Micah 5 - Introduction
_THE BIRTH OF CHRIST; HIS KINGDOM; HIS CONQUEST._ _Before Christ 710._... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE BIRTH OF CHRIST; HIS KINGDOM; HIS CONQUEST._ _Before Christ 710._... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW GATHER THYSELF IN TROOPS, &C.— _But thou shalt be made desolate, O desolating daughter: thou shalt be surrounded by a siege; because they have smitten the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek._ This verse should be the last of the preceding chapter, and not the first of this; for the last f... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU, BETH-LEHEM EPHRATAH— _Ephratah_ was another name for Beth-lehem in the tribe of Judah, and both names are joined together to distinguish it from another Beth-lehem in the tribe of Zebulun. In the gospel by St. Matthew it is said, _Thou, Beth-lehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least._... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE WILL HE GIVE THEM UP— _Notwithstanding, he will give them up, until the time that she that beareth,_ &c. The Hebrew word יתנם _itneim,_ rendered _give up,_ signifies properly, says Dr. Sharpe, so to give, as to continue or accomplish; and the pronoun _them_ is to be referred to the _goings... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL STAND AND FEED— Houbigant observes, that the Messiah is said to _stand,_ or continue on earth, in contradistinction to his _goings-forth_ from eternity. This great shepherd is said to _feed_ or _rule;_ (in the LXX is added, _his flock_) _in the majesty of his name,_ or, _in the glorious nam... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE ASSYRIAN SHALL COME, &C.— Instead of, _Shall we raise against him,_ &c. in Micah 5:5. Houbigant reads, _Seven shepherds and eight princes of the people shall be raised against them;_ Micah 5:6 _who shall feed upon the land of,_ &c. _And the land of Nimrod with the edge thereof; and shall de... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE REMNANT OF JACOB SHALL BE—AS A DEW, &C.— The _dews_ were of the greatest service in this land, which was watered by _rain_ only in two seasons of the year. The word _dew,_ therefore, is used figuratively, to express any thing fructifying and exhilarating; and is well applied to the Maccabees... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, &C.— That is, in that interval of time which was between the first and last destruction of Jerusalem; for during that period the Jews worshipped no false gods, and had no prophets or soothsayers of false gods; and at the end of this period the Romans took their city, and u... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL CUT OFF THE CITIES, &C.— See Hosea 1; Hosea 7. Bishop Sherlock is of opinion, that the present passage is to the same import with that in Hosea; and that the meaning is, their salvation should be so perfect and complete, that they should want neither forces nor strong holds; for God would... [ Continue Reading ]