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By David R. Sincerbox|Published Date: January 29, 2012
Micah 1:14–16:
14 Therefore you shall give parting gifts
to Moresheth-gath;
the houses of Achzib shall be a deceitful thing
to the kings of Israel.
15 I will again bring a conqueror to you,
inhabitants of Mareshah;
the glory of Israel
shall come to Adullam.
16 Make yourselves bald and cut off your hair,
for the children of your delight;
make yourselves as bald as the eagle,
for they shall go from you into exile.
The Story: Moresheth-gath, Micah’s hometown, sounds like “One-who-is-betrothed,” thus her dowry, her “parting gifts,” will be paid to Assyria. Achzib sounds like “deceitful thing.” Mareshah sounds like “inheritance”, thus God will bring an inheritor to “Inheritances-town” who will inherit their inheritance. The opening salvo against these twelve cities began with a reference to David. The ending salvo closes with a reference to David who fled to this Adullam while being pursued by Saul (1 Sam. 22:1; 2 Sam. 23:13). As the future king of Israel once took refuge in Adullam, “the glory of the Lord” will now come not to be sheltered, but to destroy. Despite shaving the back of the head as a sign of mourning being forbidden by Lv. 19:27 and Dt. 14:1, it nonetheless was a common practice in that day. Israel and Judah are to mourn their children, the “children of [their] delight,” being carried off into captivity. “Eagle” is likely a common one of several vultures found in those regions which is bald. The American “bald eagle” is called that because “bald” in its case means “white.”
The Structure: Other Biblical references of baldness and mourning can be found in Is. 3:24, Jer. 7:29 and Amos 8:10.
If these cities had experienced “godly grief” for their sins (2 Cor. 7:9), they would never had had to grieve in the manner in which they did. Godly grief leads to repentance and restoration and “no loss,” according to Paul. Are their sins in which you need to feel a godly grief that will lead to repentance?
For more insight to the prophet Micah, order the book, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 2: Micah-Malachi, by James Montgomery Boice, from our online store.
The Worldview Bible examines the teaching of Scripture according to the Story and Structure of Truth – the Framework of Christian Worldview – using only other Scriptures for illumination. Information about The Framework of Truth is available on this site. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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