Micah 1

Micah 1:1

THe Morasthite] namely; Of some City called Moresheth, whereof the Scripture maketh no mention; nor cannot be the same: as v. 14 Samaria and] And the chiefe Cities of the two Kingdomes: namely; of the ten Tribs, and of Judah, and their Princes and Heads.

Micah 1:2

Yee people] A figurative manner of calling all creatures, as it were, to a solemne appearance at the judgement wherein God will judge his people: See Deuteronomy 32:1. Psalms 50:1; Psalms 50:4. Isaiah 1:2. Amos 3:9 Be witnesse] that is to say; He will convince you of your sinnes, O yee of Judah and Israel! From hu ho’y] Comming forth, as one should say, out of Heaven; or out of the Temple of Jerusalem where he is present in his signes of grace and power.

Micah 1:3

And tread] Hee shall shew himselfe exalted above all worldly greatnesse: or hee shall tread under foot all powers as shall offer to resist him: Amos 4:13.

Micah 1:5

What is] Where is the spring of all these Idolatries, and other sins of these two Kingdomes? Is it not in these two chiefe cities? and in the Kings and Princes; and in their courts, which are kept within those cities.

Micah 1:7

The hires thereof] that is to say; All her riches and goods which shee thought to have gotten by her unlawfull treaties and leagues with prophane Nations; and, as it were, for a reward given her for consenting to Idolatry: See Hos. 2. 5, 12. and 9. 1 Shall returne] A proverbiall kind of speech: as much as to say; Those goods shall goe away as they came: that which hath beene gotten in the brothell shall be lost in the brothell: Or the Assyrians, who shall make a prey of them, shall also take them as a reward, and a gift of their Idols.

Micah 1:8

I will waile] The Prophets words having a feeling of the publike calamities Stript and] namely; In my shirt, or without my outward garment, which was a fashion used in times of extreme sorrow.

Micah 1:9

Her wound] namely; Samaia’s, v. 6. Whereby is meant the whole Kingdome of the ten Tribes It is come] The Assyrians, after they have conquered and laid waste the ten Tribes, shall also lay Judah waste, even to Jerusalem: 2 King. 18. 13. Isaiah 8:8 The gate] namely; To Jerusalem, the Kings residence; and where Judah’s soveraigne court of Justice was held, which the Scripture calleth often times, Gate.

Micah 1:10

Declare yee it not] The meaning is; the peoples calamities shall be so horrible, that it were to be wished that their deadly enemies (such as those of Gath and other Philistims were) mght never heare no newes of it; for feare, lest they should make triumphs for it, and should aggravate the measure of them by their insultings: 2 Samuel 1:10 Neither weepe yee] Forbeare making any shew of your miseries, for feare of giving your enemies occasion of laughter Roule thy selfe] namely; Thou Nation of Israel, in signe of extreme sorrow: Jer. 6 26. These names of Aphra and Saphir, &c. are nor sound any where else; and yet seeme to signifie some noted places: therefore it is likely that they were framed by the Propher, to make some allusion to the sence of his prophecy: As in stead of Ephraim; that is to say, fruitfulnesse; he saith house of Aphrah: that is to say, of ashes: To shew that this Tribe, which was so mighty; should he ruined, and brought to ashes. In stead of Samaria: that is to say, a place of coales: he saith Saphir; that is to say, faire, to signifie the glory to which that City was raised; and from which it should fall. In stead of Sion, he saith Zianan 〈◊〉 that is to say; a place of comming forth; of great concourse of persons going and comming. Out of which place, when the Assyrians should overrun the countrey, one should not be able to come out. In stead of Bethel; that is to say, the House of God: he saith, Beth-ezel; that is to say, a house of Separation; because God should forsake it, as an uncleane place. In stead of Ramoth, which signifieth altitudes or heights: he saith Maroth; that is to say; bitternesses: by reason of the great and bitter mourning and lamentation, which should be made in it.

Micah 1:11

Passe ye away] into captivity, loden with reproaches O thou Inhabitant] or people of that City Standing] the Italian, his defence] the Heb. his presenting: For the Hebrewes, when they would say, defend one; did say, present himselfe for one. See Exodus 32:25. Numb. 14. 9. Isaiah 22:8.

Micah 1:13

Bind the charet] to run away if thou canst, from before the Assyrians; who come to beege thee, 2 King. 18. 14 To the swift beast] that is to say; horses, or mules, which could run very swiftly She is] hence it appeares, that Lachish was first infected with the ten Tribes Idolatry, and that from thence it passed even to Jerusalem.

Micah 1:14

Give Presents] buy the friendship and assistance of this City of the Philistines; and of other Cities of that Nation against the Assyrians: yet all shall be in vaine Achzib] it appeares by 〈◊〉. 19 29. Judges 1:31. that this City, was one of those, out of which the Canaanites could not be driven: And it seemes that upon this invasion of the Assyrians, the Israelites had made a league with those Nations; by whom they were deluded, either through weaknesse, or treachery. And Micah amongst those Cities hath made choice of Achzib, by reason of the signification of the name, which is a Lye

Micah 1:15

Will I bring] I will cause the Assyrians to come; who shall make themselves Lords of thee, and thy goods Marsha] A City of Judah, Joshua 15:44. And this also seemes to have been chosen out; by reason of the nearenesse; which is between the word heire, and Mareshah Adullam] A City of Judah, Joshua 15:1-63. 5 The glory] namely; to Jerusalem, the City of Gods glorious residence in his Temple; and of the Kings residence in his Royall Palace.

Micah 1:16

Make thee bald] that is to say; O thou Jewish Nation make most bitter lamentation. See Job 1:20. Isa. 3. 24. and 15. 2. & 22. 12. Jeremiah 7:29 The Eagle] when she changes her feathers.