MICAH CHAPTER 6 God's controversy with his people for ingratitude, MICAH 6:1. What service is acceptable to him, MICAH 6:6. He reproveth them for their injustice, MICAH 6:10, and idolatry, MICAH 6:16. HEAR YE: see MICAH 1:2. NOW; whilst the Lord is willing to debate with you, before it be too late f... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR YE, O MOUNTAINS: in the first verse God directs Micah to take the mountains and hills for witnesses; now in this verse he doth call upon those mountains to hear: it is a prosopoeia, an elegant personating of hearers and witnesses, as DEUTERONOMY 32:1 ISAIAH 1:2, ISAIAH 2:2. Some by MOUNTAINS un... [ Continue Reading ]
O, MY PEOPLE; you whole house of Israel, my people chosen in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, multiplied in Egypt, and by many miracles owned, redeemed, and carried through the wilderness, and settled in the Promised Land. WHAT HAVE I DONE UNTO THEE? If I have done only good, why art thou weary of me? if... [ Continue Reading ]
Look as far back as thy coming out of Egypt, near seven hundred and forty years agone; FOR I BROUGHT THEE UP, with an out-stretched arm, out of the land of Egypt, where by servants thou wert oppressed, where thy oppressors did plot thy utter extirpation, where thou servedst in the iron furnace. REDE... [ Continue Reading ]
O MY PEOPLE, REMEMBER NOW; O ISRAEL, think well of it, what I did then was worthy of a grateful remembrance to this day. WHAT BALAK KING OF MOAB CONSULTED: this man, though a great and warlike prince, yet would not adventure by plain force to set upon Israel; he wished their ruin, he contrived it, a... [ Continue Reading ]
In the foregoing part of the chapter you have God's resolution to have a hearing, MICAH 6:1,2, and his plea for himself against an ungrateful people, MICAH 6:3. Now in this verse you have the result, which is either an unfeigned submission, and justification of God's just proceedings, made by some o... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL THE LORD BE PLEASED WITH THOUSANDS OF RAMS? the law did direct the offering of rams, single beasts for single sacrifices; if this be too little, they shall be multiplied, we will give many, very many; for the phrase is a hyperbole. WITH TEN THOUSANDS OF RIVERS OF OIL: oil was required too in th... [ Continue Reading ]
The prophet answers the inquiry made MICAH 6:7 otherwise than these inquirers did expect: You who make this inquiry might have spared this pains. HE, God himself, hath already plainly enough told you this. THEE, O Jews, every one of you, might from the law of God know what would please your God, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD'S VOICE; either by his judgments, each of which is the Lord's voice, he speaks by them; or rather by his prophets; and whether people hear it, or forbear, the Lord himself is concerned in it. CRIETH, as to deaf or to sleepy and secure men, who will not hear the milder and softlier calls; th... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE THERE YET? after so many express laws peremptorily forbidding, so many examples of punishments on such, after so many reproofs, menaces, and exhortations by so many prophets, dare you still do so unjustly? TREASURES OF WICKEDNESS; gotten by injurious, oppressive courses, ill-gotten wealth; the w... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL I? it may have some reference to the prophet, as speaking of himself, appointed of God to be a reprover and impartial censurer of the sins of this people; When I am so to judge of them by their doings, shall I flatter them, and say they are better than they are? but it better refers to God him... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR: this is given as an evidence of the truth of the charge, and of the justness of the resolution God had declared to punish them. THE RICH MEN; who of all men had least temptation to deal unjustly; they were so well provided for, that without a trade they might live, and in trading they should ha... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, for these many sins of violence, frauds, and lies, ALSO WILL I MAKE THEE SICK IN SMITING THEE; some read, I have begun to smite thee, so it suits well with the history of the wars, rapine, captivity, or desolation by the Syrians, Assyrians, Arabians, &c. brought upon Israel and Judah, whi... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT EAT; both literally and figuratively taken, for using what they have. So God threatens, LEVITICUS 26:26. So God did punish the Jews, SEE POOLE "HAG 1.6". But not be satisfied; not be filled with sweetness or strength in the eating, or using of what thou hast; thy sins shall bring either b... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT SOW, be at great pains and cost in tilling and sowing, BUT THOU SHALT NOT REAP; it shall either not thrive to a harvest, or, if it does, an enemy shall reap it. THOU SHALT TREAD THE OLIVES, lay out thy labour and weary thyself in it, plant the tree, gather the fruit and tread it, BUT THOU... [ Continue Reading ]
THE STATUTES OF OMRI; of which you read, 1 KINGS 16:25. He built Samaria, to be a royal city, and seat of religion brought in by Jeroboam; thus he both strengthened and put more credit upon the idolatrous worship, which was set up by Omri in a royal city. whereas by Jeroboam it was set up in places... [ Continue Reading ]