John Calvin Commentary Micah 2:10

"Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your resting-place; because of uncleanness that destroyeth, even with a grievous destruction." — Micah 2:10 (ASV)

Here again the Prophet checks the foolish confidence of the people. The land of Canaan, we know, had been honored by God with the distinction of being a rest; indeed, God called it not only the rest of the people but also His own rest.

I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest (Psalms 95:11).

The land of Canaan then was a sort of rest, hidden under the wings of God, for the Lord had assigned it as an inheritance to His chosen people.

Since God then dwelt in that land and had also given it to the children of Abraham so that they might rest there in safety—and since this was also one of the blessings contained in the Law—hypocrites, pursuing their usual course of falsely and groundlessly claiming God's favors for themselves, said that they could not be expelled from there and that those Prophets were falsifiers who dared to change anything in God’s covenant. This is the reason why the Prophet now says:

Arise, depart; this is not your rest. “False confidence,” he says, “deceives you, as you think that you are inseparably fixed in your dwelling place. God indeed has made such a promise, but this condition was added: if you will stand faithful to His covenant. Now you have become covenant-breakers. You think that He is firmly bound to you; all the cords are loosened, for as you have treacherously departed from the Law of God, there is now no reason for you to think that He is under any obligation to you.”

“There is then no ground for you to boast of being a holy people; you have indeed the name, but the reality has ceased to be. Therefore arise and depart: but to sit still securely and proudly will avail you nothing, for God will now drive you far away. And I now declare to you that you must arise and depart, for you cannot rest in this land against the will of God, and God will now thrust you out of it.”

We now perceive the real meaning of the Prophet.

He afterwards adds, For it is polluted; He will scatter you with violent scattering. Here again he vindicates God from their slander and ungodly murmurings. We indeed know how difficult it was to bring down that people, who were steeped in so great a perversity.

And we find that the Prophet had a hard contest with the hypocrites, for the multitude always had this language in their mouths: “What! Is it of no importance that God has favored us with so many and so remarkable promises? Is our adoption nothing but a mockery? Has He in vain given us this land by an hereditary right?”

Since then hypocrites thus brought forward their privileges in opposition to God, and yet abused them, it was necessary to convince them to the contrary. This is what the Prophet does here: “You call,” he says, “this land your rest, but how do you rest in it? God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath, for He dwells among you to sanctify you; but you live disorderly and carry on war with God Himself. Have not your pollutions obliterated that holy rest, which has been enjoined on you by God?

“You then see that this change has happened through your fault—that is, that God has ceased to call this land, as He was formerly accustomed to do, your and His own rest. It is not then your rest; He will therefore scatter you with violent or strong scattering: You in vain promise yourselves rest in this land, since you carry on war with God and cease not to provoke His wrath against you.”