Chapter 7

1 The church, complaining of her small number, 3 and the general corruption, 5 putteth her confidence not in man, but in God. 8 She triumpheth over her enemies. 14 God comforteth her by promises, 16 by confusion of the enemies, 18 and by his mercies.

1. Woe is me! Israel, or Zion, seems to be the speaker, or probably the repentant part of Israel.

Summer fruits. The application of the figure may be suggested by v. 2. As after the fruit is harvested none of it is to be found in the field, so after the harvest of evil no righteous man is to be found in Israel. Or Zion may be represented as the one who comes seeking fruit after the harvest has been gathered, and finds none.

2. Is perished. Compare Jer. 5:1.

3. With both hands. The Hebrew of the opening clause is obscure. The LXX reads, “They prepare their hands for mischief.”

A reward. Bribery, an ancient vice, is here condemned (see Isa. 1:23).

They wrap it up. The Hebrew of the clause thus translated is obscure. The verb occurs only here and the meaning is therefore uncertain.

4. Brier. Heb. chedeq, translated “thorns” in Prov. 15:19. Thorns are hard, piercing, injuring all who go by.

5. Trust ye not. Verses 5, 6 describe the moral conditions as so grievous that a friend, a neighbor, a man’s wife who lay in his “bosom,” or any member of the immediate family could not be trusted.

6. Dishonoureth. Jesus quoted the words of this verse to describe moral conditions in the Christian age (Matt. 10:21, 35, 36).

7. Therefore. Speaking for Israel, the prophet expresses faith in God despite chastisement and looks forward in confidence to promised restoration.

8. Rejoice not. So assured is Israel of her ultimate salvation that she sounds the note of triumph over the enemy whom God employed to punish His people.

9. I will bear. This is the language of the truly penitent. He realizes that his only hope is in God. He asks for no mitigation of punishment. He knows that whatever God does will be for his good.

10. Where is the Lord? Compare Isa. 37:10–13; Joel 2:17.

As the mire. See Isa. 10:6; Zech. 10:5.

11. In the day. Literally, “a day.” An assurance of restoration.

Decree. Heb. choq, which, although frequently used of a decree, may also mean boundary, or limit. If so intended here, there is a prediction of the extension of Israel’s boundaries.

12. He shall come. Probably “they shall come” in harmony with several manuscripts of the LXX.

Fortified. Heb. masor, which may also be translated “Egypt.” Assyria and Egypt had held God’s people in captivity and in slavery.

Fortress. Heb. masor, which may be translated “Egypt” as above.

River. The Euphrates.

Sea to sea. It is not certain which seas are meant. The expression indicates wide extent. The same is true of the expression, “from mountain to mountain.”

13. Desolate. The land of the heathen seems here to be indicated. As a result of the judgments of God in the deliverance of Israel, many areas would become largely depopulated.

14. Feed thy people. The prophecy of Micah ends with a prayer that God will fulfill His promises toward His people. Yahweh is represented as the divine Shepherd (see Ps. 23:1), who, with His staff, or “rod” (see Ps. 23:4), will lead His people, “the flock of thine heritage” (see Ps. 28:9; 95:7), to good pasture (see Eze. 34:11–15).

Dwell solitarily. Compare Num. 23:9.

Carmel. The name means “garden land.” Possibly luxuriant pastureland in general is referred to instead of the range of hills forming the southwestern boundary of the plain of Esdraelon.

Bashan. Bashan and Gilead are referred to, possibly because of their rich pastures, possibly also from the point of view that these territories to the east of the Jordan, which had been lost to Assyria (see on 1 Chron. 5:26), would be restored.

15. Egypt. God promises to match the “marvellous” wonders that accompanied the Exodus.

16. Shall see. The enemy had formerly boasted, “Where is the Lord thy God?” (v. 10). Now the tables would be turned and the heathen would acknowledge the power of Yahweh and be ashamed of all their boasted might.

17. Lick the dust. A figure describing the utmost humiliation (see on Ps. 72:9; see also Isa. 49:23).

Their holes. The fastnesses into which the wicked had gone in terror because of the Lord.

18. Who is a God? Micah closes his prophecy with a note of praise for God’s mercy and faithfulness. Compare similar expressions in Ex. 15:11; Ps. 71:19.

Pardoneth iniquity. Compare Ex. 34:7; Isa. 55:7.

Retaineth not. Compare Ps. 103:9.

19. Subdue our iniquities. Israel’s iniquities, which it had been Micah’s sad lot to expose, would be freely forgiven. Though here not particularly pointed out, pardon was only on the basis of thorough repentance and reformation. The discipline of the Captivity was designed to effect such a spiritual revival. This was not achieved on a national scale, and so the glorious promises with which Micah closes his prophecies were never realized by the nation of Israel. Individuals, of course, experienced the saving grace of God and obtained the pardon here promised. The blessings may also be claimed by the Christian. Through the merits of the grace of Christ his sins may be perfectly forgiven. If he endures till the end, his sins will never be mentioned against him again. Should he apostatize and be lost, all his sins will face him on the judgment day (see on Eze. 18:21–24).

20. Thou wilt perform. See Gen. 17:1–9; 22:16–18; 28:13–15; cf. Heb. 6:13–18. These promises, which should have met a glorious fulfillment in the literal seed of Israel, will now be fulfilled in the Christian church, which is the spiritual seed of Abraham (Gal. 3:7, 9, 29; see pp. 35, 36).

Ellen G. White comments

2, 4 PK 324

7, 8 MH 182

7–9PK 334

8, 9 GC 346; MH 166; PK 377; PP 738

18   DA 241, 582; COL 186; MB 116; SC 10; 6T 149

18, 19  8T 278

19        DA 162, 806; MH 182