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CHAP. IV.

[to Nineveh.

had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:

11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? (D)

EXPOSITION.

(D) Jonah retires to wait the event of is predictions." Jonah dreading to be hought a false prophet, repines at God's nercy at sparing the Ninevites, whose estruction he seems to have expected, rom his retiring to a place without the ity about the close of the 40 days. But ow does he glorify that mercy which he eant to blame! And what an amiable icture does he give of the compassion of the true God! This attribute of the deity still farther illustrated by his tenderness ad condescension to the Prophet himself, ho, with all his spiritual gifts, had much

of human infirmity. What pity and what honour did God show him, in providing for him a miraculous shelter? And what a gentle reproof did he give him, when uneasy at its being removed?" Thou hast had pity on the gourd, and should I not spare Nineveh, that great city wherein are more than six-score thousand (infants), that cannot discern between the right hand and left;-and also much cattle?" (Dr. Jn. Smith.

"Let this goodness of God engage us to fear him, and hope in his mercy, who is long suffering even to his enemies, 'not willing that any should perish,' but desirous that all should come to repentance."

NOTES-Chap. IV. Con.

Ver. 10. Which came up in a night, &c.-Heb. Which was the son of a night, and which perished e son of a night."

Ver. 11. Persons that cannot discern that is, ildren. Bochart calculates from this, that the city

must contain altogether 600,000 inhabitants. Much cattle-the great cities of the East were constructed on so large a scale as to admit both gardens and pasture grounds.

MICAH.

INTRODUCTION.

THE Prophet Micah resided in the kingdom of Judah about the same time with aiah, but his prophecies concern both Israel and Judah. He reproves them for their ns with great warmth and indignation; foretells their several captivities; and, for the mfort of the pious, delivers many things concerning the Messiah, his incarnation and fices, and the happiness and glory of his church in the latter days. “The style of licah is for the most part close, forcible, pointed, and concise; sometimes approaching e obscurity of Hosea; in many parts animated and sublime, and in general truly betical." Bp. Lowth, Lect. xxi.

God's wrath]

CHAP. I.

MICAH.

THE word of the LORD that came

to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

3 For behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.

5 For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?

6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.

7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the

[against idolatry.

hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.

9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is com unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

10 Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphra roll thyself in the dust.

11 Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came n forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; be shall receive of you his standing.

12 For the inhabitant of Marth waited carefully for good: but eril came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.

13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.

14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

NOTES.

CHAP. I. Ver. 1. The Morasthite.--See ver. 15. Maresha is placed in Judah, Josh xv. 44; 2 Chron.

xi. 8.

Ver. 2. All that therein is-Heb. "All the fulness thereof."From his holy temple-Heb. “The temple of his holiness."

Ver. 3. High places.-See Amos iv. 13.

Ver. 4. Be molten-that is, " Melted."A steep place-Heb. "A descent." Amos ix. 5.

Ver. 5. Are they not Jerusalem? - There were high places near Jerusalem. 1 Kings xi. 7.

Ver. 6. As plantings of a vineyard.-A vineyard, at the time of being planted, and walled in with stone, probably appears as ruinous as building, either when erecting or being taken down.

“un

Ver. 7. And all the hires thereof all the produce of their idolatry, which was probably, attimes, considerable, as is that of idolatrous priests in general. Ver. 8. Stripped and naked as we say, dressed;" in the habit of mourners. Like the dragons and onls-Heb. " Daughters of the owl, or ostrich." See Job xxx. 28-30, and Note on ver. 29. Ver. 9. Her wound is incurable- Newcome, "Grievous."

Ver. 10. In the house of Aphrah-Newcome," In Beth-Ophrah." See Josh. xviii. 23. The name

means,

"The house of dust."

Ver. 11. Inhabitant (Heb. " inhabitress ") of Sephir (or the fair city).-Eusebius places this in r tribe of Judah, between Eleutheropolis and Ascion.

Having thy shame naked-Newcome," Nair. and in confusion," or ashamed.....Zanna-another city of Judah, Josh. xv.37.....Beth-ezd--near Je rusalem, Zech. xiv. 5. Dr. Boothroyd translate this, "Let not the inhabitress of Zainan go feril the mourning of Beth-ezel will take from yea * support." In the original here is a peculiar play of words, in the nature of punning. Bp Lowth marks the same in all the prophets, particularit Isaiah x. 28-32. (Lect. xv.) See also Oness Lit. No. 1085. The general sense in Micah senja to be, that the funeral rites should be embarrassed and neglected.

Ver. 12. The inhabitant (Heb. “inhabitress ") of Maroth waited, &c.-Maroth is bitter, and here is, perhaps, another paranomasia; but to render the se verses intelligible to a mere English reader, *-* be very difficult, and occupy much room. We must therefore refer to Bp. Newcome.

Ver. 14. Achzib means a lie.

Ver. 16. Make thee bald--as a sign of meure. See Amos viii. 10. The bald eagle is probably here referred to....Orient. Lit. No. 1086.

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2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

3 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily for this time is evil.

4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.

CHAP. I.

[Israel reproved.

5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.

6 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.

70 thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his'doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

8 Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely, as men averse from

war.

9 The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses} from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.

10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.

11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the

EXPOSITION.

(A) The Prophet declaims against idolatry, and exhorts to repentance and humility. -This chapter contains prophecies, first against Samaria, whose fate the Prophet laments in the dress of a professed mourner, and with the doleful cries of the most mournful animals; and then, secondly, against Jerusalem, which is threatened

with the like stroke; namely, the invasion of Sennacherib. Other cities of Judah are also threatened, and their danger represented to be so great, as to oblige them to have recourse for protection even to their enemies, the Philistines. But all resources are declared vain; their captivity is decreed, and their crimes and obduracy have rendered it necessary.

NOTES.

CHAP. II. Ver. 4. A doleful lamentation - Heb. "A lamentation of lamentations."Turning away he hath divided our fields-Marg. "Instead of restoring, he hath divided our fields."

Ver. 5. None that shall cast a cord, &c.—that is, you shall have no lot, or portion, in the land, but be wholly exiled.

Ver. 6. Prophesy ye not, &c. Dr. Boothroyd seems to have given the clearest version of this passage: "Prophesy not (say they), O ye that prophesy should they not prophesy to such as thee, yet will their disgrace not be removed." He adds, "I consider that the unbelieving thus speak to God's prophets, ("Prophesy not," &c.) to whom Micah replies, "Should they not," this will not remove the reproach, or disgrace, attached to God's prophets.

Yo

Ver. 7. Is the spirit of the Lord straitened?— that is, Is there any want of the prophetic spirit?My words do good, &c.-Compare 2 Cor. ii. 16. Ver. 8. Even of late-Heb. "Yesterday."pull off the robe-Newcome, "Ye strip the mantle from off the garment," &c. i. e. they spoiled the unprotected passenger.

Ver. 9. The women, &c.— that is, they have plundered widows and children. Newcome explains this to mean, that by occasioning their families to be sent into captivity, they deprived them of all the privileges of the city and temple.

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Ver. 10. Arise ye, and depart.—This is addressed to the faithful.

Ver. 11. In the spirit and falsehood-Newcome, "In the spirit of falsehood."

Cruelty of the princes,]

MICAH. [and falseness of the prophets.

remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.

13 The breaker is come up before them they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them. (B)

CHAP. III.

AND I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?

2 Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;

3 Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.

4 Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he

CHAP. II.

will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

5 Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people en, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him:

6 Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go

down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.

7 Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.

8 But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judg ment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

EXPOSITION.

(B) A severe reproof of the oppression and cruelty of the great, and a lamentation over the national calamities.-The Prophet begins with denouncing a bitter woe against those who laid on their beds to devise mischief, and rose only to put in practice the evils they had devised. In return for this, God devises against them an evil, by which they should effectually be humbled; namely, their captivity in a foreign land.

The two last verses some explain as promising them a return again from their

calamity; but Dr. Boothroyd remarks, "After long considering ver. 12, and the next verse, I am convinced that they ought to be regarded as a denunciation of punishment." That is, the people should be penned up together, like sheep in a foli, by the Chaldean army, which should occssion great alarm and confusion; at length their king, Zedekiah, should break førtå at the head of the few troops that were with him; and the Lord himself should feed (or cause them to be led, as Ezek. xxxix. 28), forth into captivity. See the history, 2 Kings xxv. 4.

NOTES.

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forts, with as little remorse as ye would cut up the sacrifices for the altar, or the chaldron. See 1 Sam. ii. 13-16; Amos v. 10-12.

Ver. 4 Then they shall cry-namely, these unjust and cruel princes.

Ver. 5. Bite with their teeth-that is, devour all they can get.

Ver. 6. Therefore night, &c.-Boothroyd, "Where fore ye shall have night instead of vision; .... darkness instead of divination." More literally, "Night without a vision; darkness without divinetion." See Heb. of Job xi. 15; xxi. 9, and Gese

Ver. 7. Cover their lips-Heb. "Upper lip.” Ser

Levit, xiii. 45.

Ver. 12. Therefore shall Zion,-See Jer. xxvi. A

The glory of]

CHAP. IV.

10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come

upon us.

12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest. (C)

BUT

CHAP. IV.

UT in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the Iouse of the LORD shall be established n the top of the mountains, and it hall be exalted above the hills; and eople shall flow unto it.

2 And many nations shall come, nd say, Come, and let us go up to the nountain of the LORD, and to the ouse of the God of Jacob; and he vill teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go orth of Zion, and the word of the ORD from Jerusalem.

[Messiah's kingdom.

people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.

6 In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;

7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion, from henceforth, even for ever.

8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.

9 Now why dost thou cry ont aloud?

3 And he shall judge among many is there no king in thee? is thy coun

CHAP. III.

EXPOSITION.

(C) The cruel character of the Jewish inces, and the falsehood of their prophets. -It is evident that a great degeneracy now revailed, as well in the church as in the ate; and many who had been educated the schools of the Prophets, followed eir interest instead of their duty, and ecame prophets of Baal, or of the golden alves, instead of prophets of Jehovah, ough they would always be thought to e the latter. Against such, Micah deounces disappointment and confusion;

but on his own part declares himself ani mated by the Spirit of the Most High But how were the people to distinguish? Moses has given two criterions; one, the fulfilment of their predictions, but this required time to ascertain; a more certain and immediate criterion is therefore given; if any prophet attempted, either directly or indirectly, to lead them into idolatry, he was to be considered as a false prophet, and was liable to the penalty of stoning. See Deut. xiii.1-5.

NOTES.

CHAP. IV. Ver. 1-3. But in the last daysompare Isa. ii. 2-4.

Ver. 4. And they shall sit, &c. - An expression timating not only peace, but domestic security, mewhat analogous to the boast of Englishmen, that ery man's house is his castle.

Ver. 6. Her that halteth.-See this a little amplied, Zeph. iii. 15. The sense is, that God will bring ck the weak and feeble. Compare Isa. xl. II. Ver. 8. Tower of the flock - meaning, probably, ount Zion. It was customary, in extensive pasres, to have a frame erected, of considerable eight, to watch the lock. (Something of this na

ture, it is said, Buonaparte had in the field of Wa terloo.) Zion is here considered as the watch-tower of the kingdom.

Ver. 9. Is there no king in thee?—that is, though Zedekiah be gone into captivity, Jehovah is king. See Jer. viii. 19.

Ver. 11. Let our eye look-Newcome, "See (its desire) on Sion." Compare Ps. liv. 7. lix. 10.

Ver. 12. They know not the thoughts, &c. - The heathen knew not God's design in suffering them to be carried into captivity. Isa. x. 7.

Ver. 13. Arise and thresh. -- See Isa. xli, 15.Their gain-that is, their spoil taken.

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