John Gill Commentary Micah 4:9

"Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee, is thy counsellor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail?" — Micah 4:9 (ASV)

Now why do you cry out aloud?
&c.] Or "cry a cry" ^F23; a vehement one, or set up a most lamentable cry, as if no help or hope were to be had, but as in the most desperate condition: here the prophet represents the Jews as if they were already in captivity, and in the utmost distress, and as they certainly would be; and yet had no reason to despair of deliverance and salvation, since the Messiah would certainly come to them, and his kingdom would be set up among them. The word used has sometimes the notion of friendship and association; hence the Targum renders it, ``now why are you joined to the people?'' and so Jarchi, ``you have no need to seek friends and lovers, the kings of Egypt and Assyria, for help.'' And which sense of the word is approved by Gussetius ^F24.

[Is there] no king in you? is your counsellor perished?
be it so that they were; as was the case when Zedekiah was taken and carried captive, and his princes, nobles, and counsellors killed; yet God, their King and Counsellor, was with them, to keep and preserve them, counsel, instruct, and comfort them, and at last to deliver and save them; and the King Messiah would be raised up, and sent unto them in due time, who is the Wonderful Counsellor Isaiah had prophesied of:

for pangs have taken you as a woman in travail;
which is often expressive of great sufferings and sorrows; and yet, as the pangs of a woman in travail do not continue always, but have an end, so would yours, and therefore there was no reason for despair; and as, when she brings forth her child, her sorrow is turned into joy, this would be their case.

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F23: (er yeyrt hml) "quid vociferabis vociferationem", Pagninus, Montanus. So Vatablus, Drusius.
• F24: Ebr. Comment. p. 789.