Micah 2

1 Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds! When the morning is light they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away; and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

3 Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye walk haughtily: for it is an evil time.

4 In that day shall they take up a proverb concerning you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, [and] say, We are utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! He hath distributed our fields to the rebellious.

5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the measuring line upon a lot, in the congregation of Jehovah.

6 Prophesy ye not, they prophesy. If they do not prophesy to these, the ignominy will not depart.

7 O thou [that art] named the house of Jacob, Is Jehovah impatient? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

8 But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip off the mantle with the garment from them that pass by securely, that are averse from war.

9 The women of my people do ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children do ye take away my magnificence for ever.

10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not the resting-place, because of defilement that bringeth destruction, even a grievous destruction.

11 If a man walking in wind and falsehood do lie, [saying,] I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink, he shall be the prophet of this people.

12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, the whole of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the midst of their pasture: they shall make great noise by reason of [the multitude of] men.

13 One that breaketh through is gone up before them: they have broken forth, and have passed on to the gate, and are gone out by it; and their king passeth on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them.

Micah 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

The sins and desolations of Israel. (1-5) Their evil practices. (6-11) A promise of restoration. (12,13)

Verses 1-5 Woe to the people that devise evil during the night, and rise early to carry it into execution! It is bad to do mischief on a sudden thought, much worse to do it with design and forethought. It is of great moment to improve and employ hours of retirement and solitude in a proper manner. If covetousness reigns in the heart, compassion is banished; and when the heart is thus engaged, violence and fraud commonly occupy the hands. The most haughty and secure in prosperity, are commonly most ready to despair in adversity. Woe to those from whom God turns away! Those are the sorest calamities which cut us off from the congregation of the Lord, or cut us short in the enjoyment of its privileges.

Verses 6-11 Since they say, "Prophesy not," God will take them at their word, and their sin shall be their punishment. Let the physician no longer attend the patient that will not be healed. Those are enemies, not only to God, but to their country, who silence good ministers, and stop the means of grace. What bonds will hold those who have no reverence for God's word? Sinners cannot expect to rest in a land they have polluted. You shall not only be obliged to depart out of this land, but it shall destroy you. Apply this to our state in this present world. There is corruption in the world through lust, and we should keep at a distance from it. It is not our rest: it was designed for our passage, but not for our portion; our inn, but not our home; here we have no continuing city; let us therefore arise and depart, let us seek a continuing city above. Since they will be deceived, let them be deceived. Teachers who recommend self-indulgence by their doctrine and example, best suit such sinners.

Verses 12-13 These verses may refer to the captivity of Israel and Judah. But the passage is also a prophecy of the conversion of the Jews to Christ. The Lord would not only bring them from captivity, and multiply them, but the Lord Jesus would open their way to God, by taking upon him the nature of man, and by the work of his Spirit in their hearts, breaking the fetters of Satan. Thus he has gone before, and the people follow, breaking, in his strength, through the enemies that would stop their way to heaven.

Footnotes

• [a]. See Note m, Ps. 5.5.
• [b]. Or 'because for them their hand is God (El):' see Prov. 3.27.
• [c]. Or 'defraud,' see Ezek. 22.12.
• [d]. Geber, Job 3.3.
• [e]. Ish, Gen. 2.23.
• [f]. i.e. If the true prophets do not prophesy to the unjust rich men (see vers. 1,2): others translate 'They shall not prophesy of such.'
• [g]. Or 'Is the Spirit of Jehovah straitened?'
• [h]. Lit. 'with.'
• [i]. Lit. 'from off.'
• [j]. Or 'as coming back.'
• [k]. Or 'because it is defiled, it.'
• [l]. Or 'in a fold.'

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 2

In this chapter complaint is made of the sins of the people of Israel, and they are threatened with punishment for them. The sins they are charged with are covetousness, oppression, and injustice, which were premeditated, and done deliberately, Mic 2:1,2; therefore the Lord devised evil against them, they should not escape; and which would bring down their pride, and cause them to take up a lamentation, because they should not enjoy the portion of land that belonged to them, Mic 2:3-5; they are further charged with opposing the prophets of the Lord, the folly and wickedness of which is exposed, Mic 2:6,7; and with great inhumanity and barbarity, even to women and children, Mic 2:8,9; and therefore are ordered to expect and prepare for a removal out of their land, Mic 2:10; and the rather, since they gave encouragement and heed to false prophets, and delighted in them, Mic 2:11; and the chapter is concluded with words of comfort to the remnant among them, and with precious promises of the Messiah, and the blessings of grace by him, Mic 2:12,13.