5 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 concerning the prophets H5030 that make my people H5971 err, H8582 that bite H5391 with their teeth, H8127 and cry, H7121 Peace; H7965 and he that putteth H5414 not into their mouths, H6310 they even prepare H6942 war H4421 against him.
Then the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, The prophets H5030 prophesy H5012 lies H8267 in my name: H8034 I sent H7971 them not, neither have I commanded H6680 them, neither spake H1696 unto them: they prophesy H5012 unto you a false H8267 vision H2377 and divination, H7081 and a thing of nought, H457 H434 and the deceit H8649 of their heart. H3820 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 concerning the prophets H5030 that prophesy H5012 in my name, H8034 and I sent H7971 them not, yet they say, H559 Sword H2719 and famine H7458 shall not be in this land; H776 By sword H2719 and famine H7458 shall those prophets H5030 be consumed. H8552
Then said H559 the prophet H5030 Jeremiah H3414 unto Hananiah H2608 the prophet, H5030 Hear H8085 now, Hananiah; H2608 The LORD H3068 hath not sent H7971 thee; but thou makest this people H5971 to trust H982 in a lie. H8267 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Behold, I will cast H7971 thee from off the face H6440 of the earth: H127 this year H8141 thou shalt die, H4191 because thou hast taught H1696 rebellion H5627 against the LORD. H3068 So Hananiah H2608 the prophet H5030 died H4191 the same year H8141 in the seventh H7637 month. H2320
There is a conspiracy H7195 of her prophets H5030 in the midst H8432 thereof, like a roaring H7580 lion H738 ravening H2963 the prey; H2964 they have devoured H398 souls; H5315 they have taken H3947 the treasure H2633 and precious things; H3366 they have made her many H7235 widows H490 in the midst H8432 thereof. Her priests H3548 have violated H2554 my law, H8451 and have profaned H2490 mine holy things: H6944 they have put no difference H914 between the holy H6944 and profane, H2455 neither have they shewed H3045 difference between the unclean H2931 and the clean, H2889 and have hid H5956 their eyes H5869 from my sabbaths, H7676 and I am profaned H2490 among H8432 them. Her princes H8269 in the midst H7130 thereof are like wolves H2061 ravening H2963 the prey, H2964 to shed H8210 blood, H1818 and to destroy H6 souls, H5315 to get H1214 dishonest gain. H1215 And her prophets H5030 have daubed H2902 them with untempered H8602 morter, seeing H2374 vanity, H7723 and divining H7080 lies H3577 unto them, saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 when the LORD H3068 hath not spoken. H1696 The people H5971 of the land H776 have used oppression, H6231 H6233 and exercised H1497 robbery, H1498 and have vexed H3238 the poor H6041 and needy: H34 yea, they have oppressed H6231 the stranger H1616 wrongfully. H4941
And say, H559 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Woe H1945 to the women that sew H8609 pillows H3704 to all armholes, H679 H3027 and make H6213 kerchiefs H4555 upon the head H7218 of every stature H6967 to hunt H6679 souls! H5315 Will ye hunt H6679 the souls H5315 of my people, H5971 and will ye save H2421 the souls H5315 alive H2421 that come unto you? And will ye pollute H2490 me among my people H5971 for handfuls H8168 of barley H8184 and for pieces H6595 of bread, H3899 to slay H4191 the souls H5315 that should not die, H4191 and to save H2421 the souls H5315 alive H2421 that should not live, H2421 by your lying H3576 to my people H5971 that hear H8085 your lies? H3577
Because, even because they have seduced H2937 my people, H5971 saying, H559 Peace; H7965 and there was no peace; H7965 and one built up H1129 a wall, H2434 and, lo, H2009 others daubed H2902 it with untempered H8602 morter: Say H559 unto them which daub H2902 it with untempered H8602 morter, that it shall fall: H5307 there shall be an overflowing H7857 shower; H1653 and ye, H859 O great hailstones, H417 H68 shall fall; H5307 and a stormy H5591 wind H7307 shall rend H1234 it. Lo, when the wall H7023 is fallen, H5307 shall it not be said H559 unto you, Where is the daubing H2915 wherewith ye have daubed H2902 it? Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 I will even rend H1234 it with a stormy H5591 wind H7307 in my fury; H2534 and there shall be an overflowing H7857 shower H1653 in mine anger, H639 and great hailstones H417 H68 in my fury H2534 to consume H3617 it. So will I break down H2040 the wall H7023 that ye have daubed H2902 with untempered H8602 morter, and bring H5060 it down to the ground, H776 so that the foundation H3247 thereof shall be discovered, H1540 and it shall fall, H5307 and ye shall be consumed H3615 in the midst H8432 thereof: and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068 Thus will I accomplish H3615 my wrath H2534 upon the wall, H7023 and upon them that have daubed H2902 it with untempered H8602 morter, and will say H559 unto you, The wall H7023 is no more, neither they that daubed H2902 it; To wit, the prophets H5030 of Israel H3478 which prophesy H5012 concerning Jerusalem, H3389 and which see H2374 visions H2377 of peace H7965 for her, and there is no peace, H7965 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel, H3478 of Ahab H256 the son H1121 of Kolaiah, H6964 and of Zedekiah H6667 the son H1121 of Maaseiah, H4641 which prophesy H5012 a lie H8267 unto you in my name; H8034 Behold, I will deliver H5414 them into the hand H3027 of Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon; H894 and he shall slay H5221 them before your eyes; H5869 And of them shall be taken up H3947 a curse H7045 by all the captivity H1546 of Judah H3063 which are in Babylon, H894 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 make H7760 thee like Zedekiah H6667 and like Ahab, H256 whom the king H4428 of Babylon H894 roasted H7033 in the fire; H784 Because they have committed H6213 villany H5039 in Israel, H3478 and have committed H6213 adultery H5003 with their neighbours' H7453 wives, H802 and have spoken H1696 lying H8267 words H1697 in my name, H8034 which I have not commanded H6680 them; even I know, H3045 and am a witness, H5707 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
Mine heart H3820 within H7130 me is broken H7665 because of the prophets; H5030 all my bones H6106 shake; H7363 I am like a drunken H7910 man, H376 and like a man H1397 whom wine H3196 hath overcome, H5674 because H6440 of the LORD, H3068 and because of the words H1697 of his holiness. H6944 For the land H776 is full H4390 of adulterers; H5003 for because H6440 of swearing H423 the land H776 mourneth; H56 the pleasant places H4999 of the wilderness H4057 are dried up, H3001 and their course H4794 is evil, H7451 and their force H1369 is not right. For both prophet H5030 and priest H3548 are profane; H2610 yea, in my house H1004 have I found H4672 their wickedness, H7451 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Wherefore their way H1870 shall be unto them as slippery H2519 ways in the darkness: H653 they shall be driven on, H1760 and fall H5307 therein: for I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon them, even the year H8141 of their visitation, H6486 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 And I have seen H7200 folly H8604 in the prophets H5030 of Samaria; H8111 they prophesied H5012 in Baal, H1168 and caused my people H5971 Israel H3478 to err. H8582 I have seen H7200 also in the prophets H5030 of Jerusalem H3389 an horrible thing: H8186 they commit adultery, H5003 and walk H1980 in lies: H8267 they strengthen H2388 also the hands H3027 of evildoers, H7489 that none H376 doth return H7725 from his wickedness: H7451 they are all of them unto me as Sodom, H5467 and the inhabitants H3427 thereof as Gomorrah. H6017 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 concerning the prophets; H5030 Behold, I will feed H398 them with wormwood, H3939 and make them drink H8248 the water H4325 of gall: H7219 for from the prophets H5030 of Jerusalem H3389 is profaneness H2613 gone forth H3318 into all the land. H776 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 Hearken H8085 not unto the words H1697 of the prophets H5030 that prophesy H5012 unto you: they make you vain: H1891 they speak H1696 a vision H2377 of their own heart, H3820 and not out of the mouth H6310 of the LORD. H3068 They say H559 still H559 unto them that despise H5006 me, The LORD H3068 hath said, H1696 Ye shall have peace; H7965 and they say H559 unto every one that walketh H1980 after the imagination H8307 of his own heart, H3820 No evil H7451 shall come H935 upon you.
All ye beasts H2416 of the field, H7704 come H857 to devour, H398 yea, all ye beasts H2416 in the forest. H3293 His watchmen H6822 are blind: H5787 they are all ignorant, H3045 they are all dumb H483 dogs, H3611 they cannot H3201 bark; H5024 sleeping, H1957 lying down, H7901 loving H157 to slumber. H5123 Yea, they are greedy H5794 H5315 dogs H3611 which can H3045 never have H3045 enough, H7654 and they are shepherds H7462 that cannot understand: H995 they all look H6437 to their own way, H1870 every one H376 for his gain, H1215 from his quarter. H7097 Come H857 ye, say they, I will fetch H3947 wine, H3196 and we will fill H5433 ourselves with strong drink; H7941 and to morrow H4279 shall be as this day, H3117 and much H3966 more H3499 abundant. H1419
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Micah 3
Commentary on Micah 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
Mic 3:1-12. The Sins of the Princes, Prophets, and Priests: The Consequent Desolation of Zion.
1. princes—magistrates or judges.
Is it not for you?—Is it not your special function (Jer 5:4, 5)?
judgment—justice. Ye sit in judgment on others; surely then ye ought to know the judgment for injustice which awaits yourselves (Ro 2:1).
2. pluck off their skin … flesh—rob their fellow countrymen of all their substance (Ps 14:4; Pr 30:14).
3. pot … flesh within … caldron—manifold species of cruel oppressions. Compare Eze 24:3, &c., containing, as to the coming punishment, the same figure as is here used of the sin: implying that the sin and punishment exactly correspond.
4. Then—at the time of judgment, which Micah takes for granted, so certain is it (compare Mic 2:3).
they cry … but he will not hear—just as those oppressed by them had formerly cried, and they would not hear. Their prayer shall be rejected, because it is the mere cry of nature for deliverance from pain, not that of repentance for deliverance from sin.
ill in their doings—Men cannot expect to do ill and fare well.
5. Here he attacks the false prophets, as before he had attacked the "princes."
make my people err—knowingly mislead My people by not denouncing their sins as incurring judgment.
bite with … teeth, and cry, Peace—that is, who, so long as they are supplied with food, promise peace and prosperity in their prophecies.
he that putteth not into their mouths, they … prepare war against him—Whenever they are not supplied with food, they foretell war and calamity.
prepare war—literally, "sanctify war," that is, proclaim it as a holy judgment of God because they are not fed (see on Jer 6:4; compare Isa 13:3; Joe 1:14).
6. night … dark—Calamities shall press on you so overwhelming as to compel you to cease pretending to divine (Zec 13:4). Darkness is often the image of calamity (Isa 8:22; Am 5:18; 8:9).
7. cover their lips—The Orientals prided themselves on the moustache and beard ("upper lip," Margin). To cover it, therefore, was a token of shame and sorrow (Le 13:45; Eze 24:17, 22). "They shall be so ashamed of themselves as not to dare to open their mouths or boast of the name of prophet" [Calvin].
there is no answer of God—They shall no more profess to have responses from God, being struck dumb with calamities (Mic 3:6).
8. I—in contrast to the false prophets (Mic 3:5, 7).
full of power—that which "the Spirit of Jehovah" imparts for the discharge of the prophetical function (Lu 1:17; 24:49; Ac 1:8).
judgment—a sense of justice [Maurer]; as opposed to the false prophets' speaking to please men, not from a regard to truth. Or, "judgment" to discern between graver and lighter offenses, and to denounce punishments accordingly [Grotius].
might—moral intrepidity in speaking the truth at all costs (2Ti 1:7).
to declare unto Jacob his … sin—(Isa 58:1). Not to flatter the sinner as the false prophets do with promises of peace.
9. Hear—resumed from Mic 3:1. Here begins the leading subject of the prophecy: a demonstration of his assertion that he is "full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah" (Mic 3:8).
10. They—change of person from "ye" (Mic 3:9); the third person puts them to a greater distance as estranged from Him. It is, literally, "Whosoever builds," singular.
build up Zion with blood—build on it stately mansions with wealth obtained by the condemnation and murder of the innocent (Jer 22:13; Eze 22:27; Hab 2:12).
11. heads thereof—the princes of Jerusalem.
judge for reward—take bribes as judges (Mic 7:3).
priests teach for hire—It was their duty to teach the law and to decide controversies gratuitously (Le 10:11; De 17:11; Mal 2:7; compare Jer 6:13; Jude 11).
prophets … divine—that is, false prophets.
Is not the Lord among us?—namely in the temple (Isa 48:2; Jer 7:4, 8-11).
12. Jer 26:18 quotes this verse. The Talmud and Maimonides record that at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans under Titus, Terentius Rufus, who was left in command of the army, with a ploughshare tore up the foundations of the temple.
mountain of the house—the height on which the temple stands.
as the high places of the forest—shall become as heights in a forest overrun with wild shrubs and brushwood.