Declare ye [it] not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.
Declare {H5046} ye it not at Gath {H1661}, weep {H1058} ye not at all {H1058}: in the house of Aphrah {H1036} roll {H6428}{H6428} thyself in the dust {H6083}.
Don't tell about it in Gat, don't shed any tears. At Beit-L'afrah [house of dust] roll yourself in the dust.
Do not tell it in Gath; do not weep at all. Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah.
Tell it not in Gath, weep not at all: at Beth-le-aphrah have I rolled myself in the dust.
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2 Samuel 1:20
Tell [it] not in Gath, publish [it] not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. -
Jeremiah 6:26
O daughter of my people, gird [thee] with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, [as for] an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us. -
Lamentations 3:29
He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. -
Amos 5:13
Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it [is] an evil time. -
Amos 6:10
And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that [is] by the sides of the house, [Is there] yet [any] with thee? and he shall say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the name of the LORD. -
Job 2:8
And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes. -
Joshua 18:23
And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah,
Context of Micah 1:10
Micah 1:10 is part of the prophet Micah's opening lament concerning the impending judgment on Samaria (the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel) and Jerusalem (the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah). Micah prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, a period marked by significant moral decay, idolatry, and social injustice in both kingdoms. This verse specifically describes the profound shame and sorrow that will accompany the devastating consequences of their unfaithfulness to God. The prophetic oracle shifts from a general announcement of judgment to a more specific, sorrowful address to various towns in Judah, using wordplay and vivid imagery to convey the depth of the calamity.
Key Themes and Messages
Linguistic Insights
Micah employs significant wordplay (a common prophetic device) to heighten the impact of his message:
Practical Application
Micah 1:10 serves as a stark reminder of the serious consequences of sin and rebellion against God. It highlights: