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Introduction to Micah                            

 

INTRODUCTION TO MICAH

This book is called in the Hebrew copies "Sepher Micah" the Book of Micah; in the Vulgate Latin version "the Prophecy of Micah"; and in the Syriac version "the Prophecy of the Prophet Micah". This prophet is not the same with Micaiah the son of Imiah who lived in the times of Ahab and Jehoshaphat 1 Kings 22:8; for as Aben Ezra observes there were many generations between them at least many reigns of kings as Jehoram Ahaziah Joash Amaziah and Uzziah all which made up a hundred and thirty years; their names indeed seem to be the same since he that is called Micaiah 1 Kings 22:8; is called Micah 2 Chronicles 18:14; and this our prophet is named Micaiah in Jeremiah 26:18; which is with some of the same signification with Michael. So Abarbinel interprets it "who [is] as God"; see Micah 7:18; which HillerusF1Onomast. Sacr. p. 14 466 494 542. confutes and renders it "the contrition attrition attenuation and depauperation of the Lord"; deriving it from Kwm which signifies to be depressed humbled weakened and impoverished as others do; which name some think was given him by his parents because of their low estate their meanness and poverty; but of them we have no account: however this is much more probable than the reason Cornelius a Lapide gives of his name that he was so called because he prophesied of Christ who was poor and that he should be born in a poor country village. As for his country and the place of his birth and the time in which he lived they may be gathered from Micah 1:1; by which it will appear that he was not of the tribe of Ephraim as Pseudo-EpiphaniusF2De Prophet. Vit. & Inter. c. 13. says but of the tribe of Judah; whose kings' reigns in which he prophesies are only made mention of; though his prophecies concerned both Israel and Judah and he reproves both for their sins and foretells their various captivities; and for the comfort of God's people says many things concerning the Messiah his incarnation the place of his birth which no prophet so clearly points at as he the execution of his offices prophetic priestly and kingly; the blessings of grace that came by him pardon of sin atonement &c. and the happiness and glory of his church in the latter day. The authority of this book is confirmed both by the elders of Judah in the times of Jeremiah who quote a passage out of it; Micah 3:12; which they improve in favour of that prophet Jeremiah 26:17; and by the chief priests and Scribes in the time of Herod who refer that prince to a prophecy in this book for the place of the Messiah's birth Micah 5:2; see Matthew 2:4. He is thought to have prophesied thirty or forty years Bishop UsherF3Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 3291. places him in the year of the world 3291 A.M. and 713 B.C.; but according to Mr. WhistonF4Chronological Tables cent. 8. he prophesied 750 B.C. and so Mr. BedfordF5Scripture Chronology p. 662. and three after the building of the city of Rome; and he foretells the captivity of the ten tribes thirty years and the coming of Sennacherib forty years before they came to pass; but when and where he died and was buried no certain proof can be given. Pseudo-Epiphanius confounding him with Micaiah in Ahab's time saysF6De Prophet. Vit. & Inter. c. 13. he was killed by his son Joram who cast him down from a precipice and was buried at Morathi his native place near the burying ground of Enakeim and his grave was well known to that day. And according to JeromF7Epitaph. Paulae tom. 1. operum fol. 60. A. B. the grave of this our prophet was at Morasthi and in his time turned into a church or temple. SozomenF8Histor. Eccles. l. 7. c. 29. reports that in the times of Theodosius the elder the body of Micah was found by Zebennus bishop of Eleutheropolis at Berathsalia a mile and a quarter from the city near which was the grave of Micah called by the common people the faithful monument and in their country language Nephsameemana.

 

Commentator

John Gill (November 23 1697-October 14 1771) was an English Baptist a biblical scholar and a staunch Calvinist. Gill's relationship with hyper-Calvinism is a matter of academic debate.

He was born in Kettering Northamptonshire. In his youth he attended Kettering Grammar School mastering the Latin classics and learning Greek by age eleven. The young scholar continued self-study in everything from logic to Hebrew. His love for Hebrew would follow Gill throughout his life.

At the age of about twelve Gill heard a sermon from his pastor William Wallis on the text "And the Lord called unto Adam and said unto him where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9). The message stayed with Gill and eventually led to his conversion. It was not until seven years later that young John made a public profession when he was almost nineteen years of age.

His first pastoral work was as an intern assisting John Davis at Higham Ferrers in 1718 at age twenty one. He was subsequently called to pastor the Strict Baptist church at Goat Yard Chapel Horsleydown Southwark in 1719. In 1757 his congregation needed larger premises and moved to a Carter Lane St. Olave's Street Southwark. His pastorate lasted 51 years. This Baptist Church was once pastored by Benjamin Keach and would later become the New Park Street Chapel and then the Metropolitan Tabernacle pastored by Charles Spurgeon.

During Gill's ministry the church strongly supported the preaching of George Whitefield at nearby Kennington Common.

In 1748 Gill was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity by the University of Aberdeen. He was a profound scholar and a prolific author. His most important works are:

John Gill is the first major writing Baptist theologian. His work retains its influence into the twenty-first century. Gill's relationship with hyper-Calvinism in English Baptist life is a matter of debate. Peter Toon has argued that Gill was himself a hyper-Calvinist which would make Gill the father of Baptist hyper-Calvinism. Tom Nettles has argued that Gill was not a hyper-Calvinist himself which would make him merely a precursor and hero to Baptist hyper-Calvinists.

 

¢w¢w¡mJohn Gill¡¦s Exposition of the Bible¡n

 

New King James Version Bible NKJV

The NKJV was commissioned in 1975 by Thomas Nelson Publishers. One-hundred-and-thirty respected Bible scholars church leaders and lay Christians worked for seven years with the goal of updating the vocabulary and grammar of the King James Version while preserving the classic style of the of the 1611 version.

The task of updating the English of the KJV involved many changes in word order grammar vocabulary and spelling. One of the most significant features of the NKJV was its removal of the second person pronouns "thou" "thee" "ye " "thy " and "thine." Verb forms were also modernized in the NKJV (for example "speaks" rather than "speaketh").

 

Young¡¦s Literal Translation (YLT)

Young¡¦s Literal Translation was completed in 1898 by Robert Young who also compiled Young¡¦s Analytical Concordance. It is an extremely literal translation that attempts to preserve the tense and word usage as found in the original Greek and Hebrew writings. The online text is from a reprint of the 1898 edition as published by Baker Book House Grand Rapids Michigan. Obvious errors in spelling or inconsistent spellings of the same word were corrected in the online edition of the text. This text is Public Domain in the United States.