Micah 1

Micah identifies the two nations by their capital cities of Samaria and Jerusalem. Bible writers sometimes use those city names as alternate names – nicknames of the two nations. Israel split in two after King Solomon died. Northern tribes became Israel. Southern tribes took the name of the dominant tribe: Judah.

Moresheth was in southwest Judah, near the city of Gath. Micah calls it by the twin cities name of Moresheth-Gath (1:14).

Micah’s ministry spanned about 55 years, from about 742-786 BC. He was on hand to witness the fall of Israel in 722 BC. Assyrian invaders destroyed many cities and deported survivors so they wouldn’t rebuild the Jewish country that Assyrians considered stubbornly rebellious.

It’s unclear what “Samaria” and “Judah” mean here. Perhaps Micah was accusing the leaders who ruled in those two capital cities. Or maybe he used the capital names to refer to the nations, like people today might use “Washington DC” to refer to the United States, or “Paris” to mean France.

It’s unclear if we’re supposed to take the prostitutes literally or figuratively. They could symbolize Israel’s unfaithfulness to God by worshiping idols. Other prophets use that symbolism (Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 2:20; Ezekiel 16:15). But taken literally, it could refer to ritual sex with temple prostitutes. Baal was an ancient and local god of weather and fertility in family, flocks, and fields. People worshiped him using different styles of idols and by calling him various names: Hadad, Cloud Rider, Baal of [fill in whatever the local region was, such as Baal-zephon or Baal of Peor]. Peor was a mountain in Moab where people worshiped Baal. Baal of Peor was apparently a local representation of him. When women from Moab seduced some of the Israelite men to engage in either ritual sex or just plain ol’ illicit sex, it led the men into idolatry (Numbers 25). Some scholars say one worship ritual involved entertaining Baal by letting him watch people have sex. They did this so he would make it rain. It’s a tad gross, but some taught that the rain was Baal’s semen. So, if the sex of worshipers got Baal stimulated enough, he would make it rain in this predominately dry part of the world.

When Assyrians captured Samaria in 722 BC, they took whatever they wanted – especially gold, silver, and gems. Anything of value.

That’s a line from a funeral song David wrote after Philistines defeated King Saul’s army. They killed Saul and most of his sons, including David’s close friend, Prince Jonathan. People may have used this phrase to express grief over a family member or a dear friend. As in, “What am I going to do without her?”

The city is Beth-leaphrah, meaning “House of dust.” Here, and in the next few verses, Micah uses the city names as a play on words. It’s impossible to catch that in English when we use the Hebrew version of the city names. Here, we’re using the English meaning, so we can see the puns and wordplay. Location of this town is uncertain, as it is with most of those that follow in this word play.

Shaphir.

Zaanan.

Beth Ezel.

Maroth.

Lachish.

Micah doesn’t say how the city of Lachish sinned so monumentally that it caused all this trouble. One guess is that it became a gateway city, importing Egyptian religion with a gallery full of gods—more than 1,000.

“Moresheth,” Micah’s home, sounds like the Hebrew word for “dowry” or a “bridal gift.” The point may be that exile is the going-away gift Israel brings to Micah’s hometown. Israel’s sin is the reason for what Assyria will do to Israel and Judah. Assyria, in 722 BC, erases Israel. It also pillages Judah but leaves the compliant government intact.

The city name, Aczib, sounds like the Hebrew word for “lie.” When Assyria attacks, the city may be either unable or unwilling to fight at all. Either way, they couldn’t stop Assyria’s army.

The city name, Mareshah, sounds like a word for: conqueror, heir, or a person with a lot of possessions.

David fled to the city of Adullam to hide in the caves from King Saul (1 Samuel 22:1).