Calvin, Commentary on Micah, Part 15
(... continued from part 14)
Lecture Ninety-fifth.
Micah 6:15
Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the
olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but
shalt not drink wine.
The Prophet adds another kind of punishment, which was to
follow the calamity threatened in the last verse. He had said, that
those who escaped would at length be destroyed by the sword; he says
now, that the whole land would become a prey to enemies: and he took
his words from Moses; for it was usual with the prophets, when they
wished to secure greater authority to themselves, to quote literally
the curses contained in the Law, as in the present instance: see
Deut. 28 and Lev. 26. Now it is well known, that God denounced this
punishment, with others, on the people, - that when they sowed their
fields, another would reap, - that when they cultivated with great
labour their vineyards, others would become the vintagers. The
meaning is that whatever fruit the land produced, would come into
the hands of enemies, for all things would be exposed to plunder.
Now it is a very grievous thing, when we see not only our provisions
consumed by enemies, but also the fruit of our labour; which is the
same as though they were to drink our blood: for the labour of man
is often compared to blood, for labour occasions perspiration. It
now follows -
Micah 6:16
For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of
Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a
desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye
shall bear the reproach of my people.
Some read the words in the future tense, "And they will observe
the statutes of Omri," &c., and gather this meaning, - that the
Prophet now foresees by the Spirit, that the people would continue
so perverse in their sins, as to exclude every hope that they could
be reformed by any punishments. The meaning then would be, "The Lord
has indeed determined to punish sharply and severely the wickedness
of this people; but they will not repent; they will nevertheless
remain stupid in their obstinacy, and go on in their superstitions,
which they have learned from the kings of Israel." There is however
another view, and one more generally approved and that is, - that
the Jews, having forsaken God, and despised his Law, had turned
aside to the superstitions of the kingdom of Israel. Hence he says,
that "observed were the decrees of Omri, and every work of the house
of Ahab". Omri was the father of Ahab, who was made king by the
election of the soldiers, when Zimri, who had slain the king, was
rejected. When Omri bought Samaria, he built there a city; and to
secure honor to it, he added a temple; and hence idolatry increased.
Afterwards his son Ahab abandoned himself to every kind of
superstition. Thus matters became continually worse. Hence the
Prophet, by mentioning here king Omri and his posterity, (included
in the words, "the house of Ahab") clearly means, that the Jews who
had purely worshipped God, at length degenerated, and were now
wholly unlike Israelites, as they had embraced all those
abominations which Omri and his son Ahab had devised. True religion
as yet prevailed in the tribe of Judah, though the kingdom of Israel
was become corrupt, and filthy superstitions had gained the
ascendancy: but in course of time the Jews became also implicated in
similar superstitions. Of this sin the Prophet now accuses them;
that is, that they made themselves associates with the Israelites:
"Observed then are the edicts of Omri, and the whole work of the
house of Ahab": Ye walk, he says, (the future here means a continued
act, as often elsewhere,) "ye walk in their counsels".
It must be observed, that the Prophet here uses respectable
terms, when he says that "chukot", statutes or decrees, were
observed; and when he adds, "the counsels" of the kings of Israel:
but yet this is in no way stated as an excuse for them; for though
men may not only be pleased with, but also highly commend, their own
devices, yet the Lord abominates them all. The Prophet no doubt
designedly adopted these words, in order to show that those
pretenses were frivolous and of no account, which superstitious men
adduce, either to commend or to excuse their own inventions. They
ever refer to public authority, - "This has been received by the
consent of all; that has been decreed; it is not the mistake of one
or two men; but the whole Church has so determined: and kings also
thus command; it would be a great sin not to show obedience to
them." Hence the Prophet, in order to show how puerile are such
excuses, says, "I indeed allow that your superstitions are by you
honorably distinguished, for they are approved by the edicts of your
kings, and are received by the consent of the many, and they seem
not to have been inconsiderately and unadvisedly, but prudently
contrived, even by great men, who were become skillful through long
experience." But how much soever they might have boasted of their
statutes and counsels, and however plausibly they might have
referred to prudence and power in order to disguise their
idolatries, yet all those things were of no account before God. By
counsels, the Prophet no doubt meant that false kind of wisdom which
always shines forth in the traditions of men; and by statutes, he
meant the kingly authority.
We hence see that it is a vain thing to color over what is
idolatrous, by alleging power on the one hand in its favor, and
wisdom on the other. - How so? Because God will not allow dishonor
to be done to him by such absurd things; but he commands us to
worship him according to what is prescribed in his Word.
And now a denunciation of punishment follows, "That I should
deliver thee to desolation, and its inhabitants", &c. There is a
change of person; the Prophet continually addresses the land, and
under that name, the people, - that I should then deliver thee to
exile, or desolation, and thine inhabitants to hissing. It is a
quotation from Moses: and by hissing he means the reproach and
mockery to which men in a miserable state are exposed.
At last he adds, "Ye shall bear the reproach of my people".
Some take the word, people, in a good sense, as though the Prophet
had said here, that God would punish the wrongs which the rich had
done to the distressed common people; but this view, in my judgment,
is too confined. Others understand this by the reproach of God's
people, - that nothing would be more reproachful to the Jews, than
that they had been the people of God; for it would redound to their
dishonour and disgrace, that they, who had been honored by such an
honorable name, were afterwards given up to so great miseries. But
the passage may be otherwise explained: we may understand by the
people of God the Israelites; as though the Prophet said, "Do ye not
perceive how the Israelites have been treated? Were they not a part
of my people? They were descendants from the race of Abraham as well
as you; nor can you boast of a higher dignity: They were then equal
to you in the opinion of all; and yet this privilege did not hinder
my judgment, did not prevent me from visiting them as they
deserved." Such a view harmonizes with the passage: but there is, as
I think, something ironical in the expression, "my people;" as
though he said, "The confidence, that ye have been hitherto my
people, hardens you: but this false and wicked boasting shall
increase your punishment; for I will not inflict on you an ordinary
punishment, as on heathens and strangers; but I shall punish your
wickedness much more severely; for it is necessary, that your
punishment should bear proportion to my favor, which has been so
shamefully and basely despised by you." Hence, by the reproach of
God's people, I understand the heavier judgments, which were justly
prepared for all the ungodly, whom God had favored with such special
honor, as to regard them as his people: for the servant, who knew
his master's will, and did it not, was on that account more severely
corrected, Luke 12: 47. Let us now proceed -
Chapter 7.
Micah 7:1,2
Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as
the grapegleanings of the vintage: [there is] no cluster to eat: my
soul desired the firstripe fruit.
The good [man] is perished out of the earth: and [there is] none
upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every
man his brother with a net.
The meaning of the first verse is somewhat doubtful: some refer
what the Prophet says to punishment; and others to the wickedness of
the people. The first think that the calamity, with which the Lord
had visited the sins of the people, is bewailed; as though the
Prophet looked on the disordered state of the whole land. But it may
be easily gathered from the second verse, that the Prophet speaks
here of the wickedness of the people, rather than of the punishment
already inflicted. I have therefore put the two verses together,
that the full meaning may be more evident to us.
"Woe then to me!" Why? "I am become as gatherings". Too free,
or rather too licentious is this version, - "I am become as one who
seeks to gather summer-fruits, and finds none;" so that being
disappointed of his hope, he burns with desire. This cannot possibly
be considered as the rendering of the Prophet's words. There is
indeed some difficulty in the expressions: their import, however,
seems to be this, - that the land, which the Prophet undertakes here
to represent and personify, was like to a field, or a garden, or a
vineyard, that was empty. He therefore says, that the land was
stripped of all its fruit, as it is after harvest and the vintage.
So by "gatherings" we must understand the collected fruit. Some
understand the gleanings which remain, as when one leaves carelessly
a few clusters on the vines: and thus, they say, a few just men
remained alive on the land. But the former comparison harmonizes
better with the rest of the passage, and that is, that the land was
now stripped of all its fruit, as it is after the harvest and the
vintage. I am become then as the gatherings of summer, that is, as
in the summer, when the fruit has been already gathered; and as the
clusters of the vintage, that is when the vintage is over.
"There is no cluster, he says to eat". The Prophet refers here
to the scarcity of good men; yea, he says that there were no longer
any righteous men living. For though God had ever preserved some
hidden seed, yet it might have been justly declared with regard to
the whole people, that they were like a field after gathering the
corn, or a vineyard after the vintage. Some residue, indeed, remains
in the field after harvest, but there are no ears of corn; and in
the vineyard some bunches remain, but they are empty; nothing
remains but leaves. Now this personification is very forcible when
the Prophet comes forth as though he represented the land itself;
for he speaks in his own name and person, "Woe is to me, he says,
for I am like summer-gatherings!" It was then the same thing, as
though he deplored his own nakedness and want, inasmuch as there
were not remaining any upright and righteous men.
In the second verse he expresses more clearly his mind,
"Perished, he says, has the righteous from the land, and there is
none upright among men". Here now he does not personify the land. It
was indeed a forcible and an emphatic language, when he complained
at the beginning, that he groaned as though the land was ashamed of
its dearth: but the Prophet now performs the office of a teacher,
"Perished, he says, has the righteous from the land; there is no one
upright among men; all lay in wait for blood; every one hunts his
brother as with a net". In this verse the Prophet briefly shows,
that all were full both of cruelty and perfidy, that there was no
care for justice; as though he said, "In vain are good men sought
among this people; for they are all bloody, they are all frau
dulent." When he says, that they all did lay in wait for blood, he
no doubt intended to set forth their cruelty, as though he had said,
that they were thirsting for blood. But when he adds, that each did
lay in wait for their brethren, he alludes to their frauds or to
their perfidy.
We now then perceive the meaning of the Prophet: and the manner
he adopts is more emphatical than if God, in his own name, had
pronounced the words: for, as men were fixed, and as though drowned,
in their own carelessness, the Prophet introduces here the land as
speaking, which accuses its own children, and confesses its own
guilt; yea, it anticipates God's judgment, and acknowledges itself
to be contaminated by its own inhabitants, so that nothing pure
remained in it. It follows -
Micah 7:3
That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh,
and the judge [asketh] for a reward; and the great [man], he
uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
This verse is properly addressed to the judges and governors of
the people, and also to the rich, who oppressed the miserable common
people, because they could not redeem themselves by rewards. The
Prophet therefore complains, that corruptions so much prevailed in
judgments, that the judges readily absolved the most wicked,
provided they brought bribes. The sum of what is said then is, that
any thing might be done with impunity, for the judges were venal.
This is the Prophet's meaning.
But as interpreters differ, something shall be said as to the
import of the words. "'Al hara' kapayim", "For the evil of their
hands" to do good. Some give this explanation, "Though they are
openly wicked, yet they make pretenses, by which they cover their
wickedness:" and the sense would be this,--that though they had cast
aside every care for what was right, they yet had become so hardened
in iniquity, that they wished to be deemed good and holy men; for in
a disordered state of things the wicked always show an iron front,
and would have silence to be observed respecting their shameful
deeds. Some interpreters therefore think that the Prophet here
complains, that there was now no difference between what was
honorable and base, right and wrong; for wicked men dared so to
disguise their iniquities, that they did not appear, or, that no one
ventured to say any thing against them. Do you, however, examine and
consider, whether what the Prophet says may be more fitly connected
together in this way, "That they may do good for the wickedness of
their hands", that is, to excuse themselves for the wickedness of
their hands, they agree together; "for the prince asks, the judge is
ready to receive a bribe." Thus, the rich saw that exemption might
have been got by them, for they had the price of redemption in their
hands: they indeed knew that the judges and princes could be
pacified, when they brought the price of corruption. And this is the
meaning which I approve, for it harmonizes best with the words of
the Prophet. At the same time, some give a different explanation of
the verb "leheitiv", that is that they acted vigorously in their
wickedness: but this exposition is frigid. I therefore embrace the
one I have just stated, which is, - that corruptions so prevailed in
the administration of justice, that coverings were ready for all
crimes; for the governors and judges were lovers of money, and were
always ready to absolve the most guilty, but not without a reward.
For the wickedness then of their works, that they may do good, that
is, that they may obtain acquittance, the prince only asks; he
examines not the case, but only regards the hand; and the judge, he
says, judges for reward: the judges also were mercenary. They did
not sit to determine what was right and just; but as soon as they
were satisfied by bribes, they easily forgave all crimes; and thus
they turned vices into virtues; for they made no difference between
white and black, but according to the bribe received.
This view is consistent with what the Prophet immediately
subjoins, "The great, he says, speaks of the wickedness of his soul,
even he". By the great, he does not mean the chief men, as some
incorrectly think, but he means the rich, who had money enough to
conciliate the judges. They then who could bring the price of
redemption, dared to boast openly of their wickedness: for so I
render the word "hawat", as it cannot be suitable to translate it
here, corruption. Speak then of the wickedness of his soul does the
great; there was then nothing, neither fear nor shame, to restrain
the rich from doing wrong. - How so? For they knew that they had to
do with mercenary judges and could easily corrupt them. They hence
dared to speak of the wickedness of their soul: they did not cloak
their crimes, as it is the case when some fear of the Law prevails,
when justice is exercised: but as no difference was made between
good and evil, the most guilty boasted openly of his wickedness. And
the pronoun "hu'", he himself, is also emphatical; and this has not
been observed by interpreters. He then himself speaks of the
wickedness of his soul; he did not wait until others accuse him of
doing wrong, but he shamelessly dared to glory in his crimes; for
impunity was certain, as he could close the mouth of the judges by
bringing a bribe. Speak then of the wickedness of his soul does he
himself.
And further, they fold zip wickedness; which means, that raging
cruelty prevailed, because the governors, and those who wished to
purchase liberty to sin, conspired together; as though they made
ropes, and thus rendered firm their wickedness. For the great man,
that is, the rich and the monied, agreed with the judge, and the
judge with him; and so there was a collusion between them. It hence
happened, that wickedness possessed, as it were, a tyrannical power;
for there was no remedy. We now apprehend the real design of the
Prophet, at least as far as I am able to discover. It now follows -
Micah 7:4
The best of them [is] as a brier: the most upright [is sharper] than
a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen [and] thy visitation cometh;
now shall be their perplexity.
The Prophet confirms what he had previously said, - that the
land was so full of every kind of wickedness, that they who were
deemed the best were yet thorns and briers, full of bitterness, or
very sharp to prick; as though he said, "The best among them is a
thief; the most upright among them is a robber." We hence see, that
in these words he alludes to their accumulated sins, as though he
said, "The condition of the people cannot be worse; for iniquity has
advanced to its extreme point: when any one seeks for a good or an
upright man, he only finds thorns and briers; that is, he is
instantly pricked." But if the best were then like thorns, what must
have been the remainder? We have already seen that the judges were
so corrupt that they abandoned themselves without feeling any shame
to any thing that was base. What then could have been said of them,
when the Prophet compares here the upright and the just to thorns;
yea, when he says, that they were rougher than briers? Though it is
an improper language to say, that the good and the upright among
them were like briers; for words are used contrary to their meaning,
as it is certain, that those who inhumanely pricked others were
neither good nor just: yet the meaning of the Prophet is in no way
obscure, - that there was then such license taken in wickedness,
that even those who retained in some measure the credit of being
upright were yet nothing better than briers and thorns. There is
then in the words what may be deemed a concession.
He then adds, "The day of thy watchmen, thy visitation comes".
He here denounces the near judgment of God, generally on the people,
and especially on the rulers. But he begins with the first ranks and
says The day of thy watchmen; as though he said, "Ruin now hangs
over thy governors, though they by no means expect it." Watchmen he
calls the Prophets, who, by their flatteries, deceived the people,
as well as their rulers: and he sets the Prophets in the front,
because they were the cause of the common ruin. He does not yet
exempt the body of the people from punishment; nay, he joins
together these two things, - the visitation of the whole people, and
the day of the watchmen.
And justly does he direct his discourse to these watchmen, who,
being blind, blinded all the rest; and who, being perverted, led
astray the whole people. This is the reason why the Prophet now, in
an especial manner, threatens them; but, as I have already said, the
people were not on this account to be excused. There may seem indeed
to have been here a fair pretence for extenuating their guilt: the
common people might have said that they had not been warned as they
ought to have been; nay, that they had been destroyed through
delusive falsehoods. And we see at this day that many make such a
pretence as this. But a defense of this kind is of no avail before
God; for though the common people are blinded, yet they go astray
off their own accord, since they lend a willing ear to impostors.
And even the reason why God gave loose reins to Satan as well as to
his ministers, and why he gives, as Paul says, (2 Thess. 2: 11,)
power to delusion, is this, - because the greater part of the world
ever seeks to be deceived. The denunciation of the Prophet then is
this, - that as the judges and the Prophets had badly exercised
their office, they would be led to the punishment which they
deserved, for they had been, as it has been elsewhere observed, the
cause of ruin to others: in the meantime, the common people were not
excusable. The vengeance of God then would overtake them and from
the least to the greatest, without any exemption. Thy visitation
then comes.
He afterwards speaks in the third person, "Then shall be their
confusion", or perplexity, or they shall be ashamed. The Prophet
here alludes indirectly to the hardness of the people; for though
the Prophets daily threatened them, they yet remained all of them
secure; nay, we know that all God's judgments were held in derision
by them. As then the faithful teachers could not have moved wicked
men either with fear or with shame, the Prophet says, "Then
confusion shall come to them"; as though he said, "Be hardened now
as much as ye wish to be, as I see that you are stupid, yea,
senseless, and attend not to the word of the Lord; but the time of
visitation will come, and then the Lord will constrain you to be
ashamed, for he will really show you to be such as ye are; and he
will not then contend with you in words as he does now; but the
announced punishment will divest you of all your false pretenses;
and he will also remove that waywardness which now hardens you
against wholesome doctrine and all admonitions."
Prayer.
Grant, Almighty God, that seeing that we are born in a most corrupt
age, in which such a license is taken to indulge in wickedness, that
hardly a spark of virtue appears, - O grant, that we may yet
continue upright in the midst of thorns; and do thou so constantly
keep us under the guidance of thy Word, that we may cultivate true
piety, and also what is just towards our neighbours: and as there is
in us no power to preserve ourselves safe, grant that thy Son may so
protect us by the power of the Holy Spirit, that we may continue to
advance towards the end of our course, until we be at length
gathered into that celestial kingdom, which he has procured for us
by his own blood. Amen.
Calvin, Commentary on Micah, Part 15
(continued in part 16...)
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