Micah 5
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8. as a lion--In Micah 5:7 Israel's benignant influence on the nations is described; but here her vengeance on the godless hosts who assail her ( Isaiah 66:15 Isaiah 66:16 Isaiah 66:19 Isaiah 66:24 , Zechariah 12:3 Zechariah 12:6 Zechariah 12:8 Zechariah 12:9 , Zechariah 14:17 Zechariah 14:18 ). Judah will be "as as lion," not in respect to its cruelty, but in its power of striking terror into all opponents. Under the Maccabees, the Jews acquired Idumea, Samaria, and parts of the territory of Ammon and Moab [GROTIUS]. But this was only the earnest of their future glory on their coming restoration.
9. Thine hand shall be lifted up--In Isaiah 26:11 it is Jehovah's hand that is lifted up; here Israel's as Micah 5:8 implies, just as "Zion" is addressed and directed to "beat in pieces many people" ( Micah 4:13 ; compare Isaiah 54:15 Isaiah 54:17 ). For Israel's foes are Jehovah's foes. When her hand is said to be lifted up, it is Jehovah's hand that strikes the foe by her (compare Exodus 13:9 , with Exodus 14:8 ).
10. cut off thy horses . . . chariots--namely, those used for the purposes of war. Israel had been forbidden the use of cavalry, or to go to Egypt for horses ( Deuteronomy 17:16 ), lest they should trust in worldly forces, rather than in God ( Psalms 20:7 ). Solomon had disregarded this command ( 1 Kings 10:26 1 Kings 10:28 ). Hereafter, saith God, I will remove these impediments to the free course of My grace: horses, chariots, &c., on which ye trust. The Church will never be safe, till she is stripped of all creature trusts, and rests on Jehovah alone [CALVIN]. The universal peace given by God shall cause warlike instruments to be needless. He will cut them off from Israel ( Zechariah 9:10 ); as she will cut them off from Babylon, the representative of the nations ( Jeremiah 50:37 , 51:21 ).
11. cut off . . . cities . . . strongholds--such as are fortified for war. In that time of peace, men shall live in unwalled villages ( Ezekiel 38:11 ; compare Jeremiah 23:6 , 49:31 , Zechariah 2:8 ).
12. witchcrafts out of thine hand--that is, which thou now usest.
13. graven images . . . cut off--(Compare Isaiah 2:8 Isaiah 2:18-21 , 30:22 , Zechariah 13:2 ).
standing images--statues.
14. groves . . . cities--The "groves" are the idolatrous symbol of Astarte ( Deuteronomy 16:21 , 2 Kings 21:7 ). "Cities" being parallel to "groves," must mean cities in or near which such idolatrous groves existed. Compare "city of the house of Baal" ( 2 Kings 10:25 ), that is, a portion of the city sacred to Baal.
15. vengeance . . . such as they have not heard--or, as the Hebrew order favors, "the nations that have not hearkened to My warnings." So the Septuagint ( Psalms 149:7 ).