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MICAH 1

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS*

* Although they are not inspired, paragraph divisions are the key to understanding and following the original author's intent. Each modern translation has divided and summarized the paragraphs. Every paragraph has one central topic, truth, or thought. Each version encapsulates that topic in its own distinct way. As you read the text, ask yourself which translation fits your understanding of the subject and verse divisions.

In every chapter we must read the Bible first and try to identify its subjects (paragraphs), then compare our understanding with the modern versions. Only when we understand the original author's intent by following his logic and presentation can we truly understand the Bible. Only the original author is inspired—readers have no right to change or modify the message. Bible readers do have the responsibility of applying the inspired truth to their day and their lives.

Note that all technical terms and abbreviations are explained fully in the following SPECIAL TOPICS: Hebrew Grammatical Terms and Glossary.

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO MICAH 1:1-7

1. Please see the OT Timeline to see the relationship between the 8^th B.C. and 7^th B.C. prophets.
   Old Testament Timeline
   
   
2. Be sure to see "the Historical Setting of the Eighth Century Prophets" in Isaiah Introduction, VII.
   
   
3. Please reveiw the following Special Topics:
   SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY (OT)
   SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY
   SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF ASSYRIA
   SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED MONARCHY
   
   
4. See Contextual Insights to Micah 1:10-16 at v. 10, which shows the Hebrew word/sound plays on the names of the cities mentioned.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MICAH 1:1-7
 ¹The Word of the Lord which came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
 ²Hear, O peoples, all of you;
 Listen, O earth and all it contains,
 And let the Lord God be a witness against you,
 The Lord from His holy temple.
 ³For behold, the Lord is coming forth from His place.
 He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.
 ⁴The mountains will melt under Him,
 And the valleys will be split,
 Like wax before the fire,
 Like water poured down a steep place.
 ⁵And all this is for the rebellion of Jacob
 And for the sins of the house of Israel.
 What is the rebellion of Jacob?
 Is it not Samaria?
 What is the high place of Judah?
 Is it not Jerusalem?
 ⁶For I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the open country,
 Planting places for a vineyard.
 I will pour her stones down into the valley,
 And will lay bare her foundations.
 ⁷All of her idols will be smashed,
 All of her earnings will be burned with fire,
 And all of her images I will make desolate,
 For she collected them from a harlot's earnings,
 And to the earnings of a harlot they will return.

1:1 "The Word of the Lord" These prophecies are not Micah's words, thoughts, or feelings, but YHWH's (cf. Hosea 1:1; Jonah 1:1)! This is revelation, not political or theological guesswork.

For Lord, literally YHWH, see SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BIBLE (its uniqueness and inspiration)

▣ "Micah" This is a short form of the Hebrew name Micaiah, which means "who is like YHWH" (BDB 567, cf. Jer. 26:18). This prophet was a "country preacher" (i.e., no mention of his father or ancestor) like Amos, not associated with

1. the professional prophetic guild (cf. Mic. 3:5-8)
2. the court prophets (i.e., Isaiah)

▣ "the Moresheth" This city is also mentioned in Mic. 1:14 (Moresheth-Gath), which was a small village between Lachish and Gath in the Philistine area about 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PHILISTINES

▣ "in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah" The exact dates on these reigns are disputed because of

1. different ways between Israel and Judah to count the ascension year
2. the dates of co-reigns

See Edwin R. Thiele, The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings.

SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED KINGDOM

▣ "which he saw" The term (BDB 302, KB 301, Qal PERFECT) is used of prophets in an ecstatic state receiving a message from God (e.g., Isa. 1:1; 2:1; 13:1; Amos 1:1; Hab. 1:1). Often it refers to prophecies or visions of judgment (e.g., Isa. 2:1; 28:7; 30:10; Amos 1:1). The term is often used to describe a prophet as a "seer" (e.g., Amos 7:12; Micah 3:7; Isa. 29:10; 30:10).

SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY (OT), I. B.

▣ "concerning Samaria and Jerusalem" Micah addresses the sinful, idolatrous Divided Kingdom. Both will be judged and exiled for their covenant violation to the Mosaic Law.

1. Samaria ‒ Mic. 1:5-7; 6:9-16
2. Jerusalem ‒ Mic. 1:9-16; 3:12; 4:10-12; 6:9-16

The fall and exile of Judah is so surprising in light of YHWH's promises to David and his descendants in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17. Covenant disobedience negates the covenant! The warnings of Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28 have come to be reality.

▣ "Samaria" The capitals stand for the nations. Most of Micah's prophecy deals with the southern kingdom of Judah. However, his prophecy is introduced by a judgment pronouncement against the capital of the Northern Ten Tribes, Samaria (cf. Mic. 1:2-9). This may have been a literary technique to get the attention of the people in Judah or it may show how Micah was influenced by Amos' ministry and message, who also was a prophet to the north and included references to Judah.

The designation "the ten northern tribes" is a literary title, not a mathmatical reality. There were 13 tribes because Jacob had 12 sons, but Joseph's two children were considered tribes, so there are 13 tribes. Judah, also known as "the southern two tribes," so there are 13 tribes. Judah, also known as "the southern two tribes," was in reality, made up of

1. Judah
2. Simeon
3. Benjamin
4. most of the tribe of Levi
   SPECIAL TOPIC: ISRAEL (the name)

1:2 "Hear" Chapters 1 and 6 both use the literary technique of a court scene ( SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHECY [OT], IV. E.) to describe God's legal case against His people. Both of them begin with the word "hear" (BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERATIVE), as does chapter 3. See notes at Amos 3:1 and Hosea 4:1. This threefold use of shema (i.e., hear so as to do, cf. Deut. 6:4) may reveal the author's outline (see Introduction, VII. C.). However, Micah uses this word often (cf. Mic. 1:2; 3:1,9; 5:15; 6:1[twice],2,9; 7:7). Seven of them, like this one, are Qal IMPERATIVES (cf Mic. 3:1,9; 6:1,2,9).

SPECIAL TOPIC: SHEMA

▣ "Listen" The VERB (BDB 904, KB 1151, Hiphil IMPERATIVE), meaning "give attention to," is parallel to "hear." This same pattern is found in Isa. 28:23; Hosea 5:1, and Zech. 1:4 and similar in Jer. 34:1; 49:1.

▣ "let the Lord God be a witness against you" The VERB (BDB 224, KB 243, Qal JUSSIVE) matches the two previous IMPERATIVES (hear, listen) and now God is a witness! This is obviously a court scene. God witnesses wickedness (e.g., Jer. 29:33) and then He becomes one who testifies in court (e.g., 1 Sam. 12:5; Mal. 3:5). He is

1. the judge
2. the witness
3. the one who exercises the court's decision

▣ "O peoples. . .O earth" In Jewish law, two or three witnesses are needed to confirm a point in a law court (cf. Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; 19:15). Therefore, God of the earth and all the people of the earth itself are to be the witnesses in this court case between YHWH and His covenant people (cf. Deut. 4:26; Isa. 1:2). YHWH Himself acts as a witness against His own people (cf. Deut. 31:19-21,26).

▣ "the Lord God" Literally this is translated Adon ‒ YHWH (e.g., Isa. 56:7). Normally, English does not translate YHWH as "God," but here Lord Lord would sound and look strange.

SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord (adon and kurios)

SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D.

▣ "The Lord from His holy temple" YHWH symbolically dwelt above and between the wings of the Cherubim, which were on the lid of Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was housed in the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem (cf. Exod. 25:22). This is where heaven and earth, the spiritual and the physical, the transcendent and the immanent met. The line of poetry in Mic. 1:2d is parallel to Mic. 1:3a (also a judgment idiom, cf. Isa. 26:21).

 For the word "holy" see SPECIAL TOPIC: HOLY.

SPECIAL TOPIC: ARK OF THE COVENANT

1:3 "tread on the high places of the earth" This VERB (BDB 201, KB 231, Qal PERFECT with waw) is also in Amos 4:13, which speaks of the intimate presence of God with His physical creation (cf. Exod. 3:8; Job 9:8).

The term "earth" (BDB 75) may mean "land" (i.e., His land, the Promised Land), but here probably all creation (see SPECIAL TOPIC: LAND, COUNTRY, EARTH).

 "To tread" may imply

1. God's intimate presence
2. His judgment in the symbol of crushing grapes with His feet (e.g., Isa. 63:3; Lam. 1:15)

The term "high places" (BDB 119) can refer

1. to the mountains of the earth
2. because the same word is used in Mic. 1:5 for the local fertility altars (i.e., Ba'al and Asherah), it may reflect YHWH's destruction of these local worship sites (cf. Mic. 1:7).

1:4 God's coming (either for blessing or judgment, in this context, judgment) is often associated with upheavals in nature (e.g., Exod. 19:16-20; Ps. 18:7-15; 97:1-6; Isa. 40:4; 64:1-2; Joel 2:30-31; Amos 9:5; Nah. 1:5).

Verse 4 has a poetic pattern of parallelism (i.e., line 1 goes with line 3 and line 2 with line 4). This is incipient apocalyptic imagery. Human sin has affected physical creation (cf. Genesis 3; Rom. 8:19-22).

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY, III.

▣ "fire" Fire is often imagery for cleansing or judgment. See SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE.

1:5 "all of this is for the rebellion of Jacob. . .Israel" Lines 1 and 2 of Mic. 1:5 are good examples of synonymous parallelism. There are no VERBS in v. 5.

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY, III.

SPECIAL TOPIC: ISRAEL (the name), II.

▣ "Samaria" This is the capital of the Northern Ten Tribes called Israel, built by Omri, whose son, Ahab, married Jezebel and thereby introduced Canaanite fertility worship into the northern kingdom (cf. 1 Kgs. 16:29-33;17-18). It was a heavily fortified city built on a mesa that took the Assyrians three years to conquer (finally Sargon II in 722 B.C. did).

These capitals of both Israel and Judah are a way of referring to the nation as a whole. The leaders (kings, prophets, and priests) of both Israel and Judah are responsible for their nation's idolatry and collapse!

SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED KINGDOM

SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF ASSYRIA

▣ "What is the high place of Judah" The word "place" is PLURAL in the Masoretic Text; therefore, it might refer to the idolatrous high places of Ba'al spread throughout all of Palestine (cf. Exod. 34:13; Deut. 12:2; 2 Chr. 34:3-4,7; Isa. 57:5,7; Jer. 2:20; 3:6). In context, it refers to Jerusalem's temple (LXX).

SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE

1:6-7 YHWH is the speaker, "I," as He may be in Mic. 1:8-16.

1:6 "Samaria a heap of ruins" This refers to the fall and destruction of the capital city in 722 B.C. under Sargon II of Assyria.

▣ "Planting places for a vineyard" Samaria will be so destroyed she will look like an open field which could be turned into a vineyard. This is parallel in thought to Jerusalem being plowed as a field (cf. Mic. 3:12; Jer. 26:18).

▣ "I will pour her stones down into the valley" The VERB (BDB 620, KB 669, Hiphil PEFECT with waw is repeated in v. 4. This refers to Samaria's stone fortifications being pulled down from the mesa into the valley (i.e. Babylon will do the same to Jerusalem in 586 B.C.).

1:7 This reflects the worship of the female fertility god, Asherah (also known as Astarte or Anat), which amounted to spiritual adultery against YHWH, thus divorce court.

▣ "earnings" The term (BDB 1072-1073) is used three times and refers to Israel's idolatry (TEV, cf. Deut. 23:18; Isa. 23:17). In some contexts it refers to foreign alliances (e.g., Ezek. 16:23-29) and may be an allusion to them here (cf. NRSV). The NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 1281, suggests four possible meanings:

1. the wages of cultic prostitutes (who were used to beautify the shrines)
2. the produce of the land regarded as a gift from Ba'al
3. the offerings at the idol shrines used to beautify the shrines
4. gold and silver idols sold at the shrines (NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 207)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MICAH 1:8-16
 ⁸Because of this I must lament and wail,
 I must go barefoot and naked;
 I must make a lament like the jackals
 And a mourning like the ostriches.
 ⁹For her wound is incurable,
 For it has come to Judah;
 It has reached the gate of my people,
 Even to Jerusalem.
 ¹⁰Tell it not in Gath,
 Weep not at all.
 At Beth-le-aphrah roll yourself in the dust.
 ¹¹Go on your way, inhabitant of Shaphir in shameful nakedness.
 The inhabitant of Zaanan does not escape.
 The lamentation of Beth-ezel: "He will take from you its support."
 ¹²For the inhabitant of Maroth
 Becomes weak waiting for good,
 Because a calamity has come down from the Lord
 To the gate of Jerusalem.
 ¹³Harness the chariot to the team of horses,
 O inhabitant of Lachish—
 She was the beginning of sin
 To the daughter of Zion—
 Because in you were found
 The rebellious acts of Israel.
 ¹⁴Therefore, you will give parting gifts
 On behalf of Moresheth-gath;
 The houses of Achzib will become a deception
 To the kings of Israel.
 ¹⁵Moreover, I will bring on you
 The one who takes possession,
 O inhabitant of Mareshah.
 The glory of Israel will enter Adullam.
 ¹⁶Make yourself bald and cut off your hair,
 Because of the children of your delight;
 Extend your baldness like the eagle,
 For they will go from you into exile.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS: Hebrew sound plays in Micah 1:10-15

1. "Beth-le-aphrah," v. 10 = "house of dust"
2. "roll," v. 11 = sounds like "Philistine"
3. "Shaphir" v. 11 = "pleasant city"
4. "Zaanan does not go out," v. 11 = "going out ‒ going out"
5. "Beth-ezel," v. 11 = "house of removal"
6. "Maroth," v. 12 = "bitterness"
7. "Lachish," v. 13 = "to the steeds"
8. "Moresheth," v. 14 = "dowry"
9. "Achzib," v. 14 = "deception"
10. "Mareshah," v. 15 = "the one who takes possession"

1:8-9 This could signal

1. the personal mourning of Micah (cf. Ibn Ezra; NET Bible footnote 1, p. 1622)
2. Mic. 1:8-16 could continue YHWH's direct speech (cf. The Jewish Study Bible, p. 1207)
   1. using human imagery (cf. Hos. 11:8)
   2. Hebrew sound plays (cf. Isa. 10:24-32)
3. the Aramaic Targums change "I" to "they" and have the speaker be corporate Israel

1:8 "Because of this" In Mic. 1:5 "this" referred to Samaria's sin, but in Mic. 1:8 it refers to God's judgment (by means of a foreign invasion) on His people, both Samaria (722 B.C.) and later Jerusalem (605, 597, 586, 582 B.C.).

▣ "lament. . .wail. . .go barefooted. . .naked. . .lament. . .mourning" All of the VERBS in Mic. 1:8 are COHORTATIVE in form and/or meaning.

These are all signs of mourning. Possibly the prophet was dressed in sackcloth when he preached. This scene is continued in Mic. 1:16 (cf. Amos 8:10).

The animals mentioned represent both the absence of people and the presence of the demonic (cf. NEB). See note at 1:9 below.

"Naked" (BDB 736) would mean not total nudity, but wearing just the inner loincloth without the usual outer robe (cf. 1 Sam. 19:24; 2 Sam. 6:20; Isa. 20:2-4; John 21:7). However, Assyria used total nudity as a way to embarrass and demoralize its captives (cf. Mic. 1:11; Isa. 47:2-3; Jer. 13:26; Hosea 2:3,10).

SPECIAL TOPIC: GRIEVING RITES

The MT has "daughters of greed" (BDB 123 CONSTRUCT BDB 419). Most translations emend this to this to "ostrich" (BDB 419, KB 421).

1. greed ‒ יענה
2. ostrich ‒ יען

This refers to an animal that

1. make sounds which to humans sound like "mourning." Ostriches make very little sound, therefore, some scholars think this refers to "owls" (NJB, NEB, NIV)
2. it is one of several creatures that lived in the ruins of destroyed cities (cf. Isa. 13:21; 34:13; 43:20; Jer. 50:39)
3. when all is said and done, the Hebrew word is simply uncertain

1:9 The shocking sin of idolatry of the northern ten tribes had infected the southern tribes of Judah (i.e., "wound," cf. Isa. 1:5-6; Jer. 10:19; 14:17; 15:18; 30:12-17). At this point in the message the prophet must have surprised his Judean hearers at his denunciation of them along with the Northern Ten Tribes (cf. Ezekiel 23). For God, judgment was the only option so that His idolatrous covenant people might turn back to Him!

▣ "For her wound is incurable" The term "wound" (BDB 646, PLURAL in the MT but SINGULAR in the LXX) is used as imagery for sin. There are several different terms used:

1. here, mkh (BDB 646) ‒ Isa. 1:6; Jer. 6:7; 30:12,17
2. mzr (BDB 267) ‒ Hosea 5:13
3. hbrh (BDB 289) ‒ Ps. 38:5; Isa. 53:5
4. mhll (BDB 319) ‒ Isa. 53:5

Sin is also depicted as a disease in Deut. 32:29; 2 Chr. 7:14; Ps. 30:2; 41:4; 103:3; 107:20; Isa. 1:5-6; 6:10; 30:26; 57:18-19; Jer. 3:22; 17:14; 33:6; Hosea 6:1; 7:1; 11:3; 14:4, which only YHWH can heal!

▣ "is incurable" The VERB (BDB 60, KB 73, Qal PASSIVE PARTICIPLE) expresses the horrible reality that there was no chance that Samaria (i.e., the northern ten tribes) would repent of their fertility worship in the name of YHWH (i.e., the golden calves at Dan and Bethel).

▣ "gate" The city gate was the social, commercial, judicial center of a city (e.g., Amos 5:10,12,15).

▣ "Jerusalem" See SPECIAL TOPIC: MORIAH, SALEM, JEBUS, ZION, JERUSALEM

1:10-16 Isaiah uses word plays to compare cities to their judgment in Isa. 10:24-32. Micah follows this pattern. Verses 10-16 contain a series of Hebrew word plays between certain towns in the Shephelah or coastal plains of Judah. They would have been affected by the Assyrian invasion by Sennacherib in 701 B.C. (although there were several earlier encroachments, i.e., Sargon II in 711 B.C.).

SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF ASSYRIA

1:10 "Tell it not in Gath" The VERB (BDB 616, KB 665) is Hiphil IMPERFECT, but JUSSIVE in meaning. This may be an allusion to 2 Sam. 1:20, where David grieves over the death of Saul and Jonathan. This would imply, "Do not tell Judah's enemy, the Philistines, who live in Gath." The Philistines invaded Judah in 735 B.C. to gain territory.

There is an obvious word play in this verse. The Rotherham's Emphasized Bible has a footnote:

"Tell it not in Tell-town,

Weep not in Weep-town."

See note below on Beth-le-aphrah.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PHILISTINES

▣ "Weep not at all" The VERB is a combination of an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE of "weep" (BDB 113, KB 129) and a Qal IMPERFECT, JUSSIVE in meaning, which intensifies the meaning.

▣ "Beth-le-aphrah" There is a play on the term aphrah, which sounds very close to the term "dust" (BDB 779), therefore, "house of dust" (Beth-le-apharah, BDB 112).

The VERB "roll" (BDB 814, KB 935, e.g., Jer. 6:26; Ezek. 27:30) is a Hithpael PERFECT in the MT, but a Hithpael IMPERATIVE (Qere, a suggestion in the margin by the Masoretic scholars). It is similar in sound to the word Philistine (those who live in Gath).

There is an interesting article on gestures used in the Bible in the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, pp. 326-328. It lists several uses of dust in mourning:

1. sit in dust, Isa. 47:1
2. roll in dust, Micah 1:10
3. bowed down to the dust, Ps. 44:25; 119:25
4. dust (ashes) on the head, 2 Sam. 1:2; Neh. 9:1; Esther 4:1; Job 2:12; Isa. 58:5; Jer. 6:26

1:11 "Go on your way" The VERB (BDB 716, KB 778) is a Qal IMPERATIVE and is sometimes translated "pass over." The inhabitants of this city are to parade in shame as they are taken into exile by Assyria.

▣ "Shaphir" This is a play on the name "beautiful city" or "pleasant city" (BDB 1051, cf. Josh. 15:48), which is now shamed (BDB 102) and naked (BDB 289), which was the punishment of prostitutes (cf. Ezek. 23:29).

▣ "Zaanan" This is a sound play on the name צאנן (BDB 838) of the city and the VERB "coming out" or "going out" (possibly צדא, BDB 838 or BDB 422, KB 425, Qal PERFECT). This city will not be able to escape God's coming judgment (i.e., exile). They cannot leave their besieged city, but will leave their homeland forever.

▣ "Beth-ezel: He will take from you its support" Possibly this is a sound play on "house of removal" or "house of nearness." God will take away this city's foundation (i.e., support, BDB 765, this is the only use of this term with this meaning) or take it into exile. The meaning of the city's name is uncertain (BDB 111) as is the whole poetic line following it.

The NET Bible (p. 1622, #23) assumes the fourth line of v. 11 (poetry) refers to the conquering army's leader ("He takes from you what he desires"). However, the third line of v. 11 refers to the mourning of the city.

1:12 "Maroth Becomes weak waiting for good" The name of this city (BDB 598, cf. Josh. 15:59) sounds like "bitterness" (BDB 600, cf. Ruth 1:20) and is a sound play on the Hebrew term "waiting for good" (or MT "writhing') with "good" meaning physical deliverance.

The VERB "become weak" (חלה, BDB 317, KB 316, Qal PERFECT) is possibly "in anguish" (חול, BDB 296 I, i.e., anxiously awaiting deliverance). The "good" (BDB 373) is referring to the physical deliverance of the seige and invasion. But the problem is that it is YHWH Himself who allowed the invasion (see next poetic line)!

▣ "calamity has come down from the Lord" The term "calamity" is from the Hebrew root "evil" (BDB 948 II). These types of verses in the OT do not describe God's character as much as denote monotheism (there is only one ultimate causality in the universe, cf. Eccl. 7:14; Isa. 45:7; 54:16; Lam. 3:32,38; Amos 3:6b). The One Cause (i.e., YHWH Elohim) is ethical and covenantal. Disobedience brings consequences!

SPECIAL TOPIC: ONE CAUSALITY

▣ "Jerusalem" This is a word play between the concept of "calamity" (BDB 948 II) and the latter part of the word "Jerusalem" (BDB 436), which means "peace and safety" (BDB 1022). YHWH wanted a peaceful city but idolatry brought chaos.

SPECIAL TOPIC: JERUSALEM

SPECIAL TOPIC: CONSEQUENCES OF IDOLATRY

1:13 "Harness" The VERB's (BDB 958, KB 1299, Qal IMPERATIVE) meaning is uncertain. However, it does refer to binding or attaching something, so in a context of horses and chariots it refers to their rigging or reins.

▣ "Lachish" This is a sound play on "Lachish" (BDB 540) as a military installation (cf. 2 Chr. 32:9; Jer. 34:7) chiefly for chariots, which sounds like the Hebrew term "to the steeds" (Hebrew PREPOSITION, and, BDB 940, cf. 1 Kgs. 4:28). Lachish would have been the strongest and best fortified of all the cities listed.

▣ "she" In context this would refer to "Samareah" or the northern ten tribes, Israel, whose idolatry eventually affected Judah.

▣ "the beginning of sin" This refers to Israel's idolatry (cf line 6, v. 13).

▣ "daughter of Zion" This is an idiom for Jerusalem; Zion being one of several hills inside the walls. For more information, see notes at Amos 5:2 and Jer. 46:11.

Often Jerusalem is called "the virgin daughter of Zion" (cf. Isa. 37:22; Jer. 14:17; Lam. 1:15), but not here. She had committed spiritual adultery with Ba'al and Asherah, the fertility gods of Canaan.

1:14 "Moresheth" This was Micah's hometown. Its name sounds very much like the Hebrew word "purchase price of a wife" (BDB 555, e.g., 1 Kgs. 9:16). This play on marriage practices can be seen in Mic. 1:14a. With exile coming there will be no more weddings. The wedding gifts (i.e., dowry, cf. 1 Kgs. 9:16) will now be parting gifts or wedding gifts as the wife leaves the father's house (i.e., exile).

▣ "Achzib" This was a coastal city in Israel. This Hebrew city's name (BDB 469, cf. Josh. 15:44) is very close to the Hebrew term "deception" (BDB 469). The "deception" was that this city could not provide any soldiers for Israel's army.

1:15 "Mareshah" This city's name in Hebrew is uncertain (BDB 601). There is a sound play between the VERB (BDB 439, KB 441, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE) meaning "the one who takes possession" (i.e., the invading general or the invading nation's king) and the city's name.

▣ "the glory of Israel" See SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (OT, kabod)

SPECIAL TOPIC: ISRAEL (the name)

▣ "Adullam" This is the cave (BDB 726) where David hid from Saul (cf. 1 Sam. 22:1-2). This phrase may mean

1. the leaders (i.e., "glory of Israel") of Israel (cf. TEV) will enter the underworld (i.e., cave)
2. David's old place of hiding would be the place of their hiding
3. that YHWH Himself will send an heir (NKJV) or conqueror (NRSV) to Mareshah and then Adullam

God Himself (the glory of Israel, cf. 1 Sam. 15:29) will judge and destroy these cities. The NJB considers the cities as "the glory of Israel." Obviously the poetry is ambiguous, but the context is one of judgment, not deliverance (i.e., #3 above).

1:16 "Make yourself bald and cut off your hair" The first three VERBS are all IMPERATIVES:

1. "make bald" ‒ BDB 901, KB 1140, Qal IMPERATIVE
2. "cut off" (shear) ‒ BDB 159, KB 186, Qal IMPERATIVE
3. "extend" ‒ BDB 931, KB 1210, Hiphil IMPERATIVE

These were signs of mourning (cf. Isa. 15:2; Jer. 16:6; Amos 8:10), but they often became associated with idolatry (cf. Lev. 21:5; Deut. 14:1).

SPECIAL TOPIC: GRIEVING RITES

▣ "children of your delight" This means

1. your idolatry (Canaanite fertility worship) has been judged and your illegitimate children have paid the price
2. you should mourn over the loss of your children. Assyria killed the very young and the very old, then took the rest into exile (cf. Amos 7:17)
3. the word "children" is imagery for the small cities surrounding Jerusalem (often called "daughters")

▣ "the eagle" This probably refers to the white headed griffin vulture that, from a distance, looked as if it were bald (i.e., imagery of mourning). Its presence was a sign of carnage (i.e., warfare, cf. Jer. 48:40; 49:22; Hosea 8;1). See UBS Fauna and Flora of the Bible, pp. 82-84.

▣ "For they will go into exile" Micah is the first prophet to assert the exile of the southern two tribes (cf. 2 Kings 20:18). This must have caused them some great consternation because they were depending on God's promises to the Davidic throne made in 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17. One wonders if the prophet Micah was discredited when this did not occur in 701 B.C.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Which of Micah's three contemporaries, Isaiah, Hosea, and Amos, is he most like?
2. Why does Micah begin his prophecy with Samaria?
3. Why are Mic. 1:9 and 16 so startling?

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