The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 67

EXPOSITION. Herod's question where the Christ wu to CHAPTER V. be bom (Matt. ii. 5, 6; comp. John vii. 42). Verll, 1-4.-§ 8. After Zion's degrada,- But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah. Ephratah iion Mea,iah shall be born, and ,hall bring (Ephrathah, or Ephrath), "fruitfulness," i» another name for Bethlehem, " House of the WQT/.d into 1ubjection• • bread" (Gen. x:u:v. 19; 1 Sam. xvii. 12 ; Ver. 1.-This veree ie joined to the pre- Rath i. 2); from its position it is also ceding chapter in the Hebrew. Jernealem called Bethlehem Judah (Judg. xvii. 7), ie addressed, as in eh. iv. 9, 11, not the being situated in the tribe.I lot of Judah, invading army. The prophet returns to a.bout five miles south of Jerusalem, and the view of the mieery and humiliation ex- thue distingnished from a town of the eame preseed in that paeeage. Gather thyself in name in Zebulun (Josh. :xi.x. 15). Septuagint. troops; or, tlwu shalt gather thyself, etc. Kal crl,, B716;,..e~µ., o1,cos 'E,Ppa;8J. [ Toi) 'E,ppa.Bd, .JeruB&lem must collect ite armieil to defend Alex.], "And thou, Betblehem, house of itself from the enemy. 0 daughter of troops. Ephrathah." The rest of the clause is best .Jerusalem is thus named from the number translated, too little to be among the (/wv- of eoldiera collect.ad within her walls, from sanda of Judah. Ee.eh tribe was divided whence marauding expeditione were wont into "thousands," which would be equiv~ to set forth. Pusey considers that she is so lent to clans, with its own head_ Probe.bly ,oalled from the act.a of violence, robbery, and the reckoning was made of fighting men bloodshed which are done within her (eh. (see note on Zech. ix. 7; and comp. Numb. ii. 8 ; iii. 2, etc. ; J er. vii. 11 ). Keil thinks i. 16; x. 4; Josh. xxii 21, 80; 1 Sam. x. the prophet repreeents the people crowding 19). Bethlehem, called in the text Bethle- together in fear. It is more natural to refer hem Ephrati\h for solemnity's eake, was the expression to tile abnorm11! assemblage a small place ( ,crf,µ.71, John vii 42), of such of soldiers and fugitives within the walls of slight importance as not to be named among a besieged city. Septuagint, 'Eµ.,ppa;x8ficr•- the possessions of Judah in Josh. xv., or in ""'' 81J')'cf.T1JP iµ.cJ,pa:yµ.r;, "'l'he daugllter shall the catalogue of N eh. xi. 25, etc. Yet out of be wholly hemmed in;" Vulgate, Vastaberis, thee ilhe.ll he (one) oome forth Ullto me ji,lia latronis. Re he.th laid siege. The that is to be Ruler in Israel In spite of its enemy is spoken of by an abrupt change of insignificance, this birthplace of David shall person (comp. Isa. i. 29). Age.inst ns. be the birth place of Messiah. "Shall come The prophet idE!ntifies himself with the forth" is spoken sometimes of birth and besieged people. They ahe.11 smite the descent, as in Gen. xvii 6 and xxxv. 11; at judge of Israel, etc. "The judge" repre- other times it contains merely the notion of sents the supreme authority, whether king proceeding from, as in Jer. xxx. 21. In the or otller governor (Amos ii. 8); but he is present case both ideas are suitable. Unto ailed here "judge," that the sacred name me (Jehovah is speaking). To my praise of king may not be spoken of RB dis- a.nd glory, to do my will. Micah by theee honoured. To smite upon the cheek is the words would recall the announcement con- grossest insult (comp. 1 Kings xxii. 24; Job cerning David made to Samuel, "I have xvi. 10; Luke xxii. 64). When Zion is thus provided me o. king" (1 Sam. xvi. 1), and beeieged, and ite rulers suffer the utmost thus show the typical relation of David to contumely, its condition must look hopeless. the Messiah (Keil). Whose goings forth he.ve Such e. state of things was realized in the been from of old, from everlasting. The mee.n- treatment of Zedekiah (2 Kings xxv.), and ing of the word rendered " goings forth" in many subsequent sieges of Jerusalem. (mot,aoth) is somewhat doubtful. Septuti- But the underlying idea is that Israel shall gint, 1(0801: Vulgate, egressus. The Fe.thers suffer dire distress at the he.uds of her see in it a declaration of the eternal genera- enemies until Messiah comes, and she tion of the Son: he who was born in time herself turns to the Lord. The LXX. e.t Bethlehem bath &n eternal existence. In translates sl1ophet, "judge," by ,pv;,..tis, this case the ]?lure.I form of the word ill ◄• tribes," but the other Greek translators a plural of maJesty, or an abstract expres- gi'l'e 1<p1Tf,11, sion (comp. Ps. cxiv. 2, "dominions;" Isa. Ver. 2,-At the time of Zion's deepest liv. 2, "habitations"). To Christians, who distress, and when her earthly king is believe in tile mystery of the Holy Trinity. suffering the grossest degradntion, reduced the plural would express the continual e.s it were to the shepherd-house at Bethle- generation of the Son from the Fa.ther from hem, a Deliverer shall a.rise thence who everlasting and to everlasting, never begin- shall do wonderful things. This passage ning and never ending; e.s the Council or was quoted by the Sanhedrin to ans11er Ll\teron says, "Without beginning, ever an.d 68 THE BOOK OF MICAH. [01t. v. 1-15'