= Micah 4 * Please see [[nsv:license|License]] for Copyright notice and Licensing information. * [ [[Micah_3|Previous]] | [[Micah_5|Next]] ] == Micah 4 1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. 5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. 6 In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; 7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. 8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. 9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. 10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. 11 Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion. 12 But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. 13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. == Notes == Cross Reference == Commentary == Rashi ==== Verse 1 shall stream Heb. וְנָהֲרוּ. And they shall gather there together like rivers flowing into the sea. ==== Verse 3 And he shall judge—This judgment is an expression of reproof, derajjnement in O.F. [Isa 2:4] ==== Verse 4 for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has spoken—Now where has He spoken? (Lev. 26:6) “And I will place peace in the land, etc.” [from Mechilta to Exodus 12:25] ==== Verse 5 For all peoples shall go, each one in the name of his god—Shall go to destruction because they worshipped idols. So did Jonathan render it. ==== Verse 6 I will heal the limping one Heb. אֹסְפָה. I will gather in the exiles. So did Jonathan render. To me, however, it appears as an expression of healing, as in (II Kings 5:6) “And you shall cure him (וְאֲסַפְתּוֹ) of his zaraath.” and those whom I harmed—And those whom I harmed because of their iniquity. ==== Verse 8 And you, tower of the flock Heb. מִגְדַּל עֵדֶר. Jonathan renders: And you, anointed one of Israel, who is hidden because of the sins of the people of Zion. His explanation is: מִגְדַּל is an expression of a stronghold, and he renders עֵדֶר as the people of Israel. He renders עֹפֶל as an expression of אֹפֶל, darkness. [I.e., מִגְדַּל עֵדֶר is the stronghold of Israel, identified as the Messiah. He is hidden because of the sins of the people of Zion. The word “hidden” is derived from אֹפֶל, darkness.] But it is possible to interpret מִגְדַּל עֵדֶר as the Temple, and עֹפֶל as an expression of a mighty tower. Likewise there is (Isa. 32:14) “Rampart (עֹפֶל) and tower.” to you it shall come—The remnant of the limping ones and the scattered ones shall gather to you. and the former kingdom shall come—The complete kingdom, in its entirety, shall come to the house of David in Jerusalem as it was originally, before it was divided. Now what was the former kingdom? The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. ==== Verse 9 Now that you rebel against Me. why do you seek friends? Heb. תָרִיעִי רֵעַ, lit. befriend a friend. Put to your heart: why do you need to seek friends and beloved ones, the kings of Egypt and the kings of Assyria, for aid? ==== Verse 10 Be in pain Heb. חוּלִי, an expression of pain, as in (verse 9) “that pangs (חִיל) have seized you.” This expression is appropriate for a woman in confinement. and kneel Heb. וָגֹחִי, kneel and bend down on your belly (גָחוֹן). So it is in the language of the Mishnah (Moed Katan 7a): “A wall that bends over (הַגוֹחֶה) into a public domain.” you shall go forth from the city—From Jerusalem, to go into exile. and you shall dwell in the field—Your dwelling shall be plowed up like a field. ==== Verse 11 who say, “Let her be guilty”—Let Zion be guilty of her sins, and let her iniquity be visited upon her. and our eyes shall gaze on Zion And our eyes will see in her what we hoped to see her. ==== Verse 12 for He gathered them as sheaves to a threshing floor—And eventually, He will gather them to the Valley of Jehoshaphat and around Jerusalem to war, as they gather a sheaf in order to thresh it there. The heathens, too, will be gathered there for their detriment, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to the people of Israel: “Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion.” ==== Verse 13 and I will devote Heb. וְהַחֲרַמְתִּי, an expression of hallowing. their plunder—What they gathered from robbery and violence. and their wealth—Their possessions. ==== Verse 14 Now you shall gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops—Now, at the time of its [Israel’s] evil decree concerning the iniquity, which has increased, you shall gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; O daughter of the Chaldeans, gather troops, for now you shall succeed with the troop that laid siege upon us. With a rod, they strike... on the cheek—Who caused them (Babylon) to succeed? The Israelites deride their prophets and their judges and strike them on the cheek. So were they wont to do, and so we find in Pesikta (d’Rav Kahana, p. 125b), and so does Isaiah say, (Isa. 50:6) “I gave my back to smiters.”