GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
JOHN CALVIN
was to begin with threatenings, and to terrify the Jews by setting before them the punishment that was at hand, this inscription was designedly given. There is, at the same time, no doubt but that the Prophet was ill received by the Jews on this account; for they deemed it a great indignity, and by no means to be endured, to be tied up in the same bundle with the Israelites; for Samaria was an abomination to the kingdom of Judah; and yet the Prophet here makes no difference between Samaria and Jerusalem. This was then an exasperating sentence: but we see how boldly the Prophet performs the ofÏce committed to him; for he regarded not what would be agreeable to men, nor endeavored to draw them by smooth things: though his message was disliked, he yet proclaimed it, for he was so commanded, nor could he shake off the yoke of his vocation. Let us now proceed ---
Micah 1:2
2. Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord
GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
2. Audite populi omnes, ausculta terra et plenitudo ejus, et sit Dominus Jehova vobis (vel, inter vos, vel, contra vos, potius) in testem, et Dominus e palatio (vel, templo) sanctitatis suae.
The Prophet here rises into an elevated style, being not content with a simple and calm manner of speaking. We hence may learn, that having previously tried the disposition of the people, he knew the stubbornness of almost all classes: for except he was persuaded that the people would be rebellious and obstinate, he would certainly have used some mildness, or have at least endeavored to lead them of their own accord rather than to drive them thus violently. There is then no doubt but that the obstinacy of the people and their wickedness were already fully known to him, even before he began to address one word to them. But this difÏculty did not prevent him from obeying God's command. He found it necessary in the meantime to add vehemence to his teaching; for he saw that he addressed the deaf, yea, stupid men, who were destitute of every sense of religion, and who had hardened themselves against God, and had not only fallen away through want of thought, but had also become immersed in their sins, and were wickedly and abominably obstinate in them. Since then the Prophet saw this, he makes here a bold beginning, and addresses not only his own nation, for whom he was appointed a Teacher; but he speaks to the whole world.
For what purpose does he say, Hear, all ye people? 138 It was not certainly his object to proclaim indiscriminately to all the truth of God for the same end: but he summons here all nations as witnesses or judges, that the Jews might understand that their impiety would be made evident to all, except they repented, and that 138{{`` }כלם{, }עמים{ שמעוHear, ye peoples, all of them.'' Were it not for a similar anomaly as to number in the following line, ``Give ear, thou earth, and its fullness,'' we might think that {}כלןis here a mistake for ,{}כלכםas it is evidently the case in 1 Samuel 6:4, and Job 17:10; for in these two places there are several MSS. Which have ,{}כלכםthough here there is no variety.
Some, to get rid of the difÏculty, have suggested that {}כלםhere is to be construed as an adverb, ``universally,'' regarding it as assuming the same form with ,{`` }חנםgratuitously,'' and ,{`` }ריקםvainly.'' But such irregularity is common in Hebrew; there is therefore no need of having recourse to such expedients. The word ,{}עמיםpeoples, may be rendered nations: for, notwithstanding the dissent of Drusius, what Horsley says seems to be correct, that {}עםin the plural number designates the heathen nations, as distinguished from the people of Israel. The verse literally is this, --- Hear, ye nations, --- all of them; Give ear, thou earth, --- even its fullness; And the Lord Jehovah shall be against you a witness The Lord from the temple of his holiness.