Micah 4

Backdrop

• Vision of future restoration and peace in the latter days (be'acharit hayyamim בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים), with the mountain of the house of YHWH exalted and nations streaming to it for instruction and judgment leading to universal peace.
• Torah ( תּוֹרָה) = the law. the writer (Micah, an 8th-century BC prophet) and his original readers/hearers would most likely have had in mind the existing divine instruction associated with YHWH's covenant with Israel, particularly as revealed through Moses.
• The Word, dābār (דָּבָר) = The writer (Micah) and original readers would have understood devar YHWH as referring to the same established body of divine revelation already known in Israel—God's spoken and written word through Moses (the Torah/instructions, commandments, and covenant words at Sinai, as in Exodus–Deuteronomy) and through the prophets. It is not a new or separate set of laws but the enduring, authoritative communication of YHWH's ways, now envisioned as extending universally from Jerusalem in the latter days, with nations voluntarily coming to receive and obey it.

People

• YHWH (יְהוָה) — the LORD, speaker and judge
• Amim rabbim (עַמִּים רַבִּים) — many peoples / nations
• Goyim rabbim (גּוֹיִם רַבִּים) — many nations / Gentiles
• Bat Tziyon (בַּת צִיּוֹן) — daughter of Zion (in v.8, symbolic of Jerusalem or its people)
• The lame (hatzole'ah הַצֹּלֵעָה) and the outcast (hanniddachah הַנִּדָּחָה) — afflicted ones gathered by YHWH

Observations and Notes

• Parallel prophecy to Isaiah 2:2-4, with nearly identical wording for the exalted mountain, nations coming to learn YHWH's ways, Torah from Zion, swords into plowshares, no more war.
• Contrast from judgment in Micah 3 to hope and exaltation in chapter 4.
• Peace symbolized by sitting under vine (gafno גַּפְנוֹ) and fig tree (te'enato תְּאֵנָתוֹ) with none making afraid (macharid מַחֲרִיד).
• YHWH Tseva'ot (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת) seals the promise in v.4 as having spoken it.
• Gathering of remnant (she'erit שְׁאֵרִית) and making the lame a strong nation, with YHWH reigning in Mount Zion forever.

Repeated Words

• Har (הַר) — mountain (repeated for the mountain of YHWH's house, tops of mountains, hills)
• Amim / goyim (עַמִּים / גּוֹיִם) — peoples / nations (many nations/peoples coming, judging between many peoples)
• Lech / alah (לְכוּ / נַעֲלֶה) — come / let us go up (nations inviting to ascend to the mountain)
• Derekh / orach (דְּרָכָיו / אֹרְחֹתָיו) — His ways / His paths (teaching and walking in them)
• Tziyon / Yerushalayim (צִיּוֹן / יְרוּשָׁלִָם) — Zion / Jerusalem (Torah from Zion, word of YHWH from Jerusalem)

Connections

• Isaiah 2:2-4 (nearly verbatim parallel for the mountain exalted, nations flowing, swords to plowshares, no war)

• Zechariah 8:20-23 (nations coming to seek YHWH in Jerusalem)

  • Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, “In those days it will come to pass that ten men from every language of the nations will grasp the corner of the garment of a Jew saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

• 1 Kings 4:25 and Zechariah 3:10 (sitting under vine and fig tree in peace)

• Psalm 46 (YHWH Tseva'ot as refuge, God reigning)

• Genesis 49:1 and other "latter days" prophecies (end-time restoration)

• Revelation 21-22 (new Jerusalem exalted, nations walking in its light, no more curse or war)

• But in the latter days,

  • it will happen
    • that the mountain of Yahweh's temple
      • will be established
      • on the top of the mountains,
      • and it will be exalted above the hills;
      • and peoples //Gentiles/nations// will stream to it.
      • Many nations will go and say,
        • "Come! Let's go
          • up to the mountain of Yahweh,
          • and to the house of the God //YHWH// of Jacob;
          • and he //YHWH// will teach us
            • of his he //YHWH// ways,
            • and we will walk
              • in his paths."
            • For the law //Torah//
              • will go out of Zion,
            • and Yahweh's word //The Word//
              • from Jerusalem;
          • and he //YHWH// will judge //Judge//
            • between many peoples //Gentiles/nations// ,
            • and will decide concerning strong nations //Gentiles/nations// afar off.
              • They will beat their swords into plowshares,
              • and their spears into pruning hooks.
              • Nation will not lift up sword against nation,
              • neither will they learn war any more.
              • But they will sit every man under his vine
              • and under his fig tree;
              • and no one will make them afraid:
                • For the mouth of Yahweh of Armies has spoken.
              • Indeed all the nations may walk in the name of their gods;
                • but we will walk in the name of Yahweh
                  • our God forever and ever.
  • "In that day," says Yahweh,
    • "I will assemble that which is lame,
      • and I will make that which was lame a remnant
    • and I will gather that which is driven away,
      • and that which was cast far off a strong nation
    • and that which I have afflicted;
    • and Yahweh will reign over
      • them
      • on Mount Zion
      • from then on, even forever."

v8

You, tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come, yes, the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.

v9

Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail?

v10

Be in pain, and labor to give birth, daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now you will go out of the city, and will dwell in the field, and will come even to Babylon. There you will be rescued. There Yahweh will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.

v11

Now many nations have assembled against you, that say, "Let her be defiled, and let our eye gloat over Zion."

v12

But they don't know the thoughts of Yahweh, neither do they understand his counsel; for he has gathered them like the sheaves to the threshing floor.

v13

Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion; for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze; and you will beat in pieces many peoples: and I will devote their gain to Yahweh, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.

Connections