Micah 3:9-11

Renewed condemnation of the nation’s religious and political leaders Doom of Jerusalem, Micah 3:9-12.

After the direct denunciation of the prophets, Micah sums up the sins and crimes which may be laid to the charge of nobles, priests, and prophets, and announces the utter destruction of Jerusalem.

Micah 3:9-10 are addressed exclusively to the “heads” and “princes” (R.V., “rulers”) of the nation, whose duty it was to administer justice. It is worthy of notice that not one word is said in condemnation of the king. This silence concerning the king may be due to the fact that the prophecy was uttered at a time when a king in sympathy with the prophetic teaching was upon the throne, namely, Hezekiah (compare Jeremiah 26:17-19; 2 Kings 18:3-4). The “heads,” instead of administering justice, abhorred and perverted it. How they did this is stated in Micah 3:11. The capital owed its splendor and magnificence very largely to the crimes condemned in Micah 3:9.

Blood Blood-guiltiness (Isaiah 1:15; compare G.-K., 124n) that is, “violent conduct leading to the ruin of others.” By extortion and other illegitimate means they secured the material needed for the erection of palaces and other majestic structures. The last clause repeats the same thought for the sake of emphasis. Micah 3:11 contrasts the conduct of the rulers, priests, and prophets with their religious professions; and so it contains a summary of all the accusations uttered in the preceding verses, and paves the way for the announcement of doom in Micah 3:12.

Reward Better, bribe. All the eighth century prophets find it necessary to preach against corruption of this sort (see on Amos 5:12; compare Isaiah 1:23; Micah 7:3).

The priests… teach for hire It was the duty of the priests to teach the Torah (see on Hosea 4:4 ff., especially Micah 3:6) and to give judgment in difficult legal cases; this they were to do uninfluenced by any personal consideration (Deuteronomy 17:11); but in time the priests became unfaithful, and the question of reward played an important part in the discharge of their duties.

Divine for money See on Micah 3:5.

Lean upon Jehovah In the face of this moral depravity rulers, priests, and prophets claimed to be entitled to the favor and protection of Jehovah.

Is not Jehovah among us? In their opinion the prophet of judgment was a fanatic, a fool; they were convinced that, since Jehovah was on their side, no evil could befall them (see introductory remarks to Amos 3:1 to Amos 4:3; Amos 3:2; Amos 5:14). The mass of people might, perhaps, be excused for laboring under a misapprehension, but not so the leaders; they should have known that Jehovah demands holiness of heart and life rather than a painstaking ritual service.