God Comes to Judge
Study note
Micah introduces himself and his mission. He announces that God is about to leave his heavenly temple and come down to earth in judgment. Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, had turned to idol worship. God declares he will completely destroy the city and its false gods.
1 This message from the LORD came to Micah, who was from the town of Moresheth. He received it during the reigns of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah. It concerned both Samaria and Jerusalem. The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
2 Everyone, listen! Earth and all who live on it, pay attention! Let the Lord GOD himself be a witness against you — the Lord speaking from his holy temple. Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
3 Watch out! The LORD is stepping out of his dwelling place. He will come down and walk across the mountaintops of the earth. For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
4 The mountains will melt beneath his feet like wax near a flame. The valleys will split wide open like water racing downhill. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.
5 All of this is happening because of Jacob's rebellion and the sins of the house of Israel. What is Jacob's main sin? It is Samaria, with all its idol worship. And where are Judah's pagan shrines? Right in the middle of Jerusalem. For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?
6 "So I will turn Samaria into a pile of rubble — an open field for planting grapevines. I will dump her stones into the valley below and dig down to expose her foundations." Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.
7 Every carved idol will be pounded to dust. Every gift earned through idol worship will be torched. I will demolish all her false images. She earned them through unfaithfulness, and they will be carried off as plunder by others. And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
Micah Mourns for His People
Study note
Micah is heartbroken over what is about to happen. He compares his cries of grief to the howling of wild animals. The coming destruction is like a wound that cannot be healed, and it is spreading all the way to Jerusalem.
8 Because of all this, I will weep and wail in grief. I will go around barefoot and stripped. I will howl like a wild dog and moan like an owl. Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
9 Samaria's wound is fatal. It has already spread to Judah, reaching the very gates of my people, all the way to Jerusalem itself. For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
Judgment Sweeps Through the Towns
Study note
Micah lists several towns near his home that will be affected by the coming invasion. Many of the town names contain wordplays in Hebrew. For example, Aphrah means 'dust,' so Micah tells its people to roll in the dust. This section paints a picture of widespread grief and loss as the enemy sweeps through the land.
10 Do not spread this news in Gath! Do not let anyone see you cry! In Beth Aphrah, throw yourself to the ground and roll in the dust. Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
11 People of Saphir, get ready to be marched away naked and humiliated. The people of Zaanan will not dare come out. Beth Ezel is mourning — the support you leaned on has been pulled away. Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of you his standing.
12 The people of Maroth waited and waited for good news. But only trouble came — sent by the LORD himself, all the way to Jerusalem's front gate. For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.
13 People of Lachish, hitch your fastest horses to your chariots and run! You were the ones who first introduced Israel's sinful ways to Jerusalem. Zion's rebellion can be traced right back to you. O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.
14 So you will have to say goodbye to Moresheth Gath. The town of Achzib will let down the kings of Israel when they need help the most. Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
15 I am sending a conqueror against you who live in Mareshah. Israel's glory will have to flee all the way to the cave of Adullam. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.
16 Shave your heads bald in grief for the children you treasure. Make yourselves as bare as a vulture, because your children are being ripped away from you and hauled off into captivity. Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.