (cf. Andersen and Freedman 2000:209).

Beth-ezel. A village of unknown location (probably in the Shephelah region), mentioned in the OT only by Micah.

1:12 Maroth. A village of unknown location (probably in the Shephelah region), mentioned in the OT only by Micah. Andersen and Freedman (2000:209) discount the identification with Maarath (Josh 15:59) because of its southern location in the hill country of Judah.

1:13 Lachish. A former Canaanite city-state prominent in Joshua’s conquest (Josh 10:31). The city was a chariot city from the time of Solomon and a strategic fortress in Judah due to its location on a main route from the coastal plain to the Hebron hills. The city was fortified by Rehoboam after the split of the Hebrew united monarchy (2 Chr 11:9), and it was captured by the Assyrian King Sennacherib in his assault on Jerusalem in 701 BC (2 Kgs 18:14, 17; 19:8). Later, the city was conquered by king Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians (Jer 34:7), and Hebrews resettled there after the Babylonian exile (Neh 11:30).

1:14 Moresheth-gath. This was most likely the hometown of Micah the prophet. The hyphenated name suggests that the Hebrew village was close enough to Gath to be considered a satellite of that Philistine city (cf. McKeating 1971:160). (See also the discussion of Moresheth in the note on 1:1.)

Aczib. Probably the Aczib near Mareshah on the border of the Shephelah with Judah (cf. Josh 15:44). The better-known Aczib located in Asher is not a candidate for this reference (cf. Andersen and Freedman 2000:211).

1:15 Mareshah. A village allotted to the tribe of Judah (Josh 15:44) located in the Shephelah some 13 miles northwest of Hebron. Rehoboam fortified the town after the split of the Hebrew united monarchy (2 Chr 11:5-12). The prophet Eliezer, son of Dodavahu was from Mareshah (2 Chr 20:37).

Adullam. A fortress city like Lachish, fortified by Rehoboam after the split of the Hebrew united monarchy (2 Chr 11:7). The site has a long history of occupation and had associations with the patriarch Judah (cf. Gen 38:12) and David (one of his hideouts, 1 Sam 22:1).

1:16 shave your heads. This was a custom associated with mourning the dead. The symbolic disfigurement was intended to show empathy with those in the throes of grieving over deceased family members (see Walton, Matthews, and Chavalas 2000:782).

COMMENTARY [Text]

The lament over Samaria and Jerusalem (1:2-16) is the first installment of a series of judgment oracles against the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah in the prophet’s “book of doom” (1:2–3:12). Micah’s first sermon may be outlined in two sections: the judgment oracle against Samaria (1:2-7) and the introduction to the song of lament (1:8-16). The song of lament over the fallen cities of Judah may be divided into three sections: the introductory call declaring the prophet’s intention to mourn (1:8-9), the lament song commemorating the fall of the Judean cities (1:10-15), and the epilogue addressed to a personified Jerusalem (1:16). The unity of the passage is derived from “the actuality of the vision that created the report of the theophany (1:3-4), the threat (1:5-7), and the agonized response (1:8-16)” (Andersen and Freedman 2000:203). The tone of this literary unity is “panic,” even “hysteria,” brought about by Yahweh’s visitation. The purpose of the section is to declare Yahweh’s intent to destroy his own people on account of their breach of covenant relationship with him.

There is general agreement among the commentators that there is a certain amount of wordplay in the itinerary of the lament song (1:10-15). A look through the various text notes to 1:10-15 in the NLT margin gives a glimpse of what’s going on here: Many of the villages and towns listed in the itinerary feature wordplays between the name of the site and its predicted doom (see the chart in Andersen and Freedman 2000:213, which identifies seven examples of potential wordplay in the list of 13 villages and cities; cf. Isa 10:24-32 for an example of similar wordplay). Andersen and Freedman (2000:214) conclude that the wordplay in the lament is not systematic but rather an improvisation by free association for the purpose of making negative statements about each site (on wordplay more generally in Micah see Petrotta, 1991). Peterson (2000:508) captures the prophet’s punning in contemporary language:

10Don’t gossip about this in Telltown.

Don’t waste your tears.

In Dustville,

roll in the dust.

In Alarmtown,

the alarm is sounded.

11The citizens of Exitburgh

will never get out alive.

Lament, Last-Stand City:

There’s nothing in you left standing.

12The villagers of Bittertown

wait in vain for sweet peace.

Harsh judgment has come from God

and entered Peace City.

13All you who live in Chariotville,

get in your chariots for flight.

You led the daughter of Zion

into trusting not God but chariots.

Similar sins in Israel

also got their start in you.

Go ahead and give your good-bye gifts

to Good-byeville.

14Miragetown beckoned

but disappointed Israel’s kings.

15Inheritance City

has lost its inheritance.

Glorytown

has seen its last of glory.

16Shave your heads in mourning

over the loss of your precious towns.

Go bald as a goose egg—they’ve gone

into exile and aren’t coming back.

There is some disagreement, however, on whether or not the list of villages and cities in the itinerary represents a historical and topographical catalog or a literary and theological one. Waltke contends the itinerary is a literary one, designed primarily to give the lament “a dynamic and dramatic effect” (Alexander, Baker, and Waltke 1988:153). By contrast, others consider the list of doomed sites a plausible itinerary for the military invasion of the Shephelah, the western hill region of Judah (Walton, Matthews, and Chavalas 2000:781-782). All of the villages and towns mentioned are within a ten-mile radius of Moresheth-Gath (Micah’s hometown), and only Mareshah is out of order, assuming a campaign moving from Gath to Lachish and on to Jerusalem. Beyond this, there remains the question as to whether Micah’s lament reflects events associated with the invasion of Judah by the Israelite and Aramean coalition of the Syro-Ephraimite War (c. 735 BC) more generally or the Assyrian campaign against Judah led by King Sennacherib in 701 BC more specifically. The latter seems more likely given that the 12 cities mentioned in vv. 10-15 lay on the path of Sennacherib’s march to Jerusalem (cf. 2 Kgs. 18:13-16). Although Micah’s account is not a topographical order of the march of Sennacherib, the literary arrangement of the materials complements the Assyrian report of the invasion.

Micah’s opening oracle describes a theophany, a visible or audible manifestation of God in the created order. We learn in the Old Testament that such visitations by God may be for good or ill, for blessing or curse (e.g., Judg 13:23; 1 Sam 3:11-14). God does not act in a capricious or arbitrary way when he leaves his throne to encounter creation and humanity in some direct fashion. God always behaves in accordance with his word—specifically the stated threats and promises related to his covenant with Israel, or more generally with the nations in the constancy of his holy and righteous character. Reports or visions of theophanies in the Old Testament are significant theologically because they remind us that “God is active in the world . . . God is involved in all that happens . . . God is a participant and not merely an observer who set up the system but no longer gets in the way” (Simundson 1996:545). The truth brings comfort to those in distress. It may also incite fear and confusion when we experience terrible events and ponder whether or not God caused the catastrophe (or ask why he did not prevent it). But the point is not for us to determine guilt or innocence on the basis of the retribution principle (i.e., the righteous are blessed and the wicked are cursed). Nor is it incumbent upon us to try to determine the timing of God’s next theophany on the basis of some interpretive formula derived from analysis of biblical prophecy. The point is our recognition of God’s person and character, his power and glory, his sovereignty and freedom (Exod 6:6-8).

The prophet’s vision of theophany (1:2-4) led McKeating (1971:157) to raise the question: “What has prompted this terrifying visitation?” The answer is both simple and disturbing. Micah’s God is a God who denounces sin, the sin of the nations and his people Israel (as he speaks from his holy Temple, 1:2). Not only does God testify against sin, he visits the earth and punishes sin and rebellion (1:3-5). G. V. Smith (2001:444-445) has rightly observed that certain principles are manifest in the pattern of divine behavior exhibited in Micah’s theophany (and all biblical theophanies), namely:

For this reason G.V. Smith (2001:445) concludes, “It is essential that every person understands the nature of God and his ways, so that the mistakes and misunderstandings that existed in Micah’s audience do not persist.”