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英文原文
After the precious promises in the two foregoing chapters, relating to the Messiah's kingdom, the prophet is here directed to set the sins of Israel in order before them, for their conviction and humiliation, as necessary to make way for the comfort of gospel-grace. Christ's forerunner was a reprover, and preached repentance, and so prepared his way. Here, I. God enters an action against his people for their base ingratitude, and the bad returns they had made him for his favours, Mic 6:1-5. II. He shows the wrong course they should have taken, Mic 6:6-8. III. He calls upon them to hear the voice of his judgments, and sets the sins in order before them for which he still proceeded in his controversy with them (Mic 6:9), their injustice (Mic 6:10-15), and their idolatry (Mic 6:16), for both which ruin was coming upon them.
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God's Expostulations with His People (710 BC)
神對他百姓的勸戒 (710 BC)
¹ 以色列人哪，當聽耶和華的話！要起來在山嶺前爭論，使岡陵聽你的聲音。
² 山嶺和地永久的根基啊，要聽耶和華爭論的話！因為耶和華與他的百姓爭論，與以色列辯論。
³ 我的百姓啊，我向你做了什麼呢？我在什麼事上使你厭煩？你可以向我證明。
⁴ 我曾將你從埃及地領出來，從作奴僕之家救贖你；我也差遣摩西、亞倫和米利暗在你前面行。
⁵ 我的百姓啊，你們當追念摩押王巴勒所設的謀和比珥的兒子巴蘭回答他的話，並你們從什亭到吉甲所遇見的事，使你們知道耶和華公義的作為。
此處：I. 信息的前言極其莊嚴，足以吸引我們最認真的注意。1. 百姓被命令要聽：以色列人哪，當聽耶和華的話。先知所說的是從神而來、奉神的名說的；因此他們有責任聽——不是把它當作將死之人的話（這話我們可以評判），而是當作聖潔永生神的話（這話我們要受其審判），因為它確實如此。當聽他所說的，因為無論遲早，他必被聽見。2. 先知被命令要鄭重發言，在他所說的話上加上強調：要起來在山嶺前爭論，使岡陵聽你的聲音——若有可能的話；要與猶大的山嶺岡陵爭論——就是那些山嶺岡陵的居民；有人認為這是指他們在其上敬拜偶像、因而被污穢的那些山嶺岡陵。但更應從更廣義上來理解，正如他不僅呼召山嶺，也呼召地永久的根基所表明的。這是要：（1）激發先知的迫切之情；他必須如此激烈地發言，如同他打算使岡陵山嶺都聽見一般，必須大聲呼喊，不可止息；他在神的名下所當說的話，必須在山嶺前公開宣揚，如同一個既不羞愧也不害怕、忠於自己信息的人；他必須以一個關切之人的身分發言——一個渴望對人的心說話、因此顯明自己是從心裏說話的人。（2）揭露百姓的遲鈍愚頑；要使岡陵聽你的聲音，因為這些愚蒙遲鈍的百姓不肯聽，也不肯留意。讓那些沒有耳朵的石頭——地的根基——來聽吧，既然有耳朵的以色列不肯聽。這是向山嶺岡陵發出的訴求；讓它們作見證，證明以色列已經得到了公正的警告和良好的忠告——只要他們肯接受。如此以賽亞也以天哪，要聽！地啊，側耳而聽！為開始。讓它們在神和他的葡萄園之間判斷。
II. 信息本身極其感人。他要讓全世界都知道，神與他的百姓有爭論，對他們有充分的控訴理由。他們的過犯是公開的，因此對他們提出的控訴條款也是公開的。當注意耶和華與他的百姓爭論，他必與以色列辯論——他要藉先知辯論，藉護理辯論，以證實他的控訴。注意：1. 罪在神與人之間惹起爭論。公義的神對每一個罪人都有訴訟——債務之訴、侵權之訴、誹謗之訴。2. 如果以色列——神自己宣稱的百姓——因罪惹動他，他必讓他們知道他與他們有爭論；他看見他們中間的罪，並為此不悅——不，他們的罪比別人的罪更令他不悅，因為這更使他的聖靈擔憂，更使他的名受辱。3. 神要與他所爭論的人辯論——與他的百姓以色列辯論，使他們知罪，也使他得以稱義。在前一章結尾，他在怒氣和憤恨中與列邦辯論，為要使他們滅亡；但此處他以憐憫和溫柔與以色列辯論，為要使他們悔改——來吧，我們彼此辯論。神與我們辯論，為要教導我們與自己辯論。請看神之案的公正，它經得起辯論，罪人自己也必被迫承認判決，承認神的道路公平，而他們的道路不公平（Eze 18:25）。如今，（1）神在此挑戰他們，要他們指出他曾做了什麼損害他們的事，以致他們有理由離棄他。他們已經背叛了神、悖逆了他；但他們這樣做有任何理由嗎？（Mic 6:3）：我的百姓啊，我向你做了什麼呢？我在什麼事上使你厭煩？如果臣民脫離對君王的效忠，他們總會假裝（正如十個支派背叛羅波安時所做的那樣），他的軛太重了；但你們能假裝這樣的事嗎？我向你做了什麼不義或不仁慈的事？我在什麼事上以服役的重擔或進貢的勒索使你厭煩了？我豈是以祭物使你伺候嗎？（Isa 43:23）你們的列祖見我中有什麼不義呢？（Jer 2:5）他從未欺騙過我們，也從未令我們對他的期望落空，從未虧待過我們，也從未使我們蒙羞；那我們為什麼還要虧待他、羞辱他，使他对我們的期望落空呢？這是向一切曾經事奉過神的人發出的挑戰——若他們在任何事上發現他是一位嚴苛的主人，或發現他的要求不合理，就可以作證控告他。（2）他們既然舉不出他曾做了什麼損害他們的事，他就要向他們展示他曾為他們所做的大量恩惠，這些本當使他們永遠歸屬於他、事奉他（Mic 6:4,5）。他們在此被引導——我們也在他們之中——在回顧屬神的恩惠時往遠處看；當記念從前的日子、最初的日子，就是他們被組成百姓的時候，以及神為他們所行的大事。[1] 當他將他們從埃及——他們為奴之地——領出來的時候（Mic 6:4）。他們滿足於自己的奴役，幾乎愛上了自己的鎖鏈——因為有豐盛的蔥蒜可吃；但神將他們領出來，激發了他們對自由的渴望，又以堅定的決心激勵他們，以勇敢的行動掙脫枷鎖。埃及人緊緊抓住他們，不肯放他們走；但神救贖了他們——不是以代價，而是以大能——從作奴僕之家領出來；這與十誡序言中所用的詞相同，暗示那些作為本分理由的考量，若我們不善加利用，就必被用來加重我們的罪。當他將他們從埃及帶入廣大的曠野——那吼叫的荒野——時，他既沒有讓自己沒有見證，也沒有讓他們沒有引導者，因為他在他們前面差遣了摩西、亞倫和米利暗——迦勒底文意譯說三位先知：摩西是舊約的大先知，亞倫是他的先知（Ex 7:1），米利暗是女先知（Ex 15:20）。注意，當我們追念神從前對我們的憐憫時，不可忘記我們年幼時良善的老師和治理者的恩惠；那些在我們前頭行、說這是正路，要行在其間的人，當為神的榮耀而被提起，因為是神在我們前面差遣了他們，為要預備主的道路、為他預備百姓。[2] 當他將他們帶進迦南的時候。神將他們帶進安息之地時為他們所行的，與他將他們從為奴之地帶出來時所行的同樣榮耀自己、尊榮他們。當摩西、亞倫和米利暗都死了之後，他們發現神仍不改變。當記念神為他們所行的：第一，在挫敗和擊潰巴勒和巴蘭對他們的計謀上——他藉著對人心和人舌所擁有的權能如此行（Mic 6:5）。當記念摩押王巴勒所設的謀——他為以色列設計了什麼禍患，當他們在摩押平原安營的時候；他所謀算的是咒詛以色列，在他們和他們的神之間製造隔閡，使神不再保護他們。在外邦人中，當他們攻擊一個民族時，他們竭力以法術或別的方法將對方的守護神引走，如同奪取特洛伊的帕拉斯神像。馬克羅比烏斯有一章論召喚神明的儀式。巴勒也要對以色列試一試這手段；但當記念比珥的兒子巴蘭回答他的話——與他自己的意圖和意願何等相反；他不但沒有咒詛以色列，反而祝福了他們，使巴勒極其混亂懊惱。當記念外邦人對他們的惡意，因此絕不可效法外邦人的道，也不可與他們結交。當記念他們的神對他們的恩惠——他如何將咒詛變為祝福（因為耶和華你的神愛你，如De 23:5所言），因此絕不可離棄他。注意，教會仇敵計謀的挫敗，理當永遠被記念以歸榮耀給教會的保護者，他能使舌頭的應對直接與心中的籌謀和計議相違背（Pr 16:1）。第二，在將他們從什亭——他們在迦南之外的最後一站——帶到吉甲——他們在迦南的第一站。正是在什亭和吉甲之間，摩西死後，約書亞——基督的預表——被興起，使以色列得著應許之地為業，並為他們爭戰；正是在那裏，他們經過分開的約旦河水，又重新行了割禮之約；這些神對他們列祖所施的憐憫，他們如今當記念，好使他們知道耶和華公義的作為——他的公義（原文如此），就是他毀滅迦南人的公義、他賜安息給他百姓以色列的良善、以及他對列祖所應許的信實。記念神對他們所行的這一切，就能使他們知罪，並使他們永遠歸屬於他、事奉他。或者他們可以將此應用於如今神與以色列之間所辯論的爭論；當記念神對他們和他們列祖的種種恩惠，將之與他們對他所行忘恩負義的事相比較，好使你們知道耶和華公義的作為——知道他與他們爭論是公義的，並顯明在這場爭論中理在他那邊；他的道路是公平的，因為他說話時必被稱為義，審判時必顯為清。
英文原文
God's Expostulations with His People (710 BC)
¹ Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
² Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.
³ O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.
⁴ For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
⁵ O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.
Here, I. The prefaces to the message are very solemn and such as may engage our most serious attention. 1. The people are commanded to give audience: Hear you now what the Lord says. What the prophet speaks he speaks from God, and in his name; they are therefore bound to hear it, not as the word of a sinful dying man, but of the holy living God. Hear now what he saith, for, first or last, he will be heard. 2. The prophet is commanded to speak in earnest, and to put an emphasis upon what he said: Arise, contend thou before the mountains, or with the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice, if it were possible; contend with the mountains and hills of Judea, that is, with the inhabitants of those mountains and hills; and, some think, reference is had to those mountains and hills on which they worshipped idols and which were thus polluted. But it is rather to be taken more generally, as appears by his call, not only to the mountains, but to the strong foundations of the earth, pursuant to the instructions given him. This is designed, (1.) To excite the earnestness of the prophet; he must speak as vehemently as if he designed to make even the hills and mountains hear him, must cry aloud, and not spare; what he had to say in God's name he must proclaim publicly before the mountains, as one that was neither ashamed nor afraid to own his message; he must speak as one concerned, as one that desired to speak to the heart, and therefore appeared to speak from the heart. (2.) To expose the stupidity of the people; "Let the hills hear thy voice, for this senseless careless people will not hear it, will not heed it. Let the rocks, the foundations of the earth, that have no ears, hear, since Israel, that has ears, will not hear." It is an appeal to the mountains and hills; let them bear witness that Israel has fair warning given them, and good counsel, if they would but take it. Thus Isaiah begins with, Hear, O heavens! and give ear, O earth! Let them judge between God and his vineyard.
II. The message itself is very affecting. He is to let all the world know that God has a quarrel with his people, good ground for an action against them. Their offences are public, and therefore so are the articles of impeachment exhibited against them. Take notice the Lord has a controversy with his people and he will plead with Israel, will plead by his prophets, plead by his providences, to make good his charge. Note, 1. Sin begets a controversy between God and man. The righteous God has an action against every sinner, an action of debt, an action of trespass, an action of slander. 2. If Israel, God's own professing people, provoke him by sin, he will let them know that he has a controversy with them; he sees sin in them, and is displeased with it, nay, their sins are more displeasing to him than the sins of others, as they are a greater grief to his Spirit and dishonour to his name. 3. God will plead with those whom he has a controversy with, will plead with his people Israel, that they may be convinced and that he may be justified. In the close of the foregoing chapter he pleaded with the heathen in anger and fury, to bring them to ruin; but here he pleads with Israel in compassion and tenderness, to bring them to repentance, Come now, and let us reason together. God reasons with us, to teach us to reason with ourselves. See the equity of God's cause, it will bear to be pleaded, and sinners themselves will be forced to confess judgment, and to own that God's ways are equal, but their ways are unequal, Eze 18:25. Now, (1.) God here challenges them to show what he had done against them which might give them occasion to desert him. They had revolted from God and rebelled against him; but had they any cause to do so? (Mic 6:3): "O my people! what have I done unto thee? Wherein have I wearied thee?" If subjects quit their allegiance to their prince, they will pretend (as the ten tribes did when they revolted from Rehoboam), that his yoke is too heavy for them; but can you pretend any such thing? What have I done to you that is unjust or unkind? Wherein have I wearied you with the impositions of service or the exactions of tribute? Have I made you to serve with an offering? Isa 43:23. What iniquity have your fathers found in me? Jer 2:5. He never deceived us, nor disappointed our expectations from him, never did us wrong, nor put disgrace upon us; why then do we wrong and dishonour him, and frustrate his expectations from us? Here is a challenge to all that ever were in God's service to testify against him if they have found him, in any thing, a hard Master, or if they have found his demands unreasonable. (2.) Since they could not show any thing that he had done against them, he will show them a great deal that he has done for them, which should have engaged them for ever to his service, Mic 6:4,5. They are here directed, and we in them, to look a great way back in their reviews of the divine favour; let them remember their former days, their first days, when they were formed into a people, and the great things God did for them, [1.] When he brought them out of Egypt, the land of their bondage, Mic 6:4. They were content with their slavery, and almost in love with their chains, for the sake of the garlic and onions they had plenty of; but God brought them up, inspired them with an ambition of liberty and animated them with a resolution by a bold effort to shake off their fetters. The Egyptians held them fast, and would not let the people go; but God redeemed them, not by price, but by force, out of the house of servants, or, rather, the house of bondage, for it is the same word that is used in the preface to the ten commandments, which insinuates that the considerations which are arguments for duty, if they be not improved by us, will be improved against us as aggravations of sin. When he brought them out of Egypt into a vast howling wilderness, as he left not himself without witness, so he left not them without guides, for he sent before them Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, three prophets (says the Chaldee paraphrase), Moses the great prophet of the Old Testament, Aaron his prophet (Ex 7:1), and Miriam a prophetess, Ex 15:20. Note, When we are calling to mind God's former mercies to us we must not forget the mercy of good teachers and governors when we were young; let those be made mention of, to the glory of God, who went before us, saying, This is the way, walk in it; it was God that sent them before us, to prepare the way of the Lord and to prepare a people for him. [2.] When he brought them into Canaan. God no less glorified himself, and honoured them, in what he did for them when he brought them into the land of their rest than in what he did for them when he brought them out of the land of their servitude. When Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, were dead, yet they found God the same. Let them remember now what God did for them, First, In baffling and defeating the designs of Balak and Balaam against them, which he did by the power he has over the hearts and tongues of men, Mic 6:5. Let them remember what Balak the king of Moab consulted, what mischief he devised and designed to do to Israel, when they encamped in the plains of Moab; that which he consulted was to curse Israel, to divide between them and their God, and to disengage him from the protection of them. Among the heathen, when they made war upon any people, they endeavoured by magic charms or otherwise to get from them their tutelar gods, as to rob Troy of its Palladium. Macrobius has a chapter de ritu evocandi Deos—concerning the solemnity of calling out the gods. Balak would try this against Israel; but remember what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, how contrary to his own intention and inclination; instead of cursing Israel, he blessed them, to the extreme confusion and vexation of Balak. Let them remember the malice of the heathen against them, and for that reason never learn the way of the heathen, nor associate with them. Let them remember the kindness of their God to them, how he turned the curse into a blessing (because the Lord thy God loved thee, as it is, De 23:5), and for that reason never forsake him. Note, The disappointing of the devices of the church's enemies ought always to be remembered to the glory of the church's protector, who can make the answer of the tongue directly to contradict the preparation and consultation of the heart, Pr 16:1. Secondly, In bringing them from Shittim, their last lodgment out of Canaan, unto Gilgal, their first lodgment in Canaan. There it was, between Shittim and Gilgal, that, upon the death of Moses, Joshua, a type of Christ, was raised up to put Israel in possession of the land of promise and to fight their battles; there it was that they passed over Jordan through the divided waters, and renewed the covenant of circumcision; these mercies of God to their fathers they must now remember, that they may know the righteousness of the Lord, his righteousness (so the word is), his justice in destroying the Canaanites, his goodness in giving rest to his people Israel, and his faithfulness to his promise made unto the fathers. The remembrance of what God had done to them might convince them of all this, and engage them for ever to his service. Or they may refer to the controversy now pleaded between God and Israel; let them remember God's many favours to them and their fathers, and compare with them their unworthy ungrateful conduct towards him, that they may know the righteousness of the Lord in contending with them, and it may appear that in this controversy he has right on his side; his ways are equal, for he will be justified when he speaks, and clear when he judges.
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Anxiety Respecting the Divine Favour (710 BC)
關於蒙神喜悅的焦慮 (710 BC)
⁶ 我朝見耶和華，在至高神面前跪拜，當獻上什麼呢？豈可獻一歲的牛犢為燔祭嗎？
⁷ 耶和華豈喜悅千千的公羊，或是萬萬的油河嗎？我豈可為自己的過犯獻我的長子，為心中的罪惡獻我身所生的嗎？
⁸ 世人哪，他已指示你何為善。耶和華向你所要的是什麼呢？只要你行公義，好憐憫，存謙卑的心，與你的神同行。
此處是在本章開頭時彼此不和的兩方——神與以色列——之間調解的方案。在審判中，判決對以色列不利；他們被裁定對神不義和忘恩負義——即他們被控告的罪名。他們的罪太明顯以至不能否認，太大以至不能開脫，因此：
I. 他們表示渴望在任何條件下與神和好（Mic 6:6,7）：我朝見耶和華……當獻上什麼呢？他們既已明白神與他們爭論的公義，又懼怕其後果，便查究自己當做什麼才能與神和好、使他成為自己的朋友。他們向一個合適的人提出這個問題——向先知、耶和華的使者——他們是藉著他的事奉才被知罪的。誰比那使他們知道自己偏離正路的人更適合指示他們的道路呢？值得注意的是每個人都為自己說話：我朝見……當獻上什麼呢？各人既知自己心中的瘟疫，便問的不是這人當做什麼？而是我當做什麼？注意，對罪和震怒的深刻認識，會促使人認真尋求平安和赦免，而那時——也只有那時——才開始對他們有些指望。他們查問當獻上什麼才可以朝見耶和華、在至高神面前跪拜。他們相信有一位神，他是耶和華，他是至高神——至高者。良心被觸及的人學會以極尊貴的話論到神——這位他們從前輕描淡寫地論到的神。如今：1. 我們知道我們必須朝見神；他是我們要與之打交道的神；我們必須如臣民來朝貢、如乞丐來乞討那樣來到他面前，不，我們必須來到他面前如罪犯來受判決，必須作為我們的審判官來到他面前。2. 當我們來到他面前時，我們必須在他面前跪拜；以極度的謙卑和敬畏來就近他，是我們的本分；而當我們來到他面前時，除了順服別無他法；與他爭辯是徒然的。3. 當我們來到並跪拜在他面前時，我們最關心的是蒙他的喜悅、被他悅納；他們的問題是：*耶和華喜悅什麼呢？*注意，一切正確明白自己利益的人，不能不急切地關心自己當做什麼才能討神喜悅、避免他的不悅並得著他的恩寵。4. 為使神喜悅我們，我們必須關心的是：我們得罪他的罪可能被除去，並為之贖罪。此處的問題是：*我當為我的過犯獻上什麼，為我靈魂的罪獻上什麼呢？*注意，我們所犯的過犯是我們靈魂的罪——因為是靈魂在行它（沒有靈魂的作為就不是罪），靈魂也因之受苦；它是靈魂的疾病和污穢，威脅要成為靈魂的死亡：*我當為我的過犯獻上什麼呢？*什麼才能被悅納為滿足他公義的補償、修補他尊榮的賠償？什麼才能庇護我免受他的怒氣？5. 因此我們必須問：*我們當獻上什麼才可以朝見他？*我們不可空手朝見耶和華。我們當帶什麼來？當以怎樣的方式來？當奉誰的名來？我們在自己裏面沒有什麼能使我們蒙他悅納的，必須從別處得著。那麼我們當以怎樣的義朝見他呢？
II. 他們為此提出方案——雖然是這樣的方案。他們的問題是很好的、很對的，是我們所有人都當提出的，但他們的方案卻暴露了他們的無知，雖然也顯出了他們的熱心；讓我們來檢驗它們：
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他們出價很高。他們獻上：（1）極其豐富和昂貴的——千千的公羊。神要求一隻公羊作贖罪祭；他們獻上成群的公羊——他們全部的家產，只要能與神和好，甘願使自己成為乞丐。他們要獻上最好的——公羊，而且獻上最多——直到千千。（2）對他們極其寶貴、他們最不捨得捨棄的。他們可以甘心捨棄自己的長子為自己的過犯——如果這能被悀納為贖罪祭——獻上身所生的為靈魂的罪。對那些思念變為虛妄的人來說，這似乎是為罪作補償的一個可行方法，因為我們的兒女是我們的一部分；因此外邦人獻上自己的兒女為祭，以平息被觸怒的神明。注意，那些真正認識罪——認識罪的惡毒，以及因之而來的悲慘和危險——的人，若擁有全世界，必甘願為平安和赦免獻上一切。
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然而他們出價不正確。誠然，這些事中有一些是儀文律法所設立的——如將燔祭獻到神的祭壇、一歲的牛犢、為贖罪祭的公羊、以及為素祭的油；但單靠這些不能使他們蒙神悅納。神屢次宣告聽命勝於獻祭，順從勝於公羊的脂油，祭物和禮物他不喜悅；律法的祭物之所以有價值和功效，是出於設立，以及它們與基督這偉大的挽回祭的關聯；但除此之外，就其自身而言，公牛和山羊的血斷不能除罪。至於此處所提到的其他事物：（1）其中有些是不可行的事，如油河——自然界並未供應油河以滿足人的奢侈，只供應水河以供應人的需要。一切不合乎福音的和平方案都是荒謬的。基督寶血的一滴比萬萬的油河更寶貴。（2）其中有些是邪惡的事，如將我們的長子和身所生的獻死——這不過加增過犯和靈魂的罪。恨惡搶奪為燔祭的他，更恨惡謀殺——這樣的謀殺。我們對自己的長子和身所生的有什麼權利？他們豈不是屬於神的嗎？豈不是他已經擁有的，是為他而生的嗎？他們豈不是生來就是罪人，他們的生命因自己的緣故已經被定罪嗎？那麼他們怎能作我們的贖價呢？（3）這一切都是外在的事——屬於那益處不多的身體操練，不能使來到的人得以完全。（4）這一切都是無關緊要的，不足以達到所期望的目的；它們不能滿足神公義的要求，也不能補償罪對神尊榮的虧損，更不能取代心靈的成聖和生活的改革。人什麼都肯捨棄，就是不願捨棄罪；但他們除非捨棄罪，否則所捨棄的沒有什麼能蒙神悅納。
III. 神坦白地告訴他們，他向那些要蒙他悅納的人要求和堅持的是什麼（Mic 6:8）。讓那些以為罪得赦免和神的恩寵可以如此購買的人，他們的金錢與他們一同滅亡吧；不，*世人哪，他已指示你何為善。*此處我們被告知：
- 神已經向我們啟示了他的心意和旨意，以糾正我們的錯誤、指引我們的實踐。（1）是神親自指示了我們當做的事。我們不必費心去提案——條件已經定好、已經陳明。我們所得罪的那一位、我們要向他交帳的那一位，已經告訴了我們他在什麼條件下才與我們和好。（2）他是指示人——不僅是指示你以色列人，更是指示你世人哪！外邦人和猶太人都是如此——指示人，就是有理性的受造物、能領受這啟示的人，而不是指示畜類——指示人，就是為他們預備了救贖的人，不是指示那些處境絕望的魔鬼。對所有地方所有人普遍說的話，必須憑信心應用到我們自己身上，如同是專門對你世人哪說的、不是對別人說的。（3）這是一個關於何為善以及耶和華向你所要的是什麼的啟示。他指示了我們當追求的目標——以指示我們何為善，即我們真正的幸福在於什麼；他又指示了我們當走的道路——以指示他向我們要求的是什麼。神要求我們為他做、獻給他的事是有的；而且這是好的。這在本身是好的；道德本分有固有的善良，先於命令存在；它們不像儀文的遵守那樣因被命令而成為善，而是因為是善的才被命令——與善惡永恆的法則和理性相符，這法則是不改變的。它也直接有益於我們的益處；我們順從它不僅是將來幸福的條件，更是現在幸福的重要途徑；遵守神的誡命便有大賞賜——在遵守之後有，在遵守之中也有。（4）這是指示給我們的。神不僅使之被人知道，更使之清楚明白；他以足以構成明證的證據向我們啟示了它。看哪，我們已經查究，本是如此。
2. 這啟示是什麼。神向我們要求的善，不是為罪的赦免和蒙神悅納而付出代價，而是盡那作為我們得著所買贖之赦免的條件的本分。（1）我們必須行公義——必須將各人所當得的歸給他，照我們與他的關係和義務而行；我們不可虧負任何人，倒要向所有人在身體、財物和名譽上行正。（2）我們必須好憐憫——必須以之為樂，正如我們的神所行的，必以行善為機會為樂，並甘心樂意地行。公義放在憐憫之前，因為我們不可將以不義手段得來的、或本當用來還債的作為施捨。神恨惡搶奪為燔祭。（3）我們必須存謙卑的心，與你的神同行。這包含第一塊法版的一切本分，正如前兩者包含第二塊法版的一切本分。我們必須以耶和華為我們立約的神，必須跟隨他、依附他為我們的神，並以討他喜悅為我們持續的關切和事業。以諾與神同行被解釋為（Heb 11:5）他討神喜悅。我們必須在我們整個行事為人的過程中，順服神的旨意，保持與神的相交，並努力在正直中蒙他喜悅；而且我們必須謙卑地如此行（將我們的悟性順服於神的真理，將我們的意志順服於他的命令和護理）；我們必須謙卑自己與神同行（旁注如此讀）；我們裏面每一個心思都必須被擄來，使之順服神，我們才能與他舒適地同行。這就是神所要求的，沒有這些，最昂貴的事奉也不過是虛妄的祭物；這比一切的燔祭和祭祀更為重要。
英文原文
Anxiety Respecting the Divine Favour (710 BC)
⁶ Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
⁷ Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
⁸ He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Here is the proposal for accommodation between God and Israel, the parties that were at variance in the beginning of the chapter. Upon the trial, judgment is given against Israel; they are convicted of injustice and ingratitude towards God, the crimes with which they stood charged. Their guilt is too plain to be denied, too great to be excused, and therefore,
I. They express their desires to be at peace with God upon any terms (Mic 6:6,7): Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? Being made sensible of the justice of God's controversy with them, and dreading the consequences of it, they were inquisitive what they might do to be reconciled to God and to make him their friend. They apply to a proper person, with this enquiry, to the prophet, the Lord's messenger, by whose ministry they had been convinced. Who so fit to show them their way as he that had made them sensible of their having missed it? And it is observable that each one speaks for himself: Wherewith shall I come? Knowing every one the plague of his own heart, they ask, not, What shall this man do? But, What shall I do? Note, Deep convictions of guilt and wrath will put men upon careful enquiries after peace and pardon, and then, and not till then, there begins to be some hope of them. They enquire wherewith they may come before the Lord, and bow themselves before the high God. They believe there is a God, that he is Jehovah, and that he is the high God, the Most High. Those whose consciences are convinced learn to speak very honourably of God, whom before they spoke slightly of. Now, 1. We know we must come before God; he is the God with whom we have to do; we must come as subjects, to pay our homage to him, as beggars, to ask alms from him, nay, we must come before him, as criminals, to receive our doom from him, must come before him as our Judge. 2. When we come before him we must bow before him; it is our duty to be very humble and reverent in our approaches to him; and, when we come before him, there is no remedy but we must submit; it is to no purpose to contend with him. 3. When we come and bow before him it is our great concern to find favour with him, and to be accepted of him; their enquiry is, What will the Lord be pleased with? Note, All that rightly understand their own interest cannot but be solicitous what they must do to please God, to avoid his displeasure and to obtain his good-will. 4. In order to God's being pleased with us, our care must be that the sin by which we have displeased him may be taken away, and an atonement made for it. The enquiry here is, What shall I give for my transgression, for the sin of my soul? Note, The transgression we are guilty of is the sin of our soul, for the soul acts it (without the soul's act it is not sin) and the soul suffers by it; it is the disorder, disease, and defilement of the soul, and threatens to be the death of it: What shall I give for my transgressions? What will be accepted as a satisfaction to his justice, a reparation of his honour? And what will avail to shelter me from his wrath? 5. We must therefore ask, Wherewith may we come before him? We must not appear before the Lord empty. What shall we bring with us? In what manner must we come? In whose name must we come? We have not that in ourselves which will recommend us to him, but must have it from another. What righteousness then shall we appear before him in?
II. They make proposals, such as they are, in order to it. Their enquiry was very good and right, and what we are all concerned to make, but their proposals betray their ignorance, though they show their zeal; let us examine them:—
1. They bid high. They offer, (1.) That which is very rich and costly—thousands of rams. God required one ram for a sin-offering; they proffer flocks of them, their whole stock, will be content to make themselves beggars, so that they may but be at peace with God. They will bring the best they have, the rams, and the most of them, till it comes to thousands. (2.) That which is very dear to them, and which they would be most loth to part with. They could be content to part with their first-born for their transgressions, if that would be accepted as an atonement, and the fruit of their body for the sin of their soul. To those that had become vain in their imaginations this seemed a probable expedient of making satisfaction for sin, because our children are pieces of ourselves; and therefore the heathen sacrificed their children, to appease their offended deities. Note, Those that are thoroughly convinced of sin, of the malignity of it, and of their misery and danger by reason of it, would give all the world, if they had it, for peace and pardon.
2. Yet they do not bid right. It is true some of these things were instituted by the ceremonial law, as the bringing of burnt-offerings to God's altar, and calves of a year old, rams for sin-offerings, and oil for the meat-offerings; but these alone would not recommend them to God. God had often declared that to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams, that sacrifice and offering he would not; the legal sacrifices had their virtue and value from the institution, and the reference they had to Christ the great propitiation; but otherwise, of themselves, it was impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin. And as to the other things here mentioned, (1.) Some of them are impracticable things, as rivers of oil, which nature has not provided to feed men's luxury, but rivers of water to supply men's necessity. All the proposals of peace but those that are according to the gospel are absurd. One stream of the blood of Christ is worth ten thousand rivers of oil. (2.) Some of them are wicked things, as to give our first-born and the fruit of our body to death, which would but add to the transgression and the sin of the soul. He that hates robbery for burnt-offerings much more hates murder, such murder. What right have we to our first born and the fruit of our body? Do they not belong to God? Are they not his already, and born to him? Are they not sinners by nature, and their lives forfeited upon their own account? How then can they be a ransom for ours? (3.) They are all external things, parts of that bodily exercise which profiteth little, and which could not make the comers thereunto perfect. (4.) They are all insignificant, and insufficient to attain the end proposed; they could not answer the demands of divine justice, nor satisfy the wrong done to God in his honour by sin, nor would they serve in lieu of the sanctification of the heart and the reformation of the life. Men will part with any thing rather than their sins, but they part with nothing to God's acceptance unless they part with them.
III. God tells them plainly what he demands, and insists upon, from those that would be accepted of him, Mic 6:8. Let their money perish with them that think the pardon of sin and the favour of God may be so purchased; no, God has shown thee, O man! what is good. Here we are told,
1. That God has made a discovery of his mind and will to us, for the rectifying of our mistakes and the direction of our practice. (1.) It is God himself that has shown us what we must do. We need not trouble ourselves to make proposals, the terms are already settled and laid down. He whom we have offended, and to whom we are accountable, has told us upon what conditions he will be reconciled to us. (2.) It is to man that he has shown it, not only to thee, O Israel! but to thee, O man! Gentiles as well as Jews—to men, who are rational creatures, and capable of receiving the discovery, and not to brutes,—to men, for whom a remedy is provided, not to devils, whose case is desperate. What is spoken to all men every where in general, must by faith be applied to ourselves in particular, as if it were spoken to thee, O man! by name, and to no other. (3.) It is a discovery of that which is good, and which the Lord requires of us. He has shown us our end, which we should aim at, in showing us what is good, wherein our true happiness does consist; he has shown us our way in which we must walk towards that end in showing us what he requires of us. There is something which God requires we should do for him and devote to him; and it is good. It is good in itself; there is an innate goodness in moral duties, antecedent to the command; they are not, as ceremonial observances, good because they are commanded, but commanded because they are good, consonant to the eternal rule and reason of good and evil, which are unalterable. It has likewise a direct tendency to our good; our conformity to it is not only the condition of our future happiness, but is a great expedient of our present happiness; in keeping God's commandments there is great reward, as well as after keeping them. (4.) It is shown us. God has not only made it known, but made it plain; he has discovered it to us with such convincing evidence as amounts to a demonstration. Lo this, we have searched it, so it is.
2. What that discovery is. The good which God requires of us is not the paying of a price for the pardon of sin and acceptance with God, but doing the duty which is the condition of our interest in the pardon purchased. (1.) We must do justly, must render to all their due, according as our relation and obligation to them are; we must do wrong to none, but do right to all, in their bodies, goods, and good name. (2.) We must love mercy; we must delight in it, as our God does, must be glad of an opportunity to do good, and do it cheerfully. Justice is put before mercy, for we must not give that in alms which is wrongfully got, or with which our debts should be paid. God hates robbery for a burnt-offering. (3.) We must walk humbly with our God. This includes all the duties of the first table, as the two former include all the duties of the second table. We must take the Lord for our God in covenant, must attend on him and adhere to him as ours, and must make it our constant care and business to please him. Enoch's walking with God is interpreted (Heb 11:5) his pleasing God. We must, in the whole course of our conversation, conform ourselves to the will of God, keep up our communion with God, and study to approve ourselves to him in our integrity; and this we must do humbly (submitting our understandings to the truths of God and our will to his precepts and providences); we must humble ourselves to walk with God (so the margin reads it); every thought within us must be brought down, to be brought into obedience to God, if we would walk comfortably with him. This is that which God requires, and without which the most costly services are vain oblations; this is more than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices.
9-16
Accusations and Threatenings (710 BC)
控告與威脅 (710 BC)
⁹ 耶和華向這城呼喚，智慧人必敬畏你的名。你們當聽那杖和派定杖的。
¹⁰ 惡人家中不仍有不義之財和可惡的小升斗嗎？
¹¹ 我豈可因惡人的天平和他們袋中詭詐的法碼算他為清潔呢？
¹² 城裏的富戶滿了強暴，其中的居民也說謊言，他們的舌頭是詭詐的。
¹³ 因此我擊打你，使你的傷痕甚重，使你因你的罪惡荒涼。
¹⁴ 你要吃，卻不得飽；你的虛弱必顯在你中間。你必挪移，卻不得拯救；你所拯救的，我必交給刀劍。
¹⁵ 你必撒種，卻不得收割；你必踹橄欖，卻不得油抹身；你必踹葡萄，卻不得酒喝。
¹⁶ 因為你守暗利的惡規，行亞哈家一切所行的，隨從他們的計謀；因此我必使你荒涼，使你的居民令人嗤笑。你們也必擔當我民的羞辱。
神既已指示他們行公義是何等必要，此處又向他們顯明他們行了不義是何等明顯；既然他們不服從他的爭論，也不走正當的道路使之平息，此處他便繼續推進。請注意：
I. 控訴是怎樣提起的（Mic 6:9）。神向這城——向耶路撒冷、向撒瑪利亞——說話。他的聲音藉著他的僕人眾先知向它呼喊，他們要大聲呼喊，不可止息。注意，先知的聲音就是耶和華的聲音，它向這城呼喊，也向全國呼喊。智慧豈不呼喊？（Pr 8:1）。當一城的罪向神呼喊時，他的聲音就向這城呼喊；而當神的審判將臨到一城時，他的聲音必先向它呼喊。他在擊傷之前先警告，因為他不願有一人沉淪。如今請注意：1. 神的聲音如何被一些人辨識：智慧人必敬畏你的名。當神的聲音向我們呼喊時，我們可以藉之看見他的名——可以辨識和察覺他藉以啟示自己的作為。然而許多人看不見，不覺察，因為他們不留心。神說一次，兩次，他們卻不察覺（Job 33:14）；但那些智慧人必看見、覺察，並善加運用。注意，在神的聲音中發現神的名，從神的話語中認識他是怎樣的神，這是真正智慧的表現。智慧人必敬畏你的名，因為認識至聖者便是聰明。2. 這神的聲音對所有人說什麼：你們當聽那杖和派定杖的。當杖將要到來時當聽它；在你看見它、感受它之前，從遠處就當聽它；並被喚醒去迎見神——在他審判的道路上。當杖已經來到、實際臨到你身上、你感受到它的痛苦時當聽它；聽它向你說了什麼——什麼conviction、什麼勸戒、什麼警戒。注意，每一根杖都有聲音，在神的杖中當聽見的是神的聲音；能明白杖的語言的人有福了——我們若要如此，就必須仰望那派定它的。注意，每一根杖都是被派定的——是什麼種類、落在何處、停留多久。神在每一次患難中為我們成就所派定的事（Job 23:14），因此我們必須仰望他、向他側耳；我們必須聽他藉著患難對我們說的話。當聽，當知道是為你的益處（Job 5:6）。傳道人的工作是解釋神的護理，並激發和引導人學習其中所教導的功課。
II. 控訴的根據是什麼，控告他們的事是什麼。
1. 他們被控告不義——一項違背第二塊法版的罪。在他們中間仍然能找到欺詐行事的記號和手段嗎？怎麼！在神用了一切方法教導他們行公義之後，他們還要行不義嗎？看來他們要如此行（Mic 6:10）。我豈可算他為清潔嗎？（Mic 6:11）。不；這是一項與純潔的信仰告白絕不相容的罪。那些在交易中不誠實的人沒有神兒女的印記，無論他們在敬虔上有多麼外在的表現，也永不算為清潔。不要自欺，神是輕慢不得的。當一個人被懷疑偷竊或欺詐時，治安官會發出搜查令搜查他的房屋。神在此如同搜查那些市民的房屋，在那裏他找到了：（1）不義之財——大量的財富，卻是不義之財，不可能興盛；因為不義之財毫無益處。（2）可惡的小升斗——他們以此賣給窮人，從而勒索和欺騙他們。（3）他們有惡人的天平和詭詐的法碼袋，藉此在假裝稱量所賣之物、給買方公道的份量時，對買方行了最大的虧負（Mic 6:11）。（4）那些手中握有財富和權力的人濫用它們來欺壓和勒索；城裏的富戶滿了強暴；因為那些擁有多的想要更多，而且因財富豐富所賜的權力而有能力得到更多。他們滿了強暴——就是他們的房屋中滿了以暴力得來的東西。（5）那些沒有以財富行惡之利的人卻找到了欺騙與他們交易之人的方法：其中的居民也說謊言；他們若不能使用武力和暴力，便使用欺詐和詭詐；居民說了謊言，他們的舌頭是詭詐的；他們不惜蓄意撒謊來做成一筆好交易。有人將此理解為他們論到神時所說的謊言，說：耶和華看不見；他已離棄了這地（Eze 8:12）。
2. 他們被控告偶像崇拜（Mic 6:16）：因為你守暗利的惡規，行亞哈家一切所行的。這兩個王都是惡的，在耶和華眼中行惡；但他們以法律所設立的邪惡——他們為之制定法規、是那個家族之特徵的工作——就是偶像崇拜。暗利行耶羅波安的道路，行他惹動神怒氣之虛無的罪（1Ki 16:26,31）。亞哈引入了巴力的崇拜。這些王朝在這位先知生活的時代之前已有好幾代，然而他們以法律和榜樣所設立的邪惡一直存留到這日子；那些法規仍被遵守，那工作仍在進行；首領和百姓仍隨從他們的計謀，採取同樣的措施，以同樣的政治來治理自己和百姓。請注意：（1）同樣的邪惡從一代傳到另一代。罪是苦毒之根，很快被種下，卻不那麼容易被拔除。前代的罪孽往往傳給、加諸於後代。那些制定腐敗法律、引入腐敗習俗的人，所做的也許會成為那未生之子的毀滅。（2）它並不因被君王的法律所設立、被大人物的榜樣所推薦、經過長久的習慣而減少其邪惡——不惹動神、不危險於犯罪者。雖然偶像崇拜被暗利的法規所制定、被亞哈家的實行所推薦、並聲稱已是多代的習俗，它仍然得罪神、毀滅以色列；因為沒有任何法律和習俗能凌駕神的誡命之上。
III. 對此所作的判決是什麼。他們既被裁定犯有這些罪，判決是：神曾警告他們的（Mic 6:9）必臨到他們（Mic 6:13）：因此我擊打你，使你的傷痕甚重。正如他們以欺壓的杖擊打窮人，神也要照樣擊打他們——擊打到他們生病的地步，使他們對不義所得的利益感到厭倦，以致他們雖然吞下了財寶，還要再吐出來（Job 20:15）。他們的判決是：
1. 他們所有的，不能舒適地享受；那些對他們沒有益處。他們貪求超過足夠的，但當他們得著時，卻不足以使他們安然快樂。以欺詐和欺壓得來的不能帶著任何滿足來保守或享受。（1）他們的食物不能滋養他們：你要吃，卻不得飽——或因缺乏神賜福同在而食物不能消化，或因疾病使食慾無法滿足、仍然渴望——這正是那些貪愛利益、擴大慾望如陰間之人的公正刑罰。人可以被今世的美物所飽膩，卻仍然不得滿足（Ec 5:10, Isa 55:2）。（2）他們的國家不能庇護和保護他們：你的虛弱必顯在你中間——就是說，你必因內部的紛爭和禍患而被打破和傾覆，雖然你沒有被外來勢力入侵。神可以藉著在他們中間的東西使一國傾覆，可以以他們自己腹中的火消滅他們。（3）他們不能保全自己所有的免受外來勢力的侵奪，也不能恢復所失去的：你必挪移——抓住將要被奪去的東西——卻不得拯救——抓住卻不能挽救，不能奪回。這是指他們極其珍愛的妻子兒女，他們緊抓不放，決心不捨棄，卻無可奈何——他們必被擄去。注意，我們緊握最緊的往往失去最快；最親愛的證明最不安全。（4）他們暫時保全的，必為將來更重的打擊而保留：你所拯救的，我必交給刀劍——交給另一個仇敵；因為神的箭袋中有許多箭；若一支錯過了罪人，下一支必不。（5）他們勞碌得來的不能享受（Mic 6:15）：你必撒種，卻不得收割——或被毀壞枯萎，無物可收；或仇敵來替他收割；或你被擄去，將之留給不知何人去收。你必踹橄欖，卻不得油抹身——當一切走向毀滅時，沒有心情使用裝飾和清爽之物。你必踹葡萄，卻不得酒喝——因為杯到唇邊還可能有許多事發生。注意，期望落空、不能享受自己所勞碌的，是極其痛苦的；而這將是那些使神的期望落空、不能回報神在他們身上所付出之代價的人所受的公正刑罰。見律法中的威脅（Le 26:16, De 28:30,38等），並與Isa 62:8,9比較。
2. 他們所有的一切終必被奪去（Mic 6:13）：你必……荒涼，因你的罪惡；以及Mic 6:16：荒涼……令人嗤笑。罪使一國荒涼；當一個曾經著名的興盛百姓被使為荒涼時，有些人為之驚訝，另一些人為之歡呼；有人哀嘆，有人嗤笑。如此你們也必擔當我民的羞辱。他們在盡本分、保持自己在神的愛中時，在名義和信仰告白上作神的百姓，對他們是尊榮，他們的鄰舍也都如此看；但如今他們已經敗壞和毀滅了自己，如今他們的罪和神的審判已使他們的地荒涼，他們曾經是神的百姓這一事實只更加成為他們的羞辱；他們的仇敵必說：這是耶和華的百姓（Eze 36:20）。注意，信仰的告白者若毀滅了自己，他們的毀滅將是最可恥的；他們將在末日特別地起來，進入永遠的羞辱和憎惡。
英文原文
Accusations and Threatenings (710 BC)
⁹ The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
¹⁰ Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?
¹¹ Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
¹² For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
¹³ Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.
¹⁴ Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.
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.
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 a hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.
God, having shown them how necessary it was that they should do justly, here shows them how plain it was that they had done unjustly; and since they submitted not to his controversy, nor went the right way to have it taken up, here he proceeds in it. Observe,
I. How the action is entered against them, Mic 6:9. God speaks to the city, to Jerusalem, to Samaria. His voice cries to it by his servants the prophets who were to cry aloud and not spare. Note, The voice of the prophets is the Lord's voice, and that cries to the city, cries to the country. Doth not wisdom cry? Pr 8:1. When the sin of a city cries to God his voice cries against the city; and, when the judgments of God are coming upon a city, his voice first cries unto it. He warns before he wounds, because he is not willing that any should perish. Now observe, 1. How the voice of God is discerned by some: The man of wisdom will see thy name. When the voice of God cries to us we may by it see his name, may discern and perceive that by which he makes himself known. Yet many see it not, are not aware of it, because they do not regard it. God speaks once, yea, twice, and they perceive it not (Job 33:14); but those that are men of wisdom will see it, and perceive it, and make a good use of it. Note, It is a point of true wisdom to discover the name of God in the voice of God, and to learn what he is from what he says. Wisdom shall see thy name, for the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 2. What this voice of God says to all: "Hear you the rod, and who hath appointed it. Hear the rod when it is coming; hear it at a distance, before you see it and feel it; and be awakened to go forth to meet the Lord in the way of his judgments. Hear the rod when it has come, and is actually upon you, and you are sensible of the smart of it; hear what it says to you, what convictions, what counsels, what cautions, it speaks to you." Note, Every rod has a voice, and it is the voice of God that is to be heard in the rod of God, and it is well for those that understand the language of it, which if we would do we must have an eye to him that appointed it. Note, Every rod is appointed, of what kind it shall be, where it shall light, and how long it shall lie. God in every affliction performs the thing that is appointed for us (Job 23:14), and to him therefore we must have an eye, to him we must have an ear; we must hear what he says to us by the affliction. Hear it, and know it for thy good, Job 5:6. The work of ministers is to explain the providences of God and to quicken and direct men to learn the lessons that are taught by them.
II. What is the ground of the action, and what are the things that are laid to their charge.
1. They are charged with injustice, a sin against the second table. Are there yet to be found among them the marks and means of fraudulent dealing? What! after all the methods that God has taken to teach them to do justly, will they yet deal unjustly? It seems, they will, Mic 6:10. And shall I count them pure? Mic 6:11. No; this is a sin which will by no means consist with a profession of purity. Those that are dishonest in their dealings have not the spots of God's children, and shall never be reckoned pure, whatever shows of devotion they may make. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. When a man is suspected of theft, or fraud, the justice of peace will send a warrant to search his house. God here does, as it were, search the houses of those citizens, and there he finds, (1.) Treasures of wickedness, abundance of wealth, but it is ill-got, and not likely to prosper; for treasures of wickedness profit nothing. (2.) A scant measure, by which they sold to the poor, and so exacted upon them and cheated them. (3.) They had wicked balances and a bag of false weights, by which, under a pretence of weighing what they sold, and giving the buyer what was right, they did him the greatest wrong, Mic 6:11. (4.) Those that had wealth and power in their hands abused it to oppression and extortion; The rich men thereof are full of violence; for those that have much would have more, and are in a capacity of making it more by the power which their abundance of wealth gives them. They are full of violence, that is, they have their houses full of that which is got by violence. (5.) Those that had not the advantage of doing wrong by their wealth yet found means of defrauding those they dealt with: The inhabitants thereof have spoken lies; if they are not able to use force and violence, they use fraud and deceit; the inhabitants have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth; they do not stick at a deliberate lie, to make a good bargain. Some understand it of their speaking falsely concerning God, saying, The Lord seeth not; he hath forsaken the earth, Eze 8:12.
2. They are charged with idolatry (Mic 6:6): The statutes of Omri are kept, and all the work of the house of Ahab. Both these kings were wicked, and did evil in the sight of the Lord; but the wickedness which they established by a law, concerning which they made statutes, and which was the peculiar work of that house, was idolatry. Omri walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin of provoking God to anger with their vanities, 1Ki 16:26,31. Ahab introduced the worship of Baal. These reigns were some ages before the time when this prophet lived, and yet the wickedness which they established by their laws and examples remained to this day; those statutes were still kept, and that work was still done; and the princes and people still walked in their counsels, took the same measures, and governed themselves and the people by the same politics. Observe, (1.) The same wickedness continued from one generation to another. Sin is a root of bitterness, soon planted, but not so soon plucked up again. The iniquity of former ages is often transmitted to, and entailed upon, the succeeding ones. Those that make corrupt laws, and bring in corrupt usages, are doing that which perhaps may prove the ruin of the child unborn. (2.) It was not the less evil in itself, provoking to God, and dangerous to the sinners, for its having been established and confirmed by the laws of princes, the examples of great men, and a long prescription. Though the worship of idols is enacted by the statutes of Omri, recommended by the practice of the house of Ahab, and pleads that it has been the usage of many generations, yet it is still displeasing to God and destructive to Israel; for no laws nor customs are of force against the divine command.
III. What is the judgment given upon this. Being found guilty of these crimes, the sentence is that that which God had given them warning of (Mic 6:9) shall be brought upon them (Mic 6:13): Therefore also will I make thee sick, in smiting thee. As they had smitten the poor with the rod of their oppressions, so would God in like manner smite them, so as to make them sick, sick of the gains they had unjustly gotten, so that though they had swallowed down riches they should vomit them up again, Job 20:15. Their doom is,
1. That what they have they shall not have any comfortable enjoyment of; it shall do them no good. They grasped at more than enough, but, when they have it, it shall not be enough to make them easy and happy. What is got by fraud and oppression cannot be kept or enjoyed with any satisfaction. (1.) Their food shall not nourish them: Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied, either because the food shall not digest, for want of God's blessing going along with it, or because the appetite shall by disease be made insatiable and still craving, the just punishment of those that were greedy of gain and enlarged their desires as hell. Men may be surfeited with the good things of this world and yet not satisfied, Ec 5:10, Isa 55:2. (2.) Their country shall not harbour and protect them: "Thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee, that is, thou shalt be broken and ruined by the intestine troubles, mischiefs at home enough to cast thee down, though thou shouldst not be invaded by a foreign force." God can cast a nation down by that which is in the midst of them, can consume them by a fire in their own bowels. (3.) They shall not be able to preserve what they have from a foreign force, nor to recover what they have lost: "Thou shalt take hold of what is about to be taken from thee, but thou shalt not hold it fast, shalt catch at it, but shalt not deliver it, shalt not retrieve it." It is meant of their wives and children, that were very dear to them, which they took hold of, as resolved not to part with them, but there is no remedy, they must go into captivity. Note, What we hold closest we commonly lose soonest, and that proves least safe which is most dear. (4.) What they save for a time shall be reserved for a future and sorer stroke: That which thou deliverest out of the hand of one enemy will I give up to the sword of another enemy; for God has many arrows in his quiver; if one miss the sinner, the next shall not. (5.) What they have laboured for they shall not enjoy (Mic 6:15): "Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; it shall be blasted and withered, and there shall be nothing to reap, or an enemy shall come and reap it for himself, or thou shalt be carried into captivity, and leave it to be reaped by thou knowest not whom. Thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with oil, having no heart to make use of ornaments and refreshments when all is going to ruin. Thou shalt tread out the sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine, for many things may fall between the cup and the lip." Note, It is very grievous to be disappointed of our expectations, and not to have the pleasure of that which we have taken pains for; and this will be the just punishment of those that frustrate God's expectations from them, and answer not the cost he has been at upon them. See this threatened in the law, Le 26:16, De 28:30,38, etc.; and compare Isa 62:8,9.
2. That all they have shall at length be taken from them (Mic 6:13): Thou shalt be made desolate because of thy sins; and Mic 6:16, a desolation and a hissing. Sin makes a nation desolate; and when a people that have been famous and flourishing are made desolate it is the astonishment of some and the triumph of others; some lament it, and others hiss at it. Thus you shall bear the reproach of my people. Their being the people of God, in name and profession while they kept close to their duty and kept themselves in his love, was an honour to them, and all their neighbours thought it so; but now that they have corrupted and ruined themselves, now that their sins and God's judgments have made their land desolate, their having been once the people of God does but turn so much the more to their reproach; their enemies will say, These are the people of the Lord, Eze 36:20. Note, If professors of religion ruin themselves, their ruin will be the most reproachful of any; and they in a special manner will rise at the last day to everlasting shame and contempt.
在前兩章論到彌賽亞國度的寶貴應許之後，先知在此受感要以色列的罪按序陳明在他們面前，為要使他們知罪謙卑，因為這是為福音恩典的安慰鋪路所必需的。基督的先鋒是一位責備者，他傳悔改的道，以此預備他的道路。此處：I. 神因他的百姓忘恩負義、對他的恩惠以怨報德，而對他們提起控訴（Mic 6:1-5）。II. 他指出他們本應走的正路（Mic 6:6-8）。III. 他呼籲他們聆聽他審判的聲音，並將他仍繼續與他們爭論的罪按序陳明在他們面前（Mic 6:9）——他們的不義（Mic 6:10-15）和他們的偶像崇拜（Mic 6:16），正因這兩樣，毀滅即將臨到他們。