The Pulpit Commentary — Micah — Section 107

from mountain to mountain; ,.e. not from old; usually to.ken to refer to tl,e time nr Lobe.non to Bino.i, or from Hor (Numb. xx. Moses and Joshua, but aleo and mnre- 22) to Hor (Numb. xxxiv. 7), which is too probably, to that of David and Solomon, limited, but rrom a.II lands situated between which realized the ideal of peace and pros- mounto.in-bo.rriers, which a.re the bounds of perity. (comp. eh. iv. 4). the world (comp. Isa.. Ix. 3, etc.). Ver. 15.-According to (as in) the days. Ver. 13.-Notwithste.nding the le.nd shall The Lord answers the prophet's pre.yea, be desolate. Very mo.ny commcnto.tors con- taking up his last word, and promising ever, sider the lo.nd of Co.no.an to be here intended, more than he asks, engaging to eqnal the the prophet recurring to threo.teninge of wonders which marked the exodus from judgment before the greo.t restoro.tion comes Egypt. That great deliverance was a type to po.as ; but it is best to rego.rd the clo.uee ancl foreshadowing r,f Messianic salvo.tion as referring to all the world, exclusive of (comp. Isa. xliii. 15, etc.; Ii. 111'; 1 Cor. x. Canao.n. While the Meesio.nic kingdom is 1, etc.). Unto him; unto the people of set up, judgment shall fo.ll upon the sinful Israel (ver. 14). Marvellous things; Sep- world. " For the no.tion o.nd kingdom that tuagint, 'O>j,,o-8, 8a.vµa.o-.,-&, "Ye shall eee- will not serve thee sho.ll perish ; yeo., those mo.rvellons things." Snperuature.1 occnr- no.tions sho.ll be utterly wasted" (lea. Ix. rences are meant, as Exod. iii. 20; xv. 11 ; 12; comp. Rev. xii. 12). And the mo.terial Ps. lxxvii. 14. We do not read of any world sho.ll suffer with its inhabitants (Gen. special miro.cles at the return from cap- iii. 15, 18; vi. 13; xix. 25; lea. xniv, 4, tivity, so the people were leJ to look etc.). Their doings. Their evil deeds, es- onward to the advent of Messiah for thes0- pecially_the rejection of Messiah. wonders. Ver. 16.-Shall see. The heathen shall Vera. 14-17.-§ 7. The prophet in the see these marvellous things. Be oonfoUllded· name of the people prays /<Yr this promised at (ashamed of) all their might. Hostile salvation, and the Lord amires him that his nations shall be ashamed when they find mercies shall not fail, and that the hostile the impotence of their boasted power. Com- nations shall be humbled. po.re the effect of the Exodus on contiguo~ nations (Exod. xv. 14, eto.; Josh. ii. 9, 10). Ver. 14.-l'eed thy people with thy rod. They shall lay their hand upon their month- The prophet prays to the Shepherd of Israel They shall be silent from awe and astonish- (Gen. xlix. 24; Ps. lxxx. 1), beseeching him ment (Jndg. xviii. 19; Job xtl 5; Isa. Iii. to rule and lead his people, and to fi:J.d 15). Their ears shall be deaf. Their senses them pasture. Tile " rod" is the shepherd's shall be stupefied by the wonders which they staff (Lev. xxvii. 32; Ps. xxiii. 4). - The see-that which Job (:uvi. 14) calls "the :flock of thine heritage. So Israel is called thunder of his mighty deeds." There may (Ps. xxviii 9; xcv. 7; comp. Zeph. iii. 13). also be 11n allusion to their wilful obstinaoy, Whioh dwell solitarily; or, so that they dwell; and unbelief. separate from all other nations, religiously Ver. 17.-They shall liok the dust like 11 and physically, by institution and geo- serpent (Geo. iii. 14 ; Isa. !xv. 25). The graphical position. Compare Balsam's words enemies of God's people "shall lick the (Numb. xxiii. 9; also Dent. xxxiii. 28). It dust" (Pa. lxxii. 9), shall be reduced to the was Isro.el's special charo.cteristic to be holy, utmost degradation (Isa- xlix. 23). They i.e. set apart, and it was only when she shall move out of their holes, etc.; rather, observed her duty in this respect that she they come trembling out of their close placea prospered (see Exod. xxxiii. 16). In the (or, fastnesses, Pa. xviii. 46), like crawling wood (forest) in the midst of Carmel. The things of the earth. They who prided them- forest would isolate the flock, and secure it selves on their security shall come forth· from interference. The chief pasture-lo.nds from their strongholds in utter fear, driven- west nnd east of Jordan are named, and the out like snakes from their lairs (comp. Pa. whole country is included in the description. ii, 11; Hos. xi. 10, etc.). They shall b& (For Co.rmel, see note on Amos i. 2.) Bashan afraid of ( whine with fear unto) the Lord. and Gilead were also celebrated for their our God. They shall be driven by terror to- rich pasture. "Bulls of Bashan " were a acknowledge the God of Israel. The ex- proverb for well-fed animo.ls, and a meta- pression)s ambiguous, and may meo.n servile pho~. for bloated, .Jilrond aristocrats _(Deut. fear, which makes a man shrink from God. xxxu. 14: Ps. xxlL 12; Ezek. x.xx1x. 18; or that fear which ia one step towards re- Amos iv. 1). Gileo.d was so excellently pentance; the latter seems intended here, as 11dapted for cattle that Reuben and Gad in Hos. iii. 5, where, as Pusey says, the were irresistibly drawn to settle there words, " and bis good.Dess," determine the (N nmb. xxxii. 1, 5; 1 Chron. v. 9; see the chnracter of the feo.r. Beoa118e of (or, be- parallel to this passnge in Isa. !xv. 9, 10, and fore) thee. It is the heathen who are still Ezek. xxxiv. 131 14). As in the days of the subject, not the Israelites (J er. x. 7).. 110 THE DOOK OF MICAH. [cR. VII, 1-20