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英文原文
In this chapter we have, I. The title of the book (Mic 1:1) and a preface demanding attention, Mic 1:2. II. Warning given of desolating judgments hastening upon the kingdoms of Israel and Judah (Mic 1:3,4), and all for sin, Mic 1:5. III. The particulars of the destruction specified, Mic 1:6,7. IV. The greatness of the destruction illustrated, 1. By the prophet's sorrow for it, Mic 1:8,9. 2. By the general sorrow that should be for it, in the several places that must expect to share in it, Mic 1:10-16. These prophecies of Micah might well be called his lamentations.
1-7
Judgments Predicted (743 BC)
預言審判 (743 BC)
¹ 當猶大王約坦、亞哈斯、希西家在位的時候，摩利沙人彌迦得耶和華的默示，論撒瑪利亞和耶路撒冷。
² 萬民哪，你們都要聽！地和其上所有的，要側耳而聽！主耶和華從他的聖殿要見證你們的不是。
³ 看哪，耶和華出了他的居所，降臨步行在地的高處。
⁴ 眾山在他以下必消化，諸谷必崩裂，如蠟化在火中，如水沖下山坡。
⁵ 這都因雅各的罪過，以色列家的罪惡。雅各的罪過在哪裏呢？豈不是在撒瑪利亞嗎？猶大的邱壇在哪裏呢？豈不是在耶路撒冷嗎？
⁶ 所以我必使撒瑪利亞變為田野的亂堆，又作為栽種葡萄園之處；也必將他的石頭倒在谷中，露出根基來。
⁷ 他一切雕刻的偶像必被打碎，他所得的財物必被火燒，所有的偶像我必毀滅；因為是從妓女雇價所聚來的，必歸為妓女的雇價。
此處我們看到：I. 關於這位先知和他的預言的概述（Mic 1:1）。這是為所有讀到和聽見本書預言之人的滿足而附加的——他們知道了作者及其權威之後，就會更加相信。1. 這預言是耶和華的話；這是屬神的啟示。注意，聖經中所寫的，以及基督的傳道人根據聖經所傳講的，必須被聽見和領受——不是當作將死之人的話（這話我們可以評判），而是當作永生神的話（這話我們要受其審判），因為它確實如此。這耶和華的話臨到先知——明明地臨到，大有能力地臨到，在先前未求之時臨到；而他看見了——看見了將這話傳達給他的異象，看見了他所預告的那些事本身，如同它們已經成就了一樣清晰和確定。2. 先知是摩利沙人彌迦；他的名字彌迦是米該雅的縮寫——米該雅是數代前一位先知的名字（亞哈時代，1Ki 22:8）；他的姓氏摩利沙人表示他出生於或居住在摩利沙（此處Mic 1:14有所提及），或瑪利沙（Mic 1:15, Jos 15:44有所提及）。他居住的地方被提及，是使任何人都可以在那地方、那時候查問，並可在那裏找到或曾經有過這樣一位普遍被認為是先知的人。3. 他預言的日期是在猶大三個王的年間——約坦、亞哈斯和希西家。亞哈斯是猶大最壞的王之一，希西家是最好的王之一；神的僕人所經歷的時代如此多變——有皺眉的時候，也有微笑的時候——他們必須努力適應每一種環境，並防備兩者的試探。本書的應許和警告交織在一起，由此可見即使在惡王年間他也傳安慰的信息，對那時的義人說必平安；而在敬虔的王年間他也傳定罪的信息，對那時的惡人說必遭禍；因為無論時代如何改變，耶和華的話始終不變。4. 這預言所關乎的對象；它是論撒瑪利亞和耶路撒冷——以色列和猶大兩國的京城，兩國本身也都在其影響之下。雖然十個支派已經背棄了大衛和亞倫兩家，神仍然樂意差遣先知到他們那裏去。
II. 一個非常莊嚴的引言，引出以下的預言（Mic 1:2），其中：1. 百姓被召集前來，如同在審判台前一樣聽審：萬民哪，你們都要聽！注意，神在哪裏有口說話，我們就在哪裏有耳可聽；我們所有人都必須聽，因為我們都與所傳的信息有關。萬民哪，你們都要聽（旁注讀作你們所有的人），就是一切現在聽見的人，以及一切間接聽見的人。這是不尋常的句法；但彌迦用以開始他預言的這些話，在原文中正是米該雅結束他預言時所用的那些話（1Ki 22:28）。2. 地和其中所有的，也被呼召來聽先知所要說的話：地和其上所有的，要側耳而聽！地在即將來臨之審判的打擊和重壓之下必將震動；地比這愚頑遲鈍的百姓更早聽見；但當神辯論時，他必被聽見。如果教會和其中的人不肯聽，地和其中的人必要聽，並要使他們羞愧。3. 神自己被訴求，他的全知、全能和公義被援引為對這百姓的見證：主耶和華要見證你們的不是——見證你們已經得到了公正的警告，你們的先知像守望者一樣忠實地盡了本分，你們卻不肯聽警告；讓預言的應驗成為見證，反對你們對它的輕視和不信，並向你們證明——為要使你們知罪混亂——這確實是神的話，他的話一句也不落空。注意，對那些不肯在神口中所傳審判的信息裏領受他見證的人，神自己要親手以審判來作見證。他要從他的聖殿——天上的聖殿——作見證，當他降臨施行審判時（Mic 1:3），反對那些對他從耶路撒冷的聖殿中所發出的啟示充耳不聞的人。
III. 一個可怕的關於毀滅性審判的預言，將要臨到猶大和以色列——這在以色列不久之後就應驗了，最終也在猶大應驗；因為所預告的是：1. 神自己要親自與他們為敵（Mic 1:3）。他們誇耀自己以及自己與神的關係，以為這樣就可以保護他們；但神雖然從不叫正直人的信心落空，卻要使假冒為善者的妄想失望，因為看哪，耶和華出了他的居所——離開了他們以為把他拴住的施恩座，為審判預備他的寶座；他的榮耀離去，因為他們把它趕走了。神對待這百姓的道路長久以來是恩典的道路，但如今他改變了他的道路——他出了他的居所，要降臨。他似乎好像退休了，如同不理會所發生的事，但如今他要顯明自己，他要裂天而降——不是有時候以出人意外的恩典，而是以出人意外的審判，不是為他們行事，而是與他們為敵——行他們意想不到的事（Isa 64:1, 26:21）。2. 當創造主與他們為敵時，任何受造物為他們出頭都歸徒然。他要以輕蔑和鄙夷踐踏地的高處——踐踏一切與他競爭或反對他的被高舉的權勢；而且他要踐踏它們到一個地步，將它們踏平。為敬拜偶像而設立的邱壇，或為軍事防禦而建造的堡壘，都要被踏平、踐踏如塵土。人若倚靠山嶺磐石的高度和堅固，以為足以支撐他們的盼望、抵擋他們的恐懼嗎？這些必在他以下消化，如同蠟化在火中一般（Ps 68:2）。人若倚靠山谷的肥沃和出產嗎？當山嶺消化時，必有火熱的洪流從山上傾注而下，山谷必崩裂。它們要被沖刷流走，如同水沖下山坡時地面被沖刷一般。經上說神以江河分開大地（Hab 3:9）。無論是如同山嶺的尊貴人，還是如同山谷的卑微人，當審判帶著毀滅一切的使命而來，如大雨一般沖沒糧食時（Pr 28:3），都不能保護自己或保護那地免受神的審判。這特別應用於以色列的京城——他們希望它能保護那國（Mic 1:6）：我必使撒瑪利亞——如今這富足人口眾多的城——變為田野的亂堆，如同堆在那裏預備散開的糞堆，又如同一堆收集起來預備搬走的石頭，又作為栽種葡萄園之處——如同為栽種葡萄而堆起的土丘。神要使那城變為亂堆，使那堅固城變為荒場（Isa 25:2）。他們的祭壇曾如田間的犁溝中的堆（Ho 12:11），如今他們的房屋也要如此，成為荒涼的廢墟。那城的石頭因征服者的烈怒被倒在谷中——他要對那些長久抵抗他的城牆報復。它們要被完全拆毀，以至連被上層建築遮蓋的根基也要露出來，一塊石頭也不留在另一塊石頭上。
IV. 對他們罪的指控，以此為這些荒涼審判的原因（Mic 1:5）：這都因雅各的罪過。若有人問：「神為什麼如此發怒，雅各和以色列為何因他的怒氣而如此傾覆？」答案已經備妥：罪造成了一切的禍患；罪毀壞了一切；雅各和以色列一切的災難都歸因於他們的罪過；如果他們沒有偏離神，神絕不會如此與他們為敵。注意，外在的特權和信仰告白不能保護一個犯罪的百姓免受神的審判。如果在以色列家中發現了罪，如果雅各犯了悖逆叛逆的罪，神也必不寬容他們；不，他要先懲罰他們，因為他們的罪比任何別人的罪更惹他發怒，因為更使他的名受辱。但有人問，雅各的罪過是什麼？注意，當我們感受到罪的痛苦時，理當查問我們所受苦的罪是什麼，好叫我們特別對付那與我們為敵的罪。那罪是什麼呢？1. 是偶像崇拜；就是邱壇；那就是罪過——在以色列中作王的大罪；那是屬靈的淫亂，是違背婚約的，理當被休。甚至猶大的邱壇，雖然不像雅各的罪過那樣嚴重，卻也足夠得罪神了，是一些好王年間存留的瑕疵。然而邱壇還沒有廢去。2. 是撒瑪利亞和耶路撒冷的偶像崇拜——那兩個王國的京城。這些地方人口最密集，哪裏人最多，哪裏的惡也最多，而且他們彼此使對方更壞。這些地方最奢華；在那裏的人最沉溺於財富和享樂，就忘記了神。這些地方對全國最有影響力——無論是在權柄上還是在榜樣上；以至偶像崇拜和褻瀆的事從他們中間出去，遍及全地（Jer 23:15）。注意，屬靈的疾病在最顯赫的人物和地方中最具傳染性。如果一國的京城或一區的首要家族敗壞不敬，許多人必隨從他們邪惡的道路，當大人物為他們立下壞榜樣時，他們就照著抄。領袖和統治者的惡習是帶頭的、主導的惡習，因此必受確實而嚴厲的懲罰。那些不僅自己犯罪，而且使以色列人犯罪的人，確實要承擔極大的責任。那些作了惡人之榜樣的，必被當作鑑戒。如果雅各的罪過就是撒瑪利亞，那麼撒瑪利亞必變為亂堆。讓罪的魁首聽見這話而懼怕。
V. 刑罰與罪相稱——偶像被特別毀滅（Mic 1:7）。1. 他們所敬拜的神必被毀滅：雕刻的偶像必被打碎——被亞述軍隊打碎，一切偶像必被毀滅。撒瑪利亞和她的偶像一同被西拿基立所毀（Isa 10:11），他們的神被拋在火中，因為它們不是神（Isa 37:19）；這是耶和華所做的：我必毀滅偶像。注意，如果神的律法不能使在位的人除滅偶像，神必親自接手這工，自己來做。2. 他們與他們的神之間所來往的供物必被毀滅；因為所得的財物必被火燒——這可指他們獻給偶像為要充實祭壇、裝飾雕像和廟宇的供物（這些要成為勝利軍隊的掠物——他們不僅要搶掠私人住宅，也要搶掠他們神的廟宇），或可指他們稱為報酬或雇價的五穀、新酒和油——是他們的偶像、他們的情人所賜的（Ho 2:12）；這些要被那位被他們（因將這些歸給親愛的偶像而）搶奪了當得之榮耀的神所奪去。注意，凡人用以被雇犯罪或藉以雇人犯罪的，都不能興盛；因為罪的工價乃是死。她從妓女的雇價聚來，必歸為妓女的雇價。他們因與偶像崇拜的外邦結盟而致富——這些外邦給他們好處，為要引誘他們事奉偶像，而他們的偶像廟宇也因那些追隨偶像行淫之人的禮物而富足。這一切財富都要成為偶像崇拜的外邦的掠物，於是再度成為妓女的雇價——作為偶像崇拜軍隊的工價，他們把它當作他們的神所賜的賞賜。必作為貢物獻給耶銳王（Ho 10:6）。他們獻給偶像的，以及他們以為從偶像所得的，都要如同妓女的雇價；神的咒詛必在其上，它永不能興盛，也不能使他們得益。為一個私慾所擠榨出來的，往往被揮霍在另一個私慾上，這是常見的事。
英文原文
Judgments Predicted (743 BC)
¹ The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.
² Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
³ For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.
⁴ And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.
⁵ For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?
⁶ Therefore I will make Samaria as a heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.
⁷ And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of a harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
Here is, I. A general account of this prophet and his prophecy, Mic 1:1. This is prefixed for the satisfaction of all that read and hear the prophecy of this book, who will give the more credit to it when they know the author and his authority. 1. The prophecy is the word of the Lord; it is a divine revelation. Note, What is written in the Bible, and what is preached by the ministers of Christ according to what is written there, must be heard and received, not as the word of dying men, which we may be judges of, but as the word of the living God, which we must be judged by, for so it is. This word of the Lord came to the prophet, came plainly, came powerfully, came in a preventing way, and he saw it, saw the vision in which it was conveyed to him, saw the things themselves which he foretold, with as much clearness and certainty as if they had been already accomplished. 2. The prophet is Micah the Morasthite; his name Micah is a contraction of Micaiah, the name of a prophet some ages before (in Ahab's time, 1Ki 22:8); his surname, the Morasthite, signifies that he was born, or lived, at Moresheth, which is mentioned here (Mic 1:14), or Mareshah, which is mentioned Mic 1:15, Jos 15:44. The place of his abode is mentioned, that any one might enquire in that place, at that time, and might find there was, or had been, such a one there, who was generally reputed to be a prophet. 3. The date of his prophecy is in the reigns of three kings of Judah—Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Ahaz was one of the worst of Judah's kings, and Hezekiah one of the best; such variety of times pass over God's ministers, times that frown and times that smile, to each of which they must study to accommodate themselves, and to arm themselves against the temptations of both. The promises and threatenings of this book are interwoven, by which it appears that even in the wicked reign he preached comfort, and said to the righteous then that it should be well with them; and that in the pious reign he preached conviction, and said to the wicked then that it should be ill with them; for, however the times change, the word of the Lord is still the same. 4. The parties concerned in this prophecy; it is concerning Samaria and Jerusalem, the head cities of the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah, under the influence of which the kingdoms themselves were. Though the ten tribes have deserted the houses both of David and Aaron, yet God is pleased to send prophets to them.
II. A very solemn introduction to the following prophecy (Mic 1:2), in which, 1. The people are summoned to draw near and give their attendance, as upon a court of judicature: Hear, all you people, Note, Where God has a mouth to speak we must have an ear to hear; we all must, for we are all concerned in what is delivered. "Hear, you people" (all of them, so the margin reads it), "all you that are now within hearing, and all others that hear it at second hand." It is an unusual construction; but those words with which Micah begins his prophecy are the very same in the original with those wherewith Micaiah ended his, 1Ki 22:28. 2. The earth is called upon, with all that therein is, to hear what the prophet has to say: Hearken, O earth! The earth shall be made to shake under the stroke and weight of the judgments coming; sooner will the earth hear than this stupid senseless people; but God will be heard when he pleads. If the church, and those in it, will not hear, the earth, and those in it, shall, and shame them. 3. God himself is appealed to, and his omniscience, power, and justice, are vouched in testimony against this people: "Let the Lord God be witness against you, a witness that you had fair warning given you, that your prophets did their duty faithfully as watchmen, but you would not take the warning; let the accomplishment of the prophecy be a witness against your contempt and disbelief of it, and prove, to your conviction and confusion, that it was the word of God, and no word of his shall fall to the ground." Note, God himself will be a witness, by the judgments of his hand, against those that would not receive his testimony in the judgments of his mouth. He will be a witness from his holy temple in heaven, when he comes down to execute judgment (Mic 1:3) against those that turned a deaf ear to his oracles, wherein he witnessed to them, out of his holy temple at Jerusalem.
III. A terrible prediction of destroying judgments which should come upon Judah and Israel, which had its accomplishment soon after in Israel, and at length in Judah; for it is foretold, 1. That God himself will appear against them, Mic 1:3. They boasted of themselves and their relation to God, as if that would secure them; but, though God never deceives the faith of the upright, he will disappoint the presumption of the hypocrites, for, behold, the Lord comes forth out of his place, quits his mercy-seat, where they thought they had him fast, and prepares his throne for judgment; his glory departs, for they drive it from them. God's way towards this people had long been a way of mercy, but now he changes his way, he comes out of his place, and will come down. He had seemed to retire, as one regardless of what was done, but now he will show himself, he will rend the heavens, and will come down, not as sometimes, in surprising mercies, but in surprising judgments, to do things not for them, but against them, which they looked not for, Isa 64:1,26:21. 2. That when the Creator appears against them it shall be in vain for any creature to appear for them. He will tread with contempt and disdain upon the high places of the earth, upon all the powers that are advanced in competition with him or in opposition to him; and he will so tread upon them as to tread them down and level them. High places, set up for the worship of idols or for military fortifications, shall all be trodden down and trampled into the dust. Do men trust to the height and strength of the mountains and rocks, as if they were sufficient to bear up their hopes and bear off their fears? They shall be molten under him, melted down as wax before the fire, Ps 68:2. Do they trust to the fruitfulness of the valleys, and their products? They shall be cleft, or rent, with those fiery streams that shall come pouring down from the mountains when they are melted. They shall be ploughed and washed away as the ground is by the waters that are poured down a steep place. God is said to cleave the earth with rivers, Hab 3:9. Neither men of high degree, as the mountains, nor men of low degree, as the valleys, shall be able to secure either themselves or the land from judgments of God, when they are sent with commission to lay all waste, and, like a sweeping rain, to leave no food, Pr 28:3. This is applied particularly to the head city of Israel, which they hoped would be a protection to the kingdom (Mic 1:6): I will make Samaria, that is now a rich and populous city, as a heap of the field, as a heap of dung laid there to be spread, or as a heap of stones gathered together to be carried away, and as plantings of a vineyard, as hillocks of earth raised to plant vines in. God will make of that city a heap, of that defenced city a ruin, Isa 25:2. Their altars had been as heaps in the furrows of the fields (Ho 12:11) and now their houses shall be so, as ruinous heaps. The stones of the city are poured down into the valley by the fury of the conqueror, who will thus be revenged on those walls that so long held out against him. They shall be quite pulled down, so that the very foundations shall be discovered, that had been covered by the superstructure; and not one stone shall be left upon another.
IV. A charge of sin upon them, as the procuring cause of these desolating judgments (Mic 1:5): For the transgression of Jacob is all this. If it be asked, "Why is God so angry, and why are Jacob and Israel thus brought to ruin by his anger?" the answer is ready: Sin has done all the mischief; sin has laid all waste; all the calamities of Jacob and Israel are owing to their transgressions; if they had not gone away from God, he would never have appeared thus against them. Note, External privileges and professions will not secure a sinful people from the judgments of God. If sin be found in the house of Israel, if Jacob be guilty of transgression and rebellion, God will not spare them; no, he will punish them first, for their sins are of all others most provoking to him, for they are most reproaching. But it is asked, What is the transgression of Jacob? Note, When we feel the smart of sin it concerns us to enquire what the sin is which we smart for, that we may particularly war against that which wars against us. And what is it? 1. It is idolatry; it is the high places; that is the transgression, the great transgression which reigns in Israel; that is spiritual whoredom, the violation of the marriage-covenant, which merits a divorce. Even the high places of Judah, though not so bad as the transgression of Jacob, were yet offensive enough to God, and a remaining blemish upon some of the good reigns. Howbeit the high places were not taken away. 2. It is the idolatry of Samaria and Jerusalem, the royal cities of those two kingdoms. These were the most populous places, and where there were most people there was most wickedness, and they made one another worse. These were the most pompous places; there men lived most in wealth and pleasure, and they forgot God. These were the places that had the greatest influence upon the country, by authority and example; so that from them idolatry and profaneness went forth throughout all the land, Jer 23:15. Note, Spiritual distempers are most contagious in persons and places that are most conspicuous. If the head city of a kingdom, or the chief family in a parish, be vicious and profane, many will follow their pernicious ways, and write after a bad copy when great ones set it for them. The vices of leaders and rulers are leading ruling vices, and therefore shall be surely and sorely punished. Those have a great deal to answer for indeed that not only sin, but make Israel to sin. Those must expect to be made examples that have been examples of wickedness. If the transgression of Jacob is Samaria, therefore shall Samaria become a heap. Let the ringleaders in sin hear this and fear.
V. The punishment made to answer the sin, in the particular destruction of the idols, Mic 1:7. 1. The gods they worshipped shall be destroyed: The graven images shall be beaten to pieces by the army of the Assyrians, and all the idols shall be laid desolate. Samaria and her idols were ruined together by Sennacherib (Isa 10:11), and their gods cast into the fire, for they were no gods (Isa 37:19); and this was the Lord's doing: I will lay the idols desolate. Note, If the law of God prevail not to make men in authority destroy idols, God will take the work into his own hands, and will do it himself. 2. The gifts that passed between them and their gods shall be destroyed; for all the hires thereof shall be burnt with fire, which may be meant either of the presents they made to their idols for the replenishing of their altars, and the adorning of their statues and temples (these shall become a prey to the victorious army, which shall rifle not only private houses, but the houses of their gods), or of the corn, and wine, and oil, which they called the rewards, or hires, which their idols, their lovers, gave them (Ho 2:12); these shall be taken from them by him whom (by ascribing them to their dear idols) they had defrauded of the honour due to him. Note, That cannot prosper by which men either are hired to sin or hire others to sin; for the wages of sin will be death. She gathered it of the hire of the harlot, and it shall return to the hire of a harlot. They enriched themselves by their leagues with the idolatrous nations, who gave them advantages, to court them into the service of their idols, and their idols' temples were enriched with gifts by those who went a whoring after them. And all this wealth shall become a prey to the idolatrous nations, and so be the hire of a harlot again, wages to an army of idolaters, who shall take it as a reward given them by their gods. It shall be a present to king Jareb, Ho 10:6. What they gave to their idols, and what they thought they got by them, shall be as the hire of a harlot; the curse of God shall be upon it, and it shall never prosper, nor do them any good. It is common that what is squeezed out by one lust is squandered away upon another.
8-16
Judgments Predicted (743 BC)
預言審判 (743 BC)
⁸ 先知說：因此我必大聲哀號，赤腳露體而行；又要呼號如野狗，哀鳴如鴕鳥。
⁹ 因為撒瑪利亞的傷痕無法醫治，延及猶大，到了我百姓的城門，直到耶路撒冷。
¹⁰ 不要在迦特報告這事，總不要哭泣；我在伯亞弗拉滾於灰塵之中。
¹¹ 沙斐的居民哪，你們要赤身蒙羞過去。撒南的居民不敢出來；伯以薛人的哀哭使你們無處可站。
¹² 瑪律的居民心憂望得好处，因為災禍從耶和華那裏降到耶路撒冷的城門口。
¹³ 拉吉的居民哪，要用快馬套車；錫安民的罪由你而起，以色列的罪過在你那裏顯明。
¹⁴ 猶大啊，你要將禮物送給摩利設迦特。亞革悉的眾族必使以色列諸王失望。
¹⁵ 瑪利沙的居民哪，我必使那奪取你的來到你這裏；以色列的尊貴人必到亞杜蘭。
¹⁶ 你當為你所喜愛的兒女剃頭髮、使頭光禿，要使你的光禿如鷹廣闊；因為他們都被擄去離開你了。
我們在此看見一長列送葬者，出席一個傾覆之國的喪禮。
I. 先知自己是主要的送葬者（Mic 1:8,9）：我必大聲哀號，赤腳露體而行——如同一個被悲傷折磨得心神恍惚的人。先知們通常以自己的悲痛來表達對公眾禍患的憂傷，部分是為了柔化他們對這些禍患的預告，使人知道他們宣告神的審判並非出於惡意（他們非但不渴望那災禍之日，反而比任何事都更恐懼它），部分是為了顯明這些災禍將何等可怕可悲，並激發百姓對它們的聖潔畏懼，好使他們藉悔改轉回神的怒氣。注意，我們理當為罪人在今世所受的刑罰哀嘆，如同為聖徒所受的苦難哀嘆一樣；哭泣的先知如此行（Jer 9:1），這位先知也如此行。他如野狗般哀號——或作如胡狼——那些在那些地區的夜間常聚集一起、嚎叫、發出可怕的聲音的猛獸；他如鴕鳥般哀鳴——或作如貓頭鷹或鴕鳥，有人如此讀。先知在此沉痛哀嘆的兩件事：1. 以色列的處境已絕望：她的傷痕無法醫治——這是無藥可救的毀滅；人不能幫助她；神也不願，因為她不肯藉悔改歸正自助。基列確實有乳香，那裏也有醫生；但他們不肯就近醫生，也不肯將乳香敷在自己身上，所以傷痕無法醫治。2. 猶大也同樣處於危險之中。那杯正在傳遞，如今遞到了猶大手中：*仇敵已到了耶路撒冷的城門口。*撒瑪利亞和十個支派被毀之後不久，亞述軍隊在西拿基立的率領下圍攻耶路撒冷，來到了城門，卻不能再向前推進；然而先知預見那驚恐，仍是大為關切憂愁，因他深愛耶路撒冷的平安。
II. 此處有好幾個地方被引入哀悼之中，被呼召要哀哭；但有一個附帶條件——不可讓非利士人聽見（Mic 1:10）：不要在迦特報告這事——這是借用大衛為掃羅和約拿單所作的哀歌（2Sa 1:20）：不要在迦特報告，因為未受割禮的人必因以色列的眼淚而歡喜。注意，人若可以避免，就不願意使那些以神的以色列的罪惡或憂愁來使自己及同伴歡樂的人得意。大衛當惡人在他面前時沉默不語，壓抑自己的憂傷（Ps 39:1）。雖然不出聲地哀哭可能是審慎之舉，但在神的教會遭難時接受一種默默的悲傷卻是本分。要滾於灰塵之中（如大送葬者所行），如此使猶大全家和耶路撒冷每一個家都成為伯亞弗拉——灰塵之家——被灰塵覆蓋，化為灰塵。當神使房屋化為灰塵時，我們理當在神大能的手下自卑，將口伏於塵土之中，如此使自己與關乎我們的護理之工相稱。我們本是塵土；神帶我們歸於塵土，好使我們知道並承認這一點。此處還提到了其他幾個名字，它們也要分擔這普遍的悲哀，其中有些名字我們在別處找不到，因此有人推測這是先知加給它們的名字，其含義可能暗示或加重即將臨到它們的災禍，藉此喚醒這些安逸遲鈍的百姓對神震怒的聖潔畏懼。我們發現西拿基立的入侵在被預告時，也是如此以其對沿途各城所造成的恐怖印象來描述的（Isa 10:28,29等）。讓我們注意此處的細節：1. 沙斐的居民——這名字意為美好和秀麗（旁注讀作你這美麗的居民）——將被擄去，或被迫逃亡，被剝去一切裝飾，赤身蒙羞。注意，那些看起來無論多麼華美講究的人，不知會被置於何等的羞辱之中；而對沙斐的居民來說，這羞辱將更為痛苦。2. 撒南的居民——這名字意為羊群之鄉——人口稠密之地，那裏的人多如羊群，卻將因自己所感受或恐懼的災禍應接不暇，以至不敢出來哀悼伯以薛——意為鄰近之地——的居民，不能向他們遭難的近鄰表示同情或施以援手；因為他使你們無處可站——仇敵要駐紮在你們中間，撒南的居民啊！他必在你們中間找到立足之地。那些發現自己要全力自保、守住自己所有的，確實可以認為自己無暇幫助鄰舍了。3. 至於瑪律的居民（有人認為這是拉末的別稱，也有人認為意為崎嶇之地），他們心憂望得好處，因得不著而憂愁，卻失望了；因為災禍從耶和華那裏降到耶路撒冷的城門口——當亞述軍隊圍攻耶路撒冷時（Mic 1:12）。瑪律的居民看見聖城本身也處於危險之中，自然可以忽略自己的特別災祸；他們看見災禍從耶和華而來，也自然可以忽略那作為工具的亞述人。4. 拉吉是猶大的一座城，西拿基立曾圍攻它（Isa 36:1,2）。那城的居民被呼召去用快馬套車——預備速速逃亡，因為除此之外沒有別的辦法保全自己和家人；或是反諷的說法：你們有過你們的戰車和快馬，如今它們在哪裏呢？神與拉吉的爭論是：她是罪惡的起頭——大概是偶像崇拜之罪——在錫安的女兒中（Mic 1:13）；他們從十個支派——他們的近鄰——那裏學了這罪，又以此感染了兩個支派。注意，那些幫助將罪帶入一國的人，不過是為自己被逐出這國預備道路。那些在罪上作首領的，必先受刑罰。以色列的過犯在你那裏顯明——追溯其源頭時，發現它很大程度上是從那城而起的。神知道以色列的過犯該歸咎於誰，知道誰是有罪的。拉吉既是以色列之罪的同謀，必被清算：你要將禮物送給摩利設迦特——非利士的一座城，可能附屬於那座著名的非利士城市迦特；你要派人去籠絡那城的人來幫助你，卻必徒然，因為（Mic 1:14）亞革悉的眾族——一座與瑪利沙或摩利設相連的城，與之一同被提及（Jos 15:44）——必使以色列諸王失望；雖然他們倚靠其力量，卻必使他們失望。此處有對名字的暗喻。亞革悉意為謊言，它也必如此向那些信靠它的人證明。5. 瑪利沙——不能或不肯幫助以色列——自己必成為掠物（Mic 1:15）：我必使那奪取你的來到你這裏——就是一個仇敵，要佔據你的土地，如同他是合法的繼承人一般滿有把握；他必到亞杜蘭，到以色列的尊貴人那裏——即耶路撒冷那京城；或者說：以色列的尊貴人必到亞杜蘭，成為一個可憐卑微的地方；或者說：以色列所誇耀的亞述王，在蹂躪全地時必來到亞杜蘭。6. 看來整個猶大地都在此被呼喚（Mic 1:16），被召去哭泣哀號：你當剃頭髮……使頭光禿——為你所喜愛的兒女——就是從小嬌生慣養的——使你的光禿如鷹——當它換毛時全身光禿——廣闊；因為他們都被擄去離開你了，也不大可能歸回；他們的被擄對他們尤為痛苦，因為他們從小嬌生慣養，不習慣艱苦。或者這是特別針對瑪利沙的居民說的（Mic 1:15）。那是先知自己的城，他卻宣告神對它的審判；因為它有這樣一位先知卻不知眷顧的時候，這便加重了它的罪。它既如此蒙恩卻不善用這恩典，這恩典不會為它在神面前或在他的先知面前贏得任何青睞。
英文原文
Judgments Predicted (743 BC)
⁸ Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.
⁹ For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.
¹⁰ Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
¹¹ Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of you his standing.
¹² For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.
¹³ O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.
¹⁴ Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.
¹⁵ Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.
¹⁶ Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.
We have here a long train of mourners attending the funeral of a ruined kingdom.
I. The prophet is himself chief mourner (Mic 1:8,9): I will wail and howl; I will go stripped and naked, as a man distracted with grief. The prophets usually expressed their own grief for the public grievances, partly to mollify the predictions of them, and to make it appear that is was not out of ill-will that they denounced the judgments of God (so far were they from desiring the woeful day that they dreaded it more than any thing), partly to show how very dreadful and mournful the calamities would be, and to stir up in the people a holy fear of them, that by repentance they might turn away the wrath of God. Note, We ought to lament the punishments of sinners as well as the sufferings of saints in this world; the weeping prophet did so (Jer 9:1); so did this prophet. He makes a wailing like the dragons, or rather the jackals, ravenous beasts that in those countries used to meet in the night, and howl, and make hideous noises; he mourns as the owls, the screech-owls, or ostriches, as some read it. Two things the prophet here thus dolefully laments:—1. That Israel's case is desperate: Her wound is incurable; it is ruin without remedy; man cannot help her; God will not, because she will not by repentance and reformation help herself. There is indeed balm in Gilead and a physician there; but they will not apply to the physician, nor apply the balm to themselves, and therefore the wound is incurable. 2. That Judah likewise is in danger. The cup is going round, and is now put into Judah's hand: The enemy has come to the gate of Jerusalem. Soon after the destruction of Samaria and the ten tribes, the Assyrian army, under Sennacherib, laid siege to Jerusalem, came to the gate, but could not force their way any further; however, it was with great concern and trouble that the prophet foresaw the fright, so dearly did he love the peace of Jerusalem.
II. Several places are here brought in mourning, and are called upon to mourn; but with this proviso, that they should not let the Philistines hear them (Mic 1:10): Declare it not in Gath; this is borrowed from David's lamentation for Saul and Jonathan (2Sa 1:20), Tell it not in Gath, for the uncircumcised will triumph in Israel's tears. Note, One would not, if it could be helped, gratify those that make themselves and their companions merry with the sins or with the sorrows of God's Israel. David was silent, and stifled his griefs, when the wicked were before him, Ps 39:1. But, though it may be prudent not to give way to a noisy sorrow, yet it is duty to admit a silent one when the church of God is in distress. "Roll thyself in the dust" (as great mourners used to do) "and so let the house of Judah and every house in Jerusalem become a house of Aphrah, a house of dust, covered with dust, crumbled into dust." When God makes the house dust it becomes us to humble ourselves under his mighty hand, and to put our mouths in the dust, thus accommodating ourselves to the providences that concern us. Dust we are; God brings us to the dust, that we may know it, and own it. Divers other places are here named that should be sharers in this universal mourning, the names of some of which we do not find elsewhere, whence it is conjectured that they are names put upon them by the prophet, the signification of which might either indicate or aggravate the miseries coming upon them, thereby to awaken this secure and stupid people to a holy fear of divine wrath. We find Sennacherib's invasion thus described, in the prediction of it, by the impressions of terror it should make upon the several cities that fell in his way, Isa 10:28,29, etc. Let us observe the particulars here, 1. The inhabitants of Saphir, which signifies neat and beautiful (thou that dwellest fairly, so the margin reads it), shall pass away into captivity, or be forced to flee, stripped of all their ornaments and having their shame naked. Note, Those who appear ever so fine and delicate know not what contempt they may be exposed to; and the more grievous will the shame be to those who have been inhabitants of Saphir. 2. The inhabitants of Zaanan, which signifies the country of flocks, a populous country, where the people are as numerous and thick as flocks of sheep, shall yet be so taken up with their own calamities, felt or feared, that they shall not come forth in the mourning of Bethezel, which signifies a place near, shall not condole with, nor bring any succour to, their next neighbours in distress; for he shall receive of you his standing; the enemy shall encamp among you, O inhabitants of Zaanan! shall take up a station there, shall find footing among you. Those may well think themselves excused from helping their neighbours who find they have enough to do to help themselves and to hold their own. 3. As for the inhabitants of Maroth (which, some think, is put for Ramoth, others that it signifies the rough places), they waited carefully for good, and were grieved for the want of it, but were disappointed; for evil came from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem, when the Assyrian army besieged it, Mic 1:12. The inhabitants of Maroth might well overlook their own particular grievances when they saw the holy city itself in danger, and might well overlook the Assyrian, that was the instrument, when they saw the evil coming from the Lord. 4. Lachish was a city of Judah, which Sennacherib laid siege to, Isa 36:1,2. The inhabitants of that city are called to bind the chariot to the swift beast, to prepare for a speedy flight, as having no other way left to secure themselves and their families; or it is spoken ironically: "You have had your chariots and your swift beasts, but where are they now?" God's quarrel with Lachish is that she is the beginning of sin, probably the sin of idolatry, to the daughter of Zion (Mic 1:13); they had learned it from the ten tribes, their near neighbours, and so infected the two tribes with it. Note, Those that help to bring sin into a country do but thereby prepare for the throwing of themselves out of it. Those must expect to be first in the punishment who have been ringleaders in sin. The transgressions of Israel were found in thee; when they came to be traced up to their original they were found to take rise very much from that city. God knows at whose door to lay the blame of the transgressions of Israel, and whom to find guilty. Lachish, having been so much accessory to the sin of Israel, shall certainly be reckoned with: Thou shalt give presents to Moresheth-gath, a city of the Philistines, which perhaps had a dependence upon Gath, that famous Philistine city; thou shalt send to court those of that city to assist thee, but it shall be in vain, for (Mic 1:14) the houses of Achzib (a city which joined to Mareshah, or Moresheth, and is mentioned with it, Jos 15:44) shall be a lie to the kings of Israel; though they depend upon their strength, yet they shall fail them. Here there is an allusion to the name. Achzib signifies a lie, and so it shall prove to those that trust in it. 5. Mareshah, that could not, or would not, help Israel, shall herself be made a prey (Mic 1:15): "I will bring a heir (that is, an enemy) that shall take possession of thy lands, with as much assurance as if he were heir at law to them, and he shall come to Adullam, and to the glory of Israel, that is, to Jerusalem the head city;" or "The glory of Israel shall come to be as Adullam, a poor despicable place;" or, "The king of Assyria, whom Israel had gloried in, shall come to Adullam, in laying the country waste." 6. The whole land of Judah seems to be spoken to (Mic 1:16) and called to weeping and mourning: "Make thee bald, by tearing thy hair and shaving thy head; poll thee for thy delicate children, that had been tenderly and nicely brought up; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle when she casts her feathers and is all over bald; for they have gone into captivity from thee, and are not likely to return; and their captivity will be the more grievous to them because they have been brought up delicately and have not been inured to hardship." Or this is directed particularly to the inhabitants of Mareshah, as Mic 1:15. That was the prophet's own city, and yet he denounces the judgments of God against it; for it shall be an aggravation of its sin that it had such a prophet, and knew not the day of its visitation. Its being thus privileged, since it improved not the privilege, shall not procure favour for it either with God or with his prophet.
在本章中，我們看到：I. 本書的標題（Mic 1:1），以及要求人留心聽的序言（Mic 1:2）。II. 警告以色列與猶大兩國即將臨到的荒涼審判（Mic 1:3,4），這一切都是因罪而起（Mic 1:5）。III. 具體說明毀滅的詳情（Mic 1:6,7）。IV. 以以下兩點說明這毀滅的嚴重性：1. 先知為之哀傷（Mic 1:8,9）；2. 凡將要遭受此災禍的各處地方，也必因此普遍悲哀（Mic 1:10-16）。彌迦的這些預言，大可稱為他的哀歌。