Bible Commentaries
Micah 2

Verses 1-13

Chapter 2

Now God is giving here His continued indictment against Israel and He said,

Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practice it, because it had been in the power of their hands ( Micah 2:1 ).

So those that were abusing their positions of power.

For they covet fields, and take them by violence ( Micah 2:2 );

He was probably thinking here of the vineyard of Naboth which earlier King Ahab was just so doleful and all, and his wife said, "What's the matter, Honey? What is wrong with you?" He said, "Oh, I want the field of Naboth and he won't sell it to me. Oh, I want that field." She says, "Well, don't worry. I'll take care of it for you." She got some vain fellows who brought a false charge against Naboth and the people stoned him to death and she said, "Hey, he's dead. Go take his field." So wicked Jezebel in her taking by violence that which belonged... and so abusing their power or using their power for their own enrichment and their own gain. They covet fields; Ahab coveted the field of Naboth. Then through the cunning of his wife, Jezebel, they took it by violence.

and houses, they take them away: so that they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage ( Micah 2:2 ).

So notice, here are the sins: one, covetousness; two, violence; and three, oppression. These things were common in Samaria, and that is why the judgment of God came against Samaria and God allowed the Assyrians to carry them away captive.

Therefore thus saith the LORD; against this family do I devise an evil, from which you will not escape; neither shall you go haughtily: for the time is evil. In that day one will take up a parable against you, and a lamentation with a doleful lamentation ( Micah 2:3-4 ),

A lamentation was a song of sorrow, but this is especially sorrowful, the doleful lamentation.

and they will say, We are utterly spoiled: he has changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields. Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD ( Micah 2:4-5 ).

The temple worship will cease. There will be none to take their turn, which, of course, they determined by the casting of lots in the temple of the Lord.

Now they were saying to the prophets of God,

Don't prophesy ( Micah 2:6 ),

But yet, the false prophets continued their dribble. And that is pretty much more literally than what you will find in your King James.

they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame ( Micah 2:6 ).

In other words, don't prophesy in creating a shame in the people.

O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the Spirit of the LORD troubled [or angry]? are these his doings? do not my words do good to them that walk uprightly? But even of late my people is risen up as an enemy ( Micah 2:7-8 ):

Now notice that even though all of this sin exists and they have risen up against God, God still maintains them as "My people." "Oh love that will not let me go, I rest myself in Thee." "Even of late," God said, "My people is risen up as an enemy."

you pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war. The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; and from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever. Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction. If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; then you will make him a prophet to the people ( Micah 2:8-11 ).

They didn't want to hear God's Word. They told Micah, "Hey, don't prophesy to us." And yet, if a fellow would come along and say, "I'll sing to you of good days of wine and strong drink and all," then they say, "You're our prophet. We want to hear you." Men haven't changed much. They don't want to hear really of the judgment of God that is to be meted out against a sinful generation. They want to hear, "All is well. All is going to be good. Don't worry, it's all going to work out. Cheer up! Keep your head up. Think positively because we're going to come through on top." People say, "Oh, tell me more, tell me more," as the whole thing is going down the tubes. And so they don't want to hear the truth. And God is rebuking them that they will not listen to His truth. They would rather hear a lie than the truth.

But the Lord is talking now of a remnant that He is going to work with.

I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men. The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them ( Micah 2:12-13 ). "