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Micah Chapter Five                            

 

Micah 5 Outlines

The Coming Messiah (v.1~4)

Judgment on Israel’s Enemies (v.5~15)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 5

This chapter begins with a prophecy of the siege of Jerusalem Micah 5:1; and then follows another concerning the place of the Messiah's birth Micah 5:2; and of the case of the Jews either before or after it Micah 5:3; and of Christ's office as a shepherd and of his grandeur in the world Micah 5:4; and of his being a peacemaker and protector of his people from their enemies Micah 5:5; and of his people the great increase of them and their usefulness and also of their courage strength and prowess Micah 5:7; likewise that the Lord will remove from them their vain confidence and all occasion of it and whatsoever illicit arts and practices were found among them; and all idolatry and the instruments of it Micah 5:10; and the chapter is concluded with a threatening of vengeance to the Heathens Micah 5:15.

 

Micah 5:1   Now gather yourself in troops O daughter of troops; He has laid siege against us; They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.

   YLT  1Now gather thyself together O daughter of troops A siege he hath laid against us With a rod they smite on the cheek the judge of Israel.

Now gather thyself in troops O daughter of troops .... Not Jerusalem full of people called to draw out their forces and fall upon the enemy besieging them whether Chaldeans or Romans; but rather the Babylonians whose armies were large and their troops numerous; who are called upon by the people of God encouraged by the foregoing prophecies as well as by what follows to come forth with all their forces and muster up all their armies and exert all the power and strength they had thus suiting them; being assured by the above promises that in the issue they should prevail over all their enemies: unless the Romans should be intended to whom this character of "daughter of troops" well agrees of whose legions all have heard; and since the Babylonish attempt on Jerusalem and the carrying the Jews captive into Babylon are before predicted with their deliverance from it and what they should do in the times of the Maccabees; a prophecy of the Romans or a representation of them a gathering their troops and legions together to besiege Jerusalem very naturally comes in here;

he hath laid siege against us; either Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldean army; or Vespasian with the Romans: this according to the prophetic style is spoken of as if actually done because of the certainty of it;

they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek; that is either they the besiegers the king of Babylon and his army when they shall have taken Jerusalem besieged by them shall use Zedekiah the king of Judah and judge of Israel and his princes and nobles very ill signified by this phrase; yea in a very cruel and barbarous manner; first slaying his sons and his princes before his eyes then putting his eyes out binding him in chains and carrying him to Babylon and there laying him in a prison Jeremiah 52:10; or else they the besieged would use the Messiah the King Judge and Ruler in Israel in such a spiteful and scandalous manner; and so the Messiah was to be used by them who according to prophecy gave his cheek to them that plucked off the hair and hid not his face from shame and spitting; and so Jesus the true Messiah was smitten both with rods and with the palms of men's hands and buffeted and spit upon Isaiah 50:6; and this is mentioned as a reason why Jerusalem would be encompassed with the Roman armies and besieged by their troops and legions and become desolate even for their rejection and ill usage of the Messiah. Aben Ezra says it is right in my eyes that the judge of Israel is the Messiah or Zerubbabel; not the latter who never was so used but the former.

 

Micah 5:2   2 “But you Bethlehem Ephrathah Though you are little among the thousands of Judah Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel Whose goings forth are from of old From everlasting.”

   YLT  2And thou Beth-Lehem Ephratah Little to be among the chiefs of Judah! From thee to Me he cometh forth -- to be ruler in Israel And his comings forth [are] of old From the days of antiquity.

But thou Bethlehem Ephratah .... But though Jerusalem should be besieged and taken and the land of Judea laid waste yet before all this should be the Messiah should be born in Bethlehem of which this is a prophecy as is evident from Matthew 2:4; the place is called by both the names it went by to point it out the more distinctly and with the greater certainty Genesis 35:19; the former signifies "the house of bread" and a proper place for Christ to be born in who is the bread of life; and it has the name of the latter from its fruitfulness being a place of pasture and as we find it was at the time of our Lord's birth; for near it shepherds were then watching over their flocks; and it is here added to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulun Joshua 19:15; from which tribe the Messiah was not to come but from the tribe of Judah; and in which this Bethlehem was and therefore called by Matthew Bethlehem in the land of Judah; as it appears this was from 1:1; and from the Septuagint version of Joshua 15:60 where as Jerom observes it was added by the Greek interpreters or erased out of the Hebrew text by the wickedness of the Jews: the former seems most correct;

though thou be little among the thousands of Judah; this supplement of ours is according to Kimchi's reading and sense of the words; which in some measure accounts for the difference between the prophet and the Evangelist Matthew by whom this place is said to be "not the least" Matthew 2:6 as it might and yet be little; besides it might be little at one time in Micah's time yet not little at another time; in Matthew's; it might be little with respect to some circumstances as to pompous buildings and number of inhabitants and yet not little on account of its being the birth place of great men as Jesse David and especially the Messiah: or the words may be rendered with an interrogation "art thou little?" &c.F4צעיר להיות באלפי יהודה "parvulane es?" Drusius; "parvane sis?" Grotius; "parva es?" Cocceius. ; thou art not: or thus it is a "little thing to be among the thousands of Judah"F5"Parum est ut sis inter chiliarchas Judae" Osiander Grotius; "vile ignominiosum est esse inter millia Judae" De Dieu. ; a greater honour shall be put upon thee by being the place of the Messiah's birth. Moreover Mr Pocock has shown out of R. Tanchum both in his commentary on this place and elsewhereF6Not. Misn. in Port. Mosis p. 17 18. that the word צעיר signifies both "little" and "great" or of great note and esteem. The tribes of Israel were divided into tens hundreds and thousands over which there was a head or prince; hence in Matthew these are called "the princes of Judah" Matthew 2:6;

yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; not Hezekiah who very probably was now born at the time of this prophecy; nor was he born at Bethlehem nor a ruler in Israel only king of Judah: nor Zerubbabel who was born in Babylon as his name shows was governor of Judah but not of Israel; nor can it be said of him or any mere man what is said in the next clause: but the Messiah is intended as the Targum Jarchi and Kimchi confess and other Jewish writers. The Targum is

"out of thee shall come forth before me the Messiah that he may exercise dominion over Israel.'

Jarchi's note is

"out of thee shall come forth unto me Messiah the son of David;'

and so he says "the stone which the builders refused" &c. Psalm 118:22; plainly suggesting that that passage also belongs to the Messiah as it certainly does. Kimchi's paraphrase is

"although thou art little among the thousands of Judah of thee shall come forth unto me a Judge to be ruler in Israel and this is the King Messiah.'

And AbarbinelF7Mashmiah Jeshuah fol. 62. col. 2. mentioning those words in Micah 4:13; "arise and thresh O daughter of Zion" observes

"this speaks concerning the business of the King Messiah who shall reign over them and shall be the Prince of their army; and it is plain that he shall be of the house of David: and it is said "O thou Bethlehem Ephratah" which was a small city in the midst of the cities of Judah; and "although thou art little in the thousands of Judah out of thee shall come forth unto me" a man a ruler in Israel "whose goings forth are from the days of old"; the meaning is the goings forth of the family of that ruler are from the days of old; that is from the seed of David and a rod from the stem of Jesse who was of Bethlehem Judah.'

So AbendanaF8Not. in Miclol Yophi in loc. a more modern Jew paraphrases the words thus

"out of thee shall come forth unto me a Judge that is to be ruler in Israel and this is the King Messiah; for because he is to be of the seed of David from Bethlehem he will be.'

To which may be added R. IsaacF9Chizzuk Emuuah par. 1. p. 279. who having cited this passage observes and he the ruler in Israel is the King Messiah who shall come forth from the seed of David the king; who was of Bethlehem Judah as in 1 Samuel 17:12. Wherefore Lyra having quoted Jarchi and given his sense of the passage remarks hence it is plain that some Catholics explaining this Scripture of King Hezekiah "judaize" more than the Hebrews. Though some of them object the application of it to Jesus who they say ruled not over Israel but Israel over him and put him to death; which it is true they did; but God exalted him to be a Prince as well as a Saviour unto Israel notwithstanding that and declared him to be Lord and Christ; besides previous to his death and in the land of Israel he gave abundant proof of his power and rule over universal nature earth air and sea; over angels good and bad; and over men and beasts: all creatures obeyed him; though indeed his kingdom is not of this world but of a spiritual nature and is over the spiritual Israel of God; and there is a time coming when he will be King over all the earth. Now out of Bethlehem was the King Messiah the ruler in Israel to come forth; that is here he was to be born as the phrase signifies; see Genesis 10:14; and here our Jesus the true Messiah was born as appears from Matthew 2:8; and this is not only certain from the evangelic history but the Jews themselves acknowledge it. One of their chronologersF11R. David Ganz Tzemach David par. 2. fol. 14. 2. affirms that Jesus the Nazarene was born at Bethlehem Judah a parsa and a half from Jerusalem; that is about six miles from it which was the distance between them: and even the author of a blasphemous bookF12Toldos Jesu p. 7. Ed. Wagenseil. pretending to give the life of Jesus owns that Bethlehem Judah was the place of his nativity: and it is clear not only that the Jews in the times of Jesus expected the Messiah to come from hence even both the chief priests and scribes of the people who in answer to Herod's question about the place of the Messiah's birth direct him to this according to Micah's prophecy Matthew 2:4; and the common people who thought to have confronted the Messiahship of Jesus with it John 7:41; but others also at other times. The tower of Edar being a place near to Bethlehem Ephratah Genesis 35:19; Jonathan ben Uzziel in his Targum of Genesis 35:19 says of the tower of Edar this is the place from whence the King Messiah shall be revealed in the end of days; nay some of them say he is born already and was born at Bethlehem. An Arabian they sayF13T. Hieros. Beracot fol. 5. 1. told a Jew

"the King Messiah is born; he replied to him what is his name? he answered Menachem (the Comforter) is his name; he asked him what is his father's name? he replied Hezekiah; he said to him from whence is he? he answered from the palace of the king of Bethlehem Judah.'

This same story is told elsewhereF14Echa Rabbati fol. 50. 1. with some little variation thus that the Arabian should say to the Jew

"the Redeemer of the Jews is both; he said to him what is his name? he replied Menachem is his name; and what is his father's name? he answered Hezekiah; and where do they dwell? (he and his father;) he replied in Birath Arba in Bethlehem Judah.'

These things show their sense of this prophecy and the convictions of their minds as to the births of the Messiah and the place of it. The words "unto me" are thought by some to be redundant and superfluous; but contain in them the glory and Gospel of the text whether considered as the words of God the Father; and then the sense is that Christ was to come forth in this place in human nature or become incarnate agreeably to the purpose which God purposed in himself; to the covenant made with him before the world was; to an order he had given him as Mediator and to his promise concerning him; and he came forth to him and answered to all these; as well as this was in order to do his will and work by fulfilling the law; preaching the Gospel; doing miracles; performing the work of redemption and salvation; by becoming a sacrifice for sin and suffering death; and likewise it was for the glorifying of all the divine perfections: or whether as the words of the prophet in the name of the church and people of God to and for whom he was born or became incarnate; he came forth unto them to be their Mediator in general; to be the Redeemer and Saviour of them in particular; to execute each of his offices of Prophet Priest and King; and to answer and fill up all relations he stands in to them of Father Brother Head and Husband;

whose goings forth have been of old from everlasting; which is said of him not because his extraction was from David who lived many ages before him; for admitting he was "in him in his loins" as to his human nature so long ago yet his "goings forth" were not from thence: nor because he was prophesied of and promised very early as he was from the beginning of the world; but neither a prophecy nor promise of him can be called his "going forth"; which was only foretold and spoken of but not in actual being; nor because it was decreed from eternity that he should come forth from Bethlehem or be born there in time; for this is saying no more than what might be said of everyone that was to be born in Bethlehem and was born there: nor is this to be understood of his manifestations or appearances in a human form to the patriarchs in the several ages of time; since to these as to other of the above things the phrase "from everlasting" cannot be ascribed: but either of his going forth in a way of grace towards his people in acts of love to them delighting in those sons of men before the world was; in applying to his Father on their account asking them of him and betrothing them to himself; in becoming their surety entering into a covenant with his Father for them and being the head of election to them receiving all blessings and promises of grace for them: or else of his eternal generation and sonship as commonly interpreted; who the only begotten of the Father of the same nature with him and a distinct person from him; the eternal Word that went forth from him and was with him from eternity and is truly God. The phrases are expressive of the eternity of his divine nature and person; Jarchi compares them with Psalm 72:17; "before the sun was his name was Jinnon"; that is the Son the Son of God; so as the former part of the text sets forth his human birth this his divine generation; which cause of the excellency and ineffableness of it is expressed in the plural number "goings forth". So EliezerF15Pirke Eliezer c. 3. fol. 2. 2. along with the above mentioned passage in the Psalms produces this to prove the name of the Messiah before the world was whose "goings forth were from everlasting" when as yet the world was not created.

 

Micah 5:3   3 Therefore He shall give them up Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel.
   YLT 
3Therefore he doth give them out till the time She who bringeth forth hath brought forth And the remnant of his brethren return to the sons of Israel.

Therefore will he give them up .... Or "notwithstanding" as this particle signifies; see Hosea 2:14; though all this shall be yet previous to the birth of this person the Lord would give up the Jews to trouble and distress and into the hands of their enemies; and the time from this prophet to the birth of Christ was a time for the most part of great trouble to the Jews; not only was their country invaded and their city besieged by Sennacherib in Hezekiah's time but some years after that they were wholly carried captive into Babylon: and when they returned it was troublesome times with them; they met with many enemies that disturbed them while they were rebuilding the city and temple; and after that they endured much tribulation in the times of Antiochus Epiphanes or of the Maccabees; nor were they long in any quiet nor in any settled state unto the coming of the Messiah. Or else this is to be understood of what should be after his coming; for though Jesus was born at Bethlehem according to this plain prophecy and had all the characters of the Messiah in him yet the Jews rejected him and would not have him to reign over them: wherefore he the Messiah as Japhet interprets it gave them up to judicial blindness and hardness of heart and into the hands of their enemies the Romans; by whom they were destroyed or carried captive and dispersed among the nations; in which condition they still remain and will until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled; so long will Jerusalem be trodden under foot or the Jews be given up to their will according to Luke 21:24; or as here expressed

until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: that is according to the first sense until the Virgin Mary travailed in birth with the Messiah and brought forth him her firstborn Matthew 1:25; or according to the latter until Zion or the church of God travailed in prayer in the ministry of the word and brought forth many children to Christ both among Jews and Gentiles; and the sense is that the Jews shall be given up to distress and trouble till the time of their conversion see Isaiah 66:7; The Jews have a tradition in their Talmud that

"the son of David would not come until the kingdom spreads itself over the whole world for nine months; as it is said "therefore will he give them up until the time that she that travaileth hath brought" forth; which is the time of a woman's going with child.'

This both Jarchi and Kimchi take notice of. In one placeF16T. Bab. Yoma fol. 10. 1. it is called the kingdom of Aram or Syria; and in anotherF17T. Bab. Sanhedrin fol. 98. 2. a blank is left for Edom that is Rome; for by the kingdom is meant the Roman empire and which did extend all over the world before the coming of the Messiah Jesus as appears from Luke 2:1; as well as from all profane history;

then the remnant of his brethren shall return to the children of Israel; that is the brethren of the Messiah as Kimchi and Abendana interpret it; who should return with the children of Israel as both they and Jarchi explain it; to which the Targum agrees. Kimchi's note is

""the remnant of his brethren"; they are the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which remained when the ten tribes were carried captive; and the surnames his brethren relate to the Messiah.'

So AbendanaF18Not. in Miclol Yophi in loc.

"and "the remnant his brethren"; they are the tribes of Judah and Benjamin they shall return with the children of Israel who are the ten tribes; as if he should say these and these shall return to their land and King Messiah shall reign over them; and the surnames his brethren respect the Messiah.'

And to the same purpose R. IsaacF19Chizzuk Emunah par. 1. p. 281.

"the remnant of the brethren of the Messiah who are the children of Judah and Benjamin that are left and remain of the calamities and persecutions of the captivities shall return to their own land together with the children of Israel who are the ten tribes.'

Meaning either the remnant according to the election of grace among the Gentiles; who with those among the Jews should be converted to Christ in the first times of the Gospel those immediately following the birth of Christ; the Gospel being preached both to the Jews and Gentiles and some of both were called and converted and whom Christ owned as his brethren and were not ashamed of; see Matthew 12:49 Hebrews 2:11; or the Lord's chosen people and brethren of Christ those of he two tribes of Judah and Benjamin and those of the ten tribes of Israel; who shall join and coalesce together in seeking the Messiah embracing and professing him and appointing him the one Head over them when they will turn to the Lord and all Israel shall be saved; see Jeremiah 50:4.

 

Micah 5:4   4 And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the Lord In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; And they shall abide For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth;
   YLT 
4And he hath stood and delighted in the strength of Jehovah In the excellency of the name of Jehovah his God And they have remained For now he is great unto the ends of earth.

And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord .... The ruler in Israel before described and prophesied of; the Messiah as Kimchi himself interprets it and other Jewish writers. Kimchi's note is

"after the affliction the King Messiah shall stand and feed Israel in the strength of the Lord;'

and so R. IsaacF20Ibid. (Chizzuk Emunah par. 1. p. 281.) paraphrases the words exactly in the same way: wherefore as another learned JewF21Tanchuma apud Pocock in loc. observes these expressions evince that the ruler here spoken of can be no other than the Messiah; not Zerubbabel who never attained to this height and happiness. He is both King and Shepherd and to each of these the act of feeding is ascribed. The same word in the Greek language signifies both to rule and to feed and is used by Matthew Matthew 2:6; and kings are often compared to shepherds. Christ feeds his people his brethren his flock his sheep and lambs all truly converted ones; and this takes in the whole office of a shepherd and the care he has of his flock; he takes an exact account of them goes before them and leads them out into good pastures; sets under shepherds over them; protects them from all their enemies; looks after what is lost or driven away; heals the sick strengthens the weak binds up the broken and watches over his flock continually: he feeds them with himself the bread of life with his flesh and blood which are meat and drink indeed; with the doctrines and ordinances of the Gospel; and which are found to be spiritual savoury strengthening satisfying and soul nourishing food: and he "stands" and does this being raised from the dead and possessed of all power in heaven and in earth; which designs not the position of his body but the ministration of his office and his alacrity and readiness to perform it and his constancy in it: and all this "in the strength of the Lord"; in his own strength as a divine Person which is the same with the strength of Jehovah; and in the power and strength that is dispensed to him as Mediator; and with his Gospel the rod of his strength and in such manner as to defend his flock from all that would devour them:

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; Jehovah the Father is the God of Christ as is Mediator; and his name is in him even the majesty of it; for as a divine Person he has the same nature and perfections with him; and as man exalted at his right hand has a name above every name in this world or that to come; and it is by authority from him in his office capacity that he rules and feeds his people having all judgment committed to him:

and they shall abide; that is his people his flock his sheep fed and ruled by him; these shall continue and persevere under his care and keeping; in him in whom they are chosen and preserved; in his love from which they can never be separated; in his hands out of which none can pluck them; in his church where they shall ever remain; and so may be considered as a promise of the perseverance of the saints in faith and holiness to the end: or "they shall sit"F23ישבו "sedebunt" Tigurine version Vatablus Drusius; "considebunt" Cocceius; so R. Isaac "they shall sit safely in his time" as is said above ch. iv. 4. "they shall sit every man" &c. Chizzuk Emunah ut supra. (par. 1. p. 281.) ; quietly and securely being freed from persecution with which the Christians were at ended in the first three centuries: this began to be accomplished in the times of Constantius Chlorus who helped the Christians in the times of Dioclesian and with whom the persecutions ended and peace and prosperity followed:

for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth; as he was in the times of Constantine and will be again. Christ is great in himself in his person and offices; and will appear to be so unto all men even unto the ends of the earth when his Gospel shall be preached and spread everywhere; when his kingdom shall be enlarged and be from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth; even then shall he appear to be a great King over all the earth and the great Shepherd of the sheep the man Jehovah's fellow; and to have such a flock and so large as never any had; when there will be one fold and one shepherd; for this prophecy respects the latter day glory. Kimchi's gloss is

"the name of the Messiah shall be magnified after the judgment of the wicked.'

 

Micah 5:5   5 And this One shall be peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land And when he treads in our palaces Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princely men.
   YLT 
5And this [one] hath been peace Asshur! when he doth come into our land And when he doth tread in our palaces We have raised against him seven shepherds And eight anointed of man.

And this man shall be the peace .... The word man is not in the text only this; and refers to the person before spoken of who was to be born in Bethlehem to be the ruler in Israel that should stand and feed his people and should be great to the ends of the earth; and is no other than the Messiah as Kimchi and other Jewish writers own Kimchi's note is

"this peace respects the Messiah; for he shall be the cause or author of peace; as it is said "he shall speak peace unto the Heathen" Zechariah 9:10;'

and R. IsaacF24Ut supra. (Chizzuk Emunah par. 1. p. 281.) expresses his sense of the words in much the same language; and it is an observation the Jews sometimes make and which they give as a sign of the Messiah's coming

"when you see a Persian horse bound in the land of Israel look for the feet of the Messiah;'

which is the sense of Micah 5:5; "this shall be the peace when the Assyrian comes into our land"F25Echa Rabbati fol. 48. 3. &c. so Jesus the true Messiah is called "our peace" Ephesians 2:14; and is the cause and author of peace not only between Jew and Gentile but between God and men; which he has made by the blood of his cross and speaks and gives peace to men; and he is the author of peace in his churches whose kingdom is a kingdom of peace of which there will be an abundance in the latter day; for all which he would not be sufficient was he a mere man; though it was proper he should be a man that he might have blood to shed a body to offer up and in it die to procure peace; and yet be more than a man God also to put virtue and efficacy into what he did and suffered to obtain it as well as to secure and continue the peace of his people and preserve them from all their enemies:

when the Assyrian shall come into our land; not Sennacherib king of Assyria; though by the invasion of Judea and siege of Jerusalem he might have lately been concerned in and by reason of the terror which that had raised in the people; the Assyrian may be here put for any powerful enemy of the people of God in later times; or Satan and his principalities and powers even all the powers of darkness Christ our peacemaker engaged with at the time he made peace by his sufferings and death; and perhaps may chiefly design the Turk the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel as Mr. MedeF26Works l. 4. Ep. 41. p. 796. thinks that will enter into the land of Judea in order to take it out of the hands of the Jews who will be possessed of it upon their conversion to Christ; but he by his instruments will secure to them the possession of it and their peace and prosperity in it:

and when he shall tread in our palaces; the palaces of our princes and nobles and great men at least attempt to do it:

then shall we raise against him; the Assyrian or whatsoever enemy is meant by him: or "with him" that is the Messiah as Kimchi and othersF1Vid. Chizzuk Emunah par. 1. p. 282. interpret it. The Targum is

"then will we appoint over us;'

which sense the above writer wonders at as being contrary to the Hebrew text:

seven shepherds and eight principal men; that is many as the phrase is used in Ecclesiastes 11:2; to which passage Aben Ezra and Kimchi refer us; these are as the last mentioned writer and others sayF2Ibid. the princes of the Messiah; and according to the ancientF3T. Bab. Succa fol. 52. 2. Shirhashirim Rabba fol. 26. 3. Jewish Rabbins the seven shepherds are particularly these David in the midst Adam Seth Methuselah on his right hand (Kimchi has it Seth Enoch and Methuselah) and Abraham Jacob and Moses on his left hand; and the eight principal men are Jesse Saul Samuel Amos Zephaniah Zedekiah (in Kimchi and Rabbot it is Hezekiah) Elijah and the Messiah; but as Aben Ezra not fifteen persons are designed at most but eight according to this form of speech in Proverbs 30:15; &c. CalmetF4Dictionary in the word "Shepherds". takes those seven or eight shepherds to he the seven princes confederate with Darius the son of Hystaspes who killed Smerdis the Magian who had possessed himself of the empire of the Persians after the death of Cambyses; but Smerdis was not an Assyrian nor is the kingdom of Persia here meant but the land of Judea; and the prophecy respects the times of the Messiah who should appear there and where would be raised up men to support his interest: and if conjecture may be allowed as this may be understood of the apostles and first preachers of the Gospel the princes of the Messiah who were raised up at the prayer and request of the church to oppose Satan and his emissaries in the first times of the Gospel; by these may be meant the writers of the New Testament the four evangelists Matthew Mark Luke and John and the Apostles Peter James and Jude which make the seven shepherds; and if you add to these the Apostle Paul they will make eight principal men; or rather I should think the seven angels are pointed at that shall pour out the last plagues on the antichristian states; to which if another angel is added that will proclaim the fall of Babylon the same number will be made up; see Revelation 16:1; and who will assist the Jews against the Turks when they shall attempt to dispossess them of their land they shall again inherit.

 

Micah 5:6   6 They shall waste with the sword the land of Assyria And the land of Nimrod at its entrances; Thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian When he comes into our land And when he treads within our borders.

   YLT  6And they have afflicted the land of Asshur with the sword And the land of Nimrod at its openings And he hath delivered from Asshur when he doth come into our land And when he treadeth in our borders.

And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword .... Or "feedF5ורעו "et depascent" Montanus Drusius; "pascent" Piscator Grotius Cocceius. upon it" with the sword destroy the inhabitants of it; either spiritually subdue the nations of the world to the obedience of Christ the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God; the preaching of the Gospel the ministry of the apostles and others in the Gentile world; see 2 Corinthians 10:3; or literally meaning that the angels of the vials the Christian princes shall destroy the Ottoman empire with the sword:

and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof; the same with Babylon the empire of which was first set up by Nimrod the beginning of whose kingdom was Babel Genesis 10:11; the same with Nebrodas a name of Bacchus which is no other than Barchus the son of Chus as Nimrod was the son of Cush and Bacchus was a mighty hunter as he was; all which BochartF6Phaleg. l. 1. c. 2. col. 12. has observed: now his country was Babel Erech Accad and Calneh in the land of Shinar that is the land of Babylon as the Targum of Onkelos and Jerusalem in Genesis 10:10 render it; though some think Nimrod extended his dominions into Assyria; and translateF7Vatablus Junius and Tremellius Bochart Cocceius and others. Micah 5:11 "out of that land he" (that is Nimrod) "went forth into Assyria and builded Nineveh and the city Rehoboth and Calah"; and the Targum of Jonathan is very express for it which paraphrases the words thus

"out of that land went forth Nimrod and he reigned in Assyria because he would not be in the counsel of the generation of the division and he left these four cities; and the Lord gave him a place (or Assyria) and he built four other cities Nineveh &c.'

hence someF8Bochart Phaleg. l. 4. c. 12. c. 229. Bedford's Chronology p. 773. have thought that the land of Assyria and the land of Nimrod here design one and the same country; but Ashur in the text in Genesis seems rather to be the name of a man than of a place even of the son of Shem so called from whom the country of Assyria had its name; whereas if had been so soon in the hands of Nimrod and so many cities had been built by him in it it would rather have been called by his name than Ashur's; and it seems most reasonable to conclude that the cities of Nineveh &c. were built by the latter and not the former; and the two countries of Assyria and Nimrod or Babylon are very plainly in this text distinguished from one another; though they might at the time of this prophecy be united under Esarhaddon who was both king of Assyria and Babylon; and at this present time they are both in the hands of the Turks and in all probability will be until this prophecy is fulfilled in the destruction of them by the Christian princes: the same thing is meant as before; and the word rendered "in the entrances thereof" may as well be translated "with its sword"F9בפתחיה "gladiis suis" Pagninus Montanus Munster Tigurine version; so R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed fol. 31. 2. ; or as the margin of our Bibles "with her own naked swords"; so Kimchi and Aben Ezra interpret it:

thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian when he cometh into our land and when he treadeth within our borders; that is the King Messiah shall work this deliverance as Kimchi and othersF11R. Isaac ib. p. 283. Abarbinel &c. explain it; Christ delivered his people from all their spiritual enemies when he made peace for them; and he will deliver them in the latter day from both Pope and Turk when he will destroy the man of sin by the breath of his mouth and dry up the river Euphrates and cast both beast and false prophet into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; though all that is said in this verse and Micah 5:5 may have had its accomplishment already at least in part in the Saracens and their empire which begun in the year 623 and who prevailed very much in Arabia Palestine Syria Persia Egypt and Africa and even penetrated into Spain and France in all which places were Christian churches; and so may be called "our land" as the churches therein "our palaces" which these people entered into trod upon profaned or destroyed; and the seven or eight principal men raised against them may be the Christian princes that fought with them and drove them back and destroyed their land; such as Hugh the great brother to Philip king of France; Robert earl of Flanders; Robert earl of Normandy brother to William the Conqueror king of England; Stephen earl of Blois; Raymund earl of Tholouse; Godfrey duke of Lorrain and his brothers Baldwin and Eustachius and others. These beginning at Nice where once a famous Christian council was held and driving the army of Solyman from thence in the space off our years subdued many provinces of Asia Lycaonia Cilicia Syria Mesopotamia and Comagena; and at length having put to flight the Turks and ejected the Saracens took Jerusalem and made Godfrey of Bullein king of itF12Vid. Witsii Exercitat. 8. de Assyriis in Miscel. Sacr. tom. 2. p. 218 219 220. . SomeF13Vid. Gurtler. Voc. Typic. Prophetic. Explicat. p. 18. have interpreted it of the emperor of Germany and the seven electors in the empire (for formerly they were no more) happily and with success carrying on a war against the Turks Tartars and Saracens when they broke into Europe; but the former sense seems better; and it is best of all to understand the prophecy of the destruction of the Turk or Ottoman empire in the latter day by the Christian princes.

 

Micah 5:7   7 Then the remnant of Jacob Shall be in the midst of many peoples Like dew from the Lord Like showers on the grass That tarry for no man Nor wait for the sons of men.
   YLT 
7And the remnant of Jacob hath been in the midst of many peoples As dew from Jehovah -- as showers on the herb That waiteth not for man nor stayeth for the sons of men.

And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people .... The Jews who will be converted in the latter day the remnant of them according to the election of grace as well as all true Israelites whether Jews or Gentiles the Lord's chosen and peculiar people; who though but a small number in comparison of others and mean and contemptible in the eyes of men are such as God has made a reserve of for himself; and these though not of the world yet are in the world and will be in the several parts of it but a distinct people from it and of no account in it; nevertheless will be visible in it and wonderfully preserved in the midst of it: and will be

as a dew from the Lord; both with respect to themselves being like to dew for the generation of it which is from above from heaven and of God as their regeneration is; and which secretly and silently falls as the grace of God in regeneration does; and for the number of the drops of it which are not to be reckoned; and so numerous are the people of God at least they will be in the latter day when Christ shall again have the dew of his youth; or such a number of converts as will be like the drops of the morning dew; as also for the favour grace and blessings of God upon them which are as the dew; and which he himself is as that unto them so that they themselves are as dew from him being indulged with his favour; which as the dew is entirely free very softening cooling and refreshing as well as fructifying; and having the dews of his grace or the blessings of it falling upon them in plenty; see Hosea 14:5; and with respect to others among whom they are and to whom they are as the dew by their speech their doctrine the word ministered by then) which distils like the dew Deuteronomy 32:26; and by their good works which are profitable unto men; and by their soft and gentle behaviour towards them; and by reason of the many outward blessings they enjoy through them as Laban did for the sake of Jacob and Potiphar on the account of Josiah:

as the showers upon the grass; which revive refresh it and cause it to grow and flourish; or they are like grass on which the showers fall and grow up as such in great numbers and with great verdure and fruitfulness Psalm 72:16;

that tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the sons of men; which seems to be connected with the dew though it agrees with both dew and rain which stay not for men's desires or deserts but descend according to the will of God: and as this regards the people of God either with respect to themselves; it shows that as they are as the dew or as showers and clouds full of rain either of grace or doctrine compared thereunto; they are not of themselves so or of men but of God; and that their dependence is not upon the creature but upon the Lord for support and supply: and with respect to others to whom they are beneficial by their doctrine and works; that it is all from the Lord and owing to his goodness which makes them a blessing round about unasked and undeserved; see Ezekiel 34:26. It may have respect to plenty of Gospel ministers whose doctrine is as the dew; and which being attended with the power and Spirit of God waits not for anything in man but operates at once secretly and powerfully.

 

Micah 5:8   8 And the remnant of Jacob Shall be among the Gentiles In the midst of many peoples Like a lion among the beasts of the forest Like a young lion among flocks of sheep Who if he passes through Both treads down and tears in pieces And none can deliver.
   YLT 
8Yea the remnant of Jacob hath been among nations In the midst of many peoples As a lion among beasts of a forest As a young lion among ranks of a flock Which if it hath passed through Hath both trodden down and hath torn And there is no deliverer.

And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people .... The same persons are meant here as before; who are compared to dew and showers of rain because numerous; and full of blessings in themselves and useful and beneficial to others: and here are said to be

as a lion among the beasts of the forest; strong mighty powerful and courageous and superior to their enemies as the lion is strongest among beasts and keeps all others in awe of him. Some refer this to the times of the Maccabees; when Judas and his brethren behaved with great fortitude and courage and were victorious and prevailed over the armies of Antiochus and others; but it seems rather to belong to the latter day when the Jews shall be superior to their enemies the Turks who would disturb them in the possession of their land: and shall be a terror to them

as a young lion among the flocks of sheep; signifying that their enemies shall be no more to them and no more able to oppose them than a flock of sheep are to a young lion or they to resist him The design of the metaphor is; not to signify the harmlessness and innocence of their enemies but their weakness and the strength and courage of them;

who if he go through; the flock: on whatsoever he seizes

both treadeth down and teareth in pieces and none can deliver; brings it to the ground at once tramples upon it and tears it in pieces as its prey; and none in the flock or to whom it belongs can deliver out of his hand. This will be the case when the Jews shall turn to the Lord and the Lion of the tribe of Judah shall be at the head of them; though some interpret this of the first times of the Gospel and take it to be fulfilled in the apostles and first ministers of the word who were Jews; and who were valiant defenders of truth and conquerors over the devil and the world and were the instruments of bringing many into subjection to Christ; but it seems best to apply it to the last times and not to the converted Jews only though in the first place; but to all the spiritual Israel of God the whole Christian church which will then be in such happy circumstances.

 

Micah 5:9   9 Your hand shall be lifted against your adversaries And all your enemies shall be cut off.

   YLT  9High is thy hand above thine adversaries And all thine enemies are cut off.

Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries .... O remnant of Jacob or Israel as the Targum; the church of God; now will be the time that it shall prevail over all the antichristian states; now will the Christian princes pour out the vials of God's wrath upon them; and they shall feel the strength and weight of their hand; which will fall heavy upon them even to their utter destruction: or thine hand O Messiah the ruler in Israel the man the peace that shall deliver from the Assyrian; and who will be at the head of his church and people the remnant of Jacob and destroy their enemies with the sword that proceeds out of his mouth:

and all thine enemies shall be cut off; all the enemies of Christ and his church; all the kings of the earth that shall gather against them the beast and false prophet with all their followers; see Revelation 19:19.

 

Micah 5:10   10 “And it shall be in that day ” says the Lord “That I will cut off your horses from your midst And destroy your chariots.
   YLT 
10And it hath come to pass in that day An affirmation of Jehovah I have cut off thy horses from thy midst And I have destroyed thy chariots

And it shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord .... When the above things shall be accomplished even in the Gospel day made so by the rising of the sun of righteousness; the Gospel dispensation the latter part of it:

that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee and I will destroy thy chariots; which some take to be an apostrophe to literal Babylon and to be fulfilled when Cyrus took possession of it; but rather it respects mystical Babylon and the destruction of that by Christ; but it is best of all to interpret it of the church of Christ all whose carnal confidences and dependences shall be cut off and shall trust alone in Christ for salvation; particularly the Jews now converted who have been used to put their trust in the flesh and in such things as are here mentioned; but now shall be made to see the folly and vanity of such things and shall renounce and disclaim them; see Hosea 14:3; or the sense is there shall be no more war; horses and chariots shall be no more used in a hostile way; but there shall be perfect peace all enemies being destroyed which agrees with Micah 2:3 Zechariah 9:10. The Targum is

"I will cut off the horses of the people from the midst of thee and destroy their chariots?'

 

Micah 5:11   11 I will cut off the cities of your land And throw down all your strongholds.
   YLT 
11And I have cut off the cities of thy land And I have thrown down all thy fortresses

And I will cut off the cities of thy land and throw down all thy strong holds. The meaning is they should not dwell in fortified cities and walled towns; they should have none of these to trust to nor should they stand in any need of them to defend them their enemies being subdued; and besides the Lord would be their strong hold and place of defence a wall of fire round about them but the glory in the midst of them The phrases are expressive of the greatest tranquillity and safety and of living in an open air free and undisturbed; see Zechariah 2:4. The Targum is

"I will cut off the cities of the people out of thy land and destroy all their strong fortresses;'

these shall dwell no more there and be no more offensive and troublesome.

 

Micah 5:12   12 I will cut off sorceries from your hand And you shall have no soothsayers.
   YLT 
12And have cut off sorcerers out of thy hand And observers of clouds thou hast none.

And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand .... Such as were formerly practised among the Jews though forbidden them and in mystical Babylon or the antichristian church whose sorceries are mentioned Revelation 9:21; but nothing of this kind will be found in the Christian church consisting of Jews and Gentiles in the latter day; all unlawful arts cheating and juggling in religious matters will cease and be no more:

and thou shalt have no more soothsayers; or diviners that cast a mist over people's eyes and deceived them with false appearances of things; that pretended to know times and seasons when it was or was not a good day to go abroad or to make merchandise; that judged by the clouds and by the position of the heavens what would come to pass hereafter; and though such sort of men were formerly indulged connived at and caressed among the Jews they should be so no more; nor should they apply to such persons for advice and counsel; nor would they need it nor should they use it; see Deuteronomy 18:10.

 

Micah 5:13   13 Your carved images I will also cut off And your sacred pillars from your midst; You shall no more worship the work of your hands;
   YLT 
13And I have cut off thy graven images And thy standing-pillars out of thy midst And thou dost not bow thyself any more To the work of thy hands.

Thy graven images also will I cut off and thy standing images out of the midst of thee .... The former were such as were made of wood or stone; the latter statues such as were molten or cast and made of gold silver or brass; Such as the Jews sometimes worshipped and are now found in the apostate church of Rome; but will have no place in the Christian churches or those so called in the latter day. The Jews indeed have had no idols or idolatrous worship among them since the Babylonish captivity; and the prophet here speaks not of what would be found among them and removed at their conversion; but of what was in his time or had been or would be again but should not be in future time when they should turn to the Lord and be like dew among the people; and so we are to understand some following passages. The Targum is

"I will cut off the images of the people and their statues:'

and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands; as not to fall down to idols and worship them so neither to trust in carnal privileges ceremonial rites observances of the traditions of the elders or any works of righteousness done by them which they had been prone unto.

 

Micah 5:14   14 I will pluck your wooden images[a] from your midst; Thus I will destroy your cities.
   YLT 
14And I have plucked up thy shrines out of thy midst And I have destroyed thine enemies.

And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee .... Planted for idolatrous worship and which the Jews in the reigns of some of their kings raised and made use of for such purposes; see 1 Kings 15:13; though contrary to the law of God Deuteronomy 16:21; but now there should be nothing of this kind all idolatry being rooted out of the world. The Targum is

"I will root out the plantations of the people out of the midst of thee:'

so will I destroy thy cities; which some understand of cities given to idolatry; or rather it is to be understood in the same sense as in Micah 5:11; though by reason of that and as something distinct from it it is better to render the words with the Targum

"I will destroy thine enemiesF14So Jarchi and Marinas in Aben Ezra and R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed fol. 102. 1. .'

 

Micah 5:15   15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury On the nations that have not heard.”[b]

   YLT  15And I have done vengeance in anger and in fury With the nations who have not hearkened!

And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the Heathen .... Or "nations"F15את הגוים "gentes" Junius & Tremellius. ; not the Pagan nations only but the Papal and Mahometan ones even all that are enemies to Christ and his church and people:

such as they have not heard; such terrible judgments and dreadful expressions of divine wrath and fury by earthquakes hailstones &c. as were never known or heard of in the world before; see Revelation 16:18; or "which have not heard"F16אשר לא שמעו "quae non audierunt" Pagninus Montanus; "quae non auscultaverint" Junius & Tremellius; "quae non obediverunt" Burkius. ; the people that have not heard and hearkened to the word of God to the voice of Christ in the Gospel but have turned a deaf ear to it and despised it. So the Targum

"who have not received the doctrine of the law;'

but it is much more agreeable to understand it of the doctrine of the Gospel disobeyed by men and therefore justly punished; see 2 Thessalonians 1:8.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

  1. Micah 5:14 Hebrew Asherim Canaanite deities
  2. Micah 5:15 Or obeyed