Michaeas 2:8

8 Even beforetime my people withstood as an enemy against his peace; they have stripped off his skin to remove hope the conflict of war.

Michaeas 2:8 Meaning and Commentary

Micah 2:8

Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy
Or "yesterday" F15; meaning a very little while before this prophecy, the people of Israel, those of the ten tribes, who were the people of God by profession, rose up as an enemy, not only to God and true religion, worshipping idols; but rather to their brethren, those of the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin; as they did in the times of Pekah king of Israel, who slew a hundred and twenty thousand of them in one day, ( 2 Chronicles 28:6 ) ; and which is here mentioned as a reason why the Spirit of the Lord in his prophets threatened them with evil, and did not promise them good things: ye pull off the robe with the garment;
the upper and nether garment, and so stripped them naked: or, "they stripped the robe from off the garment", as some F16; they took the upper garment or cloak from them, and left them only the under garment: for them that pass by securely, as men averse from war:
who were travelling from place to place about their proper business, and thought themselves very safe; were peaceable men themselves, and suspected no harm from others: or, "returning from war" F17; such who escaped in the battle, and fled for their lives; and when they imagined they, were safe, and out of danger, fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped them of their garments. Gussetius F18 interprets it of such who were returning to the battle, and yet so used.


FOOTNOTES:

F15 (lwmta) "heri", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Burkius.
F16 (hmlv lwmm) "a veste togam spoliatis", Noldius; "a veste pallium exuitis", Burkius.
F17 (hmxlm ybwv) "revertentibus a bello", Piscator; "redeunt a bello", Cocceius; "et revertuntur a bello", De Dieu; "uti essetis reversi ex bello", Burkius.
F18 "Redeuntes in bellum", Comment. Ebr. p. 836.

Michaeas 2:8 In-Context

6 Weep not with tears in the assembly of the Lord, neither let weep for these things; for he shall not remove the reproaches,
7 who says, The house of Jacob has provoked the Spirit of the Lord; are not these his practices? Are not the Lord's words right with him? and have they not proceeded correctly?
8 Even beforetime my people withstood as an enemy against his peace; they have stripped off his skin to remove hope the conflict of war.
9 The leaders of my people shall be cast forth from their luxurious houses; they are rejected because of their evil practices; draw ye near to the everlasting mountains.
10 Arise thou, and depart; for this is not thy rest because of uncleanness: ye have been utterly destroyed;

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.