Micah 7:2 - Exposition

This verse explains the preceding comparison; the grape and the early fig represent the righteous man. The good man ; LXX ; εὐσεβής , the godly, pious man. The Hebrew word ( khasidh ) implies one who exercises love to others, who is merciful, loving, and righteous. Is perished out of the earth; has disappeared from the world (comp. Psalms 14:2 , Psalms 14:3 ; and especially Isaiah 57:1 ). They all lie in wait for blood. They all practise violence and rapine, and meditate how they may pursue their evil designs, even to the shedding of blood. LXX ; πάντες εἰς αἶματα δικάζονται , which narrows the charge to one special kind of iniquity, vie. committing judicial murders. They hunt every man his brother with a net. They ought to love their brethren, their fellow countrymen, partakers of the same hope and privileges (Le 19:18). Instead of this, they pursue them as the fowler traps birds, or the hunter beasts. The word rendered "net" ( cherem ) is in most versions translated "destruction." Thus, Septuagint, ἐκθλίβουσιν ἐκθλιβῇ : Vulgate, ad mortem venatur ; so the Syriac and Chaldee. In the present connection it is best taken as "net" ( Habakkuk 1:15 ).