Chapter Five

1. The impending humiliation of Zion. 2–6. The birth of the Ruler of Israel, his properties and significance for the greatness of the people. 7–9. The significance of the “remnant of Jacob” for other peoples. 10–15. The transformation of Israel.

Micah 5:1. Now you are walled in, O daughter of hosts; a siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. In the Hebrew Bible, verse 1 is assigned to the end of the preceding chapter as its conclusion (Mic 4:9-13). But it is better to consider it as the beginning of a new speech. The meaning of verse 1 is not clear and is determined by commentators differently. “Now arm yourself (thithgoddi), O daughter of hosts,” in the cited words it is unclear: 1) to whom the prophet addresses himself, and 2) what is the essence of the prophet’s call. According to the meaning of the Greek-Slavic text, where instead of “O daughter of hosts” we read “daughters of Ephraim,” the prophet in verse 1 addresses the Israelite (ten-tribe) kingdom. In this very sense, blessed Cyril of Alexandria and many commentators interpret the prophet’s address (Yungerov). But although the word Εphraim is in the Alexandria manuscript, in Cyril of Alexandria in some manuscripts of Holmes, in the majority of manuscripts, including the Vatican manuscript, as well as in blessed Theodoret and Jerome, it is absent. Therefore, it should be considered a later insertion by some commentator. The understanding of verse 1 in relation to the Israelite kingdom does not correspond to the context of the speech. One cannot also, as do some commentators (Akerman, Cheyne, etc.), relate verse 1 to the enemies besieging Jerusalem, for example the Babylonians, because, as is evident from verse 2, the speech concerns the chosen people. According to Hoonacker, instead of bath gedud (“daughter of hosts”), one should read beth-gader—the name of a city, the name of which means “place of enclosure.” The city is named instead of the entire country of Judah, to create a play on words. But it is simpler to relate the address of verse 1 to Jerusalem. The meaning of the name of Jerusalem as “daughter of hosts” is disputed. The expression in the Russian translation “daughter of hosts” can be understood by analogy with biblical expressions: “man of knowledge” (Prov 24:5), “man of words” (Exod 4:10), “son of death” (1 Sam 20:31): “daughter of hosts,” that is, a kingdom prepared for war, in a state of military readiness. The prophet, according to the meaning of the Russian translation, invites Jerusalem to come out to struggle with enemies, “to arm yourself,” wishing thereby to point out the severity of the impending struggle. But this translation is only speculative. The LXX translated the beginning of the verse as ‘ Εμφραχθὴσεται ἡμφραγμφ; Slavic “be fortified by a fortification”; Hoonacker translates the same way. In the Vulgate the expression in question is rendered as: vastaberis filia patronis, “you will be devastated, O daughter of the oppressor.” Modern commentators (Nowack, Wellhausen, Marti) understand the verb gadad (“to arm yourself”) in the sense of—to lacerate oneself, to make cuts as a sign of mourning, and, reading instead of bath-gedud the verbal form hithgoded hithgoddi, translate as: “lacerate yourself in torment of sorrow.” But, as Hoonacker rightly points out, such a translation gives a thought that does not correspond to the context, for the prophet predicts a favorable outcome of the struggle. “They have laid a siege against us,” in the Slavic “make war (Greek συνοχὴ, siege works, Jer 52:3; Judg 2:3) against you”; but in many Greek manuscripts there is also a reading corresponding to the Hebrew ‘ Εφ᾿ ἡμᾶζ, “against us.” “With a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek.” The prophet points out the impending humiliation of the people. The judge of Israel is understood as either Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, or Hosea, the last king of Israel, or, more correctly, the king in general. Since the prophet speaks of a judge without immediate definitions, it is assumed that he has in mind the supreme judge mentioned in the law (Deut 17:9), to whom the title belonged to the kings. Instead of the Hebrew schopheth (judge) or perhaps schivthej (judges), the LXX apparently read schivthej (tribes); hence in the Slavic: “they will strike the rod on the jaw of the tribes of Israel.” Other Greek translators read in accordance with the Hebrew τὸν κριτhen, the judge.

Micah 5:2. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. From general and insufficiently determined predictions of the glorious future, the prophet in verse 2 turns to the cause of this future and proclaims the manifestation of the Ruler of Israel. “And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah.” The prophet speaks of Bethlehem in Judah (Matt 2:1-6), from which David and his house came. The name Bethlehem (bethlehem, house of bread) indicates the fertility of the locality in which Bethlehem is situated. Another, and more ancient, name of the city, Ephrathah (compare Gen 35:19; Josh 15:59), also means fertile. At the same time, Ephrathah is the name of the ancestor of the inhabitants of Bethlehem, who were called Ephrathites (Ruth 1:2; 1 Sam 17:12). In the LXX the Hebrew beth-lehem Ephratha is rendered as Βηθλεὲμ οῖκος το υ ᾿Εφραθα. From this it is concluded that originally the Hebrew text contained only beth-ethratha, and that the name Bethlehem was inserted later for a more precise definition of Beth-Ephrathah (Marti, Nowack, Wellhausen). Moreover, Oort and Staude suppose that this insertion is erroneous and that the prophet speaks of Ephrathah, located in the tribe of Benjamin near Tebez, predicting the emergence of a new dynasty from this Ephrathah, that is, the overthrow of the dynasty of David. But even if the name Bethlehem were a later gloss, which is contradicted by its presence in all texts, the identity of Ephrathah and Bethlehem is nevertheless certain and is recognized by all. “Though you are small among the clans of Judah”: the Hebrew people were divided by Moses into fifty-thousands, hundreds, and thousands (Exod 18), which division was preserved in later times (Judg 6:15; 1 Sam 10:19; 1 Chr 27:1); the city of Bethlehem, according to the words of the prophet, was so small that it did not constitute a separate thousand from its inhabitants and was included in a thousand formed by several cities. The prophet indicates the insignificance of Bethlehem compared with the glorious future that awaits the city. “Out of you shall come forth for me one who is to be Ruler in Israel.” In the Slavic text in the cited sentence the word “Elder” is added (“for from you shall come forth for me the Elder”), which corresponds to ἡγοὺμενος in the Alexandria manuscript, in the Moscow edition of the LXX; but in the Vatican manuscript, in Cyril of Alexandria, blessed Jerome, blessed Theodoret and blessed Theophylact, this word is absent, therefore it can be considered an explanatory gloss. The verb jeze (“shall come forth”) has a general sense; but often it is used of coming forth in the sense of being born. As is evident from the parallel expression Mic 5:3 “until she who is in labor has borne,” in verse 2 the prophet speaks of the birth in Bethlehem of the future Ruler of Israel. It shall come forth for me, that is, for God, for the glory of God, for the fulfillment of divine plans. “Whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Modern commentators understand the words of the prophet as an indication that the future ruler shall come out of the house of David, the beginning of which goes back to the deepest antiquity (Urzeit, Vorzeit), “to the days of old.” Since in the eighth century, when Micah prophesied, the beginning of the dynasty of David could not seem so ancient, commentators reject the attribution of the entire saying to Micah, relating it to the post-exilic time, when the era of David, separated by the exile, could seem as if removed by entire centuries (Nowack, Marti). Hoonacker, finding the expression unnatural even in the mouth of a post-exilic prophet, supposes that Micah represents the time of David as ancient not from his own point of view but from the point of view of the future era of the very Ruler of Israel. Other authors (Keil, Orelli) understand the words of the prophet about the ancient origin of the Ruler of Israel in the sense that even in the beginning of history this Ruler appeared in the form of the Angel of Jehovah, and that the entire history of Israel was a revelation (in the LXX ἐξοδοί, comings forth, exits), consisted of a series of manifestations of the power of the future Ruler. Church teachers, however, explain the words of the prophet in question as an indication of the property of the nature of the future king, the pre-eternal birth of the Ruler of Israel. “This,” observes, for example, blessed Theodoret, “is completely in agreement with what was said at the beginning of the Gospel: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God’ (John 1:1-2). This is also in agreement with what God declared through the mouth of blessed David: ‘From the womb before the morning star I have begotten you’ (Ps 109:3). ‘His coming forth,’ says Jerome, ‘was accomplished not only at the time when He became visible in flesh, but from the beginning of eternity or from the beginning of the age.’” As is evident from Matt 2:4-6, the ancient Jews understood the verse in question as a prophecy of the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem. The same understanding is expressed in the Targum on the Book of Micah, in the Talmud (Berod. 68), in the Midrash on the Book of Lamentations, and among Jewish interpreters Jarchi, Kimchi and others (Yungerov, 195). But in the time of blessed Theodoret, the Jews explained Mic 5:2 in relation to Zerubbabel, and blessed Theodoret refuted this interpretation, pointing against it the fact that Zerubbabel was born after the exile and in Babylon, whereas the Ruler, of whom the prophet speaks, has his origin from the beginning of eternity. As for the Church, it, in accordance with the interpretation of St. Matthew, has always seen in the words of Micah a messianic prophecy (Justin, blessed Theodoret, Jerome, Ephrem the Syrian), and at the Fifth Ecumenical Council condemned the opinion of Theodore of Mopsuestia, who interpreted the verse in question in relation to Zerubbabel. It should be noted that the evangelist Matthew cites the words of the prophet Micah with some departure from the letter of them, but retaining their sense.

Micah 5:3. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the children of Israel. In verse 3, the prophet speaks of what the position of the Jews will be before the coming of the Messiah. “Therefore he shall give them up (ithnem) until the time”: therefore, that is, because deliverance will come only when the Messiah comes, and he has not yet come; “shall give them up”—from Hebrew “shall give them”: the prophet speaks of Jehovah; the verb nathan in this case should be understood not in the sense that the Lord will preserve the Jews from destruction until the time of the Messiah (blessed Jerome and many medieval commentators), but in the sense that the Lord will deliver the Jews into the hands of enemies (compare Judg 2:9; 1 Sam 8:46; 2 Chr 30:7). Until she who is in labor has borne. Under “she who is in labor” commentators understand the Church (blessed Jerome, Theodoret), Jerusalem, which through the pangs of birth will reach a better position, Babylon, which will let go as it were the captives imprisoned in its womb (Kalmar), and finally, the Most Holy Virgin, the Mother of the Messiah. This last interpretation belongs to Ephrem the Syrian, Cyril of Alexandria, and many modern exegetes (Keil, Cheyne, Reinking, etc.). This interpretation should be proposed over others. The prophet does not give a nearer definition of “she who is in labor.” Consequently, she is assumed to be known to the listeners of the prophet. In Mic 4:9-10 the prophet Micah ascribes the pangs of labor to Zion; at the same time, Micah’s contemporary, Isaiah foretold of a Virgin (almah) who would bear Immanuel (Isa 7:14). Correspondingly, the words Mic 2:3 can be understood either in relation to Zion or in relation to the almah of Isaiah. If under “she who is in labor” we understand Zion, then the expression of the prophet will not obtain a clear sense. Such a sense is obtained only when the words of Micah are explained in the same way as the words Isa 7:14, as a prophecy about the Most Holy Virgin Mary. Then the rest of his brothers shall return to the children of Israel, to the true Israel, faithful to the dynasty of David; “shall return,” that is, shall become united spiritually and in a religious sense, “the rest of his brothers”: from Hebrew “the remnant of his brothers,” that is, the brothers according to the flesh of the Ruler of Israel, the Messiah. Thus, the fruit of the coming of the Messiah will be, according to the prophet, the restoration of Israel in its entirety.

Micah 5:4. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God, and they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. In verse 4, the prophet describes the activity of the future ruler as a shepherd. “And he shall stand,” that is, shall stand as a shepherd surveying his flock, as its guardian—in general shall enter into the government of his people. Instead of the words “and he shall feed” in the Slavic from the Greek “and he shall see and he shall feed his flock,” the words “his flock” represent a positive supplement not having correspondence in the Hebrew text, and the verbs “shall see” (δψεται) and “shall feed” (καὶ ποιμανεἰ) are a double translation of the Hebrew text, and the verbs veraah, which (with ayin) means to feed and (with aleph) to see. “In the majesty of the name of the Lord his God”: according to the Hebrew text, these words are spoken about the Ruler of Israel, but in the LXX they are understood in relation to the people under His government; hence in the Slavic “in the glory of the name of the Lord his God shall they abide”; this reading cannot be accepted, for divine majesty is not ascribed to members of the messianic Kingdom in the Bible. “For now he shall be great to the ends of the earth”: in the LXX again the speech is about the members of the messianic Kingdom—διὸτι νυν μεγαλυνθὴσονται, “for they shall then be magnified,” although in some manuscripts there is also the singular, as in our Slavic text.

Micah 5:5. And this one shall be peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads on our soil, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes. “And this one shall be peace” (seh) peace (schalom): according to the meaning of the Russian translation, the prophet characterizes the future reign of the Ruler of Israel, designates its properties by ascribing to him the name “peace.” The Messiah is presented as the creator and source of peace already before Moses in the Book of Genesis (Gen 49:10) and in the prophet Isaiah, who called the future king a “prince of peace” (Isa 9:6). Similarly, the apostle, wishing to denote in one word the work of the Messiah, says: “He is our peace” (Eph 2:14). However, the translation adopted in the Russian text of the words of Micah in question is not confirmed by the Greek translation. The LXX translate the Hebrew seh (Russian “this one”) as either αυτῆ (this one or it, that is, the land mentioned at the end of verse 4) or ἅυτη (this one or such), agreeing with the following εἰρηνη (“such will be peace”). Modern commentators (Nowack, Marti, Hoonacker) also believe that the pronoun seh (this one) refers to the following schalom, and understand the entire expression in accordance with the LXX. The peaceful character of the rule of the ruler of Israel will be a consequence of the might with which Israel will defeat enemies. This might will be such that Israel will triumph over all the god-hostile world. As representatives of this world, the prophet names the Assyrians. “Tread on our soil” (bearnmothenu). The LXX read something similar in beginning with beadmathenu (from adamah—earth) and therefore translated—“ascend upon your land,” which reading, as more natural, should be preferred to the Hebrew. “Then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes” (nesiche): an indefinite indication of the strength of Israel, of the might of his defense (compare Amos 1:3; Eccl 11:2). The LXX instead of nesiche (with samekh) read neschiche (with shin) and, deriving the latter from naschachc (sting), translated δήγματα ενθρώπων or as in the Slavic: “eight wounds of men”; probably the LXX meant the calamities that befell Assyria.

Micah 5:6. And they shall rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he comes into our land and treads on our soil. The prophet strengthens the thought of the future triumph of Israel over enemies. The land of Nimrod, that is, Babylon (Gen 10:9). By naming separately “the land of Assyria” and the “land of Nimrod” belonging to it, the prophet indicates the vastness of the territory on which the might of Israel will be manifested. “At its entrances” (bipthacheha), that is, in its fortifications (Keil, Yungerov). The LXX have an unclear ἐν τη τἀφρφ αύτῆς, in its pit or ditch encircling the city. The Vulgate reads “in lanoeis ejus, with its spears”; the Vulgate reading passed into our Slavic text; as with this reading the parallelism of the clauses is maintained, it should be preferred to the Hebrew. Probably, the present Hebrew “bipthacheha” arose from “bapthichah” (pthichah—sword, spear).

Micah 5:7. And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for anyone or depend on the children of man. The prophet speaks of the remnant of Jacob, that is, the renewed Israel, and compares it to drops of dew or rain. What is the meaning of the prophet’s comparison? Usually, this comparison is understood as an indication of the beneficial significance of the new Israel for the pagan world, for which Israel will be the same as dew and rains are for Palestine (blessed Theodoret, Cyril of Alexandria, Sanctius, Yungerov, etc.). But the second half of the verse—“which do not wait for anyone or depend on the children of man”—gives reason for modern commentators (Nowack, Marti, Hoonacker) to understand the prophet’s comparison as an indication that the remnant of Israel will multiply like drops of dew or rain, and that this growth will depend not on people but on God, just as the falling of dew and rain do not depend on people but on God. In the Greek text, after the name of Jacob, the word ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν is added, Slavic “among the peoples,” which suggests the loss in the Hebrew text of what once existed bagoim. The word “dew” in the Slavic text, corresponding to the Greek πίπτουσα, adds “falling.” Instead of the expression “like showers (kirvivim) on the grass” in the Slavic “like lambs (rechichim) on grass,” which blessed Theodoret explains: “as hungry lambs devour grass, so and they like grass will devour ungodliness.” The sense of the Greek text is clearly unnatural; it is supposed that the Greek ἄρνες (lambs) arose from the original ρανιες (drops) (Kopell, Yakimov). Instead of the Russian “which do not wait for anyone” (lo jekaweh leisch) in the Slavic “that no one shall be gathered together”: the LXX took the piel form jekaweh (from kavah, to be connected) meaning “to hope,” as a niphal form ikavveh and translated συναχθῆ (shall gather). Instead of the words “nor depend” (jejachel) in the Slavic “neither shall stand” (μηδὲ ὑποσῆ), for the LXX derived jejachal from chail, strength (will not have strength). The proper name Adam in Greek and Slavic is rendered as the common noun “man” (Slavic “in the son of men”).

Micah 5:8. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, when it goes through, tramples and tears, and there is no one to deliver. Micah 5:9. Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off. In a series of images, the prophet depicts the might of the new Israel (the Church) and its head—the Messiah, who is the lion from Judah (Gen 49:9) and the star from Jacob (Num 23:24).

Micah 5:10. And it shall be in that day, says the Lord, that I will cut off your horses from among you and destroy your chariots; Micah 5:11. I will cut off the cities of your land and throw down all your strongholds; Micah 5:12. I will remove sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more soothsayers; Micah 5:13. I will cut off your carved images and your pillars from among you, and you shall no longer bow down to the work of your hands; Micah 5:14. I will uproot your sacred groves from among you and destroy your cities. Micah 5:15. And I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that did not obey. The prophet in verses 10–15 describes the condition of the people under the rule of the future Ruler. Since his kingdom will be a kingdom of peace, and on the other hand, a kingdom of God, the people will be deprived of both instruments of war, such as military horses, chariots, fortified cities, and means and objects of false worship, that is, carved images, pillars (mazzeboth), sacred groves, and various kinds of sorcery. At the end of verse 14, instead of the reading “cities” (areicha), which does not correspond to the parallelism (“your sacred groves”), modern commentators propose reading “your trees” (ezecha).