For reading purposes Micah-06

Setting

• Who:

  • Author: Micah
  • Audience: Israel
    • the people of Jacob,
    • the remnant of Israel,
    • the house of Jacob,
    • the heads of Jacob
    • rulers of the house of Israel
  • Characters and People Groups:
    • YHWH (the LORD) - YHWH has a case against the people of Israel
    • Micah - is the voice of YHWH in the "court room setting"
    • My people (Israel/Jacob) - The "defendants"
    • House of Jacob
    • heads of Jacob
    • rulers of the house of Israel
    • Jacob (as people group)
    • remnant of Israel
    • Witnesses: mountains and hills
  • Symbolic Roles:
    • Deceiver: heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel (who abhor justice and pervert equity)
    • Deceived: My people (Israel, led astray by unjust leaders and false prophets)
    • Savior: YHWH (pleads with His people, will shepherd them, acts wondrously in redemption)

• What:

  • Main Storyline: YHWH brings a covenant lawsuit against Israel, calling mountains and hills as witnesses; He recounts His saving acts (Egypt, Balak/Balaam, Shittim to Gilgal); the people ask how to approach Him with offerings; Micah declares YHWH requires justice, mercy, humility; indictment of dishonest commerce and violence; prophecy of judgment on leaders and prophets, yet hope in future gathering and shepherding by YHWH.

• When:

  • Date Authored:
  • Date takes place:

• Where:

  • Egypt (land of bondage; modern Egypt)
  • Shittim (camp east of Jordan; modern Tell el-Hammam or Abu el-'Ain, Jordan Valley, Jordan)
  • Gilgal (first camp west of Jordan; modern Khirbet el-Mafjar or near Jericho, West Bank)

Micah 6

← Micah 05 | _The Scrolls/2. Nevi'im (Prophets)/33 - Micah/Micah | Micah 07 →

• Listen //mountains and hills// now to what Yahweh says:
  • "Arise, plead your //people of Israel// case
    • before the mountains,
    • and let the hills hear
      • what you //people of Israel// have to say.
  • Hear, you mountains^[1],
    • Yahweh's indictment,
  • and you enduring foundations of the earth^[2];
    • for Yahweh has a case against his people^[3],
    • and he will contend with Israel.

Deuteronomy 4:26 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."

Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."

Deuteronomy 31:28 "Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them."

Deuteronomy 32:1 "Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth."

• My people Israel, House of Judah, House of Israel,
  • what have I done to you?
  • How have I burdened you?
  • Answer me!
    • For I
      • brought you up out of the land of Egypt,
      • and redeemed you out of the house of bondage^[4].
      • I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
• My people,
  • remember now what Balak
    • king of Moab
    • devised, (Num-22#v5–6, 11, 17; 23:7; Num-24#v10)
  • and what Balaam
    • the son of Beor
    • answered him
      • from Shittim to Gilgal,
  • that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh."
• How shall I //people of Israel//
  • come before and bow myself
    • Yahweh,
      • the exalted God?
  • Shall I come before him
    • with Burnt Offerings,
      • with calves a year old? ^[5]
  • Will Yahweh be pleased
    • with thousands of rams?
    • With tens of thousands of rivers of oil^[6]?
    • Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience^[7]?
      • The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Public/Appointed Time sacrifices always included Grain Offering (oil) + drink offerings (Num 28–29). Daily, Sabbath, New Moon, Feasts, Nazirite vows, Priest consecration.

• He //YHWH// has shown
  • you //people of Israel//,
    • O man,
    • what is good.
    • What does Yahweh require of you,
      • but to act justly,
      • to love mercy,
      • and to walk humbly
        • with your God? ^[8] James-04
• Yahweh's
  • voice calls
    • to the city,
  • and wisdom
    • sees your name:
  • "Listen to
    • the rod,
    • and he who //YHWH// appointed it.

Micah is contemporary with Isaiah: Isaiah 10:5 – “Assyria, the rod of mine anger” (YHWH appoints Assyria). Isaiah 30:31–32 – “the rod… which the LORD shall lay upon him”

• • Are there yet treasures of wickedness
    • in the house of the wicked^[9],
  • and a short ephah^[10]
    • that is accursed? Burnt Offering Sin Offering
  • Shall I be pure^[11]
    • with dishonest scales, Statutes (Chuqim)
    • and with a bag of deceitful weights?^[12]
  • Her //people of Israel//
    • rich men are full of violence,
    • her inhabitants speak lies,
    • and their tongue is deceitful in their speech^[13].
  • Therefore //because of all the wickedness// I also
    • because of your sins.
      • have struck you with a grievous wound.
      • I have made you desolate
      • You shall eat, but not be satisfied.
      • Your humiliation will be within you.
      • You will store up, but not save;
      • and that which you save I will give up to the sword.
      • You will sow, but won't reap.
      • You will tread the olives, but won't anoint yourself with oil;
      • and crush grapes, but won't drink the wine.

Sounds similar to what James said James-04

Fulfillment: Aligns with the historical exile of Judah to Babylon, which the Bible records as a consequence of covenant unfaithfulness. 2 Kings-25 Jer-07. The Babylonian exile fulfills the desolation described in Micah 6:13-16.

• For //the wickedness comes from// the
  • statutes of Omri are kept,
  • and all the works of Ahab's house^[14].
  • You walk in their //Omri and Ahab's// counsels,
    • that I may make you a ruin,
  • and her inhabitants a hissing;
    • And you //people of Israel//
      • will bear the reproach
        • of my people."

Omri did more evil than any other king before him. Idolatry 1 Kings-16 Black limestone obelisk from Nimrud refers to Israel as the "House of Omri." Assyrian kings (e.g., Tiglath-Pileser III, ca. 734 BCE) repeatedly call Israel "House of Omri"

• Source: British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1848-1104-1
• 

Ahab more evil than Omri, was husband of Jezebel, worshiped Baal 1 Kings-16, Corrupt legal system 1 Kings-21

← Micah 05 | _The Scrolls/2. Nevi'im (Prophets)/33 - Micah/Micah | Micah 07 →

Connections

Repeated Words:

• YHWH (13)

Other Related Scriptures:

• Exodus 3:1-12 (YHWH redeems from Egypt)
• Numbers 22-24 (Balak king of Moab, Balaam son of Beor)
• Numbers 25:1 (Shittim incident)
• Joshua 4-5 (Gilgal crossing and circumcision)
• Deuteronomy 10:12 (to do justice, love mercy, walk humbly)
• 1 Samuel 12:7 (YHWH's righteous acts)
• Hosea 12:13 (prophet from Egypt)
• Psalm 147:10-11 (not delight in burnt offerings but fear of YHWH)