Micah 7.1-20 is a lamentation for the sin of the people. They were going into exile. The fig tree is Israel, but there was no fruit. But there is hope for their future (Jer 31.15-37; Hos 14.1-9; Amos 9.15), and in the first century, Yeshua will use the same terminology when warning his generation (Mark 11.12-14).
v 1…Woe is me (lamentation awaits me)! For I am like the fruit pickers and the grape gatherers (when there are only a few berries or stalks). There is not a cluster of grapes to eat (all fruit is gone), a first-ripe fig I crave (there were very few righteous people with whom he could be refreshed; Micah speaks in the name of the Kahal (assembly) of Israel).
v 2…the godly person (“chasid” or pious fruit) has perished from the land (he was looking for the person of emunah/faith), and there is no upright (v’yashar) person among men (they are as scarce as the first-ripe fig). All of them lie in wait for bloodshed; each of them hunts his brother with a net (laid traps, snares, and nets to obtain wealth, power, and riches of men).
v 3…Concerning evil (“ra”), both hands do it well (diligent to do evil). The prince asks, also the judge, for a bribe; and a great man speaks the lust of his soul; so they weave it together (working together to weave plots and webs and snares against their unwary victims).
v 4…The best of them is like a briar, the most upright like a thorn hedge (they injure anyone who comes in contact with them). The day of your watchman (the true prophets who foretold this), your visitation (by God in judgment) is coming, now shall be their confusion (perplexity will surround them with no way out).
v 5…Put no faith (“aminu” and the root is emunah or faith ) in a neighbor (companion); do not have confidence (trust) in a friend. Keep the door of your mouth from her who lies in your bosom (not safe to divulge your thoughts with your wife); for son disputes father (openly), daughter rises up against her mother (no respect, always striving with her), daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own household (Yeshua quotes this in Matt 10.21, 35-36; the deepest ties and relations will be trodden under foot-all the bonds of family and friends will be discarded-this will happen again in the birth-pains-Matt 24.10-12).
v 7…But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord (only Yehovah can be trusted), I will wait for the God of my salvation (only he can save them from all the coming evil). My God will hear me (to help deliver me).
v 8…Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy (Assyria in Micah’s time, but any enemy). When I fall I will arise; though I dwell in darkness (the afflictions of God), the Lord (Yehovah) is a light for me (their salvation-he judges now but he will not break his promises to his people).
v 9…I will bear the indignation (wrath) of the Lord because I have sinned against him (Israel had it coming), until he pleads my case and executes justice for me (he knows that the current afflictions will cease soon when Yehovah’s justice is satisfied). He will bring me out to the light (out of affliction and captivity; like getting out of prison), and I will see his righteousness (deliverance that agrees with his promises).
v 10…Then my enemy (Assyria or any enemy) will see, and shame will cover her (alludes to the evil woman in Proverbs, especially Prov 2.16-22, 5.3-23, 6.24-35, 7.1-27) who said to me, “Where is the Lord (Yehovah) your God (a scornful question in derision)?” My eyes will look on her (the evil woman); at that time she will be trampled down, like mire in the streets (Isa 10.6; wisdom, insight knowledge, discernment and understanding come into play because the evil woman has presented herself as the virtuous woman, it is a seduction).
v 11…It will be a day for building your walls (of Jerusalem by the decree of Cyrus; or our spiritual house and walls); in that day shall the decree be removed (the evil decree of the captivity and oppression).
v 12…It will be a day when they (Jews and non-Jews as believers) will come to you (Mic 4.2) from Assyria and the cities of Egypt (the two most powerful empires at the time of Micah), from Egypt even to the Euphrates (the river), even from sea to sea and mountain to mountain (all regions and countries).
v 13…And the earth (the nations in the world) will become desolate because of her inhabitants, on account of the fruit of their deeds (while Israel is rebuilt, judgment has fallen on the nations, completing the promise of the restoration of the land of Israel).
v 14…Shepherd thy people with thy scepter (Micah pleads with Yehovah to take care of the people in their afflicted condition while in exile), the flock of thy possession (heritage) which dwells by itself in the woodlands (alone in the world, called to be different-Deut 4.6-8), in the midst of a fruitful field (Hebrew “carmel”-enjoying prosperity and abundance). Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead (Golan Heights today, famous for good pasture land) as in the days of old (under David and Solomon).
v 15…As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt, I will show you miracles (divine manifestations).
v 16…Nations will see and be ashamed (his wonders will make such an impression on them they will stand in awe) of all their might (it was useless against Yehovah). They will put their hand on the mouth, their ears will be deaf (dumb and deaf with terror).
v 17…They will lick the dust like a serpent (driven out of hiding in fear-Gen 3.14), like reptiles of the earth (this will be the scene when the nations stand before Yeshua). They will come trembling out of their fortresses (closed paces, castles); to the Lord our God they will come in dread, and they will be afraid before thee (of his power).
v 18…Who is a God like thee (a wordplay on Micah’s name), who pardons (Hebrew “nasa” meaning “lifting off”) iniquity and passes over the transgression (rebellious act) of the remnant of his possession? He does not retain his anger forever; because he delights in mercy (chesed/grace).
v 19…He will again have compassion on us, tread down our transgressions (conquer their power and tyranny) and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea (as he once did to the tyranny of Pharaoh and drowned him and his army in the “temot” or depths of the sea).
v 20…Thou wilt give truth (Hebrew “emet” as found in his word-Psa 119.160; John 17.17) to Jacob and mercy (chesed/grace) to Abraham which thou didst swear to our forefathers from the days of old (God will give to them what he has promised to the fathers-Gen 22.16-18).
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