Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

The mountains will melt beneath Him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.

“Imagery from earthquakes and volcanic agency, to describe the terrors which attend Jehovah's coming in judgment (compare Jud 5:5).”

All this is for the transgression of Jacob and the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria?

“For the transgression of Jacob is all this--All these terrors attending Jehovah's coming are caused by the sins of Jacob or Israel, that is, the whole people.”

Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble in the open field, a planting area for a vineyard.

“Vineyards were cultivated on the sides of hills exposed to the sun. The hill on which Samaria was built by Omri, had been, doubtless, planted with vines originally; now it is to be reduced again to its original state (1Ki 16:24).”

All her carved images will be smashed to pieces; all her wages will be burned in the fire, and I will destroy all her idols.

“GROTIUS explains it, The offerings sent to Israel's temple by the Assyrians, whose idolatry Israel adopted, shall go back to the Assyrians, her teachers in idolatry, as the hire or fee for having taught it.”

Because of this I will lament and wail; I will walk barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and mourn like an ostrich.

“Therefore I will wail--The prophet first shows how the coming judgment affects himself, in order that he might affect the minds of his countrymen similarly. stripped--that is, of shoes, or sandals, as the Septuagint translates. Otherwise "naked" would be a tautology.”

Do not tell it in Gath; do not weep at all. Roll in the dust in Beth-leaphrah.

“Acco's inhabitants would, therefore, like Gath's, rejoice at Israel's disaster. Thus the parallelism is best carried out in all the three clauses of the verse, and there is a similar play on sounds in each, in the Hebrew Gath, resembling in sound the Hebrew for…”

Depart in shameful nakedness, O dwellers of Shaphir. The dwellers of Zaanan will not come out. Beth-ezel is in mourning; its support is taken from you.

“"Zaanan" is the same as Zenan, in Judah (Jos 15:37), meaning the "place of flocks." The form of the name used is made like the Hebrew for "came forth." Though in name seeming to imply that thou dost come forth, thou "camest not forth."”

For the dwellers of Maroth pined for good, but calamity came down from the LORD, even to the gate of Jerusalem.

“This accords with the meaning of Maroth, "bitterness," to which allusion is made in "is grieved." But the antithesis favors English Version, "waited carefully (that is, anxiously) for good, but evil came down." from the Lord--not from chance.”

I will again bring a conqueror against you, O dweller of Mareshah. The glory of Israel will come to Adullam.

“Other heirs will supplant us in every inheritance but that of heaven. There is a play upon the meaning of Mareshah, "an inheritance": there shall come the new heir of the inheritance.”

Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair in mourning for your precious children; make yourselves as bald as an eagle, for they will go from you into exile.

“Mourn, O land, for thy darling children. poll--shave off thy hair. enlarge thy baldness--Mourn grievously. The land is compared to a mother weeping for her children. as the eagle--the bald eagle, or the dark-winged vulture.”

Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.

“As in the former chapter sins against the first table are reproved, so in this chapter sins against the second table.”

In that day they will take up a proverb against you and taunt you with this bitter lamentation: ‘We are utterly ruined! He has changed the portion of my people.

“So "backsliding," that is, backslider (Jer 49:4). English Version gives a good sense; and is quite tenable in the Hebrew.”

Therefore, you will have no one in the assembly of the LORD to divide the land by lot.

“By covetousness and violence (Mic 2:2) they had forfeited "the portion of Jehovah's people." This is God's implied answer to their complaint of injustice (Mic 2:4).”

Should it be said, O house of Jacob, “Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient? Are these the things He does?”

“Also, bearing the name which ought to remind thee of God's favors granted to thee because of His covenant with Jacob.”

But of late My people have risen up like an enemy: You strip off the splendid robe from unsuspecting passersby like men returning from battle.

“GROTIUS translates, "as men returning from war," that is, as captives over whom the right of war gives the victors an absolute power. English Version is supported by the antithesis.”

You drive the women of My people from their pleasant homes. You take away My blessing from their children forever.

“The women of my people--that is, the widows of the men slain by you (Mic 2:2) ye cast out from their homes which had been their delight, and seize on them for yourselves. from their children--that is, from the orphans of the widows.”

One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate, and go out by it.

“Jud 21:15), but breaking a way for them through their enemies. they--the returning Israelites and Jews. passed through the gate--that is, through the gate of the foe's city in which they had been captives. So the image of the resurrection (Ho 13:14) represents Israel's restoration.”

Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them.

“Their prayer shall be rejected, because it is the mere cry of nature for deliverance from pain, not that of repentance for deliverance from sin. ill in their doings--Men cannot expect to do ill and fare well.”

As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.

“Or, "judgment" to discern between graver and lighter offenses, and to denounce punishments accordingly [GROTIUS]. might--moral intrepidity in speaking the truth at all costs (2Ti 1:7). to declare unto Jacob his . . . sin-- (Isa 58:1).”

Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right,

“Hear--resumed from Mic 3:1. Here begins the leading subject of the prophecy: a demonstration of his assertion that he is "full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah" (Mic 3:8).”

In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and the…

“Almost identical with Isa 2:2-4. the mountain of the house of the Lord--which just before (Mic 3:12) had been doomed to be a wild forest height.”

Though each of the peoples may walk in the name of his god, yet we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

“So the Hebrew particle means in the Margin, Ge 8:21; The resolution of the exile Jews is: As Jehovah gives us hope of so glorious a restoration, notwithstanding the overthrow of our temple and nation, we must in confident reliance on His promise persevere in…”

And you, O watchtower of the flock, O stronghold of the Daughter of Zion—the former dominion will be restored to you; sovereignty will come to the Daughter of Jerusalem.”

“In large pastures it was usual to erect a high wooden tower, so as to oversee the flock. JEROME takes the Hebrew for "flock," Eder or Edar, as a proper name, namely, a village near Beth-lehem, for which it is put, Beth-lehem being taken to…”

Why do you now cry aloud? Is there no king among you? Has your counselor perished so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?

“Addressed to the daughter of Zion, in her consternation at the approach of the Chaldeans. is there no king in thee?--asked tauntingly.”

Writhe in agony, O Daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you will leave the city and camp in the open fields.

“Though God cares for His children, yet they must not expect to be exempt from trouble, but must prepare for it. go forth out of the city--on its capture. So "come out" is used 2Ki 24:12; Isa 36:16.”