Mic 3:5, 11, Heb 12:16 | JFB | e4.org | 5. Here he attacks the false prophets, as before he had attacked the "princes." make my people err —knowingly mislead My people by not denouncing their sins as incurring judgment. bite with . . . teeth, and cry, Peace —that is, who, so long as they are supplied with food, promise peace and prosperity in their prophecies. he that putteth not into their mouths, they . . . prepare war against him —Whenever they are not supplied with food, they foretell war and calamity. prepare war —literally, "sanctify war," that is, proclaim it as a holy judgment of God because they are not fed (see on ; compare ).

‏ Micah 3:5

5. Here he attacks the false prophets, as before he had attacked the "princes."

make my people err—knowingly mislead My people by not denouncing their sins as incurring judgment.

bite with . . . teeth, and cry, Peace—that is, who, so long as they are supplied with food, promise peace and prosperity in their prophecies.

he that putteth not into their mouths, they . . . prepare war against him—Whenever they are not supplied with food, they foretell war and calamity.

prepare war—literally, "sanctify war," that is, proclaim it as a holy judgment of God because they are not fed (see on Jer 6:4; compare Isa 13:3; Joe 1:14).

‏ Micah 3:11

11. heads thereof—the princes of Jerusalem.

judge for reward—take bribes as judges (Mic 7:3).

priests teach for hire—It was their duty to teach the law and to decide controversies gratuitously (Le 10:11; De 17:11; Mal 2:7; compare Jer 6:13; Jude 11).

prophets . . . divine—that is, false prophets.

Is not the Lord among us?—namely in the temple (Isa 48:2; Jer 7:4, 8-11).

‏ Hebrews 12:16

16. fornicator— (Heb 13:4; 1Co 10:8).

or profane—Fornication is nearly akin to gluttony, Esau's sin. He profanely cast away his spiritual privilege for the gratification of his palate. Ge 25:34 graphically portrays him. An example well fitted to strike needful horror into the Hebrews, whosoever of them, like Esau, were only sons of Isaac according to the flesh [BENGEL].

for one morsel—The smallness of the inducement only aggravates the guilt of casting away eternity for such a trifle, so far is it from being a claim for mercy (compare Ge 3:6). One single act has often the greatest power either for good or for evil. So in the cases of Reuben and Saul, for evil (Ge 49:4; 1Ch 5:1; 1Sa 13:12-14); and, on the other hand, for good, Abraham and Phinehas (Ge 12:1, &c.; Ge 15:5, 6; Nu 25:6-15).

his birthright—Greek, "his own (so the oldest manuscripts read, intensifying the suicidal folly and sin of the act) rights of primogeniture," involving the high spiritual privilege of being ancestor of the promised seed, and heir of the promises in Him. The Hebrews whom Paul addressed, had, as Christians, the spiritual rights of primogeniture (compare Heb 12:23): he intimates that they must exercise holy self-control, if they wish not, like Esau, to forfeit them.