Mic 1:8-9 | JFB | STEP | 8. Therefore I will wail —The prophet first shows how the coming judgment affects himself, in order that he might affect the minds of his countrymen similarly. stripped —that is, of shoes, or sandals, as the Septuagint translates. Otherwise "naked" would be a tautology. naked —"Naked" means divested of the upper garment ( ). "Naked and barefoot," the sign of mourning ( ). The prophet's upper garment was usually rough and coarse-haired ( ). like the dragons —so JEROME . Rather, "the wild dogs," jackals or wolves, which wail like an infant when in distress or alone [MAURER ]. (See on ). owls —rather, "ostriches," which give a shrill and long-drawn, sigh-like cry, especially at night.

Micah 1:8-9

8. Therefore I will wail—The prophet first shows how the coming judgment affects himself, in order that he might affect the minds of his countrymen similarly.

stripped—that is, of shoes, or sandals, as the Septuagint translates. Otherwise "naked" would be a tautology.

naked—"Naked" means divested of the upper garment (Isa 20:2). "Naked and barefoot," the sign of mourning (2Sa 15:30). The prophet's upper garment was usually rough and coarse-haired (2Ki 1:8; Zec 13:4).

like the dragons—so JEROME. Rather, "the wild dogs," jackals or wolves, which wail like an infant when in distress or alone [MAURER]. (See on Job 30:29).

owls—rather, "ostriches," which give a shrill and long-drawn, sigh-like cry, especially at night.

9. wound . . . incurable—Her case, politically and morally, is desperate (Jer 8:22).

it is come—the wound, or impending calamity (compare Isa 10:28).

he is come . . . even to Jerusalem—The evil is no longer limited to Israel. The prophet foresees Sennacherib coming even "to the gate" of the principal city. The use of "it" and "he" is appropriately distinct. "It," the calamity, "came unto" Judah, many of the inhabitants of which suffered, but did not reach the citizens of Jerusalem, "the gate" of which the foe ("he") "came unto," but did not enter (Isa 36:1;37:33-37).