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Micah Chapter
Four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 4
This
chapter contains some gracious promises concerning the glory and happiness of
the church of Christ in the last days; as of its stability, exaltation, and
increase, and of the spread of the Gospel from it, Micah 4:1; and of
the peace and security of it, and constant profession and exercise of religion
in it, Micah 4:3; and of
the deliverance of it from affliction and distress, and the ample and
everlasting kingdom of Christ in it, Micah 4:6; and then
follow some prophecies more particularly respecting the Jews; as that, though
they should be in distress, and be carried captive into Babylon, they should be
delivered from thence, Micah 4:9; and,
though many people should be gathered against them, yet should not be able to
prevail over them, but their attempts would issue in their own destruction, Micah 4:11.
Micah 4:1 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the
mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall
be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it.
YLT
1And it hath come to pass,
In the latter end of the days, The mount of the house of Jehovah Is established
above the top of the mounts, And it hath been lifted up above the hills, And
flowed unto it have peoples.
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the
mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the
mountains,.... It appears by the adversative but, with which these words
are introduced, that they have a dependence upon and a connection with the last
of the preceding chapter; signifying, that though "the mountain of the
house", on which the temple stood, should become desolate, yet "the
mountain of the house of the Lord", which is not literally the same, but
what that was typical of, the church of Christ, should be greatly exalted and
enlarged; and which, according to this prophecy, would be "in the last
days": that is, as Kimchi rightly interprets it, the days of the Messiah;
and it should be observed, that all this will be in the last of his days, or of
the Gospel dispensation: the first of these days were the days of Christ in the
flesh, the times of his ministry, and of John the Baptist his forerunner, and
of his disciples; and were indeed the last days of the Jewish world, or of
their civil and church state; and when also it must be allowed the mountain of
the Lord's house, or the temple literally taken, became glorious by the
presence of Christ in it, by his doctrine and miracles there, and by the
effusion of the Spirit on his disciples in that place, and the ministration of
the Gospel; but then all this was before the destruction of the second temple;
whereas this prophecy follows that, and is opposed to it, and supposes it;
besides, in those times there was not such an exaltation and stability of the
church of Christ; nor such a flow of nations to it; nor such a settled and
universal peace and security as here promised: this prophecy therefore respects
times yet to come, as Aben Ezra observes; the last of the days of the Messiah,
or the last times of the Gospel dispensation, when the reign of antichrist will
be at an end; he will be destroyed, and the kingdom of Christ set up,
established, and enlarged in the world. The Prophet Isaiah predicts the same
things, and much in the same words, Isaiah 2:2; these
two prophets were contemporary, and might converse together, and communicate to
each other what they had received from the Lord upon this subject; but it is
needless to inquire which might have them from the other, since they were both
holy men of God, and moved by his Spirit, and were inspired by the same Spirit,
with the same things, and to speak the same language; yet there is a diversity
in words, though an agreement in sentiment nor does it appear a clear case that
they borrowed, much less that they stole, their words from one other, as the
false prophets did; for they do not always use the same words to convey the
same idea; and there are some words which Isaiah has that Micah has not and
there are others that Micah uses that Isaiah has not; though in the whole there
is a most beautiful harmony of sense in their diversity of expression. By
"the mountain of the house of the Lord" is not meant the temple built
on Mount Moriah, where the divine Majesty resided; where were the symbols of
his presence, the ark and mercy seat, and where he was worshipped, which has
been destroyed long ago, and will never be rebuilt more; for a third temple
hereafter to be built at Jerusalem is a mere fiction of the Jews; nor indeed is
any material building here intended, and still less any such building to be
erected in such an absurd sense, literally taken, as if mountain was piled on
mountain, and hill on hill, to raise it higher; but, mystically and
spiritually, it designs the church of God, called so because it is built by
him, and built for a habitation for him; where he will, at the time here
referred to, more manifestly dwell in a spiritual manner; and by whom, and by
which spiritual and gracious presence of his, it will be made very beautiful
and glorious: and it is signified by a "mountain", to denote its
visibility, immovableness, and perpetuity; and is said to be "established
in the top of the mountains", with respect to the kingdoms of this world,
and especially antichristian churches, which, because of their eminence, and
largeness, and national establishment, may seem like mountains; but, in the
latter day, the true church of Christ, which now may seem like a mole hill to
them, will be above them, and will be in a settled state and condition, and not
be fluctuating, and tossed to and fro, and removing here and there, as now; but
be fixed and stable, and continue so until the second and personal coming of
Christ:
and it shall be exalted above the hills: by
"hills" may be meant petty kingdoms, inferior to greater monarchies;
or religious states, not of Christ's constitution; and the
"exaltation" of the church above them denotes her power over them, to
enjoy the one, and crush the other: it may respect the glory of the church,
both as to things temporal and spiritual; for now will the kingdoms under the
whole heaven be given to the saints of the most High; civil government will
come into their hands, the kings and princes of the earth being now members of
Gospel churches; so that the church will be in a glorious and exalted state,
having riches, power, and authority, a large extent everywhere, and a multitude
of members, and those of the highest class and rank, as well as of the meaner and
lower sort; and all of them possessed largely of the gifts and graces of the
Spirit of God, and enjoying the Gospel and Gospel ordinances in their power and
purity:
and the people shall flow unto it: in great abundance, in
large numbers, in company like the flowing streams of a river; and may denote
not only their numbers, but their swiftness and readiness to join themselves
with the church of God, to hear the word, and partake of the ordinances, and of
all the privileges of the house of the Lord. It may be rendered, "they
shall look unto it", as the word is translated in Psalm 34:6; and so
the Targum here,
"and
the kingdoms shall look (or turn their faces) to serve upon it;'
and
this sense is preferred by many learned Jewish writersF14R. Saadiah,
Abu Walid, R. Tanchuma apud Pocock in loc. ; and the meaning may be, that
multitudes, seeing the glory of the church, and the many desirable things in
it, shall look to it with a look of love and affection, and with a wishful
look, greatly desiring to be admitted into it. In Isaiah 2:2; it is
said, "and all nations shall flow unto it": not the people of the
Jews only, now converted; or a single and, on only, or some out of that; but
all the nations of the world, at least great numbers out of all, by far the
greatest in them; such an increase will there be of the churches in the latter
day.
Micah 4:2 2 Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go
up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of
Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of
Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the Lord from
Jerusalem.
YLT
2And gone have many nations
and said, Come and we go up to the mount of Jehovah, And unto the house of the
God of Jacob, And He doth teach us of His ways, And we do walk in His paths,
For from Zion doth go forth a law, And a word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.
And many nations shall come, and say, come, and let us go up to
the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob,.... In Isaiah 2:3; it is,
"many people", &c. the sense is the same; See Gill on Isa 2:3;
and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; the teacher
is the King Messiah, as Kimchi observes; the great Prophet of his people, the
teacher sent from God; and will in the last days teach men by his Spirit and
word, in a very plentiful manner, and with great success:
for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from
Jerusalem; these, according to Kimchi, are the words of the prophet, and
not of the people, that encourage one another to go up to the house of the
Lord; but the sense is much the same; for they contain a reason why the people
of different nations would encourage one another to go to the house of the
Lord, that they might learn his ways, and walk in his statutes, because here
the word of the Lord is preached; the word which comes from God, and is
concerning him, his love and grace to men; the word of peace and righteousness,
of life and salvation, by Jesus Christ: and each of the doctrines of grace
intended by the "law" or "doctrine" of the Lord; the
doctrines of God's everlasting love, of election in Christ, and redemption by
him; of justification by his righteousness, pardon by his blood, and
satisfaction by his atonement; as well as of regeneration by the Spirit of God,
and of perseverance in grace: in these, and others, now shall all the Lord's
people be taught more clearly, distinctly, and comfortably; all shall know him,
from the least to the greatest; and not only their light and knowledge, under
such a teacher and such will be very great, but their practice will be
answerable to it; as they will be instructed in all the ways of the Lord, and
in the methods of his grace, so they will walk in all the commandments and
ordinances of the Lord blameless; See Gill on Isaiah 2:3.
Micah 4:3 3 He
shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They
shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation
shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.[a]
YLT
3And He hath judged between
many peoples, And given a decision to mighty nations afar off, They have beaten
their swords to ploughshares, And their spears to pruning-hooks, Nation lifteth
not up sword unto nation, Nor do they learn war any more.
And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations
afar off,.... That are in the most distant parts of the world; not only
the isles afar off, but the remotest parts of the continent, the American
nations found out since. In Isaiah 2:4, it is,
"and he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people";
that is, the King Messiah, as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech. Some render
it, "it shall judge", &c. and interpret it either of the Church,
the mountain of the Lord's house; or of the word and doctrine of the Lord; or of
the Lord in the church, by the ministry of the word, The phrase, "afar
off", is not in Isaiah 2:4; which
the Targum interprets "for ever", and the "strong nations"
of strong kings; signifying that the kingdom of Christ should not only be to
the ends or the earth, but should endure for ever, unto distant time, even till
it shall be no more; as well as shall reach to distant lands, as to situation,
and to the Gentiles afar off, as to state and condition; see Ephesians 2:14;
and they shall beat their swords into plough shares, and their
spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more; which as yet
has never been fulfilled; but will be the case when Christ's kingdom appears in
its glory, and the kingdoms of this world become his, and all the enemies of
the church are destroyed; See Gill on Isaiah 2:4. These
words are by the JewsF15T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 63. 1. applied to the
days of the Messiah.
Micah 4:4 4 But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig
tree, And no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
YLT
4And they have sat each
under his vine, And under his fig-tree, And there is none troubling, For the
mouth of Jehovah of Hosts hath spoken.
But they shall sit every man under his vine, and under his fig
tree,.... A proverbial phrase, expressive of the greatest
tranquillity, security, and enjoyment of property; see 1 Kings 4:25; when
persons need not keep within their walled towns and cities, and lack themselves
up in their houses, but may sit down in their gardens, fields, and vineyards,
and enjoy the fruit thereof; as the Targum interprets it,
"under
the fruit of his vine, and under, the fruit of his fig tree.'
It
was usual for persons in the eastern countries to sit under vines and fig trees
to read, meditate, pray, or converse together, where they grow very large, as
were their vines; and even with us they are frequently raised and carried over
supporters, so as to be sat under; and of fig trees, we frequently read in
Jewish writings of their being very large, and of their going up to them, and
praying on the top of them; and of sitting under them, and studying in the law
there. So one of the Rabbins saysF16T. Hieros. Peah, c. 7. fol. 20.
2. , he went up into his mustard tree, as one goes up to the top of a fig tree;
and it is saidF17T. Hieros. Beracot, c. 2. fol. 5. 1. , he that
prays on the top of an olive tree, or on the top of a fig tree must come down,
and pray below; and againF18Ib. col. 3. , R. Jacob and his
companions were fasting, studying in the law, under a certain fig tree; and
sometimes they speak of all these together, of sitting under olives, and under
vines, and under fig trees, and studying in the words of the lawF19Shirhashirim
Rabba, fol. 16. 4. ; see John 1:48. This is
to be understood, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi explain it, of all men; not of the
Israelites only, but of all nations, since there will be no more war any where;
hence it follows:
and none shall make them afraid; the enemies
of God's people will be no more, neither Turk nor pope, eastern or western
antichrist, beast or, false prophet; wherefore, in those days of the Messiah,
Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely, even all the spiritual
Israel of God, Jews and Gentiles; there shall be none to hurt in the holy mountain
of the Lord, or any violence and oppression, wasting and destruction, anywhere;
see Jeremiah 23:5;
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it; who speaks
nothing but truth, and who is able and faithful to perform what he has spoken;
and therefore all this may be depended on.
Micah 4:5 5 For
all people walk each in the name of his god, But we will walk in the name of
the Lord our God Forever and ever.
YLT
5For all the peoples do
walk, Each in the name of its god -- and we, We do walk in the name of Jehovah
our God, To the age and for ever.
For all people will walk everyone in the name of his god,.... Till
those times come before described; when many nations and people shall flock to
the church, and there shall be such general peace and tranquillity as here
promised; till then the nations of the earth shall retain their former
religion, and the profession of it, with constancy, till they are otherwise
instructed, as Aben Ezra; or till the Messiah shall turn them into the right
way, as Kimchi; till that time comes, the Pagans will worship their idols, and
continue in the idolatry of their ancestors; the Papists will retain their
image worship, and hold to their lord god the pope, as they call him; the
Mahometans will cleave to their prophet, and walk according to the rules he has
left them to observe. Jarchi's note is,
"they
shall go to destruction because of their idolatry;'
with
which he says the Targum agrees, which is,
"all
nations shall go according to the idols they have worshipped;'
or,
as the king of Spain's Bible,
"they
shall be guilty or condemned because they have worshipped idols:'
and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever; both in the
mean while, and when those happy times shall come, and so through all
generations as long as the world stands. This is the language of those that
know the Lord, believe in him, and sincerely serve him; who determine in the
strength of divine grace to continue in their profession of faith of him, in
his worship and service, in his ways, truths, and ordinances, whatever others,
do; and indeed are the more animated to it, when they observe how constant and
steadfast idolaters, Pagans, Papists, and Mahometans, are in their false
worship, both in the profession and practice of it. The Targum is,
"we
will trust in the Word of the Lord our God for ever and ever;'
in
Christ the essential Word; and so the phrase is expressive of faith, and a
profession of faith in him; and of constant attendance upon his word and
ordinances.
Micah 4:6 6 “In that day,” says the Lord, “I will
assemble the lame, I will gather the outcast And those whom I have afflicted;
YLT
6In that day -- an
affirmation of Jehovah, I do gather the halting one, And the driven away one I
bring together, And she whom I have afflicted.
In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth,.... The Jews
or Israelites so described; not from the halting of Jacob their father, as
Abarbinel thinks; nor because of their halting between two opinions,
worshipping both the true God and idols, as in the times of Elijah; for this
will not suit with the Jews in their present state; but because they were like
lame and maimed sheep, to which the allusion is; or because they were guilty of
sins, which are sometimes expressed by halting, Jeremiah 20:10. The
word signifies such that go sideways, and not uprightly; and fitly describes
such who deviate from the ways of God, and walk not according to the divine
word: now "in that day" or time before referred to, the last days of
the Gospel dispensation, the Lord will convert the Jews; or "heal"
these lame and maimed ones, so Jarchi interprets the word; or will gather them
by his Spirit and grace to the Messiah, and assemble them into his church, and
among his people, and bring them into the sheepfold, under the care of the one
Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ:
and I will gather her that is driven out; out of the
land of Israel, and scattered among the nations of the world; even driven out
by the Lord himself, because of their transgressions against him; see Jeremiah 16:15;
and her that I have afflicted; with various calamities,
with famine and sword, with captivity and poverty; the Targum adds,
"for
the sins of my people;'
the
Israelites for their idolatry, and the Jews for the rejection of the Messiah,
and other sins.
Micah 4:7 7 I will make the lame a remnant, And the outcast a
strong nation; So the Lord will reign over them in Mount
Zion From now on, even forever.
YLT
7And I have set the halting
for a remnant, And the far-off for a mighty nation, And reigned hath Jehovah
over them in mount Zion, From henceforth, and unto the age.
And I will make her that halted a remnant,.... That is,
make a reserve of her, and not utterly cut her off for her halting or sinning;
that there may be a seed, a posterity descending from her, that shall serve the
Lord, and appear to be a remnant according to the election of grace; which will
be the persons called and gathered in the latter day:
and her that was cast afar off a strong nation; Kimchi thinks
this refers to the ten tribes that were carried far off into Media and other
parts, 2 Kings 17:6; who
shall now be a mighty and numerous people; and especially shall be strong in a
spiritual sense in the Lord, and in the power of his might, in Christ and his
grace, and in the faith of him; see Isaiah 60:22;
and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth,
even for ever; that is, Christ, who is Jehovah our righteousness, shall reign
over the converted Jews and Israelites in the church of God, often signified by
Mount Zion; where they shall be assembled, and shall acknowledge him as their
King, and be subject to his word and ordinances, and never more depart from
him; nor will his government over them ever cease more, Luke 1:32. This
shows that this prophecy refers not to the that times of the Gospel; for then
the Jews would not have him to reign over them; but to times yet to come, the
last days of the Gospel dispensation.
Micah 4:8 8 And
you, O tower of the flock, The stronghold of the daughter of Zion, To you shall
it come, Even the former dominion shall come, The kingdom of the daughter of
Jerusalem.”
YLT
8And thou, O tower of Eder,
Fort of the daughter of Zion, unto thee it cometh, Yea, come in hath the former
rule, The kingdom to the daughter of Jerusalem.
And thou, O tower of the flock,.... The words
"Migdal Eder" are left by some untranslated, and think that place to
be intended so called, which was near to Bethlehem, Genesis 35:19; and
perhaps is the same which JeromF20De locis Hebr. fol. 89. E. calls
the tower of Ader, about a mile from Bethlehem: this is supposed to be the
place where the shepherds were watching over their flocks at the time of
Christ's birth, the tidings of which were first brought to them here; and the
JewishF21T. Hieros. Kiddushin, fol. 63. 1. T. Ban. Kiddushin, fol.
55. 1. Misn. Shekalim, c. 7. sect. 4. doctors speak of it as near Jerusalem,
and as a place of pasture; for they say, that cattle between Jerusalem and
Migdal Eder, and in an equal space to every wind; the males were used for burnt
offerings, and the females for peace offerings; and this place is thought to be
referred to in the latter clause of this verse: others think that Bethlehem
itself is meant, to which the dominion came; but rather, as in the next
chapter, the ruler came out of that; others think that the gate in Jerusalem
called the sheep gate is meant, Nehemiah 3:32; and
the tower at it, through which Christ is supposed to pass when he entered into
Jerusalem as King, amidst the Hosannahs of the people; others take it to be the
same with the tower of David, and put for Jerusalem itself, whither the tribes
were gathered together three times a year, like sheep in a fold, so Kimchi and
Ben Melech; here others interpret it spiritually of the church of Christ; but
though that is sometimes spoken of as a strong city, and a fortified place, yet
is never called a tower, or a strong hold; which phrases, when figuratively
used, are always spoken of a divine person; see Psalm 18:2; and
here of the Messiah; and so the Targum interprets it,
"O
Christ of Israel:'
the
church indeed is the "flock": the people of God are often compared to
sheep for their harmlessness and innocence, and the church to a flock of them,
which is Christ's flock he feeds like a shepherd; the flock of slaughter, a
little one, consisting of persons separated from the world, and under his
peculiar care; and he is the tower of this flock, in allusion to a shepherd's
cottage, called a tower, as a cottage in a vineyard is in Isaiah 5:2; where
the shepherds watch, and into which they bring the sick and lame, and take care
of them; Christ is a high tower, where his people are safe out of the reach of
their enemies; and a strong one, being the mighty God and mighty Saviour, who
has all power and strength to defend his church and people, and may be well called
their tower: and
the strong hold of the daughter of Zion; "the
daughter of Zion" is the church, particularly the church of the converted
Jews; Christ is the strong hold of it, into which, as prisoners of hope, they
will be directed to turn, Zechariah 9:12; a
strong refuge he is to flee unto from the avenger of blood, the justice of God;
from the curses of the law; from the storm of divine wrath; from the temptations
of Satan, and from the persecutions of men; a strong hold is he to dwell in,
and where the saints dwell safely, pleasantly, at ease and peace, and very
comfortably, and in great plenty; a strong hold for shelter from every enemy:
unto thee shall it come; not the kingdom, as
follows, which our version leads to, and is the sense of Aben Ezra; for there
is a considerable accent on the word "come", which makes a large
stop; and that it refers, as Jarchi observes, to "her that halteth", &c.
"it" or "she" that halteth shall come, being assembled and
gathered, or converted by the grace of God unto the Messiah; as to her, or
their tower and strong hold, where all blessings of grace, and the supplies of
it, and all salvation and safety, are to be had and enjoyed. The promise
respects the Jews coming to Christ upon their conversion, even such who have
been the halt, the maimed, the lame, and the blind:
even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of
Jerusalem; or rather, "and the first dominion shall come, the kingdom
to the daughter of Jerusalem": meaning, not the first notice of the
Messiah's kingdom, given by John the Baptist, Christ, and his apostles, to the
Jews, in the first times of the Gospel; or the preaching of the Gospel of the kingdom
first to them; but rather he who has the first or principal dominion, and to
whom the kingdom belongs, he shall come to the daughter of Zion, as in Zechariah 9:9;
though it rather respects here his coming to them at the time of their
conversion, when they shall come to him, Romans 11:26; and
when the first, chief, and principal kingdom in the world, and which is
preferable to all others, will come unto, and be placed among them, as in Micah 4:7; and when
it shall be, as some interpret it, as at the beginning, in the days of David
and Solomon, and much more abundantly.
Micah 4:9 9 Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in
your midst? Has your counselor perished? For pangs have seized you like a woman
in labor.
YLT
9Now, why dost thou shout
aloud? A king -- is there none in thee? Hath thy counsellor perished, That
taken hold of thee hath pain as a travailing woman?
Now why dost thou cry out aloud?.... Or "cry a
cry"F23למה תריעי
רע "quid vociferabis vociferationem", Pagninus,
Montanus. So Vatablus, Drusius. ; a vehement one, or set up a most lamentable
cry, as if no help or hope were to be had, but as in the most desperate
condition: here the prophet represents the Jews as if they were already in
captivity, and in the utmost distress, and as they certainly would be; and yet
had no reason to despair of deliverance and salvation, since the Messiah would
certainly come to them, and his kingdom would be set up among them, The word
used has sometimes the notion of friendship and association; hence the Targum
renders it,
"now
why art thou joined to the people?'
and
so Jarchi,
"thou
hast no need to seek friends and lovers, the kings of Egypt and Assyria, for
help.'
And
which sense of the word as approved by GussetiusF24Ebr. Comment. p.
789. .
Is there no king in
thee? is thy counsellor perished? he it so that they were;
as was the case when Zedekiah was taken and carried captive, and his princes,
nobles, and counsellors killed; yet God, their King and Counsellor, was with
them, to keep and preserve them, counsel, instruct, and comfort them, and at
last to deliver and save them; and the King Messiah would be raised up, and
sent unto them in due time, who is the Wonderful Counsellor Isaiah had
prophesied of:
for pangs have taken thee as a worn an in travail; which is
often expressive of great sufferings and sorrows; and yet, as the pangs of a
woman in travail do not continue always, but have an end, so would theirs, and
therefore there was no reason for despair; and as, when she brings forth her
issue, her sorrow is turned into joy, this would be their case.
Micah 4:10 10 Be
in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, Like a woman in birth
pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city, You shall dwell in the field, And
to Babylon you shall go. There you shall be delivered; There the Lord will redeem you From the hand of your enemies.
YLT
10Be pained, and bring forth,
O daughter of Zion, As a travailing woman, For now, thou goest forth from the
city, And thou hast dwelt in the field, And thou hast gone unto Babylon, There
thou art delivered, There redeem thee doth Jehovah from the hand of thine
enemies.
Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion,
like a woman in travail,.... Bear thy troubles
and calamities, sufferings and sorrows, patiently, and expect deliverance from
them, as a woman in such circumstances does: or, as some render it in the
future, "thou shalt be in pain", &c.F25חולי "dolebis ac suspirabis", so some in
Vatablus. ; and so is a prediction of their distress and captivity, which is
expressed in plainer terms in the following clauses:
for now shalt thou go forth out of the city; the city of
Jerusalem; either by flight, in a private and secret manner, as Zedekiah and
his princes, and part of his army did; or by force, being taken and led out by
the enemy:
and thou shalt dwell in the field; being turned out of
their houses, they were obliged to lodge in the fields, while they were
collected together, and in a body marched as captives to Babylon; and while on
the road lay in the open fields, and not in houses, who had been used to dwell
in a city, and in their panelled houses; but now even their city itself was
ploughed like a field, as before predicted:
and thou shalt go even to Babylon; to the city
of Babylon, as their king did, and many of them also; and others of them into
various parts of that kingdom: this is a clear prophecy of the Babylonish
captivity, which came to pass upwards of a hundred years after this:
there shalt thou be delivered; after seventy years
captivity, by the hand of Cyrus; who taking the city of Babylon, and making
himself master of the whole empire, delivered the Jews from their bondage, and
gave them liberty to return to their own land:
there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies; the
Chaldeans: and this was typical of the deliverance and redemption of all the
Lord's people from the hand of all their spiritual enemies; from Satan and the
world, law, death, and hell; by the blood of the great Redeemer, and near
kinsman of his people, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Micah 4:11 11 Now also many nations have gathered against you, Who
say, “Let her be defiled, And let our eye look upon Zion.”
YLT
11And now, gathered against
thee have been many nations, who are saying: `Let her be defiled, and our eyes
look on Zion.'
Now also many nations are gathered against thee,.... Which is
to be understood, not of Sennacherib's army invading Judea, and besieging
Jerusalem, in Hezekiah's time; for that was not threshed, as the phrase is
afterwards used, or destroyed by the daughter of Zion, but by an angel from
heaven: nor of the Babylonians or Chaldeans, since they succeeded in their
attempt, and were the conquerors, and not conquered: rather this respects the
times of the Maccabees, as the series of prophecy and history agreeing together
shows; in which times many of the neighbouring nations of the Jews gave them a
great deal of trouble, and especially Antiochus king of Syria; and many and
mighty armies sent by him. The Jews, as Kimchi, Aben Ezra, and AbarbinelF26Mashmiah
Jeshuah, fol. 62. 1. , interpret this of the armies of Gog and Magog, in the
times of their vainly expected Messiah. Some Christian interpreters, with much
more probability, understand this passage of the first times of the Gospel, and
the opposition made to that and the Christian church, which yet in the issue
prevailed; and perhaps it may have reference to the last times, and receive its
full accomplishment in the battle at Armageddon, Revelation 16:14;
that say, let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion; either
defiled with sin; so the Targum,
"that
say, when will she sin, and our eye shall behold the fall of Zion?'
as
the effect of her sin: or, as others, "let her play the hypocrite"F1תחנף "hypocrita fuit", Tigurine version; velut
hypocrita damnatur", Tarnovius; "hypocrisi contaminabitur, Cocceius.
; and be condemned as such: or rather, be defiled with slaughter and bloodshed,
that they might be delighted with so pleasing a sight, and their eyes might
feed with pleasure on an object so agreeable to their wishes.
Micah 4:12 12 But
they do not know the thoughts of the Lord, Nor do
they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the
threshing floor.
YLT
12They have not known the
thoughts of Jehovah, Nor have they understood His counsel, For He hath gathered
them as a sheaf [into] a threshing-floor.
But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand
they his counsel,.... Which are very different from theirs: the thoughts and
designs of the enemies of Zion, in the times of the Maccabees, were, to destroy
utterly the people of God, and root them out of the earth, and abolish their
religion and worship; but the intentions of God were to defeat them, and bring
them to ruin: the views of the kings of the earth, being stirred up by unclean
spirits to the battle of Almighty God, will be to extirpate the interest and
kingdom of Christ; but the end of the Lord, in suffering them to be gathered
together, will be utterly and totally to destroy them; and the counsel of the
Lord, that shall stand, and the thoughts of his heart, to all generations. Men
know their own designs, but they do not know the designs of the Lord; they
intend the ruin of others, but God intends to bring about theirs; and his
intentions are never frustrated, but theirs are;
for he shall gather them as sheaves into the floor; as, when the
harvest is ripe, it is cut down, and bound up in sheaves, and brought home, and
these are laid in order upon the floor to be threshed; so, when the nations of
the earth are fully ripe for ruin, God will put, or order to be put; in the
sickle, and cut them down, and bind them in bundles, and lay them on his
threshingfloor of wrath and vengeance, and utterly destroy them contrary to
their views and expectations.
Micah 4:13 13 “Arise
and thresh, O daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make
your hooves bronze; You shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate
their gain to the Lord, And their substance to the Lord
of the whole earth.”
YLT
13Arise, and thresh, O
daughter of Zion, For thy horn I make iron, And thy hoofs I make brass, And
thou hast beaten small many peoples, And I have devoted to Jehovah their gain,
And their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth!
Arise, and thresh, O daughter of Zion,.... The
nations gathered against her, and now laid together on the floor as sheaves to
be threshed. Here the people of God are aroused, and called out of a low and
weak estate, and are animated and encouraged to exert themselves, and fall upon
their enemies, and destroy them; alluding to the threshing of grain on the
floor, the metaphor being here carried on from Micah 4:12. The
Targum is,
"arise,
and kill, O congregation of Zion;'
for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass; signifying
that the Lord would give them strength sufficient to such work, and such power
their enemies should not be able to resist and overcome; and that they should
into their hands, and be crushed, trod, and trampled on by them, and utterly
subdued. The allusion is to oxen that have horns and hoofs; and it suggests
that they should be as strong as they; have horns like them, that is, power to
push down their enemies and hoofs to trample upon them: or as these creatures
have a horny substance on their feet, or hoofs, which are strong, and fit for
the purposes of treading out corn, for which they were used in the eastern
countries, drawing after them iron wheels, or planks stuck with flints; so horses
and oxen that have strong feet, and hard hoofs, are said to have feet of brassF2 χαλκοποδ' ιππω "aeripedes equos", Homer. Iliad.
8. v. 41. ; thus the Lord's people should have such courage, force, and power,
as not only to withstand their enemies, but to obtain a conquest over them The
Targum is,
"I
will make the people in them strong as iron, and their remnant firm as brass;'
which
was true of, and accomplished in, Judas Maccabeus and his brethren; and will be
more clearly fulfilled in the Christian kings and princes in the latter day,
when engaged with the antichristian states;
and thou shalt beat in pieces many people; as the
Maccabees did subdue many people and nations, as all Palestine, Moab, Idumea,
Samaria, and Iturea, as JosephusF3Antiqu. l. 13. c. 15. sect. 4.
relates; and as the Christian princes will beat in pieces, and utterly destroy,
all the antichristian kings of the earth, their states and kingdoms, and bring
them into subjection to them:
and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their
substance unto the Lord of the whole earth; that is, to Christ, who
in the last day will appear to be King and Lord of the whole earth; and all the
riches of the antichristian nations, Pagan, Papal, and Mahometan, will be
devolved to, and employed in, his interest and service; see Revelation 21:24;
these are the words of God the Father, with respect to his Son Jesus Christ;
who will now have a dominion, glory, and kingdom given him, by the ancient of
days, that so all people, nations, and languages, shall serve him, Daniel 7:14; of
which there might be some type and shadow in the times of the Maccabees.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)