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The Prophets · Old Testament

Micah 2

Micah 2: woe to those who seize fields, and a gathered remnant

General context

The chapter opens with woe on those who devise iniquity on their beds and carry it out in the morning because it is in their power. They covet fields and houses and take them by violence, oppressing a man and his heritage. The Lord answers that he devises an evil against this family from which they will not remove their necks. In that day a lament will be taken up: "We be utterly spoiled," the portion of the people changed and fields divided away, and there will be none to cast a cord by lot in the congregation. Those who object "Prophesy ye not" are answered with questions to the house of Jacob about whether the Lord's spirit is straitened and whether his words do good to the upright. The speaker charges the people with rising up as an enemy, stripping robes from those who pass securely and casting women out of pleasant houses. They are told to arise and depart, because this is not their rest and it is polluted. A man who lies about wine and strong drink would be accepted as this people's prophet. The chapter ends with the Lord's promise to assemble all of Jacob and gather the remnant of Israel like sheep in a fold, and with the breaker going up before them, their king passing before them and the Lord at their head.

Cited passages: Micah 2:1, Micah 2:2, Micah 2:3, Micah 2:4, Micah 2:5, Micah 2:6, Micah 2:7, Micah 2:8, Micah 2:9, Micah 2:10, Micah 2:11, Micah 2:12, Micah 2:13

Micah 2 (KJV)

1Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

2And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

3Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.

4In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.

5Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the Lord.

6Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.

7O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the Lord straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?

8Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.

9The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.

10Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.

11If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

12I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.

13The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them.

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Historical context

The offenders are described by their acts, coveting fields and houses and taking them by violence; no names, offices or towns are given. "This family" in verse 3 is the Lord's phrase for the group under judgment, and the text does not say whether it means a clan or the nation. The lament of verse 4 is placed in the mouths of unnamed speakers "in that day," and the loss of a cord cast by lot in the congregation refers to land division without saying who redistributes it. Verse 6 records opponents telling the prophets not to prophesy; the reply in verses 7 to 11 shifts between "my people" and "ye," so the speaker is the Lord through the prophet, but no marker separates the two voices. The identity of "the breaker" in verse 13 and of "their king" is not given in the chapter; the verse says only that the breaker goes up before them and that the Lord is at their head. Bozrah appears only as a comparison for a crowded fold. Nothing in the chapter dates the oppression or the promised gathering.

Cited passages: Micah 2:2, Micah 2:3, Micah 2:4, Micah 2:5, Micah 2:6, Micah 2:7, Micah 2:8, Micah 2:11, Micah 2:12, Micah 2:13

Literary context

The chapter is built on matching verbs. Men "devise iniquity" on their beds, and the Lord answers, "against this family do I devise an evil." They take fields, and their own fields are divided away. The lament in verse 4 is a parable taken up "against you," turning the oppressors into the mourners. Verse 6 quotes the demand for silence and then answers it with three questions rather than a rebuttal. The accusation intensifies from fields to robes to women and children, and the command "Arise ye, and depart" reverses the earlier picture of men resting on their beds. Verse 11 sets the false prophet's promise of wine against the true word that has just been refused. The final two verses change key without transition: after dispersal, a gathering of the remnant, a noisy multitude, and a procession through a gate. Chapter 3 returns at once to the heads and princes.

Cited passages: Micah 2:1, Micah 2:3, Micah 2:4, Micah 2:6, Micah 2:7, Micah 2:9, Micah 2:10, Micah 2:11, Micah 2:12, Micah 2:13, Micah 3:1

Key moments

  1. Iniquity devised on beds (Micah 2:1). Woe is spoken over those who plan evil at night and carry it out at daylight.
  2. Fields and houses seized (Micah 2:2). They covet fields and houses and take them by violence from a man and his heritage.
  3. The Lord devises an evil (Micah 2:3). The Lord answers that he devises an evil against this family.
  4. Prophesy not (Micah 2:6). Opponents tell the prophets not to prophesy, and questions answer them.
  5. This is not your rest (Micah 2:10). The people are told to arise and depart from a polluted land.
  6. The remnant gathered (Micah 2:12). The Lord promises to gather the remnant of Israel like sheep in a fold.
  7. The breaker goes before (Micah 2:13). The breaker goes up, the people pass through the gate, and the Lord is at their head.

For reflection

Those who plan in the night and act in the morning are told that the Lord also devises against them. What does it mean that the same word, devise, is used for the wrongdoers and for the judgment?

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