Micah 4

1 And in the last days, the hill of the house of the Lord shall be made ready in the top of [the] hills, and shall be high over small hills. And peoples shall flow to him, (And in the last days, the hill of the House of the Lord shall be made to be above the tops of all the other hills, and shall be high over all the small hills. And the peoples, or the nations, shall flow to it,)

2 and many peoples shall hasten, and shall say, Come ye, ascend we to the hill of the Lord, and to the house of God of Jacob; and he shall teach us of his ways, and we shall go in his paths. For the law shall go out from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem; (yea, many people shall hasten there, and shall say, Come ye, go we up to the hill of the Lord, and to the House of the God of Jacob/Come ye, let us go up the hill of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob; and he shall teach us his ways, and we shall go on his paths. For the Law shall go out from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem;)

3 and he shall deem betwixt many peoples, and shall chastise strong folks till into far. And they shall beat together their swords into shares1, and their spears into pickaxes; folk shall not take sword against folk, and they shall no more learn to fight. (and he shall judge between many peoples, and shall chastise, or shall discipline, strong nations afar off. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pickaxes; yea, nation shall not take up sword against nation, and they shall no more prepare for battle.)

4 And a man shall sit under his vineyard, and under his fig tree; and there shall not be that shall make afeared (and there shall be no one and nothing that shall make him afraid), for the mouth of the Lord of hosts spake.

5 For all peoples shall go, each man in the name of his Lord God; but we shall walk in the name of our Lord God into the world, and over. (For all peoples go forth, each person in the name of their god; but we shall walk in the name of the Lord our God, forever and ever.)

6 In that day, saith the Lord, I shall gather the halting, and I shall gather her that I casted away, and whom I tormented I shall strengthen. (On that day, saith the Lord, I shall gather together the halt, or the lame, and those whom I have cast away, and I shall strengthen those whom I tormented.)

7 And I shall put the halting into remnants, and her that travailed in[to] a strong folk. And the Lord shall reign (up)on them in the hill of Zion, from this time now and till into without end. (And I shall make the halt into a remnant, and those who laboured, or who struggled, into a strong nation. And the Lord shall reign over them on Mount Zion, from this time now until forever.)

8 And thou, dark tower of the flock of the daughter of Zion, unto thee he shall come, and the first power shall come, the realm of the daughter of Jerusalem. (And O dark tower of the flock of the daughter of Zion, it shall come unto thee, yea, the former power shall come unto the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.)

9 Now why art thou drawn together with mourning? whether a king is not to thee, either thy counsellor perished? for sorrow hath taken thee as a woman travailing of child. (Now why art thou altogether drawn with mourning? is there not a king for thee, or hath thy counsellor perished? hath sorrow taken thee like a woman with child in labour, or giving birth?)

10 Thou daughter of Zion, make sorrow, and haste, as a woman travailing of child; for now thou shalt go out of the city, and shalt dwell in the country, and shalt come unto Babylon; there thou shalt be delivered, there the Lord shall again-buy thee, from the hand of thine enemies. (O daughter of Zion, make sorrow, and make haste, like a woman with child in labour; for now thou shalt go out of the city, and shalt live in the open country, and shalt come to Babylon; there thou shalt be saved, there the Lord shall rescue thee, from the hands of thy enemies.)

11 And now many folks be gathered on thee, which say, Be it stoned, and our eye behold into Zion. (And now many nations be gathered against thee, who say, Let it be stoned, and brought down unto ruins, and then we shall look upon Zion.)

12 Forsooth they knew not the thoughts of the Lord, and understood not the counsel of him, for he gathered them as the hay of the field. (But they did not know the Lord's thoughts, and did not understand his counsel, or his advice, for he gathered them like the hay of the field.)

13 Rise thou, and thresh, daughter of Zion, for I shall put thine horn of iron, and I shall put thy nails brazen; and thou shalt lose, either waste, many peoples, and shalt slay to the Lord (for an offering) the ravens of them, and the strength of them to the Lord of all earth. (Rise thou, and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I shall make thy horns out of iron, and thy hooves out of bronze; and thou shalt destroy, or shalt waste, many peoples, or many nations, and shalt offer their stolen goods, or their spoils, to the Lord, yea, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.)

Micah 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

The peace of the kingdom of Christ. (1-8) The judgments to come upon Jerusalem, but the final triumph of Israel. (9-13)

Verses 1-8 The nations have not yet so submitted to the Prince of Peace, as to beat their swords into ploughshares, nor has war ceased. But very precious promises these are, relating to the gospel church, which will be more and more fulfilled, for He is faithful that has promised. There shall be a glorious church for God set up in the world, in the last days, in the days of the Messiah. Christ himself will build it upon a rock. The Gentiles worshipped their idol gods; but in the period spoken of, the people will cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and delight in doing his will. The word "halteth," describes those who walk not according to the Divine word. The collecting the captives from Babylon was an earnest of healing, purifying, and prospering the church; and the reign of Christ shall continue till succeeded by the everlasting kingdom of heaven. Let us stir up each other to attend the ordinances of God, that we may learn his holy ways, and walk in them, receiving the law from his hands, which, being written in our hearts by his Spirit, may show our interest in the Redeemer's righteousness.

Verses 9-13 Many nations would assemble against Zion to rejoice in her calamities. They would not understand that the Lord had collected them as sheaves are gathered to be threshed; and that Zion would be strengthened to beat them to pieces. Nothing has yet taken place in the history of the Jewish church agreeing with this prediction. When God has conquering work for his people to do, he will furnish them with strength and ability for it. Believers should cry aloud under distresses, with the prayer of faith, not with despondency.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 4

This chapter contains some gracious promises concerning the glory and happiness of the church of Christ in the last days; as of its stability, exaltation, and increase, and of the spread of the Gospel from it, Mic 4:1,2; and of the peace and security of it, and constant profession and exercise of religion in it, Mic 4:3-5; and of the deliverance of it from affliction and distress, and the ample and everlasting kingdom of Christ in it, Mic 4:6-8; and then follow some prophecies more particularly respecting the Jews; as that, though they should be in distress, and be carried captive into Babylon, they should be delivered from thence, Mic 4:9,10; and, though many people should be gathered against them, yet should not be able to prevail over them, but their attempts would issue in their own destruction, Mic 4:11-13.