Resource > Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable) >  Micah >  Exposition >  IV. The third oracle: God's case against Israel and the ultimate triumph of His kingdom chs. 6--7 >  C. The Lord's sentence of judgment 6:9-16 > 
1. Israel's sins 6:9-12 
hide text

6:9 Micah announced that Yahweh would call to the city of Jerusalem; He would declare something important to the people of that town, Micah's audience of Judeans. They would be wise to hear Him and to fear Him because of who He is (cf. v. 1; 3:1; Prov. 1:7). The Lord summoned His people, the tribe of Judah, to hear Him because it was He who had sovereignly chosen them.

6:10 The Lord asked if there was still anyone in the wicked house of Judah who had treasures that he or she had accumulated through wicked behavior. For example, was there any seller who used a small ephah, one that was less than a true ephah? If so, this was evidence of not acting justly (v. 8; cf. Lev, 19:35-36; Deut. 25:13-16; Amos 8:5). The ephah was a basket that held about six gallons of dry produce. Using a slightly smaller basket robbed the buyer of some product that he was purchasing for the price of an ephah. The implication of the question is that this practice was common in Jerusalem.

6:11 Likewise dishonest scales and inaccurate weights used in commercial transactions were things God could not declare as being all right.

6:12 The rich people of Jerusalem practiced violence (lawlessness) in obtaining what they wanted from the weak. They lied to one another and practiced trickery and deception to obtain their desires. All of this was evidence of injustice that arose from a heart of unkindness toward others and lack of submission to God (v. 8).



created in 0.04 seconds
powered by
bible.org - YLSA