Micah 4

The Mountain of the Lord

1 It shall come to pass ¹in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it,

2 and many nations shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law,^[a] and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

3 He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations far away; and they shall ²beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore;

4 ³but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, ⁴and no one shall make them afraid, ⁵for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.

5 For ⁶all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but ⁷we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

The Lord Shall Rescue Zion

6 ⁸In that day, declares the LORD, ⁹I will assemble the ¹⁰lame and gather those who have been driven away and those whom I have afflicted;

7 and the lame I will make ¹¹the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and ¹²the LORD will reign over them ¹³in Mount Zion from this time forth and forevermore.

8 And you, O tower of the flock, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, the former dominion shall come, kingship for the daughter of Jerusalem.

9 Now why do you cry aloud? ¹⁴Is there no king in you? ¹⁵Has your counselor perished, that ¹⁶pain seized you like a woman in labor?

10 ¹⁷Writhe and groan,^[b] O daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor, for ¹⁸now you shall go out from the city and dwell in the open country; you ¹⁹shall go to Babylon. There you shall be rescued; ²⁰there the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.

11 Now ²¹many nations are assembled against you, saying, "Let her be defiled, and ²²let our eyes gaze upon Zion."

12 But ²³they do not know the thoughts of the LORD; they do not understand his plan, that ²⁴he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor.

13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples; and ²⁵shall devote^[c]26their gain to the LORD, their wealth to ²⁷the Lord of the whole 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.

Cross References

• 1. For ver. 1-3, see Isaiah 2:2-4
• 2. [Joel 3:10]
• 3. See 1 Kings 4:25
• 4. Isaiah 17:2
• 5. See Isaiah 1:20
• 6. [Jeremiah 2:11]
• 7. [Zechariah 10:12]
• 8. [ver. 1]
• 9. See Ezekiel 11:17
• 10. Ezekiel 34:16; Zephaniah 3:19
• 11. Micah 2:12; Micah 5:7, 8; Joel 2:32; Zephaniah 2:7
• 12. Isaiah 24:23; [Daniel 7:14; Luke 1:33]
• 13. Psalms 2:6; Hebrews 12:22
• 14. Jeremiah 8:19
• 15. [Isaiah 3:3]
• 16. Jeremiah 6:24
• 17. [John 16:20, 21]
• 18. [Micah 2:13]
• 19. Isaiah 39:6, 7
• 20. See Isaiah 44:22, 23
• 21. Zechariah 12:3
• 22. Micah 7:10; Obadiah 12
• 23. [Isaiah 10:7]
• 24. [Joel 3:13; Habakkuk 3:12; Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17]
• 25. Leviticus 27:28
• 26. Isaiah 23:18
• 27. Psalms 97:5

Footnotes

• [a]. Or teaching
• [b]. Or push
• [c]. Hebrew devote to destruction

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.