Micah 2:8 - The False Prophets

Audio Bible

Context

The False Prophets
…7Should it be said, O house of Jacob, “Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient? Are these the things He does?” Do not My words bring good to him who walks uprightly? 8But of late My people have risen up like an enemy: You strip off the splendid robe from unsuspecting passersby like men returning from battle. 9You drive the women of My people from their pleasant homes. You take away My blessing from their children forever.…

Cross References

Isaiah 3:14-15
The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses. / Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.Amos 2:6-7
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Israel, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals. / They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name.Jeremiah 22:3
This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.Ezekiel 22:29
The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy and have exploited the foreign resident without justice.Zechariah 7:9-10
“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Administer true justice. Show loving devotion and compassion to one another. / Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. And do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’Isaiah 10:1-2
Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, / to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.Amos 5:11-12
Therefore, because you trample on the poor and exact from him a tax of grain, you will never live in the stone houses you have built; you will never drink the wine from the lush vineyards you have planted. / For I know that your transgressions are many and your sins are numerous. You oppress the righteous by taking bribes; you deprive the poor of justice in the gate.Jeremiah 5:26-28
For among My people are wicked men; they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap to catch men. / Like cages full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become powerful and rich. / They have grown fat and sleek, and have excelled in the deeds of the wicked. They have not taken up the cause of the fatherless, that they might prosper; nor have they defended the rights of the needy.Ezekiel 18:12
He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations.Isaiah 59:13-14
rebelling and denying the LORD, turning away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lies from the heart. / So justice is turned away, and righteousness stands at a distance. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.Matthew 23:14
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.James 5:4
Look, the wages you withheld from the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts.Luke 20:46-47
“Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. / They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”Matthew 21:13
And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”Mark 12:40
They defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will receive greater condemnation.”

2 Chronicles 28:5-8
Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter…

Isaiah 9:21
Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

with the garment.

2 Samuel 20:19
I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?

2 Chronicles 28:8
And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

Psalm 55:20
He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant.

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Micah 2

But of late My people have risen up like an enemy:
This phrase indicates a recent change in behavior among the people of Israel, suggesting a betrayal of their covenant relationship with God. Historically, Israel was chosen to be a light to the nations, but their actions have made them adversaries to God's purposes. This reflects a pattern seen throughout the Old Testament where Israel turns away from God, as in Judges 2:11-19. The imagery of rising up "like an enemy" underscores the severity of their rebellion, akin to the betrayal seen in Isaiah 1:2-4.

You strip off the splendid robe from unsuspecting passersby:
The act of stripping a robe symbolizes not only theft but also humiliation and violation of personal dignity. In ancient Near Eastern culture, clothing was a significant indicator of social status and identity. The "splendid robe" suggests that the victims were people of some standing or wealth. This behavior is reminiscent of the injustices condemned by other prophets, such as Amos 2:6-8, where the exploitation of the vulnerable is a recurring theme. The stripping of garments can also be seen as a metaphor for spiritual nakedness and shame, as in Revelation 3:17-18.

like men returning from battle.
This simile suggests a ruthless and aggressive action, as soldiers would strip the defeated of their possessions after a battle. It implies a sense of entitlement and conquest, even though the victims are not enemies but fellow Israelites. This behavior contrasts sharply with the expected conduct of God's people, who are called to love their neighbors (Leviticus 19:18). The imagery of battle here may also foreshadow the coming judgment and destruction that will befall Israel due to their sins, as prophesied in Micah 3:12 and fulfilled in the Babylonian exile.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Micah
A prophet in the 8th century BC, Micah delivered messages of judgment and hope to the people of Judah and Israel. His prophecies addressed social injustices and called for repentance.

2. Judah and Israel
The divided kingdoms of God's chosen people. Micah's messages were directed towards both, highlighting their moral and spiritual failings.

3. The Oppressors
The people within Israel and Judah who were exploiting and oppressing their fellow citizens, acting contrary to God's laws and commands.

4. The Victims
The unsuspecting passersby and those returning from battle, symbolizing the innocent and vulnerable who were being unjustly treated.

5. God
The ultimate judge and deliverer, who through Micah, condemns the actions of His people and calls them to account for their behavior.

Teaching Points

The Consequences of Injustice
God sees and judges the actions of those who oppress others. We must be mindful of how we treat others, ensuring that we act justly and with compassion.

The Call to Repentance
Like the people of Micah's time, we are called to examine our lives and repent of any actions that harm others or go against God's commands.

The Importance of Community
As believers, we are part of a community and have a responsibility to care for one another, especially the vulnerable and marginalized.

God's Heart for the Oppressed
God consistently shows His concern for the oppressed throughout Scripture. We are called to reflect His heart by advocating for justice and mercy in our own contexts.

Living as God's People
Our identity as God's people should be evident in our actions. We are called to live in a way that honors God and reflects His love and justice to the world.

(8) Ye pull off the robe.--Micah dwells upon the continued rapacity of the people. They robbed the quiet inoffensive traveller of both outer and inner garment; they took away both "cloke" and "coat." (Comp. Matthew 5:40; Luke 6:29.)

Verse 8. - Even of late; but of late; literally, yesterday, implying an action recent and repeated. Septuagint, ἔμπροσθεν, "before;" Vulgate, e contrario. The prophet exemplifies the iniquity which has led God to punish. They are not old offences which the Lord is visiting, but sins of recent and daily occurrence. My people is risen up as an enemy. A reading, varying by a letter or two, is rendered, "But against my people one setteth himself." But them is no valid reason for altering the received text; especially as, according to Ewald, the present reading may be taken in a causative sense "They set up my people as an enemy," i.e. the grandees treat the Lord's people as enemies, robbing and plundering them. This translation obviates the difficulty of referring the words, "my people," in this verse to the oppressor, and in ver. 7 to the oppressed. According to the usual view, and retaining the authorized rendering, the meaning is that the princes exhibit themselves as enemies of the Lord by their acts of violence and oppression, which the prophet proceeds to particularize. Septuagint, Ὀ λαός μου εἰς ἔχθραν ἀντέστη, "My people withstood as an enemy." Ye pull off the robe with the garment; ye violently strip off the robe away from the garment. The "robe" (eder) is the wide cloak, the mantle sufficient to wrap the whole person, and which was often of very costly material. The "garment" (salmah) is the principal inner garment, or tunic. There may be an allusion to the enactment which forbade a creditor retaining the pledged garment during the night (Exodus 22:26, etc.). Septuagint, Κατέναντι τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ τὴν δορὰν αὐτοῦ ἐξέδειραν, "Against his peace they stripped off his skin." From them that pass by securely as men averse from war. This is probably the correct translation. The grandees rob those who are peaceably disposed, perhaps strip their debtors of their cloaks as they pass quietly along the road. The versions vary considerably from the received Hebrew text. The LXX. (with which the Syriac partially agrees) has, Τοῦ ἀφελέσθαι ἐλπίδας συντριμμὸν πολέμου, "To remove hope in the destruction of war;" Vulgate, Eos qui transibant simpliciter convertistis in bellum. From this rendering Trochon derives the paraphrase - Ye treat them as if they were prisoners of war. Hitzig considers that the reference is to fugitives from the northern kingdom who passed through Judaea in their endeavour to escape the evils of the war, leaving wives and children in the hands of the Judaeans. But these treated the refugees harshly. Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

But of late
וְאֶתְמ֗וּל (wə·’eṯ·mūl)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 865: Heretofore, definitely yesterday

My people
עַמִּי֙ (‘am·mî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

have risen up
יְקוֹמֵ֔ם (yə·qō·w·mêm)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

like an enemy:
לְאוֹיֵ֣ב (lə·’ō·w·yêḇ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

You strip off
תַּפְשִׁט֑וּן (tap̄·ši·ṭūn)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 6584: To strip off, make a dash, raid

the splendid
אֶ֖דֶר (’e·ḏer)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 145: Glory, magnificence, a mantle, cloak

robe
שַׂלְמָ֔ה (śal·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8008: A wrapper, mantle

from unsuspecting
בֶּ֔טַח (be·ṭaḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 983: A place of refuge, safety, safely

passers-by
מֵעֹבְרִ֣ים (mê·‘ō·ḇə·rîm)
Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

like men returning
שׁוּבֵ֖י (šū·ḇê)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

from battle.
מִלְחָמָֽה׃ (mil·ḥā·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

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Micah 2:8 Catholic BibleOT Prophets: Micah 2:8 But lately my people have risen up (Mc Mic. Mi)