Micah 1

Micah 1:1-16 . GOD'S WRATH AGAINST SAMARIA AND JUDAH; THE FORMER IS TO BE OVERTHROWN; SUCH JUDGMENTS IN PROSPECT CALL FOR MOURNING.

2. all that therein is--Hebrew, "whatever fills it." Micaiah, son of Imlah, begins his prophecy similarly, "Hearken, O people, every one of you." Micah designedly uses the same preface, implying that his ministrations are a continuation of his predecessor's of the same name. Both probably had before their mind Moses' similar attestation of heaven and earth in a like case ( Deuteronomy 31:28 , 32:1 ; compare Isaiah 1:2 ).
God be witness against you--namely, that none of you can say, when the time of your punishment shall come, that you were not forewarned. The punishment denounced is stated in Micah 1:3 , &c.
from his holy temple--that is, heaven ( 1 Kings 8:30 , Psalms 11:4 , Jonah 2:7 ; compare Romans 1:18 ).

3. tread upon the high places of the earth--He shall destroy the fortified heights (compare Deuteronomy 32:13 , 33:29 ) [GROTIUS].

4. Imagery from earthquakes and volcanic agency, to describe the terrors which attend Jehovah's coming in judgment (compare Judges 5:5 ). Neither men of high degree, as the mountains, nor men of low degree, as the valleys, can secure themselves or their land from the judgments of God.
as wax--( Psalms 97:5 ; compare Isaiah 64:1-3 ). The third clause, "as wax," &c.; answers to the first in the parallelism, "the mountains shall be molten"; the fourth, "as the waters," &c.; to the second, "the valleys shall be cleft." As wax melts by fire, so the mountains before God, at His approach; and as waters poured down a steep cannot stand but are diffused abroad, so the valleys shall be cleft before Jehovah.

5. For the transgression of Jacob is all this--All these terrors attending Jehovah's coming are caused by the sins of Jacob or Israel, that is, the whole people.
What is the transgression of Jacob?--Taking up the question often in the mouths of the people when reproved, "What is our transgression?" (compare Malachi 1:6 Malachi 1:7 ), He answers, Is it not Samaria? Is not that city (the seat of the calf-worship) the cause of Jacob's apostasy ( 1 Kings 14:16 , 1 Kings 15:26 1 Kings 15:34 , 1 Kings 16:13 1 Kings 16:19 1 Kings 16:25 1 Kings 16:30 )?
and what are the high places of Judah?--What city is the cause of the idolatries on the high places of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem (compare 2 Kings 18:4 )?

6. Samaria's punishment is mentioned first, as it was to fall before Jerusalem.
as an heap of the field--( Micah 3:12 ). Such a heap of stones and rubbish as is gathered out of fields, to clear them ( Hosea 12:11 ). Palestine is of a soil abounding in stones, which are gathered out before the vines are planted ( Isaiah 5:2 ).
as plantings of a vineyard--as a place where vines are planted. Vineyards were cultivated on the sides of hills exposed to the sun. The hill on which Samaria was built by Omri, had been, doubtless, planted with vines originally; now it is to be reduced again to its original state ( 1 Kings 16:24 ).
pour down--dash down the stones of the city into the valley beneath. A graphic picture of the present appearance of the ruins, which is as though "the buildings of the ancient city had been thrown down from the brow of the hill" [Scottish Mission of Inquiry, pp. 293,294].
discover the foundations--destroy it so utterly as to lay bare its foundations ( Ezekiel 13:14 ). Samaria was destroyed by Shalmaneser.