Micah 1:15

Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah,.... Another city in the tribe of Judah, mentioned with Achzib in Joshua 15:44; and by many thought to be the birth place of this prophet;

Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.

Yet will I bring; the Lord will cause the Assyrian to rise up and prosper in his wars, to the subduing and possessing of the cities of Israel and the Philistines. An heir; the Assyrian, who in the right of conquest shall possess, and account himself heir of what he possesseth. Mareshah; most think the prophet speaks of Mareshah in his own country, but I think the Assyrian did not inherit that, though he might inherit that of the Philistines. Adullam; famous for its strength, say some; but I rather think it better known for the cave where David lay hid, . It was made a town of defence by Rehoboam, . It was once a royal city, and had several villages belonging to it, . The glory of Israel; ironically (say some) called thus, minatorily threatening that the glory of Israel should be brought as low, into as mean condition, as Adullam. Others think it should be read, and to the glory of Israel, that is, Jerusalem; so there should be an ellipsis of (duw) the particle conjunctive. Others think it is the prophet’ s deep sigh at the thoughts how the glory of Israel is laid in the dust. Others think it was then considerable enough at that time to be called the glory of Israel, though we know not how.

Micah 1:15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.Ver. 15. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee] Or, a possessor, who shall lay claim to thee, as by right of inheritance. This heir was the Assyrian, and those colonies brought by him into the cities of Israel, 2 Kings 17:34. These took upon them as heirs and owners of the country, till turned out afterwards by Josiah, King of Judah, 2 Kings 23:4; 2 Kings 23:8. Here is another elegant allusion, as this chapter is full of them, for Mareshah signifieth an inheritance or possession. And if it were Micah’ s own country, as many think, we may see the prophet’ s integrity in not bearing with his best friends; but taking the same liberty to tell them of their sins and dangers that they did to commit the one and to incur the other. "Physician, heal thyself," said they to our Saviour, Luke 4:23, that is, thine own country, as it is there explained. He shall come unto Adullam, the glory of Israel] Haply so called, because David was once there hidden and housed, and the place thereby renowned. Or, because it was a stronghold, wherein Israel gloried and trusted, but in vain, since the enemies should come to it, and surprise it. Some think poor Adullam is called "the glory of Israel" ironically, and by way of scorn. Some read it thus, O glory of Israel (to wit, then lost and overthrown); and they make it to be a deep sigh of the prophet, sent from the bottom of his heart; whereby he witnesseth that he is greatly sorry for the ruin of the Israelites; that he might move them also to mourn in like manner. This he further presseth them to in the next words.

(15) Yet will I bring an heir.—Rather, the possessor, one who shall take it by force—i.e., Sennacherib. Mareshah was a city in the plain of Judah, near the prophet’s native place, Moresheth-gath. It was fortified by Rehoboam, and became the scene of Asa’s victory over the immense host of Zerah the Ethiopian. Dr. Robinson is of opinion that after its destruction the town of Eleutheropolis was built out of its materials. Adullam the glory of Israel.—Adullam, in the neighbourhood of Mareshah, was situated at the base of the hills, and gave its name to the famous cave in which David took refuge. Joshua mentions a king of Adullam in the list of those conquered by the Israelites. This, now the last refuge of the glory of Israel, shall be seized by the invader.

Verse 15. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O - Mareshah] Here is another instance, הירש haigeresh, to bring an heir, and מרשה mareshah, the city, the name of which signifies heirship. And so of the above proper names. Adullam the glory of Israel.] This was a fenced city in the south of Judah (see 2 Chronicles 11:7) towards the Dead Sea. There is much obscurity in the concluding verses of this chapter. They undoubtedly refer to the captivity of Israel, and to circumstances of distress, &c., which are not mentioned in any of the historical books, and therefore their reference and meaning can only be conjectured.

15. Yet will I bring, &c.] Rather, Moreover unto thee will I bring him that shall possess thee (viz. Sargon and his Assyrians). ‘Mareshah’ was near Achzib (Joshua 15:44). There is an allusion to its possible meaning of ‘possession.’ he shall come unto Adullam, &c.] Rather, the glory of Israel shall come even unto Adullam. The nobility of Israel are to take refuge in the cave which once harboured David and his band (1 Samuel 22:1-2). These limestone caverns are of great extent; some of them, says Dr Pusey, will hold thousands of men. A second meaning may be implied by a paronomasia, ‘The glory of Israel shall set for ever’ (as if Adullam meant ‘for ever,’ Hebr. ad olam). Adullam was a fortified town in the Shephélah, Joshua 15:35.

Yet will I bring an heir - (the heir, him whom God had appointed to be the heir, Sennacherib) unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah Mareshah, (as the original form of its name denotes, lay on the summit of a hill.

Micah 1:15 contains the last play upon words, Mareshah and Yoresh, “the possessor,” translated in A.V. “heir,” in R.V.