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Micah 1:10-16

King James Version (KJV)

“In our prayers we talk to God, in our Bible study God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking.”
— D.L. Moody

Scripture focus

10. Declare ye [it] not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust. 11. Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel; he shall receive of you his standing. 12. For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem. 13. O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she [is] the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee. 14. Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib [shall be] a lie to the kings of Israel. 15. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel. 16. Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

Micah 1:10-16 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Micah 1:10

Theological / Devotional

Declare ye. Verses 10-16 constitute a dirge over the judgment to fall upon Judah. The opening clause is taken from David’s dirge over Saul (2 Samuel 1:20).

Gath. One of the five chief cities of the Philistines. Its location is uncertain. For suggested sites, see on 2 Kings 12:17. The ruin of Judah was not to be proclaimed in this enemy center. In Hebrew the word for Gath approximates in sound the word for “declare.” Many scholars believe there is here an intended play on words that may be reproduced as follows, “Tell it not in Tell-town.” Such plays on words are common in Hebrew poetry.

Weep ye not. Some suggest another play on words in this sentence, which they reproduce as follows, “Weep in Weep-town.” Such a reading can be obtained only by a change of the Hebrew text. The Hebrew does not mention the name of a town, but since all the other clauses in the context do, some think one was intended here. Baca, or Bochim, from the root bakah, “to weep,” has been suggested.

House of Aphrah. Or, more fully transliterated, “Beth-le-aphrah,” perhaps et-Taiyibeh near Hebron. Aphrah is from a Hebrew root meaning “dust.” Scholars have suggested another play on words, which may be reproduced as follows, “Roll in the dust in Dust-town.”

By SdaBc