Micah 3:5

5 The Lord saith these things on the prophets that deceive my people, that bite with their teeth, and preach peace; and if any man giveth not in the mouth of them anything, they hallow battle on him. (The Lord saith these things about the prophets who deceive my people, who bite with their teeth, and preach peace; and if anyone will not put something into their mouths, or into their pockets, they proclaim battle against them.)

Micah 3:5 Meaning and Commentary

Micah 3:5

Thus saith the Lord, concerning the prophets that make my
people err
The false prophets, as the Targum; and as the description given of them shows; who, instead of directing the people in the right way, as by their office and characters as prophets they should have done, they led them into mistakes about matters of religion and civil government, and out of the way of their duty to God and men, and exposed them to great danger and distress; and this was the more aggravating, as they were the Lord's people by name and profession, whom they caused to err from his ways and worship, which brought his displeasure upon them: that bite with their teeth, and cry, peace;
prophesy smooth things, promise all kind of prosperity and plenty, and bite their lips, and keep in those distresses and calamities which they could not but see coming upon the people; or, while they are prophesying good things, they gnash their teeth against the prophets of the Lord, and bitterly inveigh against them for threatening with war, destruction, and captivity; or, by flattering the people with their lips, they bite them, devour their substance, and are the cause of their hurt and ruin; or rather, so long as the people fed them well, and they had a sufficiency to bite and live upon, they foretold happy days unto them, So the Targum,

``he that feeds them with a feast of flesh, they prophesy peace to him;''

which sense is confirmed by what follows, and he that putteth not into their mouth, they even declare war against
him;
who do not give them what they ask, or do not feed them according to their desire, do not keep a good table for them, and cram and pamper them, but neglect them, and do not provide well for them; these they threaten with one calamity or another that shall befall them; and endeavour to set their neighbours against them, and even the government itself, and do them all the mischief they can by defamation and slander.

Micah 3:5 In-Context

3 Which ate the flesh of my people, and (un)covered, [or flayed (off),] the skin of them from above; and brake together the bones of them, and cutted (them up) together as in a cauldron, and as flesh in the middle of a pot. (Who eat the flesh of my people, and uncover, or flay off, their skin; and altogether break their bones, and altogether cut them up, as if to put them into a cauldron, yea, like meat in the middle of a pot.)

4 Then they shall cry to the Lord, and he shall not hear them; and he shall hide his face from them in that time, as they did wickedly in their findings. (Then they shall cry to the Lord, but he shall not hear them; and he shall hide his face from them at that time, for they did wickedly in their deeds.)

5 The Lord saith these things on the prophets that deceive my people, that bite with their teeth, and preach peace; and if any man giveth not in the mouth of them anything, they hallow battle on him. (The Lord saith these things about the prophets who deceive my people, who bite with their teeth, and preach peace; and if anyone will not put something into their mouths, or into their pockets, they proclaim battle against them.)

6 Therefore night shall be to you for vision, or prophecy, and darknesses to you for divination; and the sun shall go down on the prophets, and the day shall be made dark on them.

7 And they shall be confounded that see visions, and diviners shall be confounded, and all shall cover their cheers, for it is not the answer of God. (And they who see visions shall be shamed, and diviners shall be shamed, and all of them shall cover their faces, for it is not the answer of God.)