Micah 7:8-18

8 Thou, mine enemy, be not glad on me (do not be happy over me), for I fell down, (for) I shall rise (up again); (and) when I sit in darknesses, the Lord is my light.
9 I shall bear wrath of the Lord, for I have sinned to him, till he deem my cause, and make my doom; he shall lead out me into light, I shall see [the] rightwiseness of him. (I shall bear the anger of the Lord, for I have sinned against him, until he judge my case, and declare my sentence; and then he shall lead me out into the light, and I shall see his righteousness.)
10 And mine enemy shall behold me, and she shall be covered with confusion, which saith to me, Where is thy Lord God? Mine eyes shall see her, now she shall be into defouling, as clay, either fen, of streets. (And then my enemies shall see me, and shall be covered with shame, they who say to me, Where is the Lord thy God? My eyes shall see them, and they shall be defiled, like the clay, or the mud, in the streets.)
11 Day shall come, that thy walls be builded; in that day law shall be made afar. (The day shall come, when thy walls shall be rebuilt; on that day, thy borders shall be enlarged.)
12 In that day, and Assur shall come till to thee, and till to strong cities, and from strong cities till to [the] flood; and to sea from sea, and to hill from hill. (On that day, they shall come to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, yea, from the fortified cities unto the Euphrates River; and from every sea, and from every hill, or from every mountain.)
13 And [the] earth shall be into desolation for her dwellers, and for fruit of the thoughts of them. (And the earth shall be made into desolation, or into a wasteland, because of what her inhabitants did; yea, this shall be the fruit of their deeds.)
14 Feed thou thy people in thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, that dwell alone in [the] wild wood; in the middle of Carmel they shall be fed of Bashan and of Gilead, (as) by eld days, (Feed thou thy people with thy rod, yea, the flock of thy inheritance, who live alone in the wild wood, and in the midst of the fertile land; they shall be fed in Bashan and in Gilead, like in the old days.)
15 by days of thy going out of the land of Egypt. I shall show to him wonderful things; (Make thou for us miracles, or wonders, like in the days of our going out of the land of Egypt;/I shall show thee miracles, or wonders, like in the days of thy going out of the land of Egypt;)
16 heathen men shall see, and they shall be confounded on all their strength; they shall put hands on their mouth, the ears of them shall be deaf; (the heathen shall see, and they shall be confounded in spite of all their strength; they shall put their hands upon their mouths, and their ears shall be deaf;)
17 they shall lick dust as a serpent; as creeping things of [the] earth they shall be disturbed, or troubled, (out) of their houses; they shall not desire our Lord God, and they shall dread thee. (they shall lick the dust like serpents, or snakes, yea, like creeping things upon the earth; they shall be distressed, and shall come out of their strongholds; and they shall come to thee, O Lord our God, and they shall fear thee.)
18 God, who is like thee, that doest away wickedness, and bearest over the sin of the remnants of thine heritage? He shall no more send in his strong vengeance, for he is willing mercy; (God, who is like thee, who doest away wickedness, and passest over the sins of the remnants of thy inheritance? He shall no more send in his strong vengeance, for he delighteth in mercy;)

Micah 7:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 7

This chapter begins with a lamentation of the prophet, in the name of the church and people of God, concerning the general depravity and corruption of the times in which he lived, Mic 7:1-6; then declares what he was determined to do for his relief in such circumstances, Mic 7:7; comforts himself and the church with a good hope and firm belief of its being otherwise and better with them, to the shame and confusion of their enemies that now rejoiced, though without just reason for it, Mic 7:8-10; with promises of deliverance, after a desolation of the land for some time, Mic 7:11-13; and with the answer returned to the prayers of the prophet, Mic 7:14,15; which would issue in the astonishment of the world, and their subjection to the church of God, Mic 7:16,17; and the chapter is concluded with admiration at the pardoning grace and mercy of God, and his faithfulness to his promises, Mic 7:18-20.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.