Micah 3:2

Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; WHO PLUCK OFF THEM SKIN FROM OFF THEM, AND THEIR FLESH - rob their fellow-countrymen of all their substance WHO PLUCK OFF THEM SKIN FROM OFF THEM, AND THEIR FLESH - rob their fellow-countrymen of all their substance (, "Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread;" , "There is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw-teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men")....

He afterwards subjoins, _But they hate good, and love evil, and pull off the skin _(94) _from my people, the flesh from their bones; _that is, they leave nothing, he says, sound and safe, their rapacity being so furious. The Prophet conveys first a general reproof, — that they not only perverted justice, but were also given to wickedness and hated good. He means then that they were openly wicked and ungodly, and also that they with a fixed purpose carried on war against every thing just and right. We hence learn how great and how abominable was the corruption of the people, when they were still the peculiar possession and heritage of God. Inasmuch then as the state of this ancient people had become so degenerated, let us learn to walk in solicitude and fear, while the Lord governs us by pious magistrates and faithful pastors: for what happened to the Jews might soon happen to us, so that...

1-8 Men cannot expect to do ill, and fare well; but to find that done to them which they did to others. How seldom do wholesome truths reach the ears of those in high stations or in authority! Those who deceive others are preparing confusion for their own faces. The prophet had ardent love to God and to the souls of men; deep concern for his glory and their salvation, and zeal against sin. The difficulties he met with did not drive him from his work. He had this strength; not from and of himself, but he was full of power by the Spirit of the Lord. Those who act honestly, may act boldly. And those who come to hear the word of God, must be willing to be told of their faults, must take it kindly, and be thankful....

WHO HATE THE GOOD AND LOVE THE EVIL - that is, they hate, for its own sake, that which is good, and love that which is evil. The prophet is not here speaking of their “hating good” men, or “loving evil” men, but of their hating goodness and loving wickedness . : “It is sin not to love good; what guilt to hate it! it is faulty, not to flee from evil, what ungodliness to love it!” Man, at first, loves and admires the good, even while he cloth it not; he hates the evil, even while he does it, or as soon as he has done it. But man cannot bear to he at strife with his conscience, and so he ends it, by excusing himself and telling lies to himself. And then, he hates the truth or good with a bitter hatred, because it disturbs the darkness of the false peace with which he would envelop himself. At first, men love only the pleasure connected with the evil; then they make whom they can, evil, beca...

EXPOSITION VERSE 3:1-5:15 Part II. DENUNCIATION OF THE CRIMES OF THE GRANDEES, FOLLOWED BY A PROMISE OF THE GLORIFICATION OF ZION, THE BIRTH OF MESSIAH, AND THE HIGHEST EXALTATION OF THE PEOPLE. MICAH 3:1 § 1. _Sins of the rulers, and their punishment._ MICAH 3:1 The

WHO HATE THE GOOD, AND LOVE THE EVIL,.... Instead of knowing and doing what was just and right; or, directly contrary to their light and knowledge, and the duty of their office, they hated that which is good, which is agreeable to the law, nature, and will of God, and loved that which is evil, which is contrary thereunto; or they hated to do good, and loved to do evil, as the Targum; as men do who are averse to good, and prone to evil; or they hated a good man, as Aben Ezra, and loved the evil man; not only delighted in committing sin themselves, but took pleasure in those that did it; and could not endure the company and conversation of holy and good men: WHO PLUCK OFF THEIR SKIN FROM OFF THEM, AND THEIR FLESH FROM OFF THEIR BONES: like wild beasts that tear off skin and flesh from the bones, and then devour them; or like cruel shepherds, that, not content to fleece their flocks, skin...

THE SECOND PROPHETIC MESSAGE CHAPTER 3 _ 1. Address to the godless princes and judges (Micah 3:1) _ 2. Address to the false prophets (Micah 3:5) 3. The verdict of judgment (Micah 3:9) Micah 3:1. The second prophetic message of Micah contains the great Messianic prophecies. But first the prophet gives a description of the degradation of the nation, the moral corruption of the leaders and judges, as well as the false prophets. It is all summed up in one sentence, “who hate the good, and love the evil.” The princes and judges robbed the people, treated them like cattle ...

THE UNJUST RULERS AND FALSE PROPHETS OF JUDAH. Micah first addresses those whose official duty it is to know justice, _i.e._ sympathetically, and declares that in fact they love its opposite, and cruelly oppress (_cf._ Isaiah 3:15) those they govern. In their (coming) distress, Yahweh will not heed them (_cf._ Isaiah 1:15). Micah then turns to the false prophets, whose utterances are dictated by self-interest, and proclaims against them, instead of the well-being they have foretold, the darkness of the Day of Yahweh (Amos 5:18), when there shall be no response to the diviners, and they shall go mourning. In contrast with them, Micah declares that Yahweh's Spirit has given him the inner qualities of independent strength a

_THE SINS OF THE PRINCES -- MICAH 3:1-4:_ In a simple, but very sad statement God said, "They love evil and hate good."_ _ Micah encouraged the leaders to listen to God. The princes were unjust and godless people that consumed others. Under such conditions they could never expect the Lord to answer their prayers. They would cry to Him but He would not hear because of their wickedness. You cannot continue to practice evil deeds and expect the Lord to answer your prayers._ _ It is a sad commentary on a nation when the leading men of that nation, whether religious men or politicians are corrupt. These men are people that should have known how to act with good judgment, but in this case they had taken advantage of the unfortunate people for years.__ The leaders were not righteous examples to the people. They preferred to do evil instead of what

CHAPTER VIII THIRD CYCLE OUTRAGES OF CIVIL OFFICIALS. Micah 3:1-4 RV. And I said, Hear, I pray you, ye heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: is it not for you to know justice? ye who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron. Then shall they cry unto Jehovah, but he will not answer them; yea, he will hide his face from them at that time, according as they have wrought evil in their doings. LXX. And he shall say, Hear now these words, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and ye remnant of the house of Israel; is it not for you to know judgement? who hate good, and seek evil; who tear their skins off them, and their flesh off their b