Micah 1:2-4

The judgment upon Samaria, Micah 1:2-7.

Micah 1:2-4 picture the coming of Jehovah in judgment.

All ye people;… O earth,… all that therein is A sublime apostrophe to the whole earth. All the nations of the earth are to listen and take warning, for a world judgment is decreed by Jehovah. Because these verses speak of a world judgment, while ordinarily the book speaks of judgment upon Israel or Judah only, Stade and Marti consider 2-4 a later interpolation by some one who could not understand how Judah and Israel alone could be punished, when other nations deserved even more the divine judgment. This conclusion does not follow necessarily; as an introduction to a more specific announcement these verses are perfectly natural. Similar expressions are found in other parts of the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 4:26; Deuteronomy 30:19; Deuteronomy 31:28; Isaiah 1:2). In 1 Kings 22:28, the words may be a later interpolation from this passage (compare LXX.).

And let the Lord Jehovah be witness against you Perhaps better, that the Lord Jehovah will be witness against you. Be witness is equivalent to be accuser. Since in 2a the nations are addressed, it seems only natural to interpret these words as addressed to the same. Micah means to announce the coming of Jehovah to a general judgment, though at present he will confine himself to Israel and Judah (5ff.). To understand Micah 1:2 as addressed to Israel, “people” (literally, peoples) referring to the tribes constituting the nation, is arbitrary and unnatural, and to refer 2a to the nations and “against you” in 2b to Israel is even less warranted.

From his holy temple Not the temple in Jerusalem, but, as “come down” inverse 3 shows, the dwelling place of Jehovah on high (Psalms 11:4). On holy see comment on Joel 2:1; Zechariah 14:20.

For Micah 1:3 does not state the reason why the people should give ear; it is rather the continuation of the statement in 2b. A better translation would be, Yea, behold.

Cometh More accurately, is about to come (G.-K., 116p.). The event is thought to be imminent. The language of Micah 1:3-4 is highly poetic. As frequently in the Old Testament (for example, Psalms 18:7 ff.), Micah 1:4 describes the appearance of Jehovah in the imagery of a thunderstorm, while Micah 1:3 seems to think of him as a mighty hero leaving his castle and going forth to war.

His place Temple (Micah 1:2).

Come down From heaven to earth.

Tread upon the high places See on Amos 4:13.

The present Hebrew text does not show the several clauses of Micah 1:4 in their logical order. A more natural arrangement would be, “And the mountains shall be melted under him as wax before the fire, and the valleys shall be cleft as waters that are poured down a steep place.” Whether or not this was the original order, the present arrangement being due to a later copyist, cannot be determined. The picture is that of a terrible thunderstorm.

Molten Some have interpreted this simile of the flashes of lightning, which seem to dissolve the mountains. It is better, however, to think of streams of water that pour from heaven until the very mountains appear to be dissolved by them (Judges 5:5; Psalms 68:8).

Cleft This is a continuation of the first simile. The water rushes on with such force that it cuts out deep channels, until the valleys seem to be cleft asunder. The force of these torrents is likened to the force of water falling over a high precipice. Both similes imply utter destruction, and they are intended to teach that, when Jehovah passes through the earth in judgment, nothing but ruin and desolation is left behind.