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MICAH 2

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

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

1. Micah 1-2 forms a literary unit. God's judgment on Samaria (the capital of Israel) should have been a warning to Judah! See Introduction VII, B. #1-3
   
   
2. As Micah 1 is in the literary form of a court scene, Micah 2 is in the literary form of a funeral dirge (i.e., "woe").
   
   
3. This chapter has many similarities to the book of Amos, Micah's eighth century contemporary to the Northern Ten Tribes. See OLD TESTAMENT TIMELINE

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MICAH 2:1-5
 ¹Woe to those who scheme iniquity,
 Who work out evil on their beds!
 When morning comes, they do it,
 For it is in the power of their hands.
 ²They covet fields and then seize them,
 And houses, and take them away.
 They rob a man and his house,
 A man and his inheritance.
  ³Therefore, thus says the Lord,
 "Behold, I am planning against this family a calamity
 From which you cannot remove your necks;
 And you will not walk haughtily,
 For it will be an evil time.
 ⁴On that day they will take up against you a taunt
 And utter a bitter lamentation and say,
 'We are completely destroyed!
 He exchanges the portion of my people;
 How He removes it from me!
 To the apostate He apportions our fields.'
  ⁵Therefore, you will have no one stretching a measuring line
 For you by lot in the assembly of the Lord."

2:1 "Woe" This INTERJECTIONS, "ah," "ha," mean "alas" (BDB 222, e.g., Isa. 1:4,24; 10:5; 17:12; 28:1; 55:1; Jer. 22:18; 34:5; Amos 5:16; 6:1). This is the characteristic literary marker of a funeral dirge (i.e., a 3-2 beat in Hebrew poetry). As chapter 1 was replete with words of lamentation and mourning (cf. Mic. 2:8,10,11,16), so chapter 2 continues this theme (cf. Mic. 2:4).

▣  "to those who scheme iniquity

Who work out evil on their beds" These are parallel lines of poetry. The first VERB "scheme" (BDB 362, KB 359) and the second, "work out" (BDB 821, KB 950) are both Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLES. This reflects the premeditated plans of evil Israelites (cf. Ps. 36:1-4; Prov. 23:7; Isa. 32:7). In this context it is referring to ways to get more land from the poor rural farmers.

▣ "When morning comes, they do it" The VERB in the second line is repeated, but here it is a Qal IMPERFECT denoting continuing action. Sin starts in the thought life (cf. Hosea 7:6). The rabbis said our mind is like a plowed field ready for seed. What our eyes see, our ears hear, and what our thoughts dwell on becomes our actions!

▣ "For it is in the power of their hands" This is the OT equivalent of "might makes right." Just because we can does not mean we should. There is an ethical God. He has made an ethical world. All humans will give an account to Him of their stewardship of the gift of life!

2:2 "They covet fields, and then seize them

They rob a man and his house,

A man and his inheritance" These are four parallel lines with two strong VERBS.

1. "covet" ‒ BDB 326, KB 325, Qal PERFECT with waw
2. "seize" ‒ BDB 159, KB 186, Qal PERFECT with waw
3. "take away" ‒ BDB 669, KB 724, Qal PERFECT with waw
4. "oppress" ‒ BDB 798, KB 897, Qal PERFECT with waw

Remember the extreme importance that the Jewish people placed on land inheritance within the Promised Land (cf. Lev. 25:23; Num. 33:54; 36:1-12; Josh. 12-21). The land was meant to return to the original owners every fifty years (i.e., Year of Jubilee; see SPECIAL TOPIC: FEASTS OF ISRAEL, II. C.). God's gift to all the descendants of Abraham was now in the hands of greedy, wealthy exploiters. Micah, growing up and living in a small rural community, had seen it again and again.

The term "house" can refer to a place of dwelling or to one's family (as could the term "inheritance"). These exploiters wanted everything—land, children, adults, and all their property!

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY, III. A. #4

2:3 "Therefore, says the Lord,

Behold, I am planning" The INTERJECTION "behold" (הב, BDB 243 II) denotes a surprising statement of outcome. The UBS Helps For Translators series on Micah, says, "This is a way of showing that something new and unexpected is about to happen" (p. 82).

This is irony. As evil humans plan (same VERB as was used in Mic. 2:1, "scheme"), so too, God plans (i.e., "we reap what we sow, e.g., see full list of Scripture texts at Gal. 6:7).

▣ "against this family" The term "family" means clan (BDB 1046). Notice the aggressive sin of some affects the complacent, silent majority and the whole nation (cf. Amos 3:2) is judged!

This Hebrew term (BDB 949) means "evil," "distress," or "wickedness." In Exod. 32:12,14 it refers, as here, to the judgment of God (cf. Deut. 29:112; Amos 9:4). It is used twice in Mic. 2:3 and also in Mic. 3:2,11.

▣ "you cannot remove your necks" The VERB (BDB 559, KB 561) is a Hiphil IMPERFECT. This idiom of conquest is also used in Lam. 1:14; 5:5. It refers to a yoke on the neck of an ox which directs its activity.

▣ "walk haughtily" This is another IMPERFECT VERB (BDB 229, KB 246). Israel had become proud and arrogant (i.e., see eighth century historical setting in Introduction). God will change their walk and mind about this (cf. Isa. 2:11,12). Here it refers to the shameful methods of the Assyrian exile.

2:4 "On that day" This refers to the time of God's visitation, here of judicial activity, sometimes, as here, it is temporal, other times it is eschatological (i.e., the Day of YHWH.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THAT DAY

▣ "taunt" This refers to a song or proverb (i.e., mashal, BDB 605 II, Peshitta), which others speak to denote the current condition/situation of a person or group. It becomes a training tool for warning others not to do the same.

▣ "lamentation" This refers to a funeral dirge (BDB 624, KB 675, Qal PERFECT). The taunt is Mic. 2:4c-f (four lines of poetry).

This term (BDB 624, KB 675) is repeated three times in the Masoretic Hebrew Text:

1. the VERB (Qal PERFECT with waw)
2. the NOUN (MASCULINE SINGULAR)
3. the NOUN (FEMININE SINGULAR)

This repetition denotes a grievous lamentation (wailing).

▣ "We are completely destroyed" This is a COGNATE construction used for emphasis:

1. BDB 994, KB 1418, a Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE
2. BDB 994, KB 1418, a Niphal PERFECT

2:4 "He exchanges the portion of my people" The term "exchanges" (BDB 558, KB 560, Hiphil IMPERFECT) is a legal term for the transfer of a land title. Thie VERB sounds similar to the VERB in the next line, "removes" (BDB 559, KB 561, Hiphil IMPERFECT).

Verses 4 and 5 are the wail of the powerful, wealthy, influential Israelites (who stole from the poor) over the coming Assyrian exile. But notice, it is not sorrow for their actions, but sorrow over the consequences of their actions. They are reaping what they sowed (in kind)!

The MT is uncertain. Obviously the OBJECT is "the land" (lit. "our fields"). The problem, is the SUBJECT

1. YHWH
2. the invader

The MT has the ADJECTIVE "apostate" (שׁובב, BDB 1000), but BDB suggestss reading it as "our captor" (שׁבה, NET Bible). There is much confusion in how to translate the "proverb" of v. 4. Here is a suggested translation from the UBS Text Project, p. 212.

"He exchanges the inheritance of my people! How will he move (again) towards me, in order to make restitution for the fields which he is distributing?"

"To the apostate He appoints our fields" can refer either to

1. an apostate (i.e., one who turns back, BDB 1000, NKJV)
2. JPSOA has "rebel" from "ravager," which denotes the Assyrian invaders (from similar Hebrew root, BDB 1000, NRSV, TEV, NJB, NET Bible).

The irony is that these rich and powerful Israelite land grabbers are calling others (i.e., the invaders) land grabbers.

2:5 "you will have no one stretching a measuring line" The LXX changes the VERB "exchange" in the previous verse to "measure" to match this line of poetry.

The word "measuring line" (BDB 286) basically means "cord." In context the term can designate

1. a line/cord used to measure a field, cf. Ps. 78:55; Amos 7:17; or "temple," Zech. 2:2 (i.e., BDB 286, #2)
2. ones inherited land, cf. Deut. 32:9; Josh. 17:14; 19:9; 1 Chr. 16:18; Ps. 105:11; Ezek. 47:13 (i.e., BDB 286, #3)
3. measure in preparation to sell
4. it is used as an idiom of judgment in 2 Sam. 8:2

▣ "For you by lot in the assembly of the Lord" This refers to the sacred division of the Promised Land (Josh. 12-21). This statement is tantamount to the powerful, wealthy, influential being excommunicated from the Promised Land, both temporally and eschatologically (cf. Mic. 2:10). This passage implies that God's judgment to these exploiters is even more severe than Exod. 20:5; Deut. 5:9 ("visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children"). This exclusion is permanent and transgenerational!

▣ "by lot" The term "lot" (BDB 174) originally referred to the Urim and Thummim carried by the High Priest on his chest behind the twelve stones. It is not certain what form this mechanical means of knowing YHWH's will took:

1. different colored stones
2. stones with "yes" or "no" painted on them
3. stones with letters on them
4. other unknown means

The NT word for "clergy" comes from this Hebrew concept.

SPECIAL TOPIC: URIM AND THUMMIM

▣ "the assembly of the Lord" This is a covenant phrase. The Septuagint translates the Hebrew term qahal by the Greek term ecclēsia (gathering or assembly, which was later used by the NT believers as a title for themselves, i.e., church).

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHURCH (ekklēsia)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MICAH 2:6-11
 ⁶"Do not speak out," so they speak out.
  But if they do not speak out concerning these things,
 Reproaches will not be turned back.
 ⁷Is it being said, O house of Jacob:
 'Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient?
 Are these His doings?'
 Do not My words do good
 To the one walking uprightly?
  ⁸Recently My people have arisen as an enemy—
 You strip the robe off a fellow-Israelite,
 From unsuspecting passers-by,
  From those returned from war.
 ⁹The women of My people you evict,
 Each one from her pleasant house.
 From her children you take My splendor forever.
 ¹⁰Arise and go,
 For this is no place of rest
 Because of the uncleanness that brings on destruction,
 A painful destruction.
 ¹¹If a man walking after wind and falsehood
 Had told lies and said,
 'I will speak out to you concerning wine and liquor,'
 He would be spokesman to this people."

2:6-7 Verses 6-7 are dialogue. Micah speaks. It is hard to be certain where Micah starts and stops and where the rich, speaking as a group, start and stop.

 Leslie Allen (New International Commentary on the Old Testament), p. 292, has a good translation of Mic. 2:6 and 7: ". . .stop your preaching, they preach. They should stop preaching in this vein: humiliation won't overtake us: the community of Jacob is party to the covenant. Has Yahweh lost His temper? Is this the way He acts? Do not His promises spell good fortune? Do not we keep company with the One who keeps His word?"

 Verses 6 and 7, to some extent, seem to reflect the rich's traditional covenant theology (much like Job's three friends), but it fails to adequately understand the covenant requirements (cf. Deuteronomy 27-28; 30:15,19; i.e., known as "the two ways").

2:6 "Do not speak out, so they speak out" There is a play (the VERB is repeated three times) on the term "speak out" or "prophesy" (BDB 642, KB 694, Hiphil IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense, i.e "to drop a message on someone," cf. Mic. 2:6 [3 times, all Hiphil IMPERFECTS]; Mic. 2:11 [twice, also Amos 7:16]).

The term "speak out" is literally "to drip" (cf. Deut. 32:2; Ezek. 20:46; 21:2). It possibbly denotes an excited apeaking with spittle from the mouth (NET Bible). See Leslis Allen's translation above.

2:7 This verse has three (NASB, NKJV, JPSOA) or four (NRSV, TEV, NJB) questions. Who is speaking is uncertain. Some translations say

1. the condemned rich of Judah (NET Bible)
2. a false prophet (NKJV)
3. YHWH Himself

The JPSOA translates the first three poetic lines of v. 7 as follows:

"Is the House of Jacob condemned?"

Is the Lord's patience short?

Is such His practice?"

The divergence of translations is due to a hapox legommenon, "should it be said" (BDB 55, KB 65, Qal PASSIVE PARTICIPLE). The NET Bible emends it to an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE of the same root resulting in "Does the family of Jacob say?"

The word "accursed" (NJB) or "cursed" (TEV) is the result of an emendation to the term "said." See UBS Text Project, p. 313.

▣ "the Spirit of the Lord" In context this does not refer to the Holy Spirit, but the personality of YHWH (i.e., YHWH's Spirit, cf. Mic. 3:8). Here with the INTERROGATIVE "impatient" (MT, "shortened?"; BDB 894, KB 1126, Qal PERFECT) it refers to the Lord's patience (cf. NRSV, TEV, NJB, NET Bible) or lack of anger (cf. Ps. 103:8-14).

SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE

▣ Lines 3-5 of verse 8 are difficult to translate in context. Leslie Allen's dynamic equivalent translation in 2:6-7, second paragraph, is helpful. All five lines of v. 8 must be interpreted as a whole.

Remember, Hebrew poetic lines are not always sound plays, but more often, thought parallels.

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY, III.

2:8 "Recently My people have arisen as the enemy" The VERB (BDB 877, KB 1086) is a Polel IMPERFECT. The covenant people have repeatedly broken their obligations to the Mosaic Covenant. This is what the exploiters refused to acknowledge! God's people were acting like an invading enemy against their own covenant brothers and sisters.

The problem in translating this phrase is that the MT is using "my people" as the attackers and exploiters, when in the following lines they are the exploited. Several translations emend the MT to "but you rise up against my people as an enemy" (cf. NRSV, TEV, NJB, NET Bible).

▣ "You strip the robe off a fellow-Israelite" The VERB (BDB 832, KB 980) is a Hiphil IMPERFECT. This reflects the action of the rich in exploiting the poor. This passage reflects the greed and heartlessness of the wealthy, influential, Israelite land grabbers in evicting poor people from their houses and taking their clothes (even their children) as a guarantee for money borrowed (cf. Exod. 22:26,27).

Notice the groups impacted by this exploitation:

1. covenant brothers, Mic. 2:8b-c
2. military veterans, Mic. 2:8d
3. covenant women, Mic. 2:9a-b
4. covenant children, Mic. 2:9c

From these different translations it is obvious that the Hebrew is ambiguous or defective. From context the robe is demanded from unsuspecting strangers. The phrase about "returned from war" is what causes the confusion.

The best interpretation of this ambiguous phrase is that when Jewish soldiers returned home from fighting foreign enemies (potential invaders and land grabbers) they thought they were safe, but not so. Their own covenant brothers attacked them unexpectedly and took their land and possessions!

Here is the suggested translation of v. 8 from the UBS Text Project, p. 316.

"yesterday still my people rose up as an enemy (of God and their poor brothers): (being) in front of a cloak they strip off the honor of those who pass by in confidence, being averse to war/strife."

2:9 "The women of My people you evict" The VERB (BDB 176, KB 204, Piel IMPERFECT) means "to drive out" (cf. Hosea 9:15). This implies that the husbands have already been sold into indentured servitude, now the wife..

▣ "From her children you take My splendor forever" These children become slaves and worse (as did their parents). Their rightful land inheritance (here called "my splendor") as God's covenant people in the Promised Land (i.e., Year of Jubilee, when land was to be returned to its original tribal owners; see SPECIAL TOPIC: FEASTS OF ISRAEL, II. C.) was lost to greed and exploitation. They will also be corporately affected by the judgment of God (i.e., exile) that will come to national Judah, as it did to Israel. But in the future, they will receive their inheritance again (cf. Mic. 2:5). So "forever" is a way of showing intensity, not time here.

This may simply be imagery of the policies of the Assyrian army of killing the very young (and the very old) before exiling the parents.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('olam)

2:10 "Arise and go" These two VERBS (BDB 877, KB 1086, "arise; and BDB 229, KB 246, "go") are both Qal IMPERATIVES. This reflects either

1. a warning to the faithful few (i.e., the remnant; see SPECIAL TOPIC: REMNANT [three senses])
2. more probably, God's judgment of the nation (i.e., exile)
3. YHWH speaks to the invaders (NET Bible)

 ▣ "this is no place of rest" This term is used of the Promised Land in Deut. 12:9; Ps. 95:11. Here, it is an idiom for invasion and exile.

▣ "Because of the uncleanness that brings on destruction" This term "uncleanness" (BDB 380) is used in the OT to describe the abominations of the Canaanites. There is some question whether the MT has a VERB (BDB 379 I) or the NOUN (BDB 380). The UBS Text Project gives the VERB an "A" rating. Micah uses this same term to accuse the people of God of similar acts (cf. Lev. 18:24ff) that caused God to remove the Canaanites (cf. Gen. 15:12-21). He now removes the Israelites.

There is another COGNATE construction:

1. VERB, BDB 287 II, KB 285, Piel IMPERFECT ("bring a destruction")
2. NOUN, BDB 287, KB 285 ("a painful destruction")

The Niphal PARTICIPLE (BDB 599, KB 637) is literally "made sick" (e.g., Jer. 14:17). Physical illness is used as imagery for sin and rebellion (e.g., Mic. 1:9; Isa. 1:5-6; Ps. 103:3; Isa. 53:5).

2:11 "If a man, walking after the wind and falsehood" This seems to refer to the message of the false prophets who are readily embraced, while true prophets are rejected (cf. Mic. 2:6). These false teachers were always preaching covenant health, wealth, and prosperity (cf. Mic. 3:5; based on proof-texts from Deuteronomy 27-29). They always ignored the covenant responsibilities (see The Disease of the Health, Wealth Gospels by Gordon Fee). Most OT covenants are conditional! See SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT

This phrase is a play on the words "spirit" and "wind" (BDB 924, cf. Hosea 8:7, 12:1). See SPECIAL TOPIC: BREATH, WIND, SPIRIT (OT)

▣ "I will speak out to you concerning wine and liquor" This would refer to

1. God's agricultural abundance, promised in Deuteronomy 28
2. here, it may refer to the spiritual effects of prosperity (cf. Isa 5:11,12,22; 28:7)
3. drunkenness is often imagery for judgment in the OT

SPECIAL TOPIC: BIBLICAL ATTITUDES TOWARD ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOL ABUSE, II, A. #5

▣ "He would be spokesman to this people" The message of the prosperity made promises to the covenant people (Deuteronomy 28), but separated or never mentioned the covenant responsibility (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27,29). This was a favorite theme (as it is today). These false teachers promised peace (cf. Mic. 3:5) and prosperity, but in reality, God's judgment, not blessing, was swiftly approaching!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MICAH 2:12-13
 ¹²"I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob,
 I will surely gather the remnant of Israel.
 I will put them together like sheep in the fold;
 Like a flock in the midst of its pasture
 They will be noisy with men.
 ¹³The breaker goes up before them;
 They break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it.
 So their king goes on before them,
 And the Lord at their head."

2:12-13 These verses are a radical change from judgment to hope, which characterizes this book. There have been several theories concerning this radical change:

1. John Calvin and Kimchi see Mic. 2:12 and 13 as referring to the deportation into exile
2. it is possibly another quote from the false teachers (i.e., a response to Mic. 2:10)
3. this is Micah's personal hope in YHWH's protection
4. an insertion of the later redactor
5. I prefer the sudden shifts to the poetic parallelism known as antithetical parallelism, so common in Hebrew Wisdom Literature, and prophetic poetry.

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY

2:12 "I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob" This is an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and IMPERFECT VERB from the same root (BDB 62, KB 74) for the "surety of YHWH's promise" of return and covenant blessing. This is a promise of future restoration to the Promised Land through YHWH's power by YHWH Himself (cf. Deut. 30:4; Jer. 23:3; 31:8). Even though Israel was judged because of the wicked, all of its people paid the price of invasion and exile. God will set it straight for those (and their descendants) who truly trust and obey Him (i.e., the faithful remnant)!

Verse 12 is in the first person ("I"), but Mic. 2:13 is in the third person. This is common in Hebrew, but here, possibly Mic. 2:12 is YHWH speaking and Mic. 2:13 Micah's comment and development.

▣ "the remnant of Israel" This theological concept becomes a recurrent hope in the Prophets. It refers to a small group of faithful, believing, obedient, covenant Israelites from which YHWH will build His kingdom (cf. Mic. 4:6-7). The majority of the covenant people (i.e., descendants of Abraham) are not believers, not obedient, and not right with God. They deserve temporal and eschatological judgment.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE REMNANT, THREE SENSES

▣  "like sheep in the fold,

Like a flock in the midst of its pasture" This may be a play on

1. a place name, Bozrah (MT, JPSOA, BDB 131 II), which was known for its excellent sheep
2. a parallel to a pasture and, therefore, a protected enclosure (BDB 131 I, found only here in the OT, i.e., sheepfold, which requires an emendation to the MT)
3. other options, the LXX has "like sheep in affliction"; Peshitta, "like sheep when they are in danger." This option is also followed by the Latin Vulgate.

These allusions to sheep and shepherding are covenant imagery for YHWH's care and provision (cf. Psalm 23). The sheep are guarded and cared for. The last line of Mic. 2:12 seems to imply

1. a joyful group
2. as in NKJV and NIV, a large number of people

2:13 Micah seems to be speaking again (i.e., third person references to YHWH). This verse is Messianic text. The Davidic kingship will be restored (cf. 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17).

There is a word play between "breaker" (Mic. 2:13a, BDB 829, KB 971, Qal PARTICIPLE) and "break out" (Mic. 2:13b, BDB 829, KB 971, Qal PERFECT). The king will lead his people out of the pen of the exile into a large pasture, where they run and jump with joy!

Notice the concept of pen is used in two senses:

1. in Mic. 2:12 as a protective enclosure
2. in Mic. 2:13 as a restrictive enclosure

Notice how the Davidic King (cf. Mic. 2:13c) is paralleled with YHWH (cf. Mic. 2:13d). This implies a divine king (cf. Mic. 5:2-4)! However, this context could be seen as YHWH, the One who caused the exile is the very One who reverses it. The king may be a way of referring to God (cf. Mic. 4:7; 1 Sam. 8:7).

SPECIAL TOPIC: OT TITLES OF THE SPECIAL COMING ONE

▣ "the gate" This was Old Testament imagery for the power of a city or city-state. This is a word play between the gate of the sheepfold and the national power (i.e., Assyria), which exiled the Northern Ten Tribes (in 722 B.C.).

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