---
title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation"
author: "Adam Clarke"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 122 of 769
url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/122/
cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation, section 122. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/122/"
---

# Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation

*Adam Clarke*

Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 2 of 2.

## 122. Micah · 7 of 8

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/122/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/122/#p-N

[¶0] The inhabitants thereof a hissing - לשרקה lishrekah, "for a shriek;" because those who should see them should be both astonished and affrighted at them.

[¶1] There are few chapters in the prophets, or in the Bible, superior to this for genuine worth and importance. The structure is as elegant as it is impressive; and it is every way worthy of the Spirit of God.

### Introduction

[¶3] The prophet begins this chapter with lamenting the decay of piety and the growth of ungodliness, using a beautiful allegory to imply (as explained in [Mic 7:2]) that the good man is as seldom to be met with as the early fig of best quality in the advanced season, or the cluster after the vintage, [Mic 7:1], [Mic 7:2]. He then reproves and threatens in terms so expressive of great calamities as to be applied in the New Testament to times of the hottest persecution, [Mic 7:3-6]. See [Mat 10:35], [Mat 10:36]. Notwithstanding which a Jew is immediately introduced declaring, in the name of his captive people, the strongest faith in the mercy of God the most submissive resignation to his will, and the firmest hope in his favor in future times, when they should triumph over their enemies, [Mic 7:7-10]. The prophet upon this resumes the discourse, and predicts their great prosperity and increase, [Mic 7:11], [Mic 7:12]; although the whole land of Israel must first be desolated on account of the great wickedness of its inhabitants, [Mic 7:13]. The prophet intercedes in behalf of his people, [Mic 7:14]. After which God is introduced promising, in very ample terms, their future restoration and prosperity, [Mic 7:15-17]. And then, to conclude, a chorus of Jews is introduced, singing a beautiful hymn of thanksgiving, suggested by the gracious promises which precede, [Mic 7:18-20].

### Verse 1

[¶5] Wo is me! - This is a continuation of the preceding discourse. And here the prophet points out the small number of the upright to be found in the land. He himself seemed to be the only person who was on God's side; and he considers himself as a solitary grape, which had escaped the general gathering. The word קץ kayits, which is sometimes used for summer, and summer fruits in general, is here translated late figs; and may here, says Bishop Newcome, be opposed to the early ripe fig of superior quality. See on [Hos 9:10] (note), and [Amo 8:1] (note), [Amo 8:2] (note). He desired to see the first-ripe fruit - distinguished and eminent piety; but he found nothing but a very imperfect or spurious kind of godliness.

### Verse 2

[¶7] The good man is perished out of the earth - A similar sentiment may be found, [Psa 12:1]; [Isa 57:1]. As the early fig of excellent flavor cannot be found in the advanced season of summer, or a choice cluster of grapes after vintage, so neither can the good and upright man be discovered by searching in Israel. This comparison, says Bp. Newcome, is beautifully implied.

[¶8] They hunt every man his brother with a net - This appears to be an allusion to the ancient mode of duel between the retiarius and secutor. The former had a casting net, which he endeavoured to throw over the head of his antagonist, that he might then despatch him with his short sword. The other parried the cast; and when the retiarius missed, he was obliged to run about the field to get time to set his net in right order for another throw. While he ran, the other followed, that he might despatch him before he should be able to recover the proper position of his net; and hence the latter was called secutor, the pursuer, as the other was called retiarius, or the net man. I have explained this before on Job, and other places; but because it is rarely noticed by commentators, I explain the allusion here once more. Abp. Newcome by not attending to this, has translated איש את אחיהו יצודו חרם ish eth achihu yatsudu cherem, "They hunt every man his brother for his destruction;" though he put net in the margin.

### Verse 3

[¶10] That they may do evil with both hands - That is, earnestly, greedily, to the uttermost of their power. The Vulgate translates: Malum manuum suarum dicunt bonum; "The evil of their hands they call good."

[¶11] The prince asketh - A bribe, to forward claims in his court.

[¶12] The judge asketh for a reward - That he may decide the cause in favor of him who gives most money, whether the cause be good or evil. This was notoriously the case in our own country before the giving of Magna Charta; and hence that provision, Nulli vendemus justitiam aut rectum: "We will not sell justice to any man." And this was not the only country in which justice and judgment were put to sale.

[¶13] The great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire - Such consider themselves above law, and they make no secret of their unjust determinations. And so they wrap it up - they all conjoin in doing evil in their several offices, and oppressing the poor; so our translators have interpreted the original ויעבתוה vayeabtuha, which the versions translate variously. Newcome has, "And they do abominably."

### Verse 4

[¶15] The best of them is as a brier - They are useless in themselves, and cannot be touched without wounding him that comes in contact with them. He alludes to the thick thorn hedges, still frequent in Palestine.

[¶16] The day of thy watchmen - The day of vengeance, which the prophets have foreseen and proclaimed, is at hand. Now shall be their perplexity; no more wrapping up, all shall be unfolded. In that day every man will wish that he were different from what he is found to be; but he shall be judged for what he is, and for the deeds he has done.

### Verse 5

[¶18] Trust ye not in a friend - These times will be so evil, and the people so wicked, that all bonds will be dissolved; and even the most intimate will betray each other, when they can hope to serve themselves by it.

[¶19] On this passage, in the year 1798, I find I have written as follows: - "Trust ye not in a friend. - Several of those whom I have delighted to call by that name have deceived me. "Put ye not confidence in a guide. - Had I followed some of these I should have gone to perdition. "Keep the door of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. - My wife alone never deceived me."

[¶20] It is now twenty-seven years since, and I find no cause to alter what I then wrote.

### Verse 6

[¶22] For the son dishonoreth the father - See the use our Lord has made of these words, where he quotes them, [Mat 10:21] (note), [Mat 10:25] (note), [Mat 10:36] (note), and the notes there.

### Verse 7

[¶24] Therefore I will look unto the Lord - Because things are so, I will trust in the Lord more firmly, wait for him more patiently, and more confidently expect to be supported, defended, and saved.

### Verse 8

[¶26] Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy - The captive Israelites are introduced as speaking here and in the preceding verse. The enemy are the Assyrians and Chaldeans; the fall is their idolatry and consequent captivity; the darkness, the calamities they suffered in that captivity; their rise and light, their restoration and consequent blessedness.

[¶27] To rejoice over the fall or miseries of any man, betrays a malignant spirit. I have known several instances where people professing to hold a very pure and Christian creed, having become unfaithful and fallen into sin, their opponents, who held a very impure and unchristian creed, have exulted with "Ha, ha! so would we have it!" and have shown their malignity more fully, by giving all possible publicity and circulation to such accounts. Perhaps in the sight of God this was worse than the poor wretch's fall, in which they exulted as having taken place in one who held a creed different from their own. But these arose again from their fall, while those jesters at holiness continued in the gall of bitterness and bonds of inward corruption.

### Verse 9

[¶29] I will bear the indignation of the Lord - The words of the penitent captives, acknowledging their sins and praying for mercy.

[¶30] Until he plead my cause - And wo to the slanderers, when God undertakes to plead for the fallen who have returned to him with deep compunction of heart, seeking redemption in the blood of the cross.

### Verse 10

[¶32] Then she that is mine enemy - This may refer particularly to the city of Babylon.

[¶33] Shall she be trodden down - Literally fulfilled in the package of that city by the Persians, and its consequent total ruin. It became as mire; its walls, formed of brick kneaded with straw and baked in the sun, becoming exposed to the wet, dissolved, so that a vestige of the city remains not, except a few bricks digged from under the rubbish, several pieces of which now lie before me, and show the perishing materials of which the head of this proud empire was composed.

### Verse 11

[¶35] In the day that thy walls are to be built - This refers to Jerusalem; the decree, to the purpose of God to deliver the people into captivity. "This shall be far removed." God having purposed their return, I cannot think, with some commentators, that this verse contains threatenings against Jerusalem, and not promises. See [Hag 1:1-15] (note), where the subject is similar; and the restoration of Jerusalem is certainly what the prophet describes.

### Verse 12

[¶37] In that day also he shall come - Bp. Newcome translates: - "And in that day they shall come unto thee

[¶38] From Assyria and the fenced cities;

[¶39] And from Egypt even unto the river."

[¶40] Calmet translates: - "They shall come to thee from Assyria even unto Egypt;

[¶41] And from Egypt even to the river; (Euphrates);

[¶42] And from one sea to another, and from one mountain to another."

[¶43] This, says he, gives an easy sense; whereas we cannot tell where to find those fortified cities spoken of by other translators. The Israelites were to return from their captivity, and re-occupy their ancient country from Assyria to Egypt; that is, from the river Euphrates to the river Nile; and from the Mediterranean Sea to the Ocean, and from Mount Libanus to the mountains of Arabia Petraea, or Mount Seir. See [Amo 8:12]. This prediction was literally fulfilled under the Asmoneans. The Jewish nation was greatly extended and very powerful under Herod, at the time that our Lord was born. See Calmet.