Micah 2:5

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Micah 2:5 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the line by lot in the assembly of Jehovah.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the line by lot in the assembly of Jehovah.
Micah 2:5 — American Standard Version

Context — Micah 2

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
5Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the line by lot in the assembly of Jehovah.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot, etc.] This confirms what was before delivered in a parabolical way, and as a lamentation; and is spoken either to the false prophet, as Kimchi; who should not be, nor have any posterity to inherit by lot the land of Israel; or to those oppressors that took away houses and fields from others, these should have no part nor lot in the land any more; or rather to the whole, people of Israel, who should no more inherit their land after their captivity, as they have not to this day. The allusion is to the distribution of the land by lot, and the dividing of it by a cord or line, as in Joshua’s time; but now there should be no land in…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Therefore--resumed from Mic 2:3. On account of your crimes described in Mic 2:1-2. thou--the ideal individual ("me," Mic 2:4), representing the guilty people in whose name he spoke. none that . . . cast a cord by lot--none who shall have any possession measured out. in the congregation of the Lord--among the people consecrated to Jehovah. By covetousness and violence (Mic 2:2) they had forfeited "the portion of Jehovah's people." This is God's implied answer to their complaint of injustice (Mic 2:4).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Therefore thou shalt have none that shall east a cord by lot in the congregation of the Lord - Thou, in the first instance, is the impenitent Jew of that day. God had promised by Hosea to restore Judah; shortly after, the prophet himself foretells it Micah 2:12. Now he forewarns these and such as these, that they would have no portion in it. They had “neither part nor lot in this matter” Acts 8:21. They, the not-Israel then, were the images and ensamples of the not-Israel afterward, those who seem to be God’s people and are not; members of the body, not of the soul of the Church; who have a sort of faith, but have not love. Such was afterward the Israel after the flesh, which was broken off,…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Thou shalt have - None that shall ever return to this land, to see it allotted by line and given them to possess it. In the congregation - They shall no more be the congregation of the Lord, nor their children after them. Micah 2:6”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“cast: Deu 32:8; Jos 18:4, Jos 18:10; Psa 16:6; Hos 9:3 the congregation: Deu 23:2, Deu 23:8; Neh 7:61 Micah 2:6”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“"Therefore wilt thou have none to cast a measure for the lot in the congregation of Jehovah." With lâkhēn (therefore) the threat, commenced with lâkhēn in Mic 2:3, is resumed and applied to individual sinners. The whole nation is not addressed in לך, still less the prophet, as Hitzig supposes, but every individual among the tyrannical great men ( Mic 2:1, Mic 2:2). The singular is used instead of the plural, to make the address more impressive, that no one may imagine that he is excepted from the threatened judgment. For a similar transition from the plural to the singular, see Mic 3:10. The expression, to cast the measure begōrâl, i.e., in the nature of a lot (equivalent to for a lot,…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification