1 Listen now to what Yahweh says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say. 2 Hear, you mountains, Yahweh's controversy, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for Yahweh has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. 3 My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me! 4 For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5 My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh." 6 How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, 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? 9 Yahweh's voice calls to the city, and wisdom sees your name: "Listen to the rod, and he who appointed it. 10 Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and a short ephah that is accursed? 11 Shall I be pure with dishonest scales, and with a bag of deceitful weights? 12 Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech. 13 Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins. 14 You shall eat, but not be satisfied. Your humiliation will be in your midst. You will store up, but not save; and that which you save I will give up to the sword. 15 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. 16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab. You walk in their counsels, that I may make you a ruin, and her inhabitants a hissing; And you will bear the reproach of my people."
The foregoing prophecy closed with the final cleansing of the Church and the wrath of God resting on the wicked, when, as Paul saith, "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His Saints, and to be admired in all them that believe" 2-Thessalonians 1:7-10. The prophet here begins his third and last summons to judgment, in the Name, as it were, of the All-Holy Trinity, against whom they had sinned.
This chapter reproves and threatens. The manner of raising the attention by calling on man to urge his plea in the face of all nature, and on the inanimate creation to hear the expostulation of Jehovah with his people, is awakening and sublime. The words of Jehovah follow, Micah 6:3-5. And God's mercies hawing been set forth to his people, one of them is introduced, in a beautiful dramatic form, asking what his duty is towards a God so gracious, Micah 6:6, Micah 6:7. The answer follows in the words of the prophet, Micah 6:8; who goes on to upbraid the people of his charge with their injustice and idolatry, to which he ascribes want of success in their lawful undertakings, and those heave calamities which are now impending, Micah 6:9-15.
INTRODUCTION TO MICAH 6
This chapter contains reproofs of the people of Israel for their sins, threatening them with punishment for them. The prophet is bid to tell them of the controversy the Lord had with them, which he did, Micah 6:1; and the Lord calls upon them to declare if they had any thing to object to his attitude towards them, Micah 6:3; and then puts them in mind of the favours they had received from him, in bringing them out of Egypt, and giving them such useful persons to go before them, lead and instruct them, as he had, Micah 6:4; and also reminds them of what passed between Balak, king of Moab, and Balaam the soothsayer; the questions of the one, and the answer of the other; whereby the designs of the former against them were frustrated, Micah 6:5; but since the voice of the Lord by his prophet was disregarded by them, they are called upon to hearken to the voice of his rod, Micah 6:9; which should be laid upon them for their fraudulent dealings, injustice, oppression, lies, and deceit, Micah 6:10; and therefore are threatened with sickness and desolation, and a deprivation of all good things, the fruit of their labours, Micah 6:13; and that because the statutes of Omri, the works of Ahab, and their counsels, were observed by them, Micah 6:16.
III. The Way to Salvation - Micah 6 and 7
Micah having declared to the people of Israel not only the judgment that will burst upon Zion on account of its sins, but also the salvation awaiting in the future the remnant saved and purified through the judgment, now proceeds, in the third and last address, to point out the way to salvation, by showing that they bring punishment upon themselves by their ingratitude and resistance to the commandments of God, and that it is only through sincere repentance that they can participate in the promised covenant mercies.
Exhortation to Repentance, and Divine Threatening - Micah 6
In the form of a judicial contest between the Lord and His people, the prophet holds up before the Israelites their ingratitude for the great blessings which they have received from God (Micah 6:1-5), and teaches them that the Lord does not require outward sacrifices to appease His wrath, but righteousness, love, and humble walk with God (Micah 6:6-8), and that He must inflict severe punishment, because the people practise violence, lying, and deceit instead (Micah 6:9-14).
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.