Micah 1:15

Micah 1:15 contains the last play upon words, Mareshah and Yoresh, “the possessor,” translated in A.V. “heir,” in R.V. “him that shall possess.”

Mareshah Joshua 15:44, implies that this place is located near Achzib; it is generally identified with a ruin Merash, one mile south of Beit-Jibrin. The Israelites took the city from the Canaanites, but they will be displaced by a new possessor sent by Jehovah.

Adullam The reference is to the “cave of Adullam,” where David hid himself (1 Samuel 22:1 ff.). In that out-of-the-way place the “glory,” that is, the nobility (Isaiah 5:13-14), will be compelled to seek refuge, or, the wealth and possessions must be hidden, because the rest of the land is overrun by the enemy. Adullam was in the lowland of Judah (Joshua 15:35), but its exact location is uncertain, though it has been identified with several modern ruins. Clermont-Ganneau identified it with the modern Aid-el-ma, a steep hill covered with ruins, about three miles southeast of Soco and about eight miles northeast of Mareshah. The suggestion has been made to separate the original for Adullam into two words and, with changed vocalization, to translate “forever”; the whole sentence, “the glory of Israel shall set forever.” Elhorst thinks that in the text of 15b, which he considers corrupt, another play upon words is hidden; he restores it and translates, “The inhabitants of Adullam shall go under the yoke,” that is, into exile.

The above interpretation of 8-15 is based, with few exceptions, upon the present Hebrew text. It must be admitted, however, that in several instances the uncertainty is very great, and many modern scholars treat the Hebrew text with much greater freedom.

With Micah 1:16 the prophet’s lament closes. Judah, conceived as a mother, is urged to mourn for her children, because they are doomed to exile.

Delicate R.V., “of thy delight”; they are very dear to Judah.

Baldness Artificial baldness was a symbol of mourning (Amos 8:10; Isaiah 3:24); in Leviticus 19:27-28; Deuteronomy 14:1, it is prohibited, probably on account of its heathen associations. The appeal is repeated, in slightly different language, three times for the sake of emphasis.

Eagle Better, R.V. margin, “vulture.” Baldness is not a mark of the eagle, but it is of the vulture. The prophet probably has in mind the carrion vulture, common in Egypt and in Palestine, the front part of whose head is entirely bald, while the back part has only a thin covering.