Principles of Biblical Interpretation
Glenn E. Myers, Ph.D.
1. Fill in the following chart for the assigned passage supplying as many items on prophecy as you can find. In
the assigned chapters, find 15-20 Aspects of Prophesy (any line from the lecture). On the chart below, 1) state
the line from the lecture, 2) list the verse(s) where this appears, 3) give part of that verse that relates to the
lecture.
Example from Isaiah 1:
Prophecy means speaking for God
Your Assigned Passage:
Aspect of Prophecy
(any line from the lecture)
Speaking for God
Edification (build up)
Exhortation (challenge/encourage)
Exposes Social injustice
Confronts Leaders
Lawsuit
Calls for repentance
Name Alena Nicholson
Interpreting Prophecy
Assigned Passage: Micah 1 & 2
Isaiah 1:10 “Hear the word of the Lord”
Isaiah 1:20 “Mouth of the Lord has spoken”
Verse Words from the verse
1:1 “The word of LORD which came to Micah f Moresheth…”
1:2 “… let the LORD God be a witness against you…”
2:3 “Therefore thus says the LORD…”
2:12 “assemble all of you, Jacob… gather remnant of Israel… put
them together… noisy with men.”
2:10 “Arise and go, for this no place of rest because of the
uncleanness that brings on destruction, a painful destruction.”
1:9 “… It has reached the gate of my people…”
1:13 “She was the beginning of sin… Because you were found…
rebellious acts of Israel”
2:1 “Woe to those who scheme iniquity… For it is in the power of
their hands.”
2:2 “They covet fields and then seize them, and houses, and take
them away. They rob a man and his house… and his
inheritance”
2:9 “The women of My people you evict, each one from her
pleasant house. From her children you take My splendor
forever.”
1:13 “She was the beginning of sin… Because you were found…
rebellious acts of Israel”
1:14 “therefore you will give parting fits… to the kings of Israel.”
2:4 “How he removed it from me! To the apostate He apportions
out fields.”
2:11 “He would be spokesman to his people” (concerning the telling
of lies)
2:7 “Do no My words do good to the one walking uprightly?”
2:8 “Recently my people have arisen as an enemy- you strip the
robe off the garment from unsuspecting passers-by…”
1:16 “Make yourself bald and cut off your hair…”
1:6 “But if they do not speak out concerning these things,
reproaches will not be turned back.”
2:4 “…utter a bitter lamentation and say ‘We are completely
destroyed!’…”
Reminds them of God’s love 1:8 (God is sad because He loves them) “Because of this I must
lament and wail…”
Coming Judgment 1:6 “…will make Samaria a heap of ruins…”
1:7 “All of idols will be smashed… earnings will be burned…”
1:9 “For her wound is incurable… It has reached the gate of my
people…”
1:10 “… roll yourself in the dust”.
1:11 “Go on your way… in shameful nakedness…”
1:12 “Because a calamity has come down from the LORD…”
2:3 “Behold I am planning against his family a calamity…”
2:5 “There for you will have no one stretching a measure line for
you…”
Restoration 2:12 “assemble all of you, Jacob… gather remnant of Israel… put
them together… noisy with men.”
1:15 “…the glory of Israel will enter Adullam.”
2:13 “They break out… the LORD as their head (leader).”
Coming of Messiah 1:3 “… the LORD is coming forth… will come down…”
Confronts Sin 1:13 “She was the beginning of sin… Because you were found…
rebellious acts of Israel”
2:2 “They covet fields and then seize them, and houses, and take
them away. They rob a man and his house… and his
inheritance”
2:9 “The women of My people you evict, each one from her
pleasant house. From her children you take My splendor
forever.”
2:8 “Recently my people have arisen as an enemy- you strip the
robe off the garment from unsuspecting passers-by…”
2. 2. Interpret Your Passage (give several paragraphs for each)
Type up 1 – 1 ½ pages (single-spaced) or 2 - 2 ½ pages (double-spaced) on the meaning of this passage.
Be sure to put anything you quote from the commentaries in quotation marks and cite which commentary.

a. What did this Prophetic passage mean to Israel? How did God impact them through this?

Since the book of Micah was directed toward the Israelites, it most likely meant a lot to them, in good and

bad ways. Micah called them out on their idolatry, sexual sin, and various injustices. He essentially brought

fire down from heaven upon them, completely blind sighted them. But he also gave them hope. The

Israelites know that if they repent God will forgive, but they just needed a harsh reminder.

b. What is the Gap between them and us, regarding the content of this passage?
- due to Culture? Language? Situation?
-check commentaries

In 722-721 BC Samaria fell and Israel was conquered by the massive kingdom of Assyria. Judah

joined a revolt against Assyria in 701 BC. Overall, it was war torn era. People in the US might not relate to this

as much as other areas of the world. Perhaps in 1776 the residents of the colonies could understand and relate to

the people during Micah’s time. Current soldiers enlisted in the US Army also relate as they have seen the

gruesome battles in Iraq. However, I personally cannot relate fully to the people of that time. I have not

personally experienced my country fall.

Their sins however, everyone can relate to. We all seem to worships idols, just not the statues

they used to bow down to. We worship our phones, career, friends, spouses, anything and anyone but God. Idol

worship is as prominent then as it is now.

c. What are the timeless encounters with God/Principles in this passage?

How does God crash into lives—then and now—as God of Love, Holiness,
Calling us to Spiritual Awakening? Radical Trust? Loving Obedience?

God calls us to repent in these passages. He mentions the destruction and lamentation over their kingdoms. He

points out social injustices that no one is fixing, condemns the wicked, and promises judgment. He also

promises restoration. Jerusalem will rise again, gathered like sheep, going through a gate with God as their

LORD. We too, will rise again. We are not bound by our sins; we too will go through the gate (overcome sin)
looking to God the whole time. Repentance is prominent until 2:12 when trust and love contrast the entirety of

Micah 1 and 2.

d. Summarize Three Commentaries (1 ½ pages)

Give any Historical-Cultural Context
What do the “high places of Judah” (1:5) refer to? Why is calling Jerusalem a “high place of Judah” such a slap
in the face for the Israelites?
Other insights

Matthew Henry Commentary Bible Study Tools

Matthew Henry outlines that verse 1 is the title and verse 2 is a preface demanding attentions. Verses 3

and 4 is a warning of the judgments for Israel and Judah and verse 5 specifies “all for sin”. He explains these

verses further and in great depth.

For verse 1, he seems to give the historical background: “The date of his prophecy is in the reigns of

three kings of Judah- Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.” The places mentioned in this passage are Jerusalem and

Samaria which are the “capitals” of Judah and Israel.

He expands on every verse, but verse 5 is notable. Henry points out that sin has done all this and if they

had not left God, he would never have appeared against them. He mentions that idolatry is the “high places…

the great transgression which reign is Israel.” Even the high places of Judah were offensive enough to God. Yet

he does not explain why it is a “slap in the face” to the Israelites.

Biblica

The author of this commentary points out that the entire book of Micah seems to comes in “cycles.”

Micah 1 and 2 are cycle 1, starting with judgment on Israel and Judah and ending with restoration. The second

cycle contain chapter 3 to 5, starting with the “Indictment of Judah’s Leaders” and ending with hope for His

people. The third cycle contains chapters 6 and 7 and mentions God’s charges against His people and the

victory of God’s kingdom. It was really cool to see how they placed the different books into cycles. It makes it a

lot easier to understand and breaks it down in a way that makes sense.
 They mention that the historical background is the same as the earlier portions of Isaiah, “though Micah

does not exhibit the same knowledge of Jerusalem’s political life as Isaiah does.” This is probably because he

was from a village in Judah. They mention that Israel was in “an apostate condition” meaning that everyone left

their religion.

As I was reading through chapters 1 and 2, I noticed that Micah mentions destruction as well as hope.

The author of this commentary affirms that in saying that he alternates “between oracles of doom and oracles of

hope…” Micah stresses that God hates idolatry as well as other sins, but notes that God delights in “pardoning”

those that repent.

Enduring Word Micah 2 Commentary

The author of this commentary (which I believe is David Guzik) goes through Micah verse by verse. He

mentions that verses 1 and 2 describe how all sin is bad before God. “At morning light they practice it” is

probably irony because thieves practice their “work” at night. Also, in the ancient world, law courts opened at

morning light “because the rising sun demonstrated light dispelling darkness.” Micah probably worded it this

way to show that Israel’s courts practiced theft and corruption at morning light. Verse 3-5 described how Micah

rebuked pride amongst God’s people.

Verses 6-10 described that, while they sin against His Word, God will bring restoration. He mentions

that Micah began ministry during the reign of Jotham, but no one listened to him. Then again during Ahaz and

no one listened. Finally, during the reign of Hezekiah, the leaders and the people repented. He didn’t give up

even though results were slow. Verses 10-11 explains how God’s people embrace idols and false prophets.

Micah explains that those prophets could never give rest; their world is “defiled” and “bring utter destruction”

instead of the peace that God’s word brings. Overall, I really liked this commentary. The author goes into detail

for every verse, offers historical background along the way, and sticks to what is presented in the text.

e. What does the passage mean today? How are we to be transformed by this encounter with God?
a. How do I understand God more clearly? How do I see myself differently?
b. How does this change my thoughts? Words? Deeds? Moral behavior? Love of others?
c. How does this draw me closer to God?
 Reading the book of Micah, even just reading chapters 1 and 2 opens our eyes to our own sins.

Sometimes, we are quickly to dismiss something as sin because society says it is alright, that “everyone does

it.” Reading of God’s judgement is a grim reminder that our creator hates sin but will forgive those who repent.

It defiantly makes me think twice about my day to day actions and how I am spending time with God. But it

also reminds me to love others. Everyone sins and no human is above another. As Christians, we can’t go to

people with picket signs saying, “You’ll burn in hell” we need to approach people with picket signs saying,

“Jesus loves you.” Often times, I think Christians forget they are sinners to. We all need to read the book of

Micah every now and then to humble ourselves.

 References

Guzik, David. “Micah Chapter 2.” Enduring Word, 18 June 2018, https://enduringword.com/bible-
commentary/micah-2/

Henry, Matthew. “Micah 1 Commentary - Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete).” Bible
Study Tools, www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/micah/1.html.

“Intro to Micah.” Biblica, 9 Nov. 2016, www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/intro-to-

micah/.