CHAP. III. V. 1-4. The rulers of Israel might be intended by this address, as well as those of Judah; yet the latter seem to be chiefly meant. They had every opportunity of knowing the rules of justice and equity, and it was peculiarly incumbent on them to understand and practise them: yet they carelessly, nay, wilfully, continued ignorant of them, or decided causes and enacted laws in opposition to them. ( Marg . Ref . a, b.- Notes , 8-12, v. 8. Ps . 82:2-5. Jer . 5:3-6.) They evidently hated every thing good and all pious men; and loved wickedness, and the wicked by whom they could serve their own base purposes. Instead of feeding and protecting the Lord's flock, they fleeced, butchered, and devoured them; reducing the g the poor people to the deepest misery by their cruel exactions and oppressions. ( Marg . Ref . c-f.- Notes , 2:1-3. 7:1-4. Is . 10:
1-4. Jer . 5:30,31. Ez . 22:27,28. 34:2—1
34:2-10,17
22. Am . 5:10-15. Zeph . 3:1-4. Zech . 11:4-6. Matt. 23:14. Jam . 5:1-6.) They would therefore shortly cry out under the oppressions of their enemies, or other great distresses; but the Lord would utterly disregard them, according to their behavior to him, and and to their poor brethren. ( Marg . Ref . g, h. -Notes, Prov. 21:13. Is . 1:10-15.58:3-7. Zech . 7:13. Jam . 2:8--13, υ. 13.)-These verses are also peculiarly descriptive of the character and conduct of the Jewish scribes, priests, and rulers, in the days of Christ and his apostles; and perhaps predict the subsequent condition of that people.
V. 5-7. The false prophets likewise were
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 judgment, 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.
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, Il and say, Is not the LORD among us? d 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. q Lev. 13:45. Ez. 24:17,22.
r 1 Sam. 14:37. 23:6,15. Ps. 74: 9. Am. 8:11.
s Job 32:18. Is. 11:2,3. 58:1. Jer. 1:18. 6:11. 15:19-21. 20: 9. Ez. 3:14. Matt. 7:29. Acts 4:8-12,19,20. 7:54-57. 13:9 -12. 18:5,6,9-11. 1 Cor. Cor. 2: 4,12,13.
t Is. 58:1. Ez. 16:2. 20:4. 22: 2. 43:10. Matt. 3:7-12. Acts 7:51,52.
u 1. Ex. 3:16. Hos. 5:1. x Lev. 26:15. Deut. 27:19. Ps. 58:1,2. Prov. 17:15. Is. 1:23. Jer. 5:28.
y Jer. 22:13-17. Ez. 22:2528. Hab. 2:9-12. Zeph. 3:3.
Matt. 27:25. John 11:50. Heb. bloods.
z 7:3. Num. 16:15. 1 Sam. 8:3. 12:3,4. Is. 1:23. Ez. 22:12,27, Hos. 4:18. Zeph. 3:3.
a Jer. 6:13. 8:10. Mal. 1:10. 1 Tim. 3:3. Tit. 1:11. 1 Pet. 5:2.
b 5. Is. 56:11. Acts 8:18-20. 2 Pet. 2:1-3,14,15. Jude 11. c 1 Sam. 4:3-6. 13.48:2, Jer. 7: 4,8-12. Matt. 3:9. Rom. 2: 17.
|| Heb. saying.
Am. 9:10.
e 1:6. Ps. 79:1. 107:34. Jer. 26:18. Matt. 24:2. Acts 6:13, 14.
f 4:1,2. Is. 2:2,3.
most heinously criminal, and indeed one great cause of the general wickedness of the nation. They flattered the people into a delusive expectation of peace in their evil ways: yet they were ready to bite and devour such as opposed them; and even to declare war against those who would not satisfy their avarice and rapacity, being "greedy dogs that could never have enough:" so that their peaceable and soft language was restricted to their prophesyings, before those who paid well for them. ( Marg . Ref . 1, m.-- Notes , 2:11. Is . 9:13-17, υυ . 15,16.56: 9-12.
Jer . 14:13-16, 23:13,25-32. 28:10-17. Lam . 4:13-16. Ez . 13:1-16. 22:25-28. Matt . 7: 15-20. Rom . 16:17-20.) Therefore the approaching distresses should confute their prognostications, and prevent them from pretending to any more visions. The sun of their prosperity, reputation, and hope, would suddenly be darkened, and leave them them in misery, contempt, and despair. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . n, o.- Notes , Is . 8:20-22. 29:9-12.59:9-15, vv. 9,10. Jer. 15:8,9.
Am . 8:4-10, vv . 8—10.) God would shame and silence all such seers and diviners; and they should cover their lips, as mourners or unclean persons; confessing that they could obtain no answer from God, to their anxious inquiries concerning the end of their calamities. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . p, r. -Notes , Ps . 74:9. Hos . 3:4,5. Zech . 13:4-6.)How exactly does this describe the state of that once favored nation, for above the last seventeen hundred years!
V. 8-12. It is probable, that Micah was greatly opposed by the wicked princes and
Heb. 1:2. 2 Pet. 3:3,
a Gen. 49:1. Is. 2:1-3. Jer.c Gen. 49:10. Ps. 22:27. 68:29 48:47. Ez. 33:16. Dan. 2:28. -32. 72:7-11,17--19. 86:9. 10:14. Hos. 3:5. Acts 2:17. 110:3. Is. 11:10. 27:13. 43:6. 49:6,19-23, 54:2. 60:3-14. 66:18-23. Jer. 3:17. 16:19. Zeph. 3:9,10. Zech. 2:11. 14: 16-21. Mal. 1:11. Rom. 11: 25,26. Rev. 15:4.
b 3:12. Ps. 68:15,16. Is. 11:9, 66:20. Ez. 17:22,23. 40:2. 43: 12. Dan. 2:35,44. 7:14,18,22, 27. Zech. 8:3. Rev. 11:15. 20: 4. 21:1,&c.
false prophets: but he knew and confidently declared, that he spake by the authority of God, and the inspiration of his Spirit; that he was abundantly endued with honesty, courage, wisdom, and energy to deliver his faithful message, whether they would hear it, or not; and that he was especially commissioned to declare unto the house of Jacob the number and heinousness of their sins. He therefore, as evidencing his courage and impartiality, called on the rulers of the people to attend, and not to persist in fighting against God. (Marg. Ref . s-u.- .
Note , 1-4.) They indeed abhorred all justice and perverted equity: they had beautified the city with magnificent houses, and fortified it with walls, and perhaps repaired or added buildings to the temple; but it was done with money, which had been the wages of murder and oppression.
The magistrates, priests, and prophets were alike mercenary and avaricious: yet they presumed upon their external privileges, "the temple of God," and their formal worship: so that when they were warned of approaching judgments, they inquired "whether the LORD were not among them;" and were confident no evil would befal them. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . yd.- Notes , 5–7, v. 5. Is . 1:21-24.48:1,2. Jer. 5:30,31. 7:3-11. 22:13-19. Ez . 22:25-28. Zeph . 3:1-4.
Acts 6:9-14.) To punish therefore their hypocrisy and iniquity, the city would certainly be desolated and become heaps of rubbish; and the mountain, on which the temple stood, would be rendered as waste and unfrequented, as the forests and deserts.This prophecy was delivered in the reign of Hezekiah, and probably in the beginning of it. (Marg.
Ref . e, f.- Note , Jer. 26:16-19.) The princes, priests, and prophets, in general, either discountenanced his zeal for reformation or concurred in a hypocritical manner: but the king was decided; and these predictions seem to have encouraged and quickened his endeavors, and to have stirred up more persons to concur with him; by which means the judgments were retarded, but not averted.The destruction of the city and temple by the Romans, as well as that by the Chaldeans, seems to have been predicted; in which the ground, where the temple stood, is said to have been broken up with a plow by the conquerors.
The avowed counsel of Caiaphas to
2 And many nations shall come, d and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob: and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar
d Is. 2:3. Jer. 31:6. 50:4,5. Zech. 8:20-23.
e Deut. 6:1. Ps. 25:8,9,12. Is. 54:13. Matt. 11:25-30. John 6:45. 7:17. Acts 10:32,33. 13: 42. Jam. 1:19-25.
f Ps. 110:2. Is. 42:1-4. 51:4,5. Zech. 14:8,9. Matt. 28:19,20. Mark 16:15,16,20,- Luke 24: 47. Acts 1:8. 13:46,47. Rom. 10:12-18. 15:19.
g 1 Sam. 2:10. Ps. 82:8. 96:13. 98:9. Is. 11:3-5.51:5. Matt. 25:31,32. John 5:22,23,27-29. 16:8-11. Acts 17:31. Rev. 19:11.
h 5:15. 7:16,17. Ps. 2.5-12. 68:30,31. 110:1,2,5,6. Is. 25:3. 60:12. Dan. 2:44. Joel 3:2,9 -16. Zech. 12:3-6. 14:3,12 -19. Rev. 19:17-21. 20:8,9.
ters of God, nay, by that of his well beloved Son. ( Notes , John 11:49-53.)
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
Princes and magistrates are more concerned to know judgment than other men, as their conduct has more important, extensive, and permanent effects: and princes in Israel have abundant opportunity of knowing it. Yet, through human depravity, and the disadvantages and temptations peculiar to their situation, they are often ignorant of the rules by which they ought to govern, judge, or act: and sometimes they most evidently prove, that they "hate the good and love the evil," by their iniquitous exactions and oppressions.
Thus thousands are made miserable to humor the caprice, to maintain the luxury and ostentation, or to gratify the ambition or avarice, of one cruel tyrant! But let not such men expect to be heard or favored by God, when they shall cry unto him in extreme distress; for "they shall have judgment without mercy, who have shewed no mercy." Alas! these wholesome truths seldom reach the ears of those to whom they are most needful; but who are too generally environed with flatterers, or teachers of lies, whom they reward with a share of their plunder and riot.
Such are smooth in their doctrine, soft in their manners, and courtly in their address: but they can snarl, and bite too, if their inferiors offend them; and contend furiously and maliciously with those, who refuse to satisfy their mercenary demands. And, though they are "dumb dogs that cannot bark" in the cause of God, yet they open their mouths wide to revile and to devour.
But "the light that is in them is darkness:" their prosperity and honor will soon end in misery and disgrace, and their sanguine hope, in black despair: they will be ashamed of their lying divinations and erroneous doctrines, by which they have fatally misled the people; and they shall have no answer from God in the time of their distress.
On the other hand, he who preaches by the authority and according to the oracles of God, from zeal for his glory and love to the souls of men; who is conscious of integrity, and assured of the truth of his doctrine, may speak with constancy and confidence, in the midst of calumny and opposition: though he should
put our Lord to death, without alleging any be called upon to expose the transgressions of charge against him, that the nation might princes and priests, "who abhor judgment," not perish, was a remarkable instance of that and prostitute their important offices to the carnal policy, by which princes and priests gratification of their vile avarice, ambition, have attempted to build Zion with blood, even malice, or sensuality. Even such men may the blood of the prophets, apostles, s, and minis- || be so blinded by self-flattery, and in the just off: and i they shall beat their swords into to||strong nation: " and the Lord shall reigu plow-shares, and their spears into * pruning- over them in mount Zion, from henceforth, hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword even for ever. against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree; mand 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 wa'k in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.
i Ps. 46:9. Is. 2:4. 11:6-9. Hos. 2:18. Joel 3:10. Zech. 9: 10.
* Or, scythes
k Ps. 72:7. Is. 9:7. 60:17,18. 65: 25.
11 Kings 4:25. Is. 36:16. Zech. 3:10.
m Is. 54:14. Jer. 23:5,6. Ez. 34:25,28. 38:11. 39:26.
n Is. 1:20. 40:5. 58:14.
o 2 Kings 17:29,34. Jer. 2:10, 11.
p. Gen. 17:1. Ps. 71:16. Is. 2:5.
Zech. 10:12. Col. 2:6. 3:17.
q Ex. 3:14,15. Ps. 48:14. 145:
1,2.
r 2:12. Is. 35:3-6. Jer. 31:8. Ez. 34:16. Zeph. 3:19.
s Ps. 147:2. Is. 56:8. Jer. 3:18. 30:17,18. Ez. 34:12,13. 36:24. 37:21,22. 39:25-29. Luke 19: 10. John 10:16.
t 2:12. 5:3,7,8. 7:18. Is. 6:13. 10:21,22. 11:11-16. 49:21- 23. 60:22. 66:8. Hos. 1:10. Zech. 9:13--17. 10:5--12. Rom. 11:5,6,25-27.
judgment of God, as to have a presumptuous confidence in him, and expect security in sin, because of their abused privileges, unmeaning forms, and hypocritical profession: but they must be told that they are in the way of destruction; and it should be known by all, that rulers and teachers of this description are the causes of ruin to churches and nations, and are answerable for all the calamities which for their sakes come upon them.
NOTES.