Micah · Chapter 5

V. 1. Now gather thyself-Since this must be done, do it quickly. O daughter of troops-Nineveh or Babylon. He-Sennacherib, or Nebuchadnezzar. They-The proud, oppressive enemy. The judge-The king. Of Israel-Not the ten tribes, though they are actually called by this name, but the two tribes that adhered to David’s family. A rod-This is a proverbial speech, expressing the most contemptuous usage.

Verse 1. O daughter of troops] The Chaldeans, whose armies were composed of troops from various nations.

He (Nebuchadnezzar) hath laid siege against us; (Jerusalem;) they shall smite the judge of Israel (Zedekiah) with a rod upon the cheek.] They shall offer him the greatest indignity. They slew his sons before his face; and then put out his eyes, loaded him with chains, and carried him captive to Babylon.

Verse 1. Now gather thyself, &c. — It seems this verse ought to be joined to the foregoing chapter, as it evidently belongs to it, and not to this, which is upon a quite different subject. Thus considered, after the promises given of a restoration from the captivity into which they should be carried, and of victory over their surrounding enemies, the prophecy concludes with bidding them first expect an enemy to come against them, who should lay siege to their chief city, and carry their insolence so far as to treat the judge of Israel in the most indignant and despiteful manner, such as striking him on the cheek, or face, with a rod, or stick. This, it is likely, was fulfilled on Zedekiah, who was treated in a contumelious manner by the Chaldeans, as if he had been a common captive, 2 Kings 25:6, 7. And as the singular number is often used for the plural, by the judge of Israel may be meant the judges of Israel, including their principal men, as well as the king, for they doubtless were treated no better than he was; nay, probably, still more indignantly.

Verse 1. Oh daughter of troops. Of thieves, that is, the Chaldeans, who having robbed all the nations of Asia, came to Jerusalem, and robbed the whole land, smote Zedekiah with the severe rod of correction, and put out his eyes. The hope of the church then lay in the healer, as in the next verse. Under these, the severest strokes of trouble, the prophet drives the flock into the fold of Christ.

They shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek. Hoshea, on the taking of Samaria, was probably insulted somewhat as Zedekiah was on the taking of Jerusalem. 2 Kings 17:6. 25:7. Julius Cæsar used to say to his soldiers, “aim at their faces, lads.” Such are the horrors of war.

V. 2. Bethlehem-Bethlehem of Judah was called Ephratah, from the fruitfulness of the land where it stood: the word whence it is derived importing fruitfulness. Art thou little-If thou art the least in other respects in this thou art honoured above them all. Ruler-King and sovereign. In Israel-Amidst the Israel of God. Going forth-Whose generation, as he is the Son of God, equal with his father, is eternal.

Verse 2. But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah] I have considered this subject in great detail in Clarke’s notes on “Matthew 2:6”, to which the reader will be pleased to refer. This verse should begin this chapter; the first verse belongs to the preceding chapter.

Bethlehem Ephratah, to distinguish it from another Beth-lehem, which was in the tribe of Zebulun, Joshua 19:15.

Thousands of Judah] The tribes were divided into small portions called thousands; as in our country certain divisions of counties are called hundreds.

Whose goings forth have been from of old] In every age, from the foundation of the world, there has been some manifestation of the Messiah. He was the hope, as he was the salvation, of the world, from the promise to Adam in paradise, to his manifestation in the flesh four thousand years after.

From everlasting] µlw[ ymym miyemey olam, “From the days of all time;” from time as it came out of eternity. That is, there was no time in which he has not been going forth-coming in various ways to save men. And he that came forth the moment that time had its birth, was before that time in which he began to come forth to save the souls that he had created. He was before all things. As he is the Creator of all things, so he is the Eternal, and no part of what was created. All being but God has been created. Whatever has not been created is God. But Jesus is the Creator of all things; therefore he is God; for he cannot be a part of his own work.

Verse 2. But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah — Here we have evidently the beginning of another subject, quite different from any thing that the first verse can relate to, and with which it seems to have no connection. The word Ephrah, or Ephratah, is here added, to distinguish Beth-lehem in the tribe of Judah, from another Beth-lehem in the tribe of Zebulun. It is called Ephratah, from the fruitfulness of the land where it stood: the word whence that term is derived importing fruitfulness. Though thou be little — The word though is not in the Hebrew, but supplied by our translators. And the sense of the sentence, it seems, is unnecessarily altered by its introduction. Many interpreters render the clauses interrogatively, thus; Art thou little among the thousands of Judah? The expression, the thousands of Judah, seems to have been used in allusion to the first division of the people, into thousands, hundreds, and other subordinate divisions. The rendering of the clause thus, Art thou little, &c., which implies the contrary, thou art not little, is certainly the right way of rendering it, because St. Matthew understood it, and quotes it, in this sense, chap. 2:6, And thou Beth-lehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah. Bishop Newcome’s translation of the clause accords still more exactly with St. Matthew’s, “Thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, art thou too little to be among the leaders of Judah? Out of thee shall come, &c.,” the word wpla, rendered thousands, often signifying heads of thousands. Yet out of thee, &c. — The word yet also is not in the Hebrew; and if the preceding clause be rendered, as is here proposed, interrogatively, it is not necessary to complete the sense of the verse; indeed, it would only obscure it. Out of thee shall come forth, &c., that is to be ruler in Israel — This prophecy can be applied, with no propriety, to any other but the Messiah. The words must be very much wrested and changed from their natural meaning, or deprived of their full force or signification, before they can be applied to any other person. The Jews, even the most learned ones, before and at our Saviour’s time, understood this to be spoken of the Messiah; for St. Matthew informs us, Matthew 2:5, 6, that when Herod inquired of the chief priests and scribes, assembled together, to give him information where Christ should be born, they agreed unanimously that it was in Beth-lehem of Judea, alleging these very words as a certain and undeniable proof of it. And so did the generality of the Jews of that age, who speak of it as an undoubted truth, that Christ was to come of the seed of David, and of the town of Beth-lehem, where David was, John 7:42. The Chaldee agrees with their sentiments, and expressly applies the prophecy to the Messiah; and our Lord was born at Beth-lehem by an especial act of Providence, that this prophecy might plainly be fulfilled in him: see Luke 2:4. The expression, come forth, is the same as to be born. Whose goings forth have been of old from everlasting — Hebrew, µlw[ ymym µdqm, rendered by the LXX., ap achv, ex hmewn aiwnov; and exactly in the same sense by the Vulgate, ab initio, a diebus æternitatis, from the beginning, from the days of eternity. So these Hebrew expressions must of necessity signify in divers places of Scripture, being used to signify the eternity of God: see Psalm 55:19, and 90:2; Proverbs 8:23; Habakkuk 1:12. The words naturally import an original, distinct from the birth of Christ mentioned in the foregoing sentence, which original is here declared to be from all eternity.

Ver. 2. Thou Bethlehem Ephratah, the old name of that city. Out of thee shall come forth to me him that shall be Ruler in Israel. Born indeed of Mary in Bethlehem, but in divine geniture, his goings forth were of old from everlasting. The Hebrew word µlw[ ôllam, is the same here as in the ninetieth Psalm: from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. The Father “possessed him in his bosom before his works of old.” Proverbs 8:22. And in Psalm 110. the Chaldaic paraphrase calls Christ the Eternal Word, as in John 1:1; and adds, “from the womb of the morning, thou hast the dew of thy youth,” which is the idiom of the Hebrews to designate eternity. I have now before me the version of archbishop Newcome, 4to. 1788, and 8vo. 1809. He reads, “Art thou too little among the leaders of Judah? Out of thee shall come forth unto me one who is to be a ruler in Israel. And his goings forth have been from of old, from the days of hidden ages.” What is the primate’s note? “His goings forth, his appearance, his displays of power: axy yatza,—used for a people coming originally from such a place, Deuteronomy 2:23; for a person’s setting out from such a place to found an empire. Genesis 10:11.—May it not then signify the person’s original descent from Bethlehem, being ancient; that is, from David’s time?” What a turn—and what a question!

The exceptions we take to this reading, and to the note, are many.

1. “A ruler.”—This reading approximates to the unitarian version of the new testament, where the phrase, a god, is of frequent occurrence.—His Grace here is cautious enough to avoid asserting that Christ did not exist before his birth in Bethlehem. Samuel Clarke escaped, and saved himself from the loss of his rectory of St. James’s, London, when before the convocation, by the assertion, that he had nowhere called Christ a creature! How those hypocrites will get off when before the great white throne, is a subject of future enquiry. If sincere in their socinian dogmas, why not be sincere, like Mr. Lindsey, in renouncing their splendid preferments?

2. The comparison between the going forth of the Son of God, to that of the going forth of Assur to build Nineveh, Genesis 10:11, is equally derogatory of his glory. The enquirer after truth will find himself in the safest hands by a collation of one text with many others, where the word occurs. Yatza is used by Moses, in Deuteronomy 8:3. By every word that proceedeth [goeth forth] out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. “Wisdom shall praise herself—I came out of the mouth of the Most High.” Ecclus. 24:1-4. It occurs likewise in Hosea 6:3; a passage which the holy fathers and doctors with one consent apply to Christ. “His going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come to us as the rain.” That morning designates his eternity, or preëxistence, declared by his going forth in the creation, as stated in Psalm 110:3. Proverbs 8:22, 30.

3. Exception is taken to the reading,—”hidden ages,” as vague, obscure, and irrelevant; and it is more obscure by being mixed up in the notes with the word µdq kedem, formerly, anciently, everlasting, which indeed, like ôllam, when applied to God, denotes eternity of existence. Thus in Habakkuk 1:12, “Art thou not (mi-kedem) from everlasting, oh Lord my God, my Holy One?” Ollam also, whenever applied to the Deity, or his perfections, unequivocally expresses an existence uncreated, and ever-subsisting. Ex. “From everlasting to everlasting thou art God.” Psalm 90:2. In forty other places the same word is repeated: “for his mercy endureth for ever—his truth endureth for ever.”

4. The primate’s version and notes are so cold and philosophical, that they bring no more joy to the suffering church when Samaria was burned, than that of the birth of any other son of obscure and “hidden” origin. The promise of this Son to fallen Adam, was life from the dead; to Abraham, it was the hope of his pilgrimage; to king Ahaz, the promise of the virgin’s Son was a pledge of salvation; to Zerubbabel, the Desire of all nations was a double promise, of long life to finish his work, and that his rising temple should eclipse the glory of Solomon’s. But here, alas, while we are struggling against the blasphemy of atheism, unitarianism has no consolation for us but the darkness of “hidden ages.” Nay, worse and worse, a student can scarcely buy a book of science, or travel; or a Calmet, to understand the scriptures, but all is belarded with sweet suet, that unsuspecting youths may have their minds empoisoned, as the vermin that eat the bane.—Why did the Newcomes, the Blaneys, the Heys, the M—ts, and a hundred more, subscribe to the thirty nine articles?—Dean Kippling honestly tells us, that “he and others, for peace sake, have subscribed to the articles in their newly-acquired sense!!”—See his Essay, the church of England not Calvinistic.

V. 3. He-God. Give them up-To the Chaldeans. She-The daughter of Zion, compared here to a woman in travail, shall be delivered out of captivity. His brethren-The brethren of the Messiah. Those of Judah and Benjamin who were carried captive.

Verse 3. Therefore will he give them up] Jesus Christ shall give up the disobedient and rebellious Jews into the hands of all the nations of the earth, till she who travaileth hath brought forth; that is, till the Christian Church, represented Revelation 12:1, under the notion of a woman in travail, shall have had the fulness of the Gentiles brought in. Then the remnant of his brethren shall return; the Jews also shall be converted unto the Lord; and thus all Israel shall be saved, according to Romans 11:26.

Unto the children of Israel.] Taking in both families, that of Judah and that of Israel. The remnant of the ten tribes, wherever they are, shall be brought in under Christ; and though now lost among the nations of the earth, they will then not only be brought in among the fulness of the Gentiles, but most probably be distinguished as Jews.

On this verse Abp. Newcome says, “The sense is, God will not fully vindicate and exalt his people, till the virgin mother shall have brought forth her Son; and till Judah and Israel, and all the true sons of Abraham among their brethren the Gentiles, be converted to Christianity.

Verse 3. Therefore will he give them up — The particle ˆkl rendered therefore, should rather be here rendered, nevertheless. The meaning is, Notwithstanding the promise of so great a blessing, God would give up his people into the hands of their enemies, or leave them to be exercised with troubles and afflictions, till the appointed time of their deliverance should come. Until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth — Until the daughter of Zion, compared here to a woman in travail, shall be delivered out of captivity. Or rather, till the church of God, of which the daughter of Zion was a type, shall bring forth spiritual children of Jew and Gentile extraction unto God, by the preaching of the gospel: see Galatians 4:27. This prophecy will be more fully completed in the general conversion and restoration of the Jewish nation in the latter days: see Isaiah 66:7-11. Then the remnant of his brethren — The brethren of the Messiah, those of Judah and Benjamin especially, who were carried captive; shall return unto the children of Israel — Or, be converted with the children of Israel. Then the remnant of the dispersed Jews, upon their conversion, shall join themselves to the true Israelites, and make one church with them. Both the LXX. and Chaldee read, the remnant of their brethren: but if we follow the present Hebrew, we may understand it of the believers that were to be added to the church; for Christ vouchsafes to call all believers his brethren: see Hebrews 2:11; Matthew 12:50.

V. 4. He-The ruler, the Messiah shall stand. This posture speaks the readiness, chearfulness, and stability of Christ, his government, and kingdom. Feed-As a shepherd that diligently guides, preserves, and feeds his sheep. By the strength-By his own almighty strength. Of the name-By commission from the Father in whose name Christ came, preached, wrought miracles, and instituted his gospel church. They-His church made up of converted Jews and Gentiles, shall continue; the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. For-The church is so redeemed, and established, that Christ the Messiah might be glorified, throughout the world.

Verse 4. He shall stand and feed] The Messiah shall remain with his followers, supporting and governing them in the strength and majesty of the Lord, with all the miraculous interferences of his power, and all the glories of his grace.

And they shall abide] After this the Jews shall no more go astray, but shall remain one people with the Gentiles, under the one Shepherd and Bishop of all souls.

Newcome translates, “They shall be converted” for instead of wbvyw veyashebu, he reads wbwvyw veyashubu, which gives him the translation above. This is the reading of three MSS. of Kennicott’s and Deuteronomy Rossi’s, with the Syriac, Chaldee, and Vulgate.

For now shall he be great] The Messiah shall be great, as bringing salvation to the ends of the earth. All nations shall receive his religion, and he shall be universal King.

Verse 4. And he shall stand and feed — Or rule as the word h[r, here rendered feed, often signifies: that is, he shall go on, he shall continue to rule, or feed, his people. Christ shall diligently perform the office of a shepherd, or governor, over his church. In the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord — God, or the indwelling Deity, strengthening and exalting his human nature. The expression, the name of the Lord his God, might be intended to signify the Messiah’s acting by commission from the Father, in whose name he came, preached, wrought miracles, and instituted his gospel church. And they shall abide — His church, made up of converted Jews and Gentiles, shall continue; the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. For now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth — Some interpret this as signifying the making the true God known over all the earth: but it seems rather to be intended of the Messiah; for the angel, who foretold his conception to his virgin mother, as is related Luke 1:32, 33, seems plainly to allude to this prophecy, saying, He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, &c. And he is dignified with such titles as were never given to any creature, as the apostle proves at large, Hebrews 1:4-14.

Verse 4 describes the activity of the new ruler, who is represented, in accord with a common Semitic custom, as a shepherd shepherding his flock. Stand — Like a shepherd in the midst of his flock (Isaiah 61:5). Feed — Not only provide nourishment, but in general “give a shepherd’s care.” In the strength of Jehovah — He will be endowed with strength from Jehovah, that he may defend his sheep against wolves and robbers (John 10:11, 12). In the majesty of the name of Jehovah — The name of Jehovah is Jehovah in manifestation (see on Micah 4:5; Amos 2:7; compare A.B. Davidson, The Theology of the Old Testament, pp. 36ff.). The majesty of the name of Jehovah is the majesty or splendor in which Jehovah manifests himself upon earth. The same splendor will show itself in the activity of the divinely appointed ruler. Under this shepherd’s care the people will live in peace and felicity. They — The subjects. Shall abide — Equivalent to shall abide in peace and safety; no one can harm them (compare Hosea 2:18; Isaiah 9:7; 11:6-9). Now — Refers not to the time of speaking, but to the time when the shepherd will exercise his shepherding care. Shall he be great unto the ends of the earth — This may mean that his power and authority will extend over the whole earth, but in view of verse 5, which implies that some nations will rise up against his kingdom, it is better to understand it as meaning that his reputation will spread far and wide, so that other nations will hesitate to attack his people. If they should dare to do it he can easily overthrow them before they can do any harm.

The first sentence of verse 5 is a part of this section. And this man shall be the peace — The promised ruler will be peace personified; from him it will spread over the whole promised land, and ultimately the whole world will be benefited by it (Ephesians 2:14). The expression “comprehends in one pregnant and blissful word what the Messiah’s coming signifies for his people and the world generally.” There may be an allusion to “Prince of peace” (Isaiah 9:6), a part of a prophecy delivered in connection with the Syro-Ephraimitish crisis in 735-734.

Supremacy over Assyria, 5b, 6.

Ultimately war shall be no more (Micah 4:3), but hostility on the part of the foreign nations will not cease immediately upon the appearance of the Messianic king. However, when a hostile demonstration is made, the people need not be afraid, for there will be a superabundance of leaders to ward off serious trouble. Assyrian — A defeat of Assyria is promised in Micah 4:12, 13, but it will not result in the destruction of the world power, which in time will renew its efforts to subdue the people of God. The outcome will be the same. Into (or, against) our land — Does not imply necessarily a crossing of the borders, simply an expedition for the purpose of invasion. Tread in our palaces — This does presuppose “domination over the holy land.” It seems strange, however, that in one and the same breath the prophet should promise peace and safety for the flock (4, 5a) and, on the other hand, a victory of the Assyrians that will result in the occupancy of the palaces in the land of Israel. No wonder many commentators regard these verses not a part of the original, but an “afterthought,” The difficulty vanishes if we follow LXX. and read “borders,” which presupposes a Hebrew word very similar to the one translated “palaces.” Then the whole sentence will read, “when he marches on our borders” (compare last sentence of verse 6), and, like the preceding, it refers to an attempted invasion. The attempt will fail, because the enemy will be met by brave heroes, who will drive him back. Shepherds,… principal men — The last literally, princes among men. These will be the leaders of the forces of the Messianic king. Their relation to the chief shepherd (verse 4) is not indicated; undoubtedly they are to be considered his subordinates (compare Isaiah 32:1). Seven… eight — A specimen of ascending enumeration (see on Amos 1:3). “Seven” signifies a perfect number, “eight” is added to indicate that there will be even more than enough leaders.

Under these leaders the enemy will be driven quickly from the borders, but they will not be satisfied to remain on the defensive; they will assume the offensive and invade the land of the enemy, Assyria. Waste — Literally, feed off. It will be left completely bare. Land of Nimrod — Though primarily a designation of the land of Babylonia (Genesis 10:10), it may be applied to Assyria, for “out of that land he (Nimrod) went forth into Assyria” (Genesis 10:11). Here may be the additional thought that the shepherds will penetrate Assyria even to the far distant Babylonia. Cheyne thinks that there is a “special significance in the phrase, for a Hebrew could hardly help connecting Nimrod with maradh, ‘to rebel.’” In the entrances thereof — Literally, in the gates thereof (compare Nab. 3:13). The parallelism requires an expression similar to “with the sword.” Vulgate reads “with his lances”; A.V. margin, “with her own naked swords”; but in this rendering it is difficult to determine the antecedent of “her,” and it is exceedingly doubtful that the Hebrew warrants the translation “naked swords.” A very slight change would give “with drawn swords” (compare Psalm 55:21, where the same word is used). For the latter part of verse 6 see on verse 5.

The restored nation’s attitude toward other peoples, 7-9.

V. 5. This man-The Messiah. The peace-Which is promised to the people of God; all their deliverances are not only for his sake, but effected by his power. Shall tread in our palaces-Which Sennacherib did in all the cities of Judah, except Jerusalem. We-Hezekiah, and with him the prophets and people, shall prevail with God to send deliverance. Seven shepherds-A certain number put for an uncertain.

Verse 5. And this man shall be the peace] This clause should be joined to the preceding verse, as it finishes the prophecy concerning our blessed Lord, who is the Author and Prince of Israel; and shall finally give peace to all nations, by bringing them under his yoke.

When the Assyrian shall come] This is a new prophecy, and relates to the subversion of the Assyrian empire.

Then shall we raise against him seven shepherds] Supposed to mean the seven Maccabees, Mattathias, and his five sons, and Hyrcanus, the son of Simon.

Eight principal men.] Eight princes, the Asmonean race; beginning with Aristobulus, and ending with Herod, who was married to Mariamne.— Sharpe. Perhaps seven and eight are a definite for an indefinite number, as Ecclesiastes 11:2; Job 5:19. The prophet means the chiefs of the Medes and Babylonians, the prefects of different provinces who took Nineveh, whose number may have been what is here specified.—Newcome. Calmet considers this as referring to the invasion of Judea by Cambyses, when the Lord raised up against him the seven magi. He of them who passed for king of the Persians was the Smerdis of Herodotus, the Oropastes of Trogus, and the Artaxerxes of Ezra. These magi were put to death by seven Persian chiefs; who, having delivered the empire from them, set one of themselves, Darius, the son of Hystaspes, upon the throne.

Verse 5. This man shall be the peace — Christ is our peace as a priest, making atonement for sin, and reconciling us to God: he is our peace as a king, conquering our enemies, protecting us against their attacks, and preserving our minds in peace and tranquillity. In this latter sense the expression seems to be taken here: as if he had said, The Messiah, in all ages, whether before or after his incarnation, secures the peace and welfare of his church and people, against all the attempts of his and their enemies. When the Assyrian, &c. — After the illustrious prophecy relating to the Messiah, in the foregoing verses, the prophet passes on to the subversion of the Assyrian empire, and, under the type of that ancient enemy of God’s people, foretels the overthrow of all their enemies, especially of the antichristian powers which should attack his church in the latter days. Shall come into our land — As Sennacherib did with an overwhelming army, within a few years after this prophecy was delivered, when, by the power and authority of the Messiah, the Son of God, in his pre-existent state, (see verse 2,) the Assyrian army was defeated, and Judea’s peace secured. When he shall tread in our palaces — Which Sennacherib did in all the cities or Judah, except Jerusalem, against which he could not prevail, because Immanuel was with Hezekiah and that city, as foretold Isaiah 8:8-10, and 37:32-35, where see the notes. Then shall we raise against him — Namely, Hezekiah, and with him the prophets and people, by prayer shall prevail with God to send deliverance. This seems primarily to refer to the deliverance of Hezekiah and his kingdom from the Assyrian army who invaded them. Seven shepherds and eight principal men — Or, seven rulers and eight princes of men, as Archbishop Newcome renders it, who thinks the prophet means the chiefs of the Medes and Babylonians, the prefects of different provinces, who, some time after the fall of Sennacherib, took Nineveh, overthrew the Assyrian empire, and thereby delivered the Jews from that oppressive power. Their number, he thinks, may have been what is here specified. Or, seven and eight may stand for an indefinite number, as similar expressions often do.

Ver. 5. And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrians shall come. Why do the enemies of Christ raise difficulties here, because the word man is not in the text? The emphatic pronouns, this, iste, zeh, have the same force. They have no other antecedent but the Ruler, or the Shepherd of Israel, who feeds his flock in the strength of Jehovah, in the magnitude, or doxh, the glory of the name of the Lord.

V. 6. They-The seven shepherds, and eight principal men, those great instruments of God’s revenge, and his church’s deliverance. Waste the land-So did Merodach Baladan, king of Babylon. The land of Nimrod-The same with the land of Assyria. The entrance-The fortified frontiers. In this manner shall he, the Messiah, deliver the Jews, his people. The Assyrian-The type of all other enemies, to the people of God.

Verse 6. The land of Nimrod] Assyria, and Nineveh its capital; and Babylon, which was also built by Nimrod, who was its first king, Genesis 10:11, 12, in the margin.

In the entrances thereof] At its posts or watergates; for it was by rendering themselves masters of the Euphrates that the Medes and Persians took the city, according to the prediction of Jeremiah, Jeremiah 51:32, 36.

Calmet thinks that this refers to the deliverance of the land from Cambyses by his death, and the insurrection of the eight princes mentioned above, who made themselves masters of the whole Babylonian empire, &c. Perhaps it is best to refer it to the invasion of Judea by Nebuchadnezzar; and the final destruction of the Babylonish empire by Cyrus, who took Babylon, slew Belshazzar, and possessed himself of the kingdom.

Verse 6. And they — The seven shepherds and eight principal men; or, the rulers and princes of men, mentioned in the preceding clause; those great and successful instruments of God’s revenge, and his church’s deliverance, shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword — Which the Medes and Babylonians did, under the conduct of Merodach-baladan, king of Babylon, who, taking advantage of the weakness of the Assyrian kingdom, humbled partly by the great destruction of Sennacherib’s army, and the murder of that mighty monarch, and partly by the civil wars which ensued between the regicides and Esar-haddon, took arms, and succeeded in the attempt of subduing the Assyrian kingdom, with much slaughter and bloodshed. This Merodach-baladan was the person who sent the congratulatory letter and embassy to Hezekiah, lately cured by a miracle of his otherwise mortal disease, and delivered from the Assyrian power, Isaiah 39:1, 2. And the land of Nimrod — The same with the land of Assyria. In the entrances thereof — The fortified frontiers, the garrisons, which kept all the entrances of the kingdom. Or, by the land of Nimrod, the Babylonish empire may be understood, which afterward by Nebuchadnezzar’s hand destroyed the Jews, Jerusalem, and the temple, and was overthrown by the Medes and Persians, whom God raised up to punish Babylon, and release the Jews. Thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian — Whether considered literally as the present enemies of God’s people, or as types of all their other and future enemies.

Ver. 6. They shall waste the land of Assyria, by the fall of Babylon, and the conquest of their empire.

V. 7. As a dew-This remnant wherever they are, shall multiply as the dew that refreshes the grass, so where this remnant is, it shall be a blessing to those about them, that use them friendly. As the showers-God shall bless them by his immediate hand, as he alone, without the help of man, gives dew and showers. As this was fulfilled in the type, before the gospel was preached to all nations, so it hath been, now is, and ever shall be fulfilled in ages to come. God’s remnant shall be a blessing to the places they live in.

Verse 7. The remnant of Jacob] From the reign of Darius Hystaspes (Ahasuerus, husband of Esther) the Jews were greatly favoured. Those who continued in Persia and Chaldea were greatly honoured under the protection of Mordecai and Esther.—Calmet. But others consider this as applying to the Maccabees.

As a dew from the Lord] Even during their captivity many of the Jews were the means of spreading the knowledge of the one true God; see Daniel 2:47; 3:29; 4:34; 6:26. This may be the dew from the Lord mentioned here. When the Messiah appeared, the Gospel was preached by them; and it shall again be propagated by their future glorious restoration, Romans 11:12, 25.

The grass, that tarrieth not for man] Which grass springs up without the attention and culture of man; vyal leish, even the best and most skilful of men.

Nor waiteth for the sons of men.] אדם לבני libney adam, for the sons of Adam, the first transgressor. The dew and the showers descend on the earth and water it, in order to render it fruitful; and the grass springs up independently either of the worth or wickedness of man. All comes through God’s bounty, who causes his sun to shine on the just and the unjust, and his rain to descend on the evil and the good.

Verse 7. And the remnant of Jacob — Those who remained after the Assyrian invasion in the days of Hezekiah and Josiah, in whose reigns a considerable reformation was effected; and the remnant that should be carried captive into Babylon, who during their captivity should contribute to spread the knowledge of the one true God among the Chaldeans; (see Daniel 2:47, and 3:29, and 4:34, and 6:26;) and more especially those that should return from captivity under Zerubbabel; shall be in the midst of many people as the dew, &c. — Shall multiply, and become numerous as the drops of dew. Or rather, as the dew refreshes and fertilizes the earth, so shall they be a blessing to all around them that use them friendly. The remnant, however, here principally meant, is that spoken of by Joel 2:32, the remnant which the Lord should call, on which the Spirit should be poured out, and which should be saved, (Romans 9:27,) namely, the Jewish converts to Christianity, among whom were the apostles, evangelists, and other first ministers of the word. These, dispersed through divers countries, like the drops of dew, or showers of rain scattered over the face of the earth, and refreshing and fertilizing the vegetable creation, shall, by their doctrine, example, exhortations, and prayers, refresh and render fruitful, in piety and virtue, the formerly barren nations, and make them grow in grace and goodness, like the grass that tarrieth not for man, but flourishes in places on which man bestows no culture, only by the divine blessing. Thus shall God, by the gospel of his grace, and the influence of his Spirit, unaided by human wisdom or power, render the barren deserts of the Gentile world fruitful to his praise, in a large increase of spiritual worshippers, and holy faithful servants to him.

Ver. 7. The remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord. Rain designates knowledge and grace. “My speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass. Deuteronomy 32:2. Psalm 72:6. The jews, after the captivity, disseminated the knowledge and worship of the true God among the nations where they travelled. And as they now wander on the face of the whole earth, and speak all languages, perhaps the providence of God reserves them in his treasuries as a world of missionaries, when their conversion shall be as life from the dead.

7, 8. The remnant of Jacob — See on verse 3. Dew… showers — The tertium comparationis is not “the mysterious origin of the dew and rain,” or “the countless number of the dewdrops,” but the refreshing and vitalizing power. “Israel will come upon many nations like a refreshing dew from Jehovah, which falls plentifully in drops upon the grass, and will produce and promote new and vigorous life among them” (compare 4:1-3). Tarrieth not… nor waiteth — The falling of the rain and dew is neither helped nor hindered by man, for the processes of nature go on while man slumbers; in the same way the vitalizing influences will proceed from the remnant no matter what the attitude of anyone. But this does not mean that the attitude of those involved has nothing to do with the participation or nonparticipation in these blessings. The destiny and mission of Israel cannot be affected by the hostility or friendship of the nations in whose midst it labors, but the destiny of these nations will be determined thereby. The friendly will be refreshed, but, verse 8 continues, the hostile will be devoured by the remnant, as beasts of the forest or sheep are devoured by a ferocious lion. None can deliver [“there is none to deliver”] — Nothing or no one can resist successfully the power of the remnant. In verse 9 the prophet addresses a word of encouragement or blessing to the remnant marching forth to subdue its enemies. If this is the meaning of the verse, R.V. is to be preferred: “Let thine hand be lifted up above thine adversaries, and let all thine enemies be cut off.” An even better rendering would be, “May… be lifted up, may… be cut off,” that is, May you be completely successful in the task appointed to you by Jehovah. “May thy hand be lifted up above” is equivalent to “mayest thou triumph over.” Others interpret verse 9 as expressing the conviction of the prophet that the victory promised will surely be won. Then A.V. is to be preferred, “Thine hand shall indeed be lifted up.”

Jehovah’s achievements on behalf of the redeemed remnant, 10-15.

V. 8. As a lion-For strength and courage, which the beasts of the forest dare not oppose, and cannot resist.

Verse 8. As a lion] In this and the following verse the victories of the Maccabees are supposed to be foretold.

Verse 8. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles as a lion — For strength and courage, which the beasts of the forest dare not oppose, and cannot resist. This seems to be a prediction of what was to be effected in the times of the Maccabees, and those following them, when the Jewish people gained great advantages over the Idumeans, Moabites, Ammonites, Samaritans, &c. Or, as the former verse describes the benefits which the converted Jews should bring to those Gentiles that were disposed to embrace the gospel; this shows us what the enemies and opposers of the truth had to expect: see notes on Psalm 2:5, 9; Isaiah 60:12.

Ver. 8. The remnant of Jacob shall be—as a lion. When the wicked Haman sought to slay all the jews, they fought for their lives, and slew Haman on the gallows, and his ten sons, and seventy five thousand of the men who sought their lives. Esther 9.

7, 8. The remnant of Jacob — See on verse 3. Dew… showers — The tertium comparationis is not “the mysterious origin of the dew and rain,” or “the countless number of the dewdrops,” but the refreshing and vitalizing power. “Israel will come upon many nations like a refreshing dew from Jehovah, which falls plentifully in drops upon the grass, and will produce and promote new and vigorous life among them” (compare 4:1-3). Tarrieth not… nor waiteth — The falling of the rain and dew is neither helped nor hindered by man, for the processes of nature go on while man slumbers; in the same way the vitalizing influences will proceed from the remnant no matter what the attitude of anyone. But this does not mean that the attitude of those involved has nothing to do with the participation or nonparticipation in these blessings. The destiny and mission of Israel cannot be affected by the hostility or friendship of the nations in whose midst it labors, but the destiny of these nations will be determined thereby. The friendly will be refreshed, but, verse 8 continues, the hostile will be devoured by the remnant, as beasts of the forest or sheep are devoured by a ferocious lion. None can deliver [“there is none to deliver”] — Nothing or no one can resist successfully the power of the remnant. In verse 9 the prophet addresses a word of encouragement or blessing to the remnant marching forth to subdue its enemies. If this is the meaning of the verse, R.V. is to be preferred: “Let thine hand be lifted up above thine adversaries, and let all thine enemies be cut off.” An even better rendering would be, “May… be lifted up, may… be cut off,” that is, May you be completely successful in the task appointed to you by Jehovah. “May thy hand be lifted up above” is equivalent to “mayest thou triumph over.” Others interpret verse 9 as expressing the conviction of the prophet that the victory promised will surely be won. Then A.V. is to be preferred, “Thine hand shall indeed be lifted up.”

Jehovah’s achievements on behalf of the redeemed remnant, 10-15.

V. 9. Thine hand-Thou people of God.

Verse 9. All thine enemies shall be cut off.] The Assyrians, who had destroyed Israel; and the Babylonians, who had ruined Judah.

Verses 7-9 give another glimpse of the future. The prophet pictures two phases of the remnant’s relation to others nations. To some it will dispense blessings and power, to others terror and destruction. The nations that are sensitive and submit to the moral and religious influences going forth from the remnant, will be refreshed and blessed; those who oppose the benign influences will be trodden down and torn (compare Isaiah 8:14; Luke 2:34).

V. 10. I will cut off-Not in judgment, but in mercy, for there shall be no need of them, nor shall the church of God any more rely on them. Thy chariots-Chariots prepared for war.

Verse 10. I will cut off thy horses] Thou shalt have no need of cavalry in thine armies; God will fight for you.

Verses 10, 11. And in that day — Namely, in that time when the threatenings against the enemies, and the promises to the people of God shall be made good; I will cut off thy horses, &c. — Not in judgment, but in mercy, for there shall be no need of them, nor shall the church of God any more rely on them. And will destroy thy chariots — Chariots prepared for war. And I will cut off the cities, &c. — Cut off the occasion of fortifying thy cities: thou shalt need no other defence than what I will be to thee. And throw down all thy strong holds — Demolish thy forts, watch-towers, and garrisons. In the preceding verse, offensive preparations for annoying the enemy are intended; here, means of defence against the assaults of the enemy; in both which Israel had too much trusted. But in that time of peace and safety here spoken of, as there would be no enemy to invade the Israel of God, or put them on their defence; so neither should they have any need to make an attack upon any enemies.

10, 11. The passing away of human defenses. From the relation of the remnant to the nations without the prophet turns to the perfecting of the kingdom of God within. In that day — The day of triumph pictured in verses 8, 9. The wonderful experiences of the people will convince them that Jehovah is their real helper, not the chariots and horses in which they were putting their trust in Micah’s day (compare Isaiah 2:7; 30:16; 31:1); hence they will turn to him in confidence and faith. As a result all human defenses may be destroyed (compare Hosea 8:14; Isaiah 9:4ff.; 11:1ff.; Ezekiel 38:11). Should any foreign nations dare to rise against the people of Jehovah, he himself will smite them.

V. 11. The cities-Cut off the occasion of fortifying their cities, thou shalt need no other defence than what I am to thee.

Verse 11. I will—throw down all thy strongholds] Thou shalt have no need of fortified cities; I will be thy defense.

Verses 10, 11. And in that day — Namely, in that time when the threatenings against the enemies, and the promises to the people of God shall be made good; I will cut off thy horses, &c. — Not in judgment, but in mercy, for there shall be no need of them, nor shall the church of God any more rely on them. And will destroy thy chariots — Chariots prepared for war. And I will cut off the cities, &c. — Cut off the occasion of fortifying thy cities: thou shalt need no other defence than what I will be to thee. And throw down all thy strong holds — Demolish thy forts, watch-towers, and garrisons. In the preceding verse, offensive preparations for annoying the enemy are intended; here, means of defence against the assaults of the enemy; in both which Israel had too much trusted. But in that time of peace and safety here spoken of, as there would be no enemy to invade the Israel of God, or put them on their defence; so neither should they have any need to make an attack upon any enemies.

10, 11. The passing away of human defenses. From the relation of the remnant to the nations without the prophet turns to the perfecting of the kingdom of God within. In that day — The day of triumph pictured in verses 8, 9. The wonderful experiences of the people will convince them that Jehovah is their real helper, not the chariots and horses in which they were putting their trust in Micah’s day (compare Isaiah 2:7; 30:16; 31:1); hence they will turn to him in confidence and faith. As a result all human defenses may be destroyed (compare Hosea 8:14; Isaiah 9:4ff.; 11:1ff.; Ezekiel 38:11). Should any foreign nations dare to rise against the people of Jehovah, he himself will smite them.

V. 12. I will cut off-God will in mercy to his people take away these occasions of sin.

Verse 12. I will cut off witchcrafts] Thou shalt seek help only in Jehovah thy God. They have had neither soothsayers, images, groves, nor high places, from the captivity to the present day.

Verses 12-15. And I will cut off witchcrafts, &c. — Here is foretold the downfall of all unlawful arts and devices, which had been used by the Jews in former ages, to obtain the knowledge of future events: that God would, in mercy to his people, take away these occasions of sinning. Thy graven images also will I cut off — I will abolish every species of idolatry. This was effected, even among the Jews, by that severe judgment the Babylonish captivity, from which time they have abhorred the use of images in divine worship, and indeed have been kept from worshipping any false god. And I will pluck up thy groves — The usual scenes of idolatrous worship. It is justly observed by Mr. Scott here, that though the reformation of the Jews, after their return from Babylon, might be alluded to in this passage, yet the purification of the Christian Church from all antichristian corruptions of faith and worship, and all idolatry and superstition, seems more immediately to be predicted. “The reliance on human merits for justification, the external pomp used in worship, and the oppressive exercise of human authority in mere matters of conscience, will be entirely destroyed by the clear light of divine truth, and the power of divine grace; and simplicity and purity in doctrine, worship, and practice, will prevail, when the enemies of the church shall be destroyed.” And I will execute vengeance in anger, &c. — When I have purged my people from their corruptions, I will severely vindicate their cause, to the utter destruction of all their unbelieving enemies. Such as they have not heard — In an unprecedented manner. God will give his Son either the hearts or necks of his enemies, and make them either his friends or his footstool.

Ver. 12. I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy hand. Idols and witches are scarcely named after the jews returned from Babylon. Yet witchcraft existed in St. Paul’s time among the gentiles. Galatians 5:20. See on Exodus 22:18.

12. Witchcrafts and soothsayers will be removed. Witchcrafts — That witchcrafts were practiced in Judah in Micah’s age is stated also by Isaiah (Micah 2:6; 8:19), but what was their precise nature cannot be determined, though necromancy seems to have played an important part (Isaiah 8:19). Some think that the expression “out of thine hand” limits the prophet’s implied condemnation to such “arts” as were performed with the hand. However, this is doubtful, since “out of thine hand” is equivalent to “from you” (compare Micah 2:1, “in the power of their hand,” equivalent to “in their power”; compare also Isaiah 1:12). The term used here is a general term denoting black arts and practices of every sort. Soothsayers — This also is a general term, denoting the persons who practice the “witchcrafts” mentioned in 12a. The Hebrew word seems to be a derivative from a noun meaning “cloud”; hence it may denote primarily persons who professed to read a hidden meaning in the movements of the clouds.

V. 13. Graven images-This was verified among the Jews, who to this day hate images for divine uses, and learnt this in their captivity.

Verse 13. Thy graven images also will I cut off] Thou shalt be no more an idolatrous people.

Verses 12-15. And I will cut off witchcrafts, &c. — Here is foretold the downfall of all unlawful arts and devices, which had been used by the Jews in former ages, to obtain the knowledge of future events: that God would, in mercy to his people, take away these occasions of sinning. Thy graven images also will I cut off — I will abolish every species of idolatry. This was effected, even among the Jews, by that severe judgment the Babylonish captivity, from which time they have abhorred the use of images in divine worship, and indeed have been kept from worshipping any false god. And I will pluck up thy groves — The usual scenes of idolatrous worship. It is justly observed by Mr. Scott here, that though the reformation of the Jews, after their return from Babylon, might be alluded to in this passage, yet the purification of the Christian Church from all antichristian corruptions of faith and worship, and all idolatry and superstition, seems more immediately to be predicted. “The reliance on human merits for justification, the external pomp used in worship, and the oppressive exercise of human authority in mere matters of conscience, will be entirely destroyed by the clear light of divine truth, and the power of divine grace; and simplicity and purity in doctrine, worship, and practice, will prevail, when the enemies of the church shall be destroyed.” And I will execute vengeance in anger, &c. — When I have purged my people from their corruptions, I will severely vindicate their cause, to the utter destruction of all their unbelieving enemies. Such as they have not heard — In an unprecedented manner. God will give his Son either the hearts or necks of his enemies, and make them either his friends or his footstool.

13, 14. Idolatry also will come to an end. Of objects connected with the idolatrous cult three are mentioned: graven images, pillars, and the Asherim.

Graven images — Images made of stone (Micah 1:7) or wood (Deuteronomy 7:5); sometimes the term appears to refer to images of the deity in general (Isaiah 42:8). The attitude of the Old Testament toward these images is one of intense hostility (Hosea 8:5, 6; 10:5; Deuteronomy 7:5, etc.). Standing images — Better, R.V., “pillars”; Hebrews massebhah. The word is used almost exclusively of a “pillar” connected with the religious cult. It denotes the upright stone or pillar which seems to have been a regular accompaniment of Hebrew sanctuaries during the pre-exilic period. Its origin must probably be sought in an earlier stage of Semitic religion, when sacred stones were objects of worship, because it was thought that the deity inhabited the stones or was in some way attached to them. A crude, material symbolism of this sort would inevitably retard the progress toward the highest spiritual conception of the nature of Jehovah; hence the Book of Deuteronomy (7:5; 12:3; 16:22) condemns these pillars mercilessly. The eighth century prophets were not quite so severe; in fact, Isaiah (Isaiah 19:19) seems to regard the pillar a legitimate element in Jehovah worship. Groves — Better, R.V., “Asherim.” As the “pillar” points back to primitive stone worship, so the “Asherim” appear to be a relic of primitive tree worship. The Asherah (singular) was a representation of the sacred tree where a living tree was not available; the use of the plural implies the existence of whole groves of such sacred trees or of artificial poles. “From a survey of all the passages in which the word is used it appears that the Asherah was a post or a pole, planted in the ground, like an English Maypole, beside an altar,… and venerated as a sacred symbol” (Driver). Remnants of ancient tree worship are still seen in Palestine (compare Curtiss, Primitive Semitic Religions Today, pp. 90ff.). The Old Testament attitude toward the Asherim is one of hostility; there is no passage corresponding to Isaiah 19:19. So will I destroy thy cities — A similar threat is made in verse 11, where it is quite natural; not so here. Some suggest that the word should be rendered “adversaries” (margin, R.V. “enemies”), giving to it a meaning which it has in Aramaic, or to change one letter, which would give the corresponding Hebrew word. If this is done, the expression would pave the way for verse

V. 14. Thy groves-The groves which they abused by idolatrous worship.

Verses 12-15. And I will cut off witchcrafts, &c. — Here is foretold the downfall of all unlawful arts and devices, which had been used by the Jews in former ages, to obtain the knowledge of future events: that God would, in mercy to his people, take away these occasions of sinning. Thy graven images also will I cut off — I will abolish every species of idolatry. This was effected, even among the Jews, by that severe judgment the Babylonish captivity, from which time they have abhorred the use of images in divine worship, and indeed have been kept from worshipping any false god. And I will pluck up thy groves — The usual scenes of idolatrous worship. It is justly observed by Mr. Scott here, that though the reformation of the Jews, after their return from Babylon, might be alluded to in this passage, yet the purification of the Christian Church from all antichristian corruptions of faith and worship, and all idolatry and superstition, seems more immediately to be predicted. “The reliance on human merits for justification, the external pomp used in worship, and the oppressive exercise of human authority in mere matters of conscience, will be entirely destroyed by the clear light of divine truth, and the power of divine grace; and simplicity and purity in doctrine, worship, and practice, will prevail, when the enemies of the church shall be destroyed.” And I will execute vengeance in anger, &c. — When I have purged my people from their corruptions, I will severely vindicate their cause, to the utter destruction of all their unbelieving enemies. Such as they have not heard — In an unprecedented manner. God will give his Son either the hearts or necks of his enemies, and make them either his friends or his footstool.

13, 14. Idolatry also will come to an end. Of objects connected with the idolatrous cult three are mentioned: graven images, pillars, and the Asherim.

Graven images — Images made of stone (Micah 1:7) or wood (Deuteronomy 7:5); sometimes the term appears to refer to images of the deity in general (Isaiah 42:8). The attitude of the Old Testament toward these images is one of intense hostility (Hosea 8:5, 6; 10:5; Deuteronomy 7:5, etc.). Standing images — Better, R.V., “pillars”; Hebrews massebhah. The word is used almost exclusively of a “pillar” connected with the religious cult. It denotes the upright stone or pillar which seems to have been a regular accompaniment of Hebrew sanctuaries during the pre-exilic period. Its origin must probably be sought in an earlier stage of Semitic religion, when sacred stones were objects of worship, because it was thought that the deity inhabited the stones or was in some way attached to them. A crude, material symbolism of this sort would inevitably retard the progress toward the highest spiritual conception of the nature of Jehovah; hence the Book of Deuteronomy (7:5; 12:3; 16:22) condemns these pillars mercilessly. The eighth century prophets were not quite so severe; in fact, Isaiah (Isaiah 19:19) seems to regard the pillar a legitimate element in Jehovah worship. Groves — Better, R.V., “Asherim.” As the “pillar” points back to primitive stone worship, so the “Asherim” appear to be a relic of primitive tree worship. The Asherah (singular) was a representation of the sacred tree where a living tree was not available; the use of the plural implies the existence of whole groves of such sacred trees or of artificial poles. “From a survey of all the passages in which the word is used it appears that the Asherah was a post or a pole, planted in the ground, like an English Maypole, beside an altar,… and venerated as a sacred symbol” (Driver). Remnants of ancient tree worship are still seen in Palestine (compare Curtiss, Primitive Semitic Religions Today, pp. 90ff.). The Old Testament attitude toward the Asherim is one of hostility; there is no passage corresponding to Isaiah 19:19. So will I destroy thy cities — A similar threat is made in verse 11, where it is quite natural; not so here. Some suggest that the word should be rendered “adversaries” (margin, R.V. “enemies”), giving to it a meaning which it has in Aramaic, or to change one letter, which would give the corresponding Hebrew word. If this is done, the expression would pave the way for verse

V. 15. Have not heard-In an unprecedented manner. Christ will give his Son either the hearts or necks of his enemies, and make them either his friends or his footstool.

Verse 15. I will execute vengeance—upon the heathen] And he did so; for the empires of the Assyrians, Chaldeans, and others, the sworn enemies of the Jews, have long since been utterly destroyed. MICAH

Verses 12-15. And I will cut off witchcrafts, &c. — Here is foretold the downfall of all unlawful arts and devices, which had been used by the Jews in former ages, to obtain the knowledge of future events: that God would, in mercy to his people, take away these occasions of sinning. Thy graven images also will I cut off — I will abolish every species of idolatry. This was effected, even among the Jews, by that severe judgment the Babylonish captivity, from which time they have abhorred the use of images in divine worship, and indeed have been kept from worshipping any false god. And I will pluck up thy groves — The usual scenes of idolatrous worship. It is justly observed by Mr. Scott here, that though the reformation of the Jews, after their return from Babylon, might be alluded to in this passage, yet the purification of the Christian Church from all antichristian corruptions of faith and worship, and all idolatry and superstition, seems more immediately to be predicted. “The reliance on human merits for justification, the external pomp used in worship, and the oppressive exercise of human authority in mere matters of conscience, will be entirely destroyed by the clear light of divine truth, and the power of divine grace; and simplicity and purity in doctrine, worship, and practice, will prevail, when the enemies of the church shall be destroyed.” And I will execute vengeance in anger, &c. — When I have purged my people from their corruptions, I will severely vindicate their cause, to the utter destruction of all their unbelieving enemies. Such as they have not heard — In an unprecedented manner. God will give his Son either the hearts or necks of his enemies, and make them either his friends or his footstool.

15. But one would expect rather another reference to idolatry; for this reason many change the word so as to read “thy idols” (compare 2 Chronicles 24:18, “the Asherim and the idols”).

15. The prophecy closes with a threat of vengeance. Vengeance — The references to the divine vengeance must be understood like those to the divine jealousy (see on Joel 2:18). The resentment of Jehovah is aroused by the hostile attitude of the nations toward the “remnant” so dear to him. The greater the hostility, the intenser the resentment; the limit of his patience has now been reached, and he will blot out the enemies of his people forever. Such as they have not heard — The blow will be more terrible than anything they have ever experienced or heard. R.V. follows more closely the original in 15b and translates “the nations which hearkened not,” that is, the nations which did not respond to the beneficent influence of the remnant (verse 8).

Chapter 5 does not reveal the same abrupt transitions that are seen in chapter 4. A break seems to occur between verse 9 and verse 10, and yet verses 10-15 are in a real sense a continuation of the description of the Messianic age; there certainly is nothing in them to militate seriously against the authorship of Micah. Hence, in discussing the fulfillment of the prophecy, the entire chapter may be considered as one piece, setting forth the birth and reign of the ideal king and the conditions resulting from his reign both within and without the nation. So far as the predictions concerning the conditions are concerned, the statements made in connection with Micah 4:1-5 (pp. 398ff.), may be repeated. They have not yet been fulfilled; literally they will probably never be fulfilled; in essence and spirit they will be fulfilled when the entire human race has had an opportunity to decide for or against Jesus the Messiah. A few words need to be said, however, concerning the fulfillment of the more personal predictions, those pointing to the advent, place of birth, and reign of the Messianic king. That these predictions received their ultimate and highest fulfillment in Jesus is believed by all Christians. But this still leaves open the question whether the prophet, when uttering these words, actually had in mind the person, birth, and work of Jesus. The answer to this question must be determined by a careful interpretation of the utterances in the light of their contexts. If we take into consideration the statements concerning some of the things to be accomplished subsequent to the coming of the ideal ruler, it will be seen how difficult it is to maintain that the primary reference is to Jesus. Verses 5, 6, for example, make it clear that Micah expected the king to arise before the downfall of the Assyrian world power, and that one of the great achievements of his reign would be the deliverance from this long-time enemy. Micah was firmly convinced, as a result of his intimate communion and fellowship with Jehovah, that a deliverer, who would establish the kingdom of God upon earth, would come, and, like other prophets, he expected him to come from the dynasty of David; but his thoughts as to when he would come, who he would be, where he would be born, how he would work out his great purpose, were influenced by the course of events in his own day. All prophecy, Messianic prophecy included, was intended to have a profound significance for the prophets’ contemporaries, and it is a convincing evidence of their close walk with God, or, in other words, of prophetic inspiration, that in the midst of darkness and apparent hopelessness these ancient saints should give utterance to such sublime expressions of faith. Micah may not have foreseen the Incarnation, but he did foresee the establishment of the kingdom of God upon earth; he may not have known the time when the salvation of the Lord would appear, but he knew that it would appear. Now Assyria might seem invincible, nevertheless Assyria must fall and Zion must triumph. Assyria did fall, but Zion did not triumph immediately; Chaldea took the place of the former, and oppression and distress continued. Many lost hope, but the prophets of God, in sublime faith, rose above the despair of the present and continued to revel in the glories of the future. Descendants of David sat upon the throne, some noble and true; around some of these centered anew the hopes of the prophets, but not one met the expectations of the men of God until Jesus, the Christ, fulfilled them in a manner more sublime and spiritual than even the greatest of the prophets had hoped for. Thus, while primarily the prophecy in Micah 5:2ff., does not refer to Jesus the Messiah, it does refer to a Messiah, and in the history of the past nineteen centuries Christians find complete justification for their belief that this and similar predictions found their fulfillment in the coming and work of Jesus the Christ.

The direct mention of Beth-lehem as the birthplace of the ideal ruler in no way affects this interpretation. The prophets expected the Messianic king to spring from the dynasty of David, and, in addition to this, they were convinced that in influence and power he would be a second David. For this reason Isaiah says “of the stock of Jesse” rather than “of the stock of David,” and for the same reason Micah names as his birthplace Beth-lehem, the native town of David, rather than Jerusalem, where the successors of David were born. Such a promise would awaken memories of David, and would be suggestive of the character and splendor of his reign. A prediction similar in character is that in Isaiah 9:1ff, which promises special blessings to the territory north of the Plain of Esdraelon, because these districts had suffered most severely in the prophet’s day, a prediction which received a new significance when Jesus proclaimed his gospel first in Galilee (Matthew 4:13ff.).