Micah 2:11

11 If there is one walking in the spirit of falsehood, he shall lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

Micah 2:11 Meaning and Commentary

Micah 2:11

If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie
Who pretends to be a prophet, and a spiritual man, and to be under the inspiration and influence of the Spirit of God, but utters nothing but lies and falsehoods; or who is actuated by a spirit of falsehood and lying; or, as in the margin, "walks with the wind, and lies falsely" {u}; is full of wind and vanity; "after the wind" ^F23; and follows the dictates of his vain mind, and coins lies, and speaks false things: [saying], I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink;
or "drop [a word] unto thee" ^F24; that there will be good times, and nothing but good eating and drinking; and that men need not fear such dismal things befalling them as the prophets of the Lord spoke of; but may be cheerful and merry, and drink wine and strong drink, and not be afraid of their evil tidings: or, for wine and strong drink ^F25, so Kimchi; and the meaning is, that if they would give him a cup of wine, or a draught of strong drink, he would prophesy good things to them; the reverse of what is before said, as that they should continue in their land, and not depart from it; that this should be their rest, and they should remain therein, and not be destroyed in it, or cast out of it: he shall even be the prophet of this people;
a "dropper" ^F26 to them; see ( Micah 2:6 ) ; such an one shall be acceptable to them; they will caress him, and prefer him to the true prophets of the Lord; which is mentioned to show the temper of the people, and how easily they were imposed upon, and their disrespect to the prophets of the Lord, as in ( Micah 2:6 Micah 2:7 ) ; to which subject the prophet here returns, as Kimchi observes.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (bzk rqvw xwr Klwh) "qui ambulat cum vento et falsitate mentiatur", Piscator; "ambulantem cum vento et fasitate mendacem", Cocceius.
F23 So Hillerus in Burkius.
F24 (Kl Pyja) "stillabo tibi", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Burkius.
F25 (Nyyl) "pro vino", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius.
F26 (Pyjm) "stillator", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, Cocceius.

Micah 2:11 In-Context

9 Ye have cast the women of my people out from their pleasant houses; from their children ye have taken away my continual praise.

10 Arise and depart, for this is not your rest because it is polluted; it has become corrupted and with a great corruption.

11 If there is one walking in the spirit of falsehood, he shall lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

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

13 The breaker shall go up before them; they shall break through and pass through the gate and go out by it; and their king shall pass before them, the LORD at the head of them.