TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
Listen, peoples, all of you! Pay attention, earth, and everything in it! Adonai ELOHIM will witness against you, Adonai, from his holy temple.
Berean Standard Bible
Hear, O peoples, all of you; listen, O earth, and everyone in it! May the Lord GOD bear witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple.
American Standard Version
Hear, ye peoples, all of you; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord Jehovah be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
World English Bible Messianic
Hear, you peoples, all of you. Listen, O earth, and all that is therein: and let the Lord the LORD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Heare, al ye people: hearke thou, O earth, and all that therein is, and let the Lord God be witnes against you, euen ye Lord from his holy Teple.
Young's Literal Translation
Hear, O peoples, all of them! Attend, O earth, and its fulness, And the Lord Jehovah is against you for a witness, The Lord from His holy temple.
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Commentary on Micah 1 verses 1–7
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 an 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 an 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, Kg1 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, and 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, Kg1 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; Isa 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, Psa 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, Pro 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 (Hos 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 (Hos 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, Hos 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.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–7. Public domain.
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Commentary on Micah
(Verse 2.) Hear, all people, and let the earth and its fullness attend, and may the Lord God be a witness to you, the Lord from his holy temple. LXX: Hear, all people, and let the earth and all who are in it listen, and may the Lord God be a testimony to you, the Lord from his holy house. Because according to the narrative the meaning is clear, I leave it to the discernment of the wise reader. But according to the figurative interpretation, he calls all people to listen, that is, the churches of the whole world, and to listen to the earth, because earthly doctrines of heretics have been constructed in it. But when heresies are numbered among the works of the flesh, which is always referred to as earthly, and the Apostle to the Galatians does not remain silent (Gal. 5), and the Lord in the Gospel indicates to the wise listener: 'He who is of the earth speaks of the earth.' And in distinction to them, he again says of the Ecclesiastics: 'He who comes from heaven is above all' (John 3:31). And: 'What he has seen and heard, this he testifies.' But if this that he says, 'Hear, O people,' refers to that saying of the Lord: 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear' (Luke 8:8), it sounds like something more than what is later added: 'Let the earth attend, we will adjust to the Church, Hear, O all people.' But let those heretics who have accepted earthly doctrine take notice: let the earth and all those who are on it attend, so that both these people, if they hear, and those people, if they pay attention, may not suffer the things which the word of the Lord threatens afterwards. And may the Lord be a witness to them, as it is read in Hebrew, a witness, or as Symmachus has more clearly interpreted, testifying and testifying not from elsewhere, but from his own house, which is the Church, or certainly in the Son, that is, in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the temple of the Father, and from whose mouth the Father speaks, penetrating the depths and marrow of those who wish to pay attention and hear.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Micah 1:2 serves as a dramatic and authoritative summons, initiating the prophet Micah's message with a universal call for attention. It establishes a divine courtroom scene where the Lord God, from His holy temple, declares Himself a witness against His people, underscoring the gravity of the impending judgment and the cosmic scope of His sovereign authority over all creation.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Micah 1:2 functions as a solemn, formal introduction to the entire book, immediately establishing the prophetic oracle as a divine pronouncement of immense significance. It sets a legal tone, akin to a divine court session, where God is both the accuser and the judge, and the entire created order is called to bear witness. This universal summons precedes the specific pronouncements of judgment against Samaria (the capital of Israel) and Jerusalem (the capital of Judah) that follow in Micah 1:5-7 and Micah 1:9-16. The verse's dramatic opening ensures that the audience, both human and cosmic, understands the weight and authority of the words to come, preparing them for the themes of sin, judgment, and eventual restoration that permeate the book.
Historical & Cultural Context: The prophet Micah ministered in Judah during the reigns of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (roughly 740-687 BC), a period of significant political and social turmoil. Both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah were plagued by widespread social injustice, idolatry, and moral decay. The wealthy oppressed the poor, leaders were corrupt, and false prophets abounded. This era also saw the rising threat of the Assyrian Empire, which would eventually conquer Samaria in 722 BC and lay siege to Jerusalem. In this context, the call to "Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth" evokes the ancient Near Eastern legal practice of summoning witnesses to a covenant lawsuit. God, as the suzerain (overlord) of the covenant, brings charges against His vassal people, and the earth itself is called to testify, highlighting the cosmic implications of Israel's covenant infidelity. The mention of "His holy temple" grounds God's authority in Jerusalem, the spiritual and political center of Judah, from which divine justice would emanate.
Key Themes: Micah 1:2 introduces several foundational themes that resonate throughout the prophetic book and the broader Old Testament. Firstly, it emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty and universal authority, as His call extends not only to "all ye people" but also to the "earth and all that therein is," demonstrating His dominion over all creation. Secondly, it highlights God's role as the impartial Judge and Witness, underscoring the principle of divine accountability. The Lord is not merely observing but actively testifying against the transgressions of His people, a theme echoed in Isaiah 1:2. Thirdly, the verse establishes the holiness and justice of God, emanating from His "holy temple." This signifies that judgment is not arbitrary but proceeds from the very heart of God's righteous character and His established dwelling place among His people, as seen in Psalm 11:4. These themes collectively set the stage for Micah's message of impending judgment due to sin, but also implicitly, the hope of future restoration for a repentant remnant.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Micah 1:2 is rich in Literary Devices that amplify its dramatic impact and theological weight. The most prominent is the Legal Metaphor or Courtroom Scene, where God acts as the judge and witness, summoning the entire world to hear the charges against His people. This framework establishes the gravity and justice of the impending judgment. The prophet employs Apostrophe by directly addressing inanimate entities like "O earth," giving them a voice and a role in this cosmic drama. This is further enhanced by Personification, as the earth is called to "hearken" and implicitly to bear witness, treating it as a sentient participant capable of hearing and understanding divine pronouncements. The phrase "all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is" also utilizes Hyperbole to emphasize the universal scope and overwhelming importance of God's message, suggesting that no one and nothing can escape the reach of His divine summons and judgment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Micah 1:2 powerfully establishes God's absolute sovereignty and His unwavering commitment to justice. It reveals a God who is intimately involved in human affairs, not merely observing but actively holding His creation accountable. The concept of God as a "witness" against His people underscores His omniscience and righteousness, demonstrating that His judgment is always just and based on undeniable truth. This verse sets the stage for the entire book of Micah, which oscillates between pronouncements of judgment for sin and promises of restoration for a repentant remnant, all undergirded by God's unchanging character. It reminds us that divine revelation, whether in judgment or salvation, is a cosmic event, impacting all creation.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Micah 1:2 serves as a timeless and potent reminder of the gravity of divine communication and the universal accountability of humanity before God. For us today, this verse compels us to cultivate a posture of deep attentiveness to God's Word, recognizing that His pronouncements, whether of warning or promise, are not to be taken lightly. Just as the ancient world was summoned to hear, so too are we called to truly "hearken" – to listen with an obedient heart that allows God's truth to penetrate and transform our lives. Understanding that the "Lord GOD" stands as a witness against all unrighteousness should foster a profound sense of responsibility and encourage us to live lives that honor His holiness and justice. It calls us to examine our own hearts and actions, ensuring that our lives align with His righteous standards, knowing that nothing is hidden from His sight. This verse ultimately invites us to a deeper reverence for God's majestic presence and His unwavering commitment to righteousness, inspiring both humility and a renewed commitment to walk in His ways.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does Micah call upon "the earth, and all that therein is" to hear God's message?
Answer: Micah's universal summons to "the earth, and all that therein is" serves several crucial purposes. Firstly, it emphasizes the cosmic scope and gravity of God's judgment, indicating that the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness are not limited to them but have implications for the entire created order. Secondly, it functions as a legal metaphor, transforming the scene into a divine courtroom where the earth and its inhabitants are called to bear witness to God's righteous indictment against His people. This highlights God's absolute sovereignty over all creation and the undeniable nature of His charges. It underscores that God's covenant relationship with Israel had universal implications, and their failure to uphold it was a matter of cosmic concern, as seen in passages like Deuteronomy 32:1.
What is the significance of the title "Lord GOD" in this verse?
Answer: The title "Lord GOD" in Micah 1:2 combines two significant Hebrew terms: H136 (ʼĂdônây) and H3069 (Yᵉhôvih). ʼĂdônây signifies "Master" or "Sovereign Lord," emphasizing God's supreme authority and dominion over all. Yᵉhôvih is a variation of YHWH (Yahweh), God's personal covenant name, which speaks to His faithfulness, His self-existence, and His unique relationship with Israel. The combination "Lord GOD" (Adonai Yahweh) therefore powerfully conveys both God's absolute sovereignty over all creation and His unwavering commitment to His covenant promises and justice, even when that justice involves judgment for disobedience. It underscores that the one who is bringing charges is both the ultimate authority and the faithful covenant partner.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Micah 1:2, with its dramatic summons and declaration of divine witness from the holy temple, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Testament. The call to "Hear, all ye people" ultimately points to the supreme voice of God's Son, Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate revelation of God. As the Word made flesh, Jesus is the one whom God commands all to hear: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!" (Matthew 17:5). Furthermore, the concept of the "Lord GOD being witness against you" is fulfilled in Christ, who is the faithful and true witness of God, revealing both God's righteous judgment against sin and His merciful provision for salvation. He is the one before whom every knee will bow and every tongue confess. Finally, the pronouncement from "his holy temple" foreshadows Jesus as the true Temple, the dwelling place of God among humanity, from whom all divine authority and judgment now proceed. Through His atoning sacrifice, He offers a new covenant, inviting all who "hear His voice" (John 10:27) to enter into His spiritual temple, the Church, and find reconciliation rather than condemnation.