MICHEAS, of Morasti, a little town in the tribe of JUDA, was contemporary with the prophet ISAIAS: whom he resembles both in his spirit and his style. He is different from the prophet MICHEAS mentioned in the third book of Kings, chap. 22. For that MICHEAS lived in the days of king ACHAB, one hundred and fifty years before the time of EZECHIAS, under whom this MICHEAS prophesied.

 

 

 

 

[7] Her wages: That is, her donaries or presents offered to her idols: or the hire of all her traffic and labour.-- Ibid.

[7] Of the hire of a harlot: They were gathered together by one idolatrous city, viz., Samaria: and they shall be carried away to another idolatrous city, viz., Ninive.

[9] It hath touched the gate: That is, the destruction of Samaria shall be followed by the invasion of my people of Juda, and the Assyrians shall come and lay all waste even to the confines of Jerusalem.

[10] Declare ye it not in Geth: Viz., amongst the Philistines, lest they rejoice at your calamity.-- Ibid.

[10] Weep ye not: Keep in your tears, that you may not give your enemies an occasion of insulting over you; but in your own houses, or in your house of dust, your earthly habitation, sprinkle yourselves with dust, and put on the habit of penitents. Some take the house of dust (in Hebrew, Aphrah) to be the proper name of a city.

 

[11] Thou that dwellest in the beautiful place: viz., in Samaria. In the Hebrew the Beautiful place is expressed by the word Sapir, which some take for the proper name of a city.-- Ibid.

[11] She went not forth: that is, they that dwelt in the confines came not forth, but kept themselves within, for fear.-- Ibid.

[11] The house adjoining: Viz., Judea and Jerusalem, neighbours to Samaria, and partners in her sins, shall share also in her mourning and calamity; though they have pretended to stand by themselves, trusting in their strength.

[12] She is become weak: Jerusalem is become weak unto any good; because she dwells in the bitterness of sin.

[13] It is the beginning: That is, Lachis was the first city of Juda that learned from Samaria the worship of idols, and communicated it to Jerusalem.

[14] Therefore shall she send: Lachis shall send to Geth for help: but in vain: for Geth, instead of helping, shall be found to be a house of lying and deceit to Israel.

[15] An heir: Maresa (which was the name of a city of Juda) signifies inheritance: but here God by his prophet tells the Jews, that he will bring them an heir to take possession of their inheritance: and that the glory of Israel shall be obliged to give place, and to retire even to Odollam, a city in the extremity of their dominions. And therefore he exhorts them to penance in the following verse.

 

 

 

 

[4] How shall he depart: How do you pretend to say that the Assyrian is departing; when indeed he is coming to divide our lands amongst his subjects?

[5] Thou shalt have none: Thou shalt have no longer any lot or inheritance in the land of the people of the Lord.

 

[6] It shall not drop: That is, the prophecy shall not come upon these. Such were the sentiments of the people that were unwilling to believe the threats of the prophets.

[8] You have taken away: You have even stripped people of their necessary garments: and have treated such as were innocently passing on the way, as if they were at war with you.

[9] You have cast out: either by depriving them of their houses: or, by your crimes, given occasion to their being carried away captives, and their children, by that means, never learning to praise the Lord.

 

[11] Would God: The prophet could have wished, out of his love to his people, that he might be deceived in denouncing to them these evils that were to fall upon them: but by conforming himself to the will of God, he declares to them, that he is sent to prophesy, literally to let drop upon them, the wine of God's indignation, with which they should be made drunk; that is, stupified and cast down.

 

 

 

 

[3] Neither shall they learn: The law of Christ is a law of peace; and all his true subjects, as much as lies in them love and keep peace with all the world.

 

 

 

 

[1] Daughter of the robber: Some understand this of Babylon; which robbed and pillaged the temple of God: others understand it of Jerusalem; by reason of the many rapines and oppressions committed there.

[2] His going forth: That is, he who as man shall be born in thee, as God was born of his Father from all eternity.

[5] The Assyrian: That is, the persecutors of the church: who are here called Assyrians by the prophet: because the Assyrians were at that time the chief enemies and persecutors of the people of God.-- Ibid.

[5] Seven shepherds: Viz., the pastors of God's church, and the defenders of the faith. The number seven in scripture is taken to signify many: and when eight is joined with it, we are to understand that the number will be very great.

 

[6] They shall feed: They shall make spiritual conquests in the lands of their persecutors, with the word of the spirit, which is the word of God. Eph. 6. 17.

[7] The remnant of Jacob: Viz., the apostles, and the first preachers of the Jewish nation; whose doctrine, like dew, shall make the plants of the converted Gentiles grow up, without waiting for any man to cultivate them by human learning.

[8] As a lion: This denotes the fortitude of these first preachers; and their success in their spiritual enterprises.

[10] I will take away thy horses: Some understand this, and all that follows to the end of the chapter, as addressed to the enemies of the church. But it may as well be understood of the converts to the church: who should no longer put their trust in any of these things.

 

 

 

 

[1] The mountains: That is, the great ones, the princes of the people.

[5] From Setim to Galgal: He puts them in mind of the favour he did them, in not suffering them to be quite destroyed by the evil purpose of Balach, and the wicked counsel of Balaam: and then gives them a hint of the wonders he wrought, in order to bring them into the land of Promise, by stopping the course of the Jordan, in their march from Setim to Galgal.

 

[6] What shall I offer: This is spoken in the person of the people, desiring to be informed what they are to do to please God.

[10] Full of wrath: That is, highly provoking in the sight of God.

 

[16] The statutes of Amri: The wicked ways of Amri and Achab, idolatrous kings.

 

Chapter 7

[10] She shall be covered: Viz., Babylon my enemy.

[11] The law: Viz., of thy enemies, who have tyrannized over thee.

[13] The land: Viz., of Babylon.