Micah
Chapter 5
The Remnant Among the Nations
But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, too small to be counted among the clans of Judah; from you, I will bring forth the one who is to rule over Israel, for he comes from old, from ancient times.
Therefore, the Lord will abandon Israel until the time she gives birth. Then, the remaining deported brothers will return to the people of Israel.
He will stand and shepherd his flock with the strength of the Lord, in the glorious Name of the Lord, his God. They will live safely while he gains renown to the ends of the earth.
He shall be peace.When the Assyrians invade our land and set foot on our territory, we will raise against them not one, but seven shepherds; eight warlords.
They will conquer Assyria with the sword,and Babylonia with the blade.He will save us from the Assyrianswhen they enter our land,when they cross our borders.
Then the remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many people, like dew falling from the Lord, like showers watering the grass. For they do not rely on man or expect anything from mortals.
The remnant of Jacob will then be among many people, like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion in a flock of sheep, trampling down as it goes, tearing its prey apart, with no one to rescue.
May your hand be lifted high over your enemies, and may all your foes perish.
The Great Purification
“On that day—the Lord speaks—I will drive away your horses;I will wreck your chariots,
I will demolish your citiesand tear down your strongholds.
I will do away with your witchcraftand rid you of soothsayers.
I will abolish your carved images,the sacred stones from your midst,so that you no longer worship the work of your hands.
I will pull down your sacred polesand destroy all your idols.
In raging fury, I will take vengeanceupon the nations that have not obeyed me.”
Commentaries
Title.
This section highlights the comfort of the people and the hope for messianic restoration. The original text of Micah appears to have been altered later with annotations referencing the people’s exile in Babylon.
Salvation Through Trial.
The metaphor of a woman giving birth shows that God’s salvation, unlike the nationalist zeal of false prophets (3:11), involves a painful purification process. During the trial, Israel must trust in the Lord. This hardship could refer to the destruction of several Judahite cities and the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrian king Sennacherib in 701 BC (cf. 2 Kgs 18:13-19:37). The reference to the Babylonian exile (10) might be a later addition.
Bethlehem of Ephrathah, the birthplace of King David, will also be the place where the Messiah, the King, will be born, fulfilling the covenant that God made with the house of David (2 Sm 7:1-17). The Gospel of Matthew announces the fulfillment of this prophecy with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (Mt 2:6). It is the power of the Lord that frees Israel from the cruel oppression caused by its own sin (5).
The Remnant Among the Nations.
The theme of the “remnant” appears frequently in prophetic literature (cf. Is 10:20; Jer 6:9). The faithful remnant that accepts purification through the tribulations faced by the people is comforted by the Lord. Purification helps the people understand their mission to be “dew,” which is God’s gift to many nations. Verse 7 sharply contrasts with this, revealing the nationalistic and aggressive stance of Israel’s leaders and false prophets in the eighth century B.C., as Micah denounces (3:5-8).
The Great Purification.
The military force that the leaders of Israel plan to use to crush their enemies (9) and the deception of the false prophets (10b) will be destroyed by the Lord. What the Lord desires is obedience and faithfulness to the covenant. The original sin that leads to violence and revenge by our own hands is idolatry, the abandonment of God (12-13; cf. Jr 7:9-10).