Micah 2:11

11 I would that I were not a man having spirit, and rather that I spake a leasing. I shall drop (a word) to thee into wine, and into drunkenness; and this people shall be, on whom it is dropped. (I wish that I did not have God's spirit, but rather that I spoke lies. And then I would drop a word to thee about wine, and about drunkenness; and this people shall be, on whom it is dropped.)

Micah 2:11 Meaning and Commentary

Micah 2:11

If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie
Who pretends to be a prophet, and a spiritual man, and to be under the inspiration and influence of the Spirit of God, but utters nothing but lies and falsehoods; or who is actuated by a spirit of falsehood and lying; or, as in the margin, "walks with the wind, and lies falsely" {u}; is full of wind and vanity; "after the wind" F23; and follows the dictates of his vain mind, and coins lies, and speaks false things: [saying], I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink;
or "drop [a word] unto thee" F24; that there will be good times, and nothing but good eating and drinking; and that men need not fear such dismal things befalling them as the prophets of the Lord spoke of; but may be cheerful and merry, and drink wine and strong drink, and not be afraid of their evil tidings: or, for wine and strong drink F25, so Kimchi; and the meaning is, that if they would give him a cup of wine, or a draught of strong drink, he would prophesy good things to them; the reverse of what is before said, as that they should continue in their land, and not depart from it; that this should be their rest, and they should remain therein, and not be destroyed in it, or cast out of it: he shall even be the prophet of this people;
a "dropper" F26 to them; see ( Micah 2:6 ) ; such an one shall be acceptable to them; they will caress him, and prefer him to the true prophets of the Lord; which is mentioned to show the temper of the people, and how easily they were imposed upon, and their disrespect to the prophets of the Lord, as in ( Micah 2:6 Micah 2:7 ) ; to which subject the prophet here returns, as Kimchi observes.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (bzk rqvw xwr Klwh) "qui ambulat cum vento et falsitate mentiatur", Piscator; "ambulantem cum vento et fasitate mendacem", Cocceius.
F23 So Hillerus in Burkius.
F24 (Kl Pyja) "stillabo tibi", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Burkius.
F25 (Nyyl) "pro vino", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius.
F26 (Pyjm) "stillator", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, Cocceius.

Micah 2:11 In-Context

9 Ye casted the women of my people out of the house of their delights; from the little children of them ye took away my praising without end. (Ye threw the women of my people out of their happy homes; and took away my blessings, or my glory, from their little children forever.)
10 Rise ye, and go, for here ye have no rest; for the uncleanness thereof it shall be corrupted with the worst rot.
11 I would that I were not a man having spirit, and rather that I spake a leasing. I shall drop (a word) to thee into wine, and into drunkenness; and this people shall be, on whom it is dropped. (I wish that I did not have God's spirit, but rather that I spoke lies. And then I would drop a word to thee about wine, and about drunkenness; and this people shall be, on whom it is dropped.)
12 With gathering I shall gather Jacob; I shall lead together thee all into one, the remnants of Israel. I shall put him together, as a flock in the fold; as sheep in the middle of folds they shall make noise, (by reason) of multitude of men. (With gathering I shall gather Jacob; I shall lead thee, the remnants of Israel, all together into one. I shall put them like a flock in the fold; and like sheep in the middle of the fold they shall make noise, because of the multitude of the people.)
13 For he shall go up showing (the) way before them; they shall depart, and pass the gate, and shall go out thereby; and the king of them shall pass before them, and the Lord in the head of them (and their king shall go before them, and the Lord shall be at their head).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.