Micah 1:1

THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET MICAH

Chronological Notes relative to this Book

-Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3254.

-Year of the Julian Period, 3964.

-Year since the Flood, 1598.

-Year from the vocation of Abram, 1171.

-Year since the first celebration of the Olympic games in Elis by the Idaei Dactyli, 704.

-Year from the destruction of Troy, according to the general computation of chronologers, 434.

-Year since the commencement of the kingdom of Israel, by the Divine appointment of Saul to the regal dignity, 346.

-Year from the foundation of Solomon's temple, 262.

-Year since the division of Solomon's monarchy into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 226.

-Year since the restoration of the Olympic games at Elis by Lycurgus, Iphitus, and Cleosthenes, 135.

-Year from the foundation of the kingdom of Macedon by Caranus, 65.

-Year from the foundation of the kingdom of Lydia by Ardysus, 49.

-All before this reign concerning Lydia is entirely fabulous.

-Year since the conquest of Coroebus at Olympia, usually called the first Olympiad, 27.

-Third year of the seventh Olympiad.

-Year before the building of Rome, according to the Varronian computation, 4.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Cato and the Fasti Consulares, 3.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Polybius the historian, 2.

-Year before the building of Rome, according to Fabius Pictor, 2.

-Year before the commencement of the era of Nabonassar, 2.

-Year before the birth of Christ, 746.

-Year before the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 750.

-Cycle of the Sun, 16.

-Cycle of the Moon, 12.

-Twenty-first year of Theopompus, king of Lacedaemon, of the family of the Proclidae.

-Twenty seventh year of Polydorus, king of Lacedaemon, of the family of the Eurysthenidae.

-Twelfth year of Alyattes, king of Lydia.

-Fifth year of Charops, the first decennial archon of the Athenians.

-Fourth year of Romulus, the first king of the Romans.

-Tenth year of Pekah, king of Israel.

-Ninth year of Jothan, king of Judah.

CHAPTER I

The prophet begins with calling the attention of all people to

the awful descent of Jehovah, coming to execute his judgments

against the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 1-5;

first against Samaria, whose fate the prophet laments on the

dress of mourners, and with the doleful cries of the fox or

ostrich, 6-8;

and then against Jerusalem, which is threatened with the

invasion of Sennacherib. Other cities of Judah are likewise

threatened; and their danger represented to be so great as to

oblige them to have recourse for protection even to their

enemies the Philistines, from whom they desired at first to

conceal their situation. But all resources are declared to be

vain; Israel and Judah must go into captivity, 9-16.

NOTES ON CHAP. I

Verse Micah 1:1. The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite] For all authentic particulars relative to this prophet, see the preface.

In the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah] These three kings reigned about threescore years; and Micah is supposed to have prophesied about forty or fifty years; but no more of his prophecies have reached posterity than what are contained in this book, nor is there any evidence that any more was written. His time appears to have been spent chiefly in preaching and exhorting; and he was directed to write those parts only that were calculated to profit succeeding generations.