John Calvin Commentary Micah 3:1-3

"And I said, Hear, I pray you, ye heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: is it not for you to know justice? ye who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron." — Micah 3:1-3 (ASV)

The Prophet in this chapter assails and severely reproves the chief men as well as the teachers, for both were given to avarice and cruelty, to plunder, and, in short, to all other vices. He begins with the magistrates, who exercised authority among the people, and briefly relates the words in which he inveighed against them.

We have said elsewhere that the Prophets did not record all that they had spoken, but only touched briefly on the main points. This was done by Micah so that we might know what he did for forty or more years in which he executed his office. He could have related, no doubt, in half an hour, all that exists of his writings.

But from this small book, however small it is, we may learn what was the Prophet’s manner of teaching and on what things he chiefly dwelt. I will now return to his words.

He says that the chief men of the kingdom had been reproved by him. It is probable that these words were addressed to the Jews; for though at the beginning he includes the Israelites, yet we know that he was given as a teacher to the Jews, and not to the kingdom of Israel. It was, as it were, accidental that he sometimes introduces the ten tribes together with the Jews. This address then was made, as I think, to the king as well as to his counselors and other judges, who then ruled over the people of Judah.

Hear this, I pray, he says. Such a preface indicates carelessness in the judges; for why does he demand a hearing from them, except that they had become so torpid in their vices that they would attend to nothing? Since then so brutal a stupor had seized on them, he says, Hear now, you chiefs, or heads, of Jacob, and you rulers of the house of Israel. But why does he still speak of the house of Israel?

Because that name was especially known and celebrated whenever mention was made of the posterity of Abraham. The other Prophets, even while speaking of the kingdom of Judah, often make use of this title, you who are called by the name of Israel; and they did this on account of the dignity of the holy Patriarch, and the meaning of the word itself was no ordinary testimonial of excellence for his whole race. This is what is frequently done by Isaiah.

But the name of Israel is not put here, as elsewhere, as a title of distinction. On the contrary, the Prophet here amplifies their sin, because they were so corrupt, though they were the chief men among the chosen race, being those whom God had honored with so much dignity as to set them over His Church and elect people. It was then an intolerable ingratitude to abuse that high and sacred authority which had been conferred on them by God.

Does it not belong to you, he says, to know judgment? Here he implies that rectitude ought to exist among the chief men more especially than among the common people, for they ought to excel others in the knowledge of what is just and right.

For though the difference between good and evil is engraved on the hearts of all, yet those who hold supremacy among the people and excel in power are, as it were, the eyes of the community. As the eyes direct the whole body, so also those who are placed in any situation of honor are thus made eminent, so that they may show the right way to others.

Hence by the word to know, the Prophet implies that they wickedly subverted the whole order of nature, for they were blind, while they ought to have been the luminaries of the whole people. Is it not for you, he says, to know judgment? And equity? But why was this said, especially to the chief men?

Because they, though they themselves knew what was right, having the law engraved within, yet as leaders ought to have possessed superior knowledge, so as to outshine others. It is therefore your duty to know judgment. Hence, we learn that it is not enough for princes and magistrates to be well disposed and upright; but it is required of them to know judgment and wisdom so that they may discern matters above the common people.

But if they are not thus endowed with the gift of understanding and wisdom, let them ask of the Lord. We indeed know that without the Spirit of God, the most acute men are wholly unfit to rule. Nor is it in vain that the free Spirit of God is portrayed as holding the supreme power in the world, for we are thus reminded that even those who are endowed with the chief gifts are wholly incapable of governing unless the Spirit of God is with them.

This passage then shows that an upright mind is not a sufficient qualification in princes; they must also excel in wisdom, so that they may be, as we have already said, as the eyes are to the body. It is in this sense that Micah now says that it belonged to the leaders of the people to know judgment and justice.

He afterwards adds, But they hate good, and love evil, and pull off the skin from my people, the flesh from their bones; that is, they leave nothing, he says, sound and safe, their rapacity being so furious. The Prophet conveys first a general reproof—that they not only perverted justice, but were also given to wickedness and hated good.

He means then that they were openly wicked and ungodly, and also that they with a fixed purpose carried on war against everything just and right. Hence, we learn how great and how abominable was the corruption of the people, when they were still the peculiar possession and heritage of God.

Since, then, the state of this ancient people had become so degenerated, let us learn to walk in careful concern and fear, while the Lord governs us through pious magistrates and faithful pastors. For what happened to the Jews might soon happen to us, so that wolves might rule over us, as indeed experience has proved even in this our city.

The Prophet afterwards adds the kinds of cruelty which prevailed, of which he speaks in hyperbolical terms, though no doubt he sets before our eyes the state of things as it was. He compares the judges to wolves or to lions, or to other savage beasts. He says not that they sought the property of the people, or pillaged their houses; but he says that they devoured their flesh even to the very bones; he says that they pulled off their skin, and this he confirms in the next verse.

They devour, he says, the flesh of my people, and their skin they strip off from them, and their bones they break in pieces and make small, as that which into the pot is thrown, and which is in the midst of the caldron. For when anyone throws meat into the pot, he does not take the whole ox, but cuts it into pieces, and having broken it, he then fills his pot or his caldron with these pieces.

The Prophet then enhances the cruelty of the princes: they were not content with one kind of oppression, but exercised every species of barbarous cruelty towards the people, and were in every respect like bears, wolves, lions, or other savage beasts, and they were also like gluttons. We now perceive the Prophet’s meaning.

Now this passage teaches us what God requires primarily from those in power—that they abstain from doing injustice. For as they are armed with power, so they ought to be a law to themselves. They assume authority over others; let them then begin with themselves and restrain themselves from doing evil.

For when a private man is disposed to do harm, he is restrained at least by fear of the laws and dares not to do anything as he pleases. But in princes there is a greater boldness, and they are able to do greater injustice; this is the reason why they ought to observe more forbearance and humanity.

Hence, mildness and paternal kindness especially befit princes and those in power. But the Prophet here condemns the princes of his age for what deserved the highest censure, and their chief crime was cruelty or inhumanity, since they did not spare their own subjects.

We now see that the Prophet in no degree flattered the great, though they took great pride in their own dignity. But when he saw that they wickedly and basely abused the power committed to them, he boldly resisted them and exercised the full boldness of the Spirit.

He therefore not only calls them robbers or plunderers of the people, but he says that they were cruel wild beasts; he says that they devoured the flesh, tore and pulled it in pieces, and made it small. He says all this so that he might convey an idea of the various kinds of cruelty which they practiced. Now follow threats—