MICAH CHAPTER 1
The time when Micah prophesied, Micah 1:1 . Micah showeth the wrath of God against Israel and Judah for idolatry, Micah 1:2-9 A lamentation for them, Micah 1:10-16 .
The word of the Lord that came: thus Hosea begins his prophecy, Hosea 1:1 , and Joel 1:1 , and Jon 1:, and Zephaniah 1:1 , which see.
Micah: though Hierom, Epiphanius, and Dorotheus are said to report this Micah to be the same with the son of Imlah, 1 Kings 22:8 , yet R. Sol. Jarchi's reason why this could not be is satisfactory, for one generation and almost a half intervened between Ahab and Jotham; Ahab died about A.M. 3046, Jotham began to reign about A.M. 3190, by which it appears there were one hundred and forty-four years between Micaiah the son of Imlah and Micah our prophet.
The Morasthite: whether Mareshah, rebuilt by Rehoboam 2 Chronicles 11:8 , (called also Beth-gebarim in after-time,) of which 2 Chronicles 11:14 of this chapter, or whether Moresheth, of which 2 Chronicles 11:15 , gave him this surname, and whether because Micah was born there or else did dwell there, is not easily resolved, nor material if it were resolved.
In the days of Jotham: it is not said what year of Jotham this prophet begun, it is probable it was about the beginning of Jotham's reign, A.M. 3190, of which we have this character, 2 Kings 15:34,35, He did right, &c., yet the high places were not removed. Religion was not wholly corrupted as in Israel, yet was it exceedingly abased with their own mixtures.
Ahaz; the very worst of all Judah's kings, all things considered; he brought the Baalitical idolatry into Judah.
Hezekiah; the best son of the worst father, who reformed Judah. How long Micah prophesied during his reign we can but conjecture, possibly till the fourteenth year of Hezekiah. So this prophet may be supposed to have prophesied sixteen years in Jotham's time, as many under Ahaz, and fourteen under Hezekiah, in all forty-six years, and survived the captivity of Israel ten years, which he lamented as well as foretold.
Kings of Judah; Judah only named, but Benjamin is included.
Which he saw: see Amos 1:1 .
Concerning Samaria; the metropolis of the kingdom of the ten tribes, and by a well-known figure put for the whole kingdom, as Jerusalem, chief city of Judah, is, by the same figure, put for the whole kingdom. As both had linked together in sinning, God doth link them together in suffering, and commands Micah to do so.