Micah 7:1-6

HOPELESSNESS OF THE NATION’S CONDITION, Micah 7:1-6.

Scholars are not agreed on the person of the speaker in these verses; some think of the prophet, some of Zion, some of the “true Israel,” that is, Israel after the spirit. If there is any connection between Micah 7:1-6, and chapter 6, which is, to say the least, quite probable, it seems best to consider the prophet as the speaker. He attempts to describe “the desperate condition of the nation, anarchy, persecution, universal corruption of justice, the ties of society dissolved, even friendship and wedded love is no longer to be trusted.” If Zion is understood as the speaker the verses imply a humility and penitence out of place following immediately upon Micah 6:16; hence most recent commentators who make Zion the speaker deny the verses to Micah.

In Micah 7:1 the prophet bewails, in figurative language, his sad and disappointing experience in preaching to the people.

Grape gleanings He was looking for good clusters of grapes, but he found nothing but poor gleanings.

My soul desired the first ripe fruit The context favors the rendering of R.V. margin, “nor first-ripe fig which my soul desired.” He looked for first-ripe figs (see on Hosea 9:10), but found none.

The figures are explained in Micah 7:2-6. As he gazed about him he saw nothing but corruption and violence.

Earth… among men Since the prophet is not thinking here of the whole earth, but of the land of Judah and its inhabitants, we should read “land” for “earth,” the Hebrew word having both meanings (otherwise in Micah 7:13). Good [“godly”] This word is from the same root as that translated in Micah 6:8, “mercy,” R.V., “kindness” (see on Hosea 2:19). Here the adjective has an active meaning, he who shows kindness toward his fellow men. Such men have disappeared entirely (Micah 3:2-3; Micah 6:10-16; compare Hosea 4:1-2).

Upright All have become crooked and corrupt.

They all lie in wait for blood Anxiously they are looking for opportunities to commit robbery and violence; and to accomplish their desires they are quite ready to shed blood (see on Micah 3:10).

Brother In the wider sense of “ fellow citizen” or “neighbor.”

Hunt… with a net They have quenched the instincts of love and sympathy; they are scheming continually to do harm to one another.

The interpretation of Micah 7:3-4 is very uncertain. To remove the obscurities various emendations of the text have been proposed. If the present Hebrew text is correct, R.V. presents a more satisfactory translation of Micah 7:3: “Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul: thus they weave it together.” Following this translation the meaning seems to be:

Their hands Literally, both hands. All hands are stretched out to do evil; selfishness rules everywhere, and all are bent upon satisfying their own selfish ambitions. The prophet now enumerates those whose guilt is the greatest.

Prince See on Hosea 3:4.

Judge The one occupying a judicial position.

Great man The man of wealth, power, and influence.

They weave it together The three classes enumerated conspire together to carry out their evil schemes (compare 1 Kings 21:13). How they work together is also indicated.

The prince asketh Of the judge, to overlook a crime committed by a friend of the prince, or to condemn a man who has displeased him, though he may be innocent.

The judge… for a reward The Hebrew has no verb; but if the present text is correct, R.V. undoubtedly reproduces correctly the thought. The judge is ready to accept a reward or bribe offered by the prince, and for such consideration he readily assents to the latter’s demands.

The great man… uttereth The wealthy and powerful man freely makes known his desires, for he knows that his money and influence “talk,” and will secure for him the co-operation of others. Thus the nobles conspire together and rob and murder unhindered (compare Isaiah 1:21-23; Amos 5:12).

The best of them is as a briar Which pricks, hurts, and injures. Corruption in Judah is so widespread that even he who stands out as the best and the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge (compare 2 Samuel 23:6; Proverbs 15:19).

Thus far the prophet has described the present hopeless condition; with the present deal also Micah 7:5-6. Hence the context would favor the interpretation of 4b also as dealing with the present. However, the text itself is generally thought to point to a future judgment. Song of Solomon 4 b be regarded as a marginal gloss based upon Isaiah 3:1-7?

The day of thy watchmen The day foreseen by the watchmen of Jehovah or of Israel, the prophets (Isaiah 21:6); the day of Jehovah (see on Joel 1:15), a day to which the prophets preceding Micah refer quite frequently. This day is called “thy visitation” or “judgment,” because on it judgment will be executed on all the enemies of Jehovah. Cometh [“is come”] The prophetic perfect (see on Micah 6:13).

Now It is close at hand.

Their perplexity The change from the second to the third person is not uncommon in prophetic discourse (G.-K., 144p.). The judgment will produce the wildest, confusion (Isaiah 22:5), so that they will not know what to do.

Some interpret Micah 7:5-6 as explanatory of “perplexity,” in the sense that “at the outbreak of judgment and of the visitation the faithlessness will reach the height of treachery to the nearest friends, yea, even to the dissolution of every family tie.” This interpretation is based upon the New Testament use of these verses (Matthew 10:35-36; Luke 12:53). However, in the light of the context it seems better to regard the verses a continuation of 4a, describing, in the form of warnings, the awfulness of the present corruption. Friendship can be trusted no longer, truth and fidelity are unknown, all alike practice deceit.

Friend… guide… her that lieth in thy bosom A climax. The friend (R.V., “neighbor”) is the person with whom one has ordinary, everyday intercourse; the guide (R.V., “friend”; margin, “confidant”), he to whom one is bound by closer ties of intimacy and friendship. Neither can be trusted any longer; and even the wife lying upon the bosom is not worthy of confidence, for she does not hesitate to betray her husband by revealing his secrets. “The closest ties of blood-relationship are trodden under foot, and all the bonds of reverence, love, and chastity are loosened.”

Dishonoreth Literally, treats as a fool (Deuteronomy 32:15).

Men of his own house These are not the persons already named, but others who formed a part of a Hebrew household, the servants (Genesis 39:19; 2 Samuel 12:17-18).