Micah 2

1 Woe to you, that think unprofitable thing, and work evil in your beds; in the morrowtide light they do it, for the hand of them is against God. (Woe to you, who think up unprofitable things, and work out evil plots in your beds; then in the morning light they do it, for they have the power in their hands.)

2 They coveted fields, and took violently; and ravished houses, and falsely challenged a man and his house, a man and his heritage. (They coveted fields, and violently took them; and they robbed houses, and oppressed a man and his house, yea, every man and his inheritance.)

3 Therefore the Lord saith these things, Lo! I think on this family evil, from which ye shall not take away your necks; and ye shall not walk proud, for the worst time is. (And so the Lord saith these things, Lo! I think evil against this family, from which ye shall not be able to take away your necks, or be able to escape; and ye shall not walk proudly, for this shall be the worst time for you.)

4 In that day a parable shall be taken on you, and a song shall be sung with sweetness of men, saying, By robbing we be destroyed; a part of my people is changed; how shall he go away from me, when he turneth again that shall part your countries? (On that day a parable shall be made about you, and a song shall be sung with sadness by people, saying, We be destroyed by robbing; a part, or a portion, of my people hath been taken away; he hath divided up our countryside unto those who took us captive.)

5 For this thing, none shall be to thee sending a little cord of lot, in company of the Lord. (And because of this, no one shall be casting for thee a little cord by lot, in the congregation of the Lord.)

6 A! thou Israel, speak ye not speaking; it shall not drop (a word) on these men, confusion shall not catch, (O! thou Israel, thou saith to me, Speak ye not! ye shall not drop a word upon us, for shame shall not catch us!)

7 saith the house of Jacob. Whether the Spirit of the Lord is abridged, either such be the thoughts of him? Whether my words be not good, with him that goeth rightly? (O house of Jacob, is the Spirit of the Lord abridged, that is, is his patience at an end, or do such things be his thoughts? Be my words not good, to him who goeth uprightly?)

8 And on the contrary, my people rose together into an adversary; ye took away the mantle above the coat, and ye turned into battle them that went simply. (But on the contrary, my people altogether rose up like an adversary; ye took away the cloak over the coat, from those who returned from battle, and thought themselves safe.)

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).

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.

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.