Micah 2:8

8 Yet to this very hour my people rise against me like an enemy! You steal the shirts right off the backs of those who trusted you, making them as ragged as men returning from battle.

Micah 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.

Micah 2:8 In-Context

6 “Don’t say such things,” the people respond. “Don’t prophesy like that. Such disasters will never come our way!”
7 Should you talk that way, O family of Israel? Will the LORD ’s Spirit have patience with such behavior? If you would do what is right, you would find my words comforting.
8 Yet to this very hour my people rise against me like an enemy! You steal the shirts right off the backs of those who trusted you, making them as ragged as men returning from battle.
9 You have evicted women from their pleasant homes and forever stripped their children of all that God would give them.
10 Up! Begone! This is no longer your land and home, for you have filled it with sin and ruined it completely.
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