Micah 2 KJV
1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
3 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.
4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.
5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the Lord.
6 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
Micah 2 (Old Testament)
7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the Lord straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
8 Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
9 The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together
Mic.2 (Old Testament)
as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| חָשַׁב — chāshav | Verse 1 — “devise iniquity…” | “Plan,” scheme. | Chāshav (“to plan”) indicates deliberate plotting (“devise”). Israel’s sin is intentional. The term implicates premeditation. — Keil, OT Commentary (1885) |
| אָוֶן — aven | Verse 1 — “work evil…” | “Trouble,” wickedness. | Aven (“wickedness”) signifies destructive wrongdoing (“evil”). They misuse power for harm. The term critiques corrupt leadership. — Delitzsch, Minor Prophets (1890) |
| גָּזַל — gāzal | Verse 2 — “they covet fields…” | “Seize,” rob. | Gāzal (“to rob”) involves violent taking (“seize”). Social injustice becomes national sin. The term stresses greed’s violence. — Ewald Heinrich, Hebrew Ethics (1878) |
| נָטַל — natal | Verse 2 — “take them by violence…” | “Take forcibly.” | Natal (“take forcefully”) implies coercive seizure (“take”). The rich abuse the weak. The term displays systemic oppression. — Keil, OT Commentary (1885) |
| מִשְׁפָּט — mishpat | Verse 7 — “is the Spirit of the LORD straitened?” | “Justice.” | Mishpat (“justice”) invokes divine order (“judgment/justice”). Israel charges God with harshness. The term clarifies that human sin, not God, is the problem. — Delitzsch, Prophetic Theology (1891) |
| יָהַב — yahav | Verse 7 — “do not My words do good…” | “Give,” bestow. | Yahav (“to give”) conveys generosity (“give/provide”). God intends goodness for the obedient. The term contrasts divine kindness with human rebellion. — Philippson, The Prophets of Israel (1876) |
| קָם — qam | Verse 8 — “my people are risen up as an enemy…” | “Rise,” stand. | Qam (“rise”) implies hostile escalation (“rise up”). Israel turns on its own. The term exposes covenant betrayal. — Keil, OT Commentary (1885) |
| גָּרַשׁ — gārash | Verse 9 — “cast out…” | “Drive out,” expel. | Gārash (“to expel”) signifies forced displacement (“drive out”). The people harm vulnerable women and children. The term heightens societal cruelty. — Delitzsch, Commentary (1889) |
| הָלַךְ — halakh | Verse 11 — “walketh in the spirit of falsehood…” | “Walk,” behave. | Halakh (“walk”) describes lifestyle (“walk/behave”). False prophets embody deception. The term contrasts true and false spirituality. — Ewald Heinrich, Prophetic Writings (1881) |
| אָסַף — asaf | Verse 12 — “I will surely gather…” | “Gather,” collect. | Asaf (“to gather”) proclaims restoration (“gather”). Despite judgment, God promises reunion. The term shows divine mercy. — Franz Delitzsch, Minor Prophets Commentary (1890) |
Chapter 2
Verse: Micah 2:11 "If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, 'I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,' he would be the preacher for this people!"
Lesson: In this chapter, Micah is condemning the leaders of Israel and Judah for their greed, corruption, and false teachings. They are leading the people astray and causing them to fall into sin. The lesson we must learn is that we must be careful who we follow and what we believe. We must test everything by the Word of God and be discerning.
Conclusion: We live in a world full of false teachings and lies. We must be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, who "examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." We must be rooted in the Word of God and led by the Holy Spirit, so we can discern truth from error.
Prayer Points:
l Ask God to give you wisdom and discernment as you read and study the Bible.
l Pray for the leaders of your church and community, that they would be guided by the Holy Spirit and teach the truth.
l Ask God to help you discern truth from error in your own life and the lives of those around you.
