The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 38: Micheas

THE PROPHECY OF MICHEAS

MICHEAS, of Morasti, a little town in the tribe of JUDA, was
contemporary with the prophet ISAIAS: whom he resembles both in his
spirit and his style. He is different from the prophet MICHEAS mentioned
in the third book of Kings, chap. 22. For that MICHEAS lived in the days
of king ACHAB, one hundred and fifty years before the time of EZECHIAS,
under whom this MICHEAS prophesied.

Micheas Chapter 1

Samaria for her sins shall be destroyed by the Assyrians; they shall
also invade Juda and Jerusalem.

1:1. The word of the Lord, that came to Micheas, the Morasthite, in the
days of Joathan, Achaz, and Ezechias, kings of Juda: which he saw
concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

1:2. Hear, all ye people: and let the earth give ear, and all that is
therein: and let the Lord God be a witness to you, the Lord from his
holy temple.

1:3. For behold the Lord will come forth out of his place: and he will
come down, and will tread upon the high places of the earth.

1:4. And the mountains shall be melted under him: and the valleys shall
be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as waters that run down a steep
place.

1:5. For the wickedness of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the
house of Israel. What is the wickedness of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and
what are the high places of Juda? are they not Jerusalem?

1:6. And I will make Samaria as a heap of stones in the field when a
vineyard is planted: and I will bring down the stones thereof into the
valley, and will lay her foundations bare.

1:7. And all her graven things shall be cut in pieces, and all her wages
shall be burnt with fire, and I will bring to destruction all her idols:
for they were gathered together of the hire of a harlot, and unto the
hire of a harlot they shall return.

Her wages... That is, her donaries or presents offered to her idols: or
the hire of all her traffic and labour. Ibid. Of the hire of a harlot,
etc... They were gathered together by one idolatrous city, viz.,
Samaria: and they shall be carried away to another idolatrous city,
viz., Ninive.

1:8. Therefore will I lament, and howl: I will go stript and naked: I
will make a wailing like the dragons, and a mourning like the ostriches.

1:9. Because her wound is desperate, because it is come even to Juda, it
hath touched the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

It hath touched the gate, etc... That is, the destruction of Samaria
shall be followed by the invasion of my people of Juda, and the
Assyrians shall come and lay all waste even to the confines of
Jerusalem.

1:10. Declare ye it not in Geth, weep ye not with tears: in the house of
Dust sprinkle yourselves with dust.

Declare ye it not in Geth... Viz., amongst the Philistines, lest they
rejoice at your calamity.-Ibid. Weep ye not, etc... Keep in your tears,
that you may not give your enemies an occasion of insulting over you;
but in your own houses, or in your house of dust, your earthly
habitation, sprinkle yourselves with dust, and put on the habit of
penitents. Some take the house of dust (in Hebrew, Aphrah) to be the
proper name of a city.

1:11. And pass away, O thou that dwellest in the beautiful place,
covered with thy shame: she went not forth that dwelleth in the
confines: the house adjoining shall receive mourning from you, which
stood by herself.

Thou that dwellest in the Beautiful place, viz., in Samaria. In the
Hebrew the Beautiful place is expressed by the word Sapir, which some
take for the proper name of a city.--Ibid. She went not forth, etc...
that is, they that dwelt in the confines came not forth, but kept
themselves within, for fear.--Ibid. The house adjoining,etc... Viz.,
Judea and Jerusalem, neighbours to Samaria, and partners in her sins,
shall share also in her mourning and calamity; though they have
pretended to stand by themselves, trusting in their strength.

1:12. For she is become weak unto good that dwelleth in bitterness: for
evil is come down from the Lord into the gate of Jerusalem.

She is become weak, etc... Jerusalem is become weak unto any good;
because she dwells in the bitterness of sin.

1:13. A tumult of chariots hath astonished the inhabitants of Lachis: it
is the beginning of sin to the daughter of Sion for in thee were found
the crimes of Israel.

It is the beginning, etc... That is, Lachis was the first city of Juda
that learned from Samaria the worship of idols, and communicated it to
Jerusalem.

1:14. Therefore shall she send messengers to the inheritance of Geth:
the houses of lying to deceive the kings of Israel.

Therefore shall she send, etc...