Micah 1:14

Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. THEREFORE SHALT THOU GIVE PRESENTS TO MORESHETH-GATH - that its inhabitants may send thee help. Maurer explains it, thou shalt give a writing of renunciation to Moresheth-gath' - i:e., thou shalt renounce all claim to it, being compelled to yield it up to the foe. "Thou" - i:e., Judah. THE HOUSES OF ACHZIB SHALL BE A LIE TO THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. "Israel" in this verse is used for the kingdom of Judah, which was the chief representative of the whole nation of Israel. Moresheth-gath is so called because it had fallen for a time under the power of the neighbouring Philistines of Gath. It was the native town of Micah (). "Therefore" implies the inseparable connection which exists in the divine mind between sin and its conseque...

Here the Prophet alludes to another thing, — that they would attempt to pacify their enemies with gifts, and would try to redeem themselves and their neighbors. But the Prophet expressly mentions this, that the event might teach them that nothing happens without a design; for it ought to work a greater conviction in blind and obstinate men, when they see that they really find that to be true which had been long before predicted. This, then, is the reason why the Prophet enumerates here various particulars; it was, that the hand of God might be more evident and conspicuous when he would begin, in an especial manner, to fulfill all the things which he now in words foretells, _Thou, _he says, _wilt send a gift for Moreseth-gath; _that is, for a neighboring city. And he calls it Moreseth-gath, to distinguish it from another city of the same name. _Thou wilt then send gifts for Moreseth-gath,...

8-16 The prophet laments that Israel's case is desperate; but declare it not in Gath. Gratify not those that make merry with the sins or with the sorrows of God's Israel. Roll thyself in the dust, as mourners used to do; let every house in Jerusalem become a house of Aphrah, "a house of dust." When God makes the house dust it becomes us to humble ourselves to the dust under his mighty hand. Many places should share this mourning. The names have meanings which pointed out the miseries coming upon them; thereby to awaken the people to a holy fear of Divine wrath. All refuges but Christ, must be refuges of lies to those who trust in them; other heirs will succeed to every inheritance but that of heaven; and all glory will be turned into shame, except that honour which cometh from God only. Sinners may now disregard their neighbours' sufferings, yet their turn to be punished will some come....

Verse Micah 1:14. _GIVE PRESENTS TO MORESHETH-GATH_] _Calmet_ says that _Moresa_ or _Morashti_, and _Achzib_, were cities not far from Gath. It is possible that when Ahaz found himself pressed by _Pekah_, king of Israel, he might have sent to these places for succour, that by their assistance he might _frustrate the hopes of the king of_ _Israel_; and this may be the meaning of "The houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel." In these verses there are several instances of the _paronomasia_. See Micah 1:10, עפר aphar, dust, and עפרה _aphrah_, the name of the city. Micah 1:11. צאנן tsaanan, the city, and יצאה _yatsah, to go out_....

THEREFORE SHALT THOU GIVE - (bridal) presents to Moresheth Gath Therefore! since Judah had so become a partaker of Israel’s sins, she had broken the covenant, whereby God had given her the land of the pagan, and she should part with it to aliens. The bridal presents, literally the dismissals, were the dowry 1 Kings 9:16 with which the father sent away Judges 12:9 his daughter, to belong to another, her lord or husband, never more to return. Moresheth, (literally, inheritance,) the inheritance which God gave her, was to be parted with; she was to be laden with gifts to the enemy. Judah should part with her, and her own treasure also. THE HOUSES OF ACHZIB SHALL BE A LIE - Achzib, so called probably from a winter brook, achzab, was to

EXPOSITION VERSE 1:1-2:13 Part I. THREATENINGS AND JUDGMENTS ON ISRAEL AND JUDAH, WITH PREDICTION OF EVENTUAL DELIVERANCE. MICAH 1:1 The _inscription, _or heading of the book, conveying the prophet's authority. The word of the Lord. The expression applies to the whole contents of the book, as in Hosea 1:1 and Zephaniah 1:1. It is often used for some particular message to a prophet, as J

THEREFORE SHALT THOU GIVE PRESENTS TO MORESHETHGATH,.... Since Lachish was the cause of leading Judah into idolatry, and was a city so very wicked; therefore it should be reduced to such distress as to send messengers with presents to the Philistines at Moreshethgath, a place near to Gath of the Philistines, and may include that and other cities of theirs, to come and help them against the Assyrians: THE HOUSES OF ACHZIB [SHALL BE] A LIE TO THE KINGS OF ISRAEL; a city of Judah, Joshua 15:44; or of Asher, Joshua 19:29; the same with Chezib, Genesis 38:5; and called Ecdippa by Josephus h, Pliny i, and Ptolemy k. The Jewish writers commonly call it Cezib, of which they l say many things about that

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATION THE FIRST PROPHETIC MESSAGE CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The introduction (Micah 1:1) _ 2. Judgment announced (Micah 1:2) 3. The destruction of Samaria (Micah 1:6) 4. The lamentation of the prophet over the coming judgment (Micah 1:8) Micah 1:1. This introduction tells us two things. In the first place, we learn that this book contains the word of the Lord that came to Micah, the Morasthite; in the second place, we are told when Micah exercised his office. As stated in the introduction, he was contemporary with Isaiah, proba

THE DIRGE ON ISRAEL'S DOWNFALL. This is a difficult and corrupt passage, playing on the names of towns and villages which are chosen for their assonances or their ominous suggestions, in a way impossible to translate; _cf. mg._ for Aphrah and Achzib. See G. A. Smith's map for Shaphir, Mareshah, Lachish and Adullam, other sites being unknown. Tell not our sorrows to the Philistines (_cf._ 2 Samuel 1:20; Gath was probably near to Ekron) or to the Phœ nicians (reading, after LXX, in Accho, _i.e._ Ptolemais, for at all) The towns of the Shephelah are then variously pictured in their sorrows during the progress of the invader (_cf._ Isaiah 10:28); their inhabitants wallow on the ground, are led into captivity, shut up, have their city razed (Beth-ezel; text obscure) anxiously await news,

GIVE PRESENTS TO. give up possessions at. ACHZIB... A LIE. Note the Figure of speech _Paronomasia,_. the houses of False-town (_'Akzib)_ shall prove false (_iakzab)._ ACHZIB. Now _es Zib_ (Joshua 15:44; Joshua 19:29; Judges 1:31)....