Micah 7

11. thy walls . . . be built--under Cyrus, after the seventy years' captivity; and again, hereafter, when the Jews shall be restored ( Amos 9:11 , Zechariah 12:6 ).
shall the decree be far removed--namely, thy tyrannical decree or rule of Babylon shall be put away from thee, "the statutes that were not good" ( Ezekiel 20:25 ) [CALVIN]. Psalms 102:13-16 Isaiah 9:4 . The Hebrew is against MAURER'S translation, "the boundary of the city shall be far extended," so as to contain the people flocking into it from all nations ( Micah 7:12 , Isaiah 49:20 , 54:2 ).

12. In that day also--rather, an answer to the supposed question of Zion, When shall my walls be built? "The day (of thy walls being built) is the day when he (that is, many) shall come to thee from Assyria," &c. [LUDOVICUS DE DIEU]. The Assyrians (including the Babylonians) who spoiled thee shall come.
and from the fortified cities--rather, to suit the parallelism, "from Assyria even to Egypt." (Matzor may be so translated). So Assyria and Egypt are contrasted in Isaiah 19:23 [MAURER]. CALVIN agrees with English Version, "from all fortified cities."
from the fortress even to the river--"from Egypt even to the river" Euphrates (answering in parallelism to "Assyria") [MAURER]. Compare Isaiah 11:15 Isaiah 11:16 , 19:23-25 , 27:13 , Hosea 11:11 , Zechariah 10:10 .

13. However glorious the prospect of restoration, the Jews are not to forget the visitation on their "land" which is to intervene for the "fruit of (evil caused by) their doings" (compare Proverbs 1:31 , Isaiah 3:10 Isaiah 3:11 , Jeremiah 21:14 ).

14. Feed thy people--Prayer of the prophet, in the name of his people to God, which, as God fulfils believing prayer, is prophetical of what God would do. When God is about to deliver His people, He stirs up their friends to pray for them.
Feed--including the idea of both pastoral rule and care over His people ( Micah 5:4 , Margin), regarded as a flock ( Psalms 80:1 , 100:3 ). Our calamity must be fatal to the nation, unless Thou of Thy unmerited grace, remembering Thy covenant with "Thine heritage" ( Deuteronomy 4:20 , 7:6 , 32:9 ), shalt restore us.
thy rod--the shepherd's rod, wherewith He directs the flock ( Psalms 23:4 ). No longer the rod of punishment ( Micah 6:9 ).
which dwell solitarily in the wood, in . . . Carmel--Let Thy people who have been dwelling as it were in a solitude of woods (in the world, but not of it), scattered among various nations, dwell in Carmel, that is, where there are fruit-bearing lands and vineyards [CALVIN]. Rather, "which are about to dwell (that is, that they may dwell) separate in the wood, in . . . Carmel" [MAURER], which are to be no longer mingled with the heathen, but are to dwell as a distinct people in their own land. Micah has here Balaam's prophecy in view (compare Micah 6:5 , where also Balaam is referred to). "Lo, the people shall dwell alone" ( Numbers 23:9 ; compare Deuteronomy 33:28 ). To "feed in the wood in Carmel," is to feed in the rich pastures among its woods. To "sleep in the woods," is the image of most perfect security ( Ezekiel 34:25 ). So that the Jews' "security," as well as their distinct nationality, is here foretold. Also Jeremiah 49:31 .
Bashan--famed for its cattle ( Psalms 22:12 , Amos 4:1 ). Parallel to this passage is Jeremiah 50:19 . Bashan and Gilead, east of Jordan, were chosen by Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, as abounding in pastures suited for their many cattle ( Numbers 32:1-42 , Deuteronomy 3:12-17 ).

15. thy . . . him--both referring to Israel. So in Micah 7:19 the person is changed from the first to the third, "us . . . our . . . their." Jehovah here answers Micah's prayer in Micah 7:14 , assuring him, that as He delivered His people from Egypt by miraculous power, so He would again "show" it in their behalf ( Jeremiah 16:14 Jeremiah 16:15 ).

16. shall see--the "marvellous things" ( Micah 7:15 , Isaiah 26:11 ).
confounded at all their might--having so suddenly proved unavailing: that might wherewith they had thought that there is nothing which they could not effect against God's people.
lay . . . hand upon . . . mouth--the gesture of silence ( Job 21:5 , 40:4 , Psalms 107:42 , Isaiah 52:15 ). They shall be struck dumb at Israel's marvellous deliverance, and no longer boast that God's people is destroyed.
ears . . . deaf--They shall stand astounded so as not to hear what shall be said [GROTIUS]. Once they had eagerly drunk in all rumors as so many messages of victories; but then they shall be afraid of hearing them, because they continually fear new disasters, when they see the God of Israel to be so powerful [CALVIN]. They shall close their ears so as not to be compelled to hear of Israel's successes.

17. lick the dust--in abject prostration as suppliants ( Psalms 72:9 ; compare Isaiah 49:23 , 65:25 ).
move out of their holes--As reptiles from their holes, they shall come forth from their hiding-places, or fortresses ( Psalms 18:45 ), to give themselves up to the conquerors. More literally, "they shall tremble from," that is, tremblingly come forth from their coverts.
like worms--reptiles or crawlers ( Deuteronomy 32:24 ).
they shall be afraid of the Lord--or, they shall in fear turn with haste to the Lord. Thus the antithesis is brought out. They shall tremble forth from their holes: they shall in trepidation turn to the Lord for salvation (compare Note, Jeremiah 33:9 ).
fear because of thee--shall fear Thee, Jehovah (and so fear Israel as under Thy guardianship). There is a change here from speaking of God to speaking to God [MAURER]. Or rather, "shall fear thee, Israel" [HENDERSON].

18. Grateful at such unlooked-for grace being promised to Israel, Micah breaks forth into praises of Jehovah.
passeth by the transgression--not conniving at it, but forgiving it; leaving it unpunished, as a traveller passes by what he chooses not to look into ( Proverbs 19:11 ). Contrast Amos 7:8 , and "mark iniquities," Psalms 130:3 .
the remnant--who shall be permitted to survive the previous judgment: the elect remnant of grace ( Micah 4:7 , Micah 5:3 Micah 5:7 Micah 5:8 ).
retaineth not . . . anger--( Psalms 103:9 ).
delighteth in mercy--God's forgiving is founded on His nature, which delights in loving-kindness, and is averse from wrath.

19. turn again--to us, from having been turned away from us.
subdue our iniquities--literally, "tread under foot," as being hostile and deadly to us. Without subjugation of our bad propensities, even pardon could not give us peace. When God takes away the guilt of sin that it may not condemn us, He takes away also the power of sin that it may not rule us.
cast . . . into . . . depths of the sea--never to rise again to view, buried out of sight in eternal oblivion: not merely at the shore side, where they may rise again.
our . . . their--change of person. Micah in the first case identifying himself and his sins with his people and their sins; in the second, speaking of them and their sins.

20. perform the truth--the faithful promise.
to Jacob . . . Abraham--Thou shalt make good to their posterity the promise made to the patriarchs. God's promises are called "mercy," because they flow slowly from grace; "truth," because they will be surely performed ( Luke 1:72 Luke 1:73 , 1 Thessalonians 5:24 ).
sworn unto our fathers--( Psalms 105:9 Psalms 105:10 ). The promise to Abraham is in Genesis 12:2 ; to Isaac, in Genesis 26:24 ; to Jacob, in Genesis 28:13 . This unchangeable promise implied an engagement that the seed of the patriarchs should never perish, and should be restored to their inheritance as often as they turned wholly to God ( Deuteronomy 30:1 Deuteronomy 30:2 ).