Micah 2

Human Plans and God’s Plans

1 Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.
2 They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud people of their homes, they rob them of their inheritance.
3 Therefore, the LORD says: “I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.
4 In that day people will ridicule you; they will taunt you with this mournful song: ‘We are utterly ruined; my people’s possession is divided up. He takes it from me! He assigns our fields to traitors.’ ”
5 Therefore you will have no one in the assembly of the LORDto divide the land by lot.

False Prophets

6 “Do not prophesy,” their prophets say. “Do not prophesy about these things; disgrace will not overtake us.”
7 You descendants of Jacob, should it be said, “Does the LORD become[a] impatient? Does he do such things?” “Do not my words do good to the one whose ways are upright?
8 Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning from battle.
9 You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes. You take away my blessing from their children forever.
10 Get up, go away! For this is not your resting place, because it is defiled, it is ruined, beyond all remedy.
11 If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ that would be just the prophet for this people!

Deliverance Promised

12 “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasture; the place will throng with people.
13 The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the LORD at their head.”

Micah 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

The sins and desolations of Israel. (1-5) Their evil practices. (6-11) A promise of restoration. (12,13)

Verses 1-5 Woe to the people that devise evil during the night, and rise early to carry it into execution! It is bad to do mischief on a sudden thought, much worse to do it with design and forethought. It is of great moment to improve and employ hours of retirement and solitude in a proper manner. If covetousness reigns in the heart, compassion is banished; and when the heart is thus engaged, violence and fraud commonly occupy the hands. The most haughty and secure in prosperity, are commonly most ready to despair in adversity. Woe to those from whom God turns away! Those are the sorest calamities which cut us off from the congregation of the Lord, or cut us short in the enjoyment of its privileges.

Verses 6-11 Since they say, "Prophesy not," God will take them at their word, and their sin shall be their punishment. Let the physician no longer attend the patient that will not be healed. Those are enemies, not only to God, but to their country, who silence good ministers, and stop the means of grace. What bonds will hold those who have no reverence for God's word? Sinners cannot expect to rest in a land they have polluted. You shall not only be obliged to depart out of this land, but it shall destroy you. Apply this to our state in this present world. There is corruption in the world through lust, and we should keep at a distance from it. It is not our rest: it was designed for our passage, but not for our portion; our inn, but not our home; here we have no continuing city; let us therefore arise and depart, let us seek a continuing city above. Since they will be deceived, let them be deceived. Teachers who recommend self-indulgence by their doctrine and example, best suit such sinners.

Verses 12-13 These verses may refer to the captivity of Israel and Judah. But the passage is also a prophecy of the conversion of the Jews to Christ. The Lord would not only bring them from captivity, and multiply them, but the Lord Jesus would open their way to God, by taking upon him the nature of man, and by the work of his Spirit in their hearts, breaking the fetters of Satan. Thus he has gone before, and the people follow, breaking, in his strength, through the enemies that would stop their way to heaven.

Cross References 26

  • 1. S Isaiah 29:20
  • 2. Psalms 36:4
  • 3. Isaiah 5:8
  • 4. S Proverbs 30:14
  • 5. S Jeremiah 22:17
  • 6. S 1 Samuel 8:14; S Isaiah 1:23; S Ezekiel 46:18
  • 7. Jeremiah 18:11; S Amos 3:1-2
  • 8. Isaiah 2:12
  • 9. S Leviticus 26:31; S Jeremiah 4:13
  • 10. S Jeremiah 6:12
  • 11. Deuteronomy 32:13; Joshua 18:4
  • 12. S Numbers 34:13
  • 13. Psalms 44:13; Jeremiah 18:16; Jeremiah 19:8; Jeremiah 25:18; Jeremiah 29:18; Micah 6:16
  • 14. S Amos 2:12
  • 15. S Psalms 119:65
  • 16. Psalms 15:2; Psalms 84:11
  • 17. Jeremiah 10:20
  • 18. S Deuteronomy 12:9
  • 19. Leviticus 18:25-29; Psalms 106:38-39; S Lamentations 4:15
  • 20. S 2 Chronicles 36:16; Jeremiah 5:31
  • 21. S Leviticus 10:9
  • 22. Isaiah 30:10
  • 23. Micah 4:7; Micah 5:7; Micah 7:18
  • 24. S Nehemiah 1:9
  • 25. S Isaiah 52:12
  • 26. S Isaiah 60:11

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "Is the Spirit of the " Lord

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 2

In this chapter complaint is made of the sins of the people of Israel, and they are threatened with punishment for them. The sins they are charged with are covetousness, oppression, and injustice, which were premeditated, and done deliberately, Mic 2:1,2; therefore the Lord devised evil against them, they should not escape; and which would bring down their pride, and cause them to take up a lamentation, because they should not enjoy the portion of land that belonged to them, Mic 2:3-5; they are further charged with opposing the prophets of the Lord, the folly and wickedness of which is exposed, Mic 2:6,7; and with great inhumanity and barbarity, even to women and children, Mic 2:8,9; and therefore are ordered to expect and prepare for a removal out of their land, Mic 2:10; and the rather, since they gave encouragement and heed to false prophets, and delighted in them, Mic 2:11; and the chapter is concluded with words of comfort to the remnant among them, and with precious promises of the Messiah, and the blessings of grace by him, Mic 2:12,13.

Micah 2 Commentaries

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