Micah 5
Summary for Mic 5:1-15: 5:1-15 a This section calls Israel to prepare for the vicious onslaught of Israel’s enemy, Assyria (5:5b-6 b). This siege of terror, death, and destruction will not annihilate Israel, for God will bring forth a ruler (5:2-5a c) to lead his people back from exile. God’s preservation and purification of the remnant (5:7-14 d) will complete their restoration as God’s victorious people. 5:1 e Israel’s leader was defeated by the Assyrians (cp. 6:9 f). Striking a person with a rod expressed contempt (cp. 1 Kgs 22:24 g).5:2 h Ephrathah was the ancient name of Bethlehem (Gen 35:16 i; Ruth 4:11 j), David’s birthplace. In the future, an even more significant ruler than David would arise from there (Matt 2:5-6 k; John 7:42 l). The future king’s activities would stretch from the distant past (Hebrew qedem; cp. Deut 33:27 m; Prov 8:22-23 n; Isa 37:26 o) into a still future time, suggesting a divine-human being.
Summary for Mic 5:4-5: 5:4-5 p Following the Exile, Prince Zerubbabel, a descendant of David, was among the returned exiles and became the focus of Israel’s hopes (see Hag 2:20-23 q). But a greater ruler than Zerubbabel was needed. The leader from Bethlehem would be a source of peace; Isaiah called him the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6 r). Only Jesus fits this description.
5:5 s The Assyrians destroyed northern Israel in 722 BC. Sennacherib shut up King Hezekiah of Jerusalem “like a bird in a cage” (Sennacherib’s own words) in 701 BC and devastated over forty-six cities in Judah. The hoped-for deliverer-king did not appear in those days. The Assyrians represent all of Israel’s enemies.
• seven rulers ... eight princes: This literary expression indicates that an abundance of leaders will be supplied as needed to lead Israel.
5:6 t the land of Nimrod: Nimrod laid the foundations of the ancient Assyrian and Babylonian civilizations (Gen 10:8-11 u).
Summary for Mic 5:7-15: 5:7-15 v God’s purpose was not to create another nation like all the other nations (Exod 19:4-6 w; Num 23:9 x; Jer 7:23 y), but to have his own people who would walk in his ways and be holy as he is holy (Lev 11:45 z). In that day (Mic 5:10 aa), God will rule a redeemed and purified people, healed of violence and the ravages of war. 5:7 ab The remnant are those whom God’s grace preserved to be the foundation of his new people (Ezra 9:8-15 ac; Neh 1:2 ad).
• Dew and rain are gifts from the Lord; no person can prevent his sending them.
Summary for Mic 5:8-9: 5:8-9 ae God’s people will have a unique place among the nations of the world (Gen 12:3 af; Exod 19:4-6 ag). They will be the head and not the tail (Deut 28:13 ah), and invincible as a lion (cp. Esth 6:13 ai) as God gives them hegemony over the nations.
• The Lord will judge their foes (see Mic 5:15 aj) if they continue to rebel against him. The Lord’s desire, however, is ultimately to bless the nations, not to curse or destroy them (Gen 12:3 ak; Jon 4:11 al; John 3:16 am).
Summary for Mic 5:10-14: 5:10-14 an The Lord’s actions for and against his people purify them. The Lord removed several abominable things imported from the pagan cultures of Mesopotamia and Canaan.
Summary for Mic 5:13-14: 5:13-14 ao sacred pillars ... Asherah poles: Stones were set up as places or objects of worship; they could represent pagan deities. The Asherah poles were green poles or trees that represented the goddess Asherah and her powers of fertility. Both the stones and the trees may have had sexual implications—one male, the other female. Asherah was seen as the mother of gods and El’s (or Baal’s) consort.
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