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Micah Chapter
Two
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 2
In
this chapter complaint is made of the sins of the people of Israel
and they
are threatened with punishment for them. The sins they are charged with are
covetousness
oppression
and injustice
which were premeditated
and done
deliberately
Micah 2:1;
therefore the Lord devised evil against them
they should not escape; and which
would bring down their pride
and cause them to take up a lamentation
because
they should not enjoy the portion of land that belonged to them
Micah 2:3; they are
further charged with opposing the prophets of the Lord
the folly and
wickedness of which is exposed
Micah 2:6; and with
great inhumanity and barbarity
even to women and children
Micah 2:8; and
therefore are ordered to expect and prepare for a removal out of their land
Micah 2:10; and the
rather
since they gave encouragement and heed to false prophets
and delighted
in them
Micah 2:11; and the
chapter is concluded with words of comfort to the remnant among them
and with
precious promises of the Messiah
and the blessings of grace by him
Micah 2:12.
Micah 2:1 Woe to those who
devise iniquity
And work out evil on their beds! At morning light they
practice it
Because it is in the power of their hand.
YLT
1Wo [to] those devising
iniquity
And working evil on their beds
In the light of the morning they do
it
For their hand is -- to God.
Woe to them that devise iniquity
.... Any kind of
iniquity; idolatry
or worshipping of idols
for the word is used sometimes for
an idol; or the sin of uncleanness
on which the thoughts too often dwell in
the night season; or coveting of neighbours' goods
and oppressing the poor;
sins which are instanced in Micah 2:2; and
every thing that is vain
foolish
and wicked
and in the issue brings trouble
and distress: now a woe is denounced against such that think on such things
and please themselves with them in their imaginations
and contrive ways and
means to commit them:
and work evil upon their beds; when
the senses being
less engaged
the thoughts are more free; but should not be employed about
evil; but either in meditating on the divine goodness
and praising the Lord
for his mercies; or in examining a man's heart
state
and case
and mourning
over his sins
and applying to God for the remission of them; but
instead of
this
the persons here threatened are said to "work evil on their
beds"
when they should be asleep and at rest
or engaged in the above
things; that is
they plot and contrive how to accomplish the evil they
meditate; they determine upon doing it
and are as sure of effecting it as if
it was actually done; and do act it over in their own minds
as if it was real;
see Psalm 36:4;
when the morning is light
they practise it; they wish and
wait for the morning light
and as soon as it appears they rise; and
instead
of blessing God for the mercies of the night
and going about their lawful
business
they endeavour to put in practice with all rigour and diligence
and
as expeditiously as they can
what they have projected and schemed in the night
season;
because it is in the power of their hand; to commit it;
and they have no principle of goodness in them
nor fear of God before them
to
restrain them from it: or
"because their hand is unto power"F2כי יש לאל
ידם "quia est ad potentiam manus ipsorum"
Calvin. ; it is stretched out
and made use of in the commission of sin to the
utmost of their power
without any regard to God or man. The Vulgate Latin
version is
"because their hand is against God"; their hearts are
enmity to God
and therefore they oppose him with both their hands
and care
not what iniquity they commit; they are rebels against him
and will not be
subject to him. The Septuagint and Arabic versions are
"because they lift
not up their hands to God"; they do not pray to him
and therefore are
bold and daring to perpetrate the grossest iniquity
which a praying man dared
not do; but the Syriac version is the reverse
"they do lift up their
hands to God"; make a show of religion and devotion
when their hearts and
their hands are deeply engaged in
sinning; which shows their impudence and
hypocrisy; but the passages in Genesis 31:29
favour and confirm our version
and the sense of it; so the Targum.
Micah 2:2 2 They
covet fields and take them by violence
Also houses
and seize them. So
they oppress a man and his house
A man and his inheritance.
YLT
2And they have desired
fields
And they have taken violently
And houses
and they have taken away
And have oppressed a man and his house
Even a man and his inheritance.
And they covet fields
and take them by violence
.... The
fields of their poor neighbours
which lie near them
and convenient for them;
they wish they were theirs
and they contrive ways and means to get them into
their possession; and if they cannot get them by fair means
if they cannot
persuade them to sell them
or at their price
they will either use some crafty
method to get them from them
or they will take them away by force and
violence; as Ahab got Naboth's vineyard from him:
and houses
and take them away; they covet
the houses of their neighbours also
and take the same course to get them out
of their hands
and add them to their own estates:
so they oppress a man and his house
even a man and his heritage; not only
dispossess him of his house to dwell in
but of his paternal inheritance
what
he received from his ancestors
and should have transmitted to his posterity
being unalienable; and so distressed a man and his family for the present
and
his posterity after him. The Vulgate Latin version is
"they calumniate a
man and his house"; which seems to be designed to make it agree with the
story of Ahab
1 Kings 21:13.
Micah 2:3 3 Therefore
thus says the Lord: “Behold
against this family I am devising disaster
From which
you cannot remove your necks; Nor shall you walk haughtily
For this is
an evil time.
YLT
3Therefore
thus said
Jehovah: Lo
I am devising against this family evil
From which ye do not
remove your necks
Nor walk loftily
for a time of evil it [is].
Therefore thus saith the Lord
behold
against this family do I
devise an evil
.... Because of those evils of covetousness
oppression
and
injustice
secretly devised
and deliberately committed
the Lord
who neither
slumbers nor sleeps
declares
and would have it observed
that he had devised
an evil of punishment against the whole nation of Israel
the ten tribes
particularly
among whom these sins greatly prevailed; even an invasion of
their land by the Assyrians
and the carrying of them captive from it into
foreign parts:
from which ye shall not remove your necks; that is
they
should not be able to deliver themselves from it; they would not be able to
stop the enemy in his progress
having entered their land; nor oblige him to
break up the siege of their city
before which he would sit
and there continue
till he had taken it; and being carried captive by him
they would never be
able to free themselves from the yoke of bondage put upon them
and under which
they remain unto this day. The allusion is to beasts slipping their necks out
of the collar or yoke put upon them: these sons of Belial had broke off the
yoke of God's commandments
and now he will
put another yoke upon them
they
shall never be able to cast off until the time of the restitution of all
things
when all Israel shall be saved:
neither shall ye go haughtily; as they now did
in an
erect posture
with necks stretched out
and heads lifted up high
and looking
upon others with scorn and contempt; but hereafter it should be otherwise
their heads would hang down
their countenances be dejected
and their backs
bowed with the burdens upon them:
for this time is evil; very calamitous
afflictive
and distressing; and so not a time for pride and haughtiness
but
for dejection and humiliation; see Ephesians 5:16.
Micah 2:4 4 In
that day one shall take up a proverb against you
And lament with a
bitter lamentation
saying: ‘We are utterly destroyed! He has changed the
heritage of my people; How He has removed it from me! To a turncoat He
has divided our fields.’”
YLT
4In that day doth [one] take
up for you a simile
And he hath wailed a wailing of wo
He hath said
We have
been utterly spoiled
The portion of my people He doth change
How doth He move
toward me! To the backslider our fields He apportioneth.
In that day shall one take up a parable against you
.... Making
use of your name
as a byword
a proverb
a taunt
and a jeer; mocking at your
calamities and miseries: or
"concerning you"F3עליכם "super vos"
Pagninus
Montanus; "de
vobis"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator; "super vobis"
Cocceius. ; take up and deliver out a narrative of your troubles
in figurative
and parabolical expressions; which Kimchi thinks is to be understood of a false
prophet
finding his prophecies and promises come to nothing; or rather a
stranger
a bystander
a spectator of their miseries
an insulting enemy
mimicking and representing them; or one of themselves
in the name of the rest:
and lament with a doleful lamentation; or
"lament a lamentation of lamentation"F4ונהה
ניה נהיה "et
lamentabitur lamentum lamenti"
Montanus. : a very grievous one; or
"a lamentation that is"
or "shall be"
or "is
done"F5נהיה "factum est"
De Dieu; "ejulatu vero"
Cocceius; "actum est"
Burkius. ;
a real one
and which will continue:
and say
we be utterly
spoiled; our persons
families
and friends; our estates
fields
and
vineyards; our towns and cities
and even our whole land
all laid waste
spoiled
and plundered:
he hath changed the portion of my people; the land of
Israel
which was the portion of the people of it
given unto them as their
portion by the Lord; but now he
or the enemy the Assyrian
or God by him
had
changed the possessors of it; had taken it away from Israel
and given it to
others:
how hath he removed it from me! the land that
was my portion
and the portion of my people; how comes it to pass that he hath
taken away that which was my property
and given it to another! how strange is
this! how suddenly was it done! and by what means!
turning away
he hath divided our fields; either God
turning away from his people
because of their sins
divided their fields among
their enemies; "instead of restoring"F6לשובב
"pro reddendo"
Castalio.
as some read it
he did so; or the enemy
the Assyrian
turning away after he had conquered the land
and about to return
to his own country
divided it among his soldiers: or
"to the
perverse"
or "rebellious oneF7שובב
"aversus
refractarius"
Drusius; "ingrato et rebelli"
De
Dieu.
he divideth our fields"; that is
the Lord divides them to the
wicked
perverse
and blaspheming king of Assyria; so the word is used of one
that goes on frowardly
and backslides
Isaiah 57:17.
Micah 2:5 5 Therefore
you will have no one to determine boundaries[a] by lot In
the assembly of the Lord.
YLT
5Therefore
thou hast no
caster of a line by lot In the assembly of Jehovah.
Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot
.... This
confirms what was before delivered in a parabolical way
and as a lamentation;
and is spoken either to the false prophet
as Kimchi; who should not be
nor
have any posterity to inherit by lot the land of Israel; or to those oppressors
that took away houses and fields from others
these should have no part nor lot
in the land any more; or rather to the whole
people of Israel
who should no
more inherit their land after their captivity
as they have not to this day.
The allusion is to the distribution of the land by lot
and the dividing of it
by a cord or line
as in Joshua's time; but now there should be no land in the
possession of Israelites to be divided among them; nor any people to divide it
to
being scattered up and down in the world
and so no need of any person to
be employed in such service; nor any sanhedrim or court of judicature to apply
unto for a just and equal division and distribution
who perhaps may be meant
in the next clause:
in the congregation of the Lord; unless this is to be
understood of the body of the people
who were formerly called the congregation
of the Lord
Deuteronomy 23:1;
though now they had forfeited this character
and are only called so ironically
as some think. Aben Ezra interprets it
when the Lord returns the captivity of
his people; and so Kimchi
who applies it to the false prophet
as before
observed
who at this time should have no part nor lot in the land.
Micah 2:6 6 “Do
not prattle
” you say to those who prophesy. So they shall not prophesy
to you;[b] They shall
not return insult for insult.[c]
YLT
6Ye do not prophesy -- they
do prophesy
They do not prophesy to these
It doth not remove shame.
Prophesy ye not
say they to them that prophesy
.... Or
"drop not"F8אל תטיפו "ne stilletis"
Pagninus
Montanus
Cocceius
Burkius
Junius & Tremellius; "ne stillatote"
Piscator. ; such terrible words
such menacing things; let them not flow from
your lips with such profusion and abundance; cease from speaking in the name of
the Lord
if we can hear nothing else but sharp reproofs
and severe judgments:
or the first word respects the true prophets of the Lord
and forbids their
prophesying; and
according to others
the next should be rendered
"let
them prophesy"
or "drop"F9יטיפון
"stallent isti"
Junius & Tremellius
Cocceius;
"stillanto"
Piscator. ; that is
the false prophets
that prophesy
smooth things; and so the sense is
let the one prophesy
but not the other:
they shall not prophesy to them; these are the words of
the Lord
in answer to the other
that since they did not like his prophets
their should no more be sent to
them
nor should drop or distil the rain of
doctrine upon them; but
as a judgment upon them
should be deprived of them:
or
"they shall not prophesy according to these"F11לאלה "secundum istos"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. ; as the false prophets do
not such things as they; or the whole may
be rendered thus
"prophesy not"
or
"if they prophesy
let
them not prophesy as these"F12"Ne vaticinemini
aut si
vaticinentur ne talia vaticinentur"
Castalio. ; such things as these;
namely
that shame shall
not overtake them; that is
as the false prophets
who said that shame and
confusion should not come upon the people of Israel
or the wrath denounced
against them
but they should enjoy great peace and prosperity: but the first
sense seems best
and the meaning of this clause to be
that the true prophets
of the Lord should not prophesy any more to this people
since they did not
choose they should: "that shame might not come upon them"; that the
prophets might not be treated by them in a shameful and ignominious manner: or
as others
"shame shall not depart from them"F13לא יסג כלמות
"non recedent ignominiae"
De Dieu; "non retroageretur summa
ignominia"
Cocceius; "non recederet ignominia magna"
Burkius.
; though they think to escape it by forbidding the prophets prophesying
terrible things to come
yet confusion will be their portion at last.
Micah 2:7 7 You
who are named the house of Jacob: “Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted? Are these His doings? Do not My words do good To
him who walks uprightly?
YLT
7Doth the house of Jacob
say
`Hath the Spirit of Jehovah been shortened? Are these His doings?' Do not
My words benefit the people that is walking uprightly?
O thou that art named the house of Jacob
.... Called
after that great and good man
and reckoned the people of God
and have the
character of being religious persons; but
alas! have but a name
and not the
thing
and are the degenerate offspring of that famous patriarch:
is the Spirit of the Lord straitened? or
"shortened"F14הקצר
"abbreviatus est"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus
Drusius
Cocceius;
"decurtatus esset"
Piscator. ; the Spirit of the Lord in his
prophets
is it to be limited and restrained according to the will of men? or
if these prophets are forbid to prophesy
and they are silenced
is not the
residue of the Spirit with the Lord? cannot he raise up others to prophesy in
his name? or is the Spirit of the Lord confined
as a spirit of prophesy
only
to foretell good things
and not evil? may it not threaten with
punishment for
sin
as well as promise peace and prosperity?
and is it to be reckoned narrow
and strait
because it now does not? the fault is not in that
but in you
who
make it necessary
by your conduct
that not good
but evil things
should be
predicted of you:
are these his doings? either
Jacob's doings
such things as Jacob did? did he ever forbid the prophets of
the Lord from prophesying? or did he do such things as required such menaces
and threatenings as now delivered by the prophets? or are these becoming such
persons as go by his name? or are such works as are done by you pleasing to
God? were they
no such terrible messages would be sent by his prophets: or are
these the Lord's doings? are judgments the works he is continually doing and taking
delight in? are they not his acts
his strange acts? did you behave otherwise
than you do
you would hear nothing of this kind:
do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? that walks in
a right way
and according to the rule of the divine word
in the uprightness
and integrity of his heart
aiming at the honour and glory of God in all his
ways? to such a man the words of the Lord by his prophets speak good things
promise him good things here and hereafter
and do him good
exhilarate his spirits
cheer
refresh
and comfort his soul.
Micah 2:8 8 “Lately
My people have risen up as an enemy— You pull off the robe with the garment From
those who trust you
as they pass by
Like men returned from war.
YLT
8And yesterday My people for
an enemy doth raise himself up
From the outer garment the honourable ornament
ye strip off
From the confident passers by
Ye who are turning back from war.
Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy
.... Or
"yesterday"F15אתמול
"heri"
Pagninus
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius
Burkius. ; meaning a very little while before this prophecy
the
people of Israel
those of the ten tribes
who were the people of God by
profession
rose up as an enemy
not only to God and true religion
worshipping
idols; but rather to their brethren
those of the two tribes of Judah and
Benjamin; as they did in the times of Pekah king of Israel
who slew a hundred
and twenty thousand of them in one day
2 Chronicles 28:6;
and which is here mentioned as a reason why the Spirit of the Lord in his
prophets threatened them with evil
and did not promise them good things:
ye pull off the robe with the garment; the upper and
nether garment
and so stripped them naked: or
"they stripped the robe
from off the garment"
as someF16ממול
שלמה "a veste togam spoliatis"
Noldius;
"a veste pallium exuitis"
Burkius. ; they took the upper garment or
cloak from them
and left them only the under garment:
for them that pass by securely
as men averse from war: who were
travelling from place to place about their proper business
and thought
themselves very safe; were peaceable men themselves
and suspected no harm from
others: or
"returning from war"F17שובי
מלחמה "revertentibus a bello"
Piscator;
"redeunt a bello"
Cocceius; "et revertuntur a bello"
De
Dieu; "uti essetis reversi ex bello"
Burkius. ; such who escaped in
the battle
and fled for their lives; and when they imagined they
were safe
and out of danger
fell into the hands of robbers
who stripped them of their
garments. GussetiusF18"Redeuntes in bellum"
Comment. Ebr.
p. 836. interprets it of such who were returning to the battle
and yet so
used.
Micah 2:9 9 The
women of My people you cast out From their pleasant houses; From their children
You have taken away My glory forever.
YLT
9The women of My people ye
cast out from its delightful house
From its sucklings ye take away My honour
to the age.
The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses
.... Not
content to slay their husbands
they took their wives or widows captive
dispossessed them of their habitations
where they had lived delightfully with
their husbands and children; so we find that
at the time before referred to
the people of Israel carried captive of their brethren two hundred thousand
women
and brought them to Samaria
2 Chronicles 28:8.
Some understand this of divorce
which those men were the cause of
either by
committing adultery with them
which was a just reason for their husband's
divorcing them; or by frequenting their houses
which caused suspicion and
jealousy:
from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever; that which
God would have had glory from
and they would have given it to him on account
of; as their being brought up in a religious way; their liberties
both civil
and religious; their paternal estates and inheritances
and the enjoyment of
their own land; and especially the worship of God in the temple
of which they
were deprived by being carried away from their own country: or it may be
understood of the glory that accrues to God by honourable marriage
and the bed
undefiled; and the dishonour cast upon him by the contrary
as well as upon
children
who may be suspected to be illegitimate.
Micah 2:10 10 “Arise
and depart
For this is not your rest; Because it is defiled
it
shall destroy
Yes
with utter destruction.
YLT
10Rise and go
for this [is]
not the rest
Because of uncleanness it doth corrupt
And corruption is
powerful.
Arise ye
and depart
.... That is
out the
land; do not think of a continuance in it
but expect a removal from it;
prepare for captivity and exile; look for it every moment
to hear it said to
you
arise
and be gone from hence; for
since you have drove others out of
their inheritances and possessions
this shall be your case:
for this is not your rest; the land in
which the ten tribes then dwelt
and which was given to their fathers for an
inheritance
and for a resting place
and had been so for ages past
now would
be no more so
because of their sins and transgressions; they must not expect
to abide here long
and enjoy rest and ease; but to be turned out
and deprived
of all the blessings of it
and be carried into a foreign country
where
instead of rest and case
they should be in slavery and bondage:
because it is polluted
it shall destroy you
even with a
sore destruction; because the land that was given them to dwell in was defiled by
their manifold iniquities
particularly adulteries
before hinted at: all sin
is of a defiling nature; it defiled the bodies and souls of these men; defiled
the estates they were possessed of
and the land on which they dwelt
and their
fellow inhabitants of it; therefore utter destruction
even a sore and grievous
one
should come upon them
by which their land should be laid waste
and they
consumed off of it: or; "it shall corrupt you
even with a grievous
corruption"F19תחבל וחבל נמרצ "in corrumpet et
corruptione acri"
Moutanus; "et quidem corruptione
vehementissima"
Cocceius. ; or you being corrupt upon it
it shall spew
you out as a corrupt thing
as it did the Canaanites
the ancient inhabitants
of it; when you will appear to be as you are
extremely corrupt: or
"it
shall be in pain
even with sore pains"F20So Aben Ezra
and Kimchi in Sepher Shorash. rad. חבל. ; such as
those of a woman in travail
not being able to bear them any longer
but ease
itself of them
through the judgments of God upon them. This may be applied to
the present state and condition of the people of God in this world
which is
not their rest; there remains one for them in another world
but they are not
yet come to it; for while here they are in trouble
through indwelling sin
the
temptations of Satan
divine desertions
and various fears that attend them
so
that they have little rest; besides
this is a warfare state
and they are
engaged with many enemies; and at best are but travellers passing through this
world to their Father's house: this is also their working time
and they are
attended with a variety of afflictions within and without; and since there are
so many corruptions and pollutions in the world
through lust
which make it
that it can be no resting place for a good man; it becomes them not to take up
their rest here
but seek after it elsewhere; and to live in an expectation of
being called out of it
and to be in a readiness to depart when the Lord shall
call for them.
Micah 2:11 11 If
a man should walk in a false spirit And speak a lie
saying
‘I will
prophesy to you of wine and drink
’ Even he would be the prattler of this
people.
YLT
11If one is going [with] the
wind
And [with] falsehood hath lied: `I prophesy to thee of wine
and of
strong drink
' He hath been the prophet of this people!
If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie
.... Who
pretends to be a prophet
and a spiritual man
and to be under the inspiration
and influence of the Spirit of God
but utters nothing but lies and falsehoods;
or who is actuated by a spirit of falsehood and lying; or
as in the margin
"walks with the wind
and lies falsely"F21הולך רוח ושקר
כזב "qui ambulat cum vento et falsitate
mentiatur"
Piscator; "ambulantem cum vento et fasitate
mendacem"
Cocceius. ; is full of wind and vanity; "after the
wind"F23So Hillerus in Burkius. ; and follows the dictates of
his vain mind
and coins lies
and speaks false things:
saying
I will
prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; or "drop a word
unto thee"F24אטיף לך
"stillabo tibi"
Pagninus
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Burkius. ; that there will be good times
and nothing but good eating
and drinking; and that men need not fear such dismal things befalling them as
the prophets of the Lord spoke of; but may be cheerful and merry
and drink
wine and strong drink
and not be afraid of their evil tidings: or
for wine
and strong drinkF25ליין "pro
vino"
Pagninus
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius.
so Kimchi; and the meaning is
that if they would give him a cup of wine
or a
draught of strong drink
he would prophesy good things to them; the reverse of
what is before said
as that they should continue in their land
and not depart
from it; that this should be their rest
and they should remain therein
and
not be destroyed in it
or cast out of it:
he shall even be the prophet of this people; a
"dropper"F26מטיף
"stillator"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Drusius
Cocceius. to
them; see Micah 2:6; such an
one shall be acceptable to them; they will caress him
and prefer him to the
true prophets of the Lord; which is mentioned to show the temper of the people
and how easily they were imposed upon
and their disrespect to the prophets of
the Lord
as in Micah 2:6; to which
subject the prophet here returns
as Kimchi observes.
Micah 2:12 12 “I
will surely assemble all of you
O Jacob
I will surely gather the remnant of
Israel; I will put them together like sheep of the fold
[d] Like a
flock in the midst of their pasture; They shall make a loud noise because of so
many people.
YLT
12I do surely gather thee
O
Jacob
all of thee
I surely bring together the remnant of Israel
Together I
do set it as the flock of Bozrah
As a drove in the midst of its pasture
It
maketh a noise because of man.
I will surely assemble
O Jacob
all of thee
.... These
words are either the words of the false prophet continued
that prophesied of
wine and strong drink
as Aben Ezra; promising great plenty and prosperity
and
that the remnant of the ten tribes carried captive by Tiglathpileser should be
returned
and they should all live together in safety and plenty
and rejoice
because of their numbers: or else they are a denunciation of threatenings and
judgments
as Kimchi; that the Israelites should be gathered indeed together
but as sheep for the slaughter
even those that remained
not as yet carried
captive; these should be shut up
and closely besieged in their cities
and
make a noise
and cry for fear of their enemies
and because of the great
number of them: or rather they are a comfortable promise of the gathering of
the people of Israel in the times of the Messiah
in the last days the Gospel
dispensation
even all of Jacob
all the then posterity of Israel; for then
"all Israel shall be saved"
Romans 11:26; and
this is introduced
though abruptly
as often such promises are
for the
comfort of the Lord's people
amidst sorrowful and sad tidings brought to the
people in general: I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; the remnant
according to the election of grace
whom the Lord will reserve for himself
those that are left of them in the latter day; these shall be gathered
effectually by the grace of God unto Jesus
the true Messiah
they shall now
seek after; and into his church
to join themselves to his people
embracing
his Gospel
and submitting to his ordinances; when there shall be "one
fold" for Jews and Gentiles
and "one Shepherd" over them
the
Lord Jesus Christ
John 10:16;
I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah; a place
famous for flocks and pastures; signifying that they should be took care of by
the great and good Shepherd
have a good fold
and good pastures provided for
them
where they should feed comfortably together
in great unity and
affection:
as the flock in the midst of their fold; lying down
safely
and resting quietly; see Ezekiel 34:13;
they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of
men: a joyful noise
because of their own numbers being increased
with men like a flock
and so numerous
that the place will be too strait for
them; and because of the number of good and faithful shepherds under Christ
to
feed and protect them
even pastors after God's own heart
given them to feed
them with knowledge and understanding
Jeremiah 3:15.
Micah 2:13 13 The
one who breaks open will come up before them; They will break out
Pass through
the gate
And go out by it; Their king will pass before them
With the Lord at their head.”
YLT
13Gone up hath the breaker
before them
They have broken through
Yea
they pass through the gate
Yea
they go out through it
And pass on doth their king before them
And Jehovah at
their head!
The breaker up is come up before them
.... Not the
enemy
either the Assyrian or Chaldean army
or any part thereof
going up
before the rest
breaking down the walls of the city
either of Samaria or
Jerusalem
so making way for entrance therein; nor Zedekiah
as Joseph Kimchi
who made his escape through the wall broken down; nor the Maccabees
who were
instruments of great salvation and deliverance to the Jews after the captivity
and before the coming of Christ. Kimchi makes mention of an exposition
which
interprets "the breaker" of Elijah
that was to come before the
Messiah; "and their king"
in the latter part of the text
of the
branch the son of David; that is
the Messiah; which sense Mr. Pocock thinks
may be admitted of
provided by Elijah we understand John the Baptist
the
forerunner of Christ
who is the true Elijah that was to come; who broke
prepared
and cleared the way for Christ by his doctrine and baptism see Luke 1:16; but it
is best to interpret "the breaker" of Christ himself; and so I find
it explainedF1In Mattanot Cehunah in Bereshit Rabba
parash. 85.
fol. 75. 2. Vid. Galatia. Arcan. Cathol. Ver. l. 3. c. 30. by the Jews also
to
whom this and all the rest of the characters in the text agree; and who may be
so called with respect to his incarnation
being the firstborn that opened the
womb
and broke forth into the world in a very extraordinary manner; his birth
being of a virgin
who was so both before and after the birth; thus Pharez had
his name
which is from the same root
and is of a similar sound with Phorez
here
from his breaking forth before his brother
unawares
and contrary to
expectation
Genesis 38:29; this
agrees with Christ
with respect to his death
when he broke through and
vanquished all enemies
sin
Satan
the world
and death; broke through all the
troops of hell
and spoiled principalities and powers; and through all
difficulties that lay in the way of the salvation of his people; he broke down
the middle wall of partition
the ceremonial law which was between Jew and
Gentile; and broke off the yoke of sin
Satan
and the law
under which they
were
and set them at liberty; and at his resurrection he broke asunder the
cords of death
as Samson did his withs as a thread of tow; and at his
ascension he broke his way through the regions of the air
and legions of
devils there
leading captivity captive
and entered into heaven; and was "pandens
iter"
as the Vulgate Latin version here renders it
"opening the
way" for his people into it; by the ministry of the word
he broke his way
into the Gentile world
conquering and to conquer
which was mighty
through
God
for the pulling down of strong holds
and reducing multitudes to his
obedience; at the conversion of every sinner he breaks open the everlasting
doors of their hearts
and enters in; he breaks their rocky hearts in pieces
and then binds up what he has broken; and in the latter day he will break in
pieces all his enemies as a potter's vessel; yea
he will break in pieces and
consume all the kingdoms of the earth
which will become like the chaff of the
summer threshingfloors: and now he is ascended
or "gone up" to
heaven to his Father there
and "before them" his sheep
his people
said to be assembled
gathered and put together; he is ascended as the
forerunner of them
to receive gifts for them
and bestow them on them
and to
prepare heaven for them
and to make intercession on their behalf; and
as sure
as he is gone up
so sure shall they also follow:
they have broken up
and have passed through the gate
and are
gone out by it; not either the Assyrians or Chaldeans; nor the people that fled
with Zedekiah; but the sheep of Christ following him their Shepherd; who
in
the strength of Christ
and the power of his grace
break out of their prison
houses; and break off the yokes and fetters in which they have been detained
and all allegiance to former lords; and break through their enemies
and become
more than conquerors through him that has loved them; and "pass through him
the gate"; the strait gate
and narrow way
that leads to the Father
and
to the enjoyment of all the blessings of grace; and into the sheepfold
the
church
and the privileges of it; and even into heaven itself
eternal life and
happiness: and by which also they "go out"
for he is a door of
escape unto them out of the hands of all their enemies
and from wrath to come;
and he is a door of hope of all good things unto them
and which leads to green
pastures
and by which they go in and out
and find pasture:
and their King shall pass before them
and the Lord on the head of
them; not the king of Assyria or Babylon
before their respective
armies
the Lord God himself being in a providential way at the head of them
and succeeding them; nor Hoshea or Zedekiah
going before their people into
captivity
the Lord having forsaken them; but the King Messiah
who is King of
Zion
King of saints
that goes before his people as a king before his
subjects
and as a shepherd before his flock; and who is the true Jehovah
the
Lord our righteousness
who is at the head
and is the Head of his church; the
Captain of their salvation
that is at the head of his armies
his chosen and
faithful ones
they following and marching after him
Revelation 17:14.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)