Micah 7:17

“They shall lick the dust like a serpent, etc.] Whose food is the dust of the earth, according to the curse pronounced on it, (<010314>Genesis 3:14); and which is either its, natural food it chooses to live on, as some serpents however are saidf231 to do; or, going upon its belly, it cannot but take in a good deal of the dust of the earth along with its food; and hereby is signified the low, mean, abject, and cursed estate and condition of the seed of the serpent, wicked and ungodly men, the enemies of Christ and his people; who wilt be forced to yield subjection to him and his church, and will pretend the most profound respect for them, and the highest veneration of them. The allusion seems…”

“lick the dust--in abject prostration as suppliants (Psa 72:9; compare Isa 49:23; Isa 65:25). move out of their holes--As reptiles from their holes, they shall come forth from their hiding-places, or fortresses (Psa 18:45), to give themselves up to the conquerors. More literally, "they shall tremble from," that is, tremblingly come forth from their coverts. like worms--reptiles or crawlers (Deu 32:24). they shall be afraid of the Lord--or, they shall in fear turn with haste to the Lord. Thus the antithesis is brought out. They shall tremble forth from their holes: they shall in trepidation turn to the Lord for salvation (compare Note, see on Hos 3:5, and Jer 33:9). fear because of thee--shall…”

“They shall lick the dust like a (the) serpent - To lick the dust, by itself, pictures the extreme humility of persons who east themselves down to the very earth (as in Psalms 72:9; Isaiah 49:23). To lick it “like the serpent” seems rather to represent the condition of those who share the serpent’s doom Genesis 3:14; Isaiah 65:25, whose lot, viz. earth and things of earth, they had chosen (Rup.): “They shall move out of their holes”, or, better, shall tremble, (that is, “come tremblingly,”) out of their close places , whether these be strong places or prisons, as the word, varied in one vowel means. If it be strong places, it means, that “the enemies of God’s people should, in confusion and…”

“Lick the dust - In the most submissive, servile manner, testify their subjection. Holes - Their strong holds, and fastnesses. Because of thee - So that the name of Jews, shall be terrible to their enemies. Next: Nahum Chapter 1”

“7:17 Like snakes, the nations had struck at the heel of Israel (cp. Gen 3:14-15). The prophets regularly depicted foreign nations as poisonous, deceitful serpents (Isa 14:29; Jer 8:17; Ezek 29:1-3). Now these nations would be humbled (cp. Ps 72:9). Crawling and “eating dust” were metaphors for defeat and humiliation.”

“lick: Gen 3:14, Gen 3:15; Psa 72:9; Isa 49:23, Isa 60:14, Isa 65:25; Lam 3:29; Rev 3:9 move: Sa1 14:11; Psa 18:45; Jer 16:16 worms: or, creeping things they shall be: Exo 15:14-16; Jos 2:9-11, Jos 9:24; Psa 9:20; Isa 2:19-21, Isa 64:2; Jer 33:9; Zac 14:5; Rev 6:15-17, Rev 18:9, Rev 18:10 Micah 7:18”