Michaeas 1:12

12 Who has begun for good to her that dwells in sorrow? for calamities have come down from the Lord upon the gates of Jerusalem,

Michaeas 1:12 Meaning and Commentary

Micah 1:12

For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good
Or, "though [they] waited for good" ^F18; expected to have it, yet the reverse befell them: or "verily [they were] grieved for good" ^F19; for the good things they had lost, or were likely to lose; and which they had no more hope of, when they saw Jerusalem in distress. Grotius thinks, by transposition of letters, Ramoth is intended by Maroth, or the many Ramahs which were in Judah and Benjamin; but Hillerus ^F20 is of opinion that Jarmuth is meant, a city of Judah, ( Joshua 15:35 ) ; the word Maroth signifies "bitterness"; see ( Ruth 1:20 ) ; and, according to others, "rough places"; and may design the inhabitants of such places that were in great bitterness and trouble because of the invasion of the enemy, who before that had promised themselves good things, and lived in the expectation of them: but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem;
meaning the Assyrian army under Sennacherib, which came into the land of Judea by the order, direction, and providence of God, like an overflowing flood; which spread itself over the land, and reached to the very gates of Jerusalem, which was besieged by it, and threatened with destruction: or "because evil came down" that is, "because" of that, the inhabitants of Maroth grieved, or were in pain, as a woman in travail.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (yk) "quamvis".
F19 (bwjl hlx yk) "certe doluit propter bonum", Vatablus; "siquidem doluit", Pagninus, Montanus; "quia doluit propter bonum", Burkius.
F20 Onomast. p. 87, 951.

Michaeas 1:12 In-Context

10 Ye that are in Geth, exalt not yourselves, and ye Enakim, do not rebuild from the house in derision: sprinkle dust your laughter.

11 The inhabitant of Sennaar, fairly inhabiting her cities, came not forth to mourn for the house next to her: she shall receive of you the stroke of grief.

12 Who has begun for good to her that dwells in sorrow? for calamities have come down from the Lord upon the gates of Jerusalem,

13 a sound of chariots and horsemen: the inhabitants of Lachis, she is the leader of sin to the daughter of Sion: for in thee were found the transgressions of Israel.

14 Therefore shall he cause men to be sent forth as far as the inheritance of Geth, vain houses; they are become vanity to the kings of Israel;