Jeremiah 26:18

Jeremiah 26:18

Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

a. ASV: Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

b. YLT: 'Micah the Morashtite hath been prophesying in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and he saith unto all the people of Judah, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Zion is a plowed field, and Jerusalem is heaps, And the mountain of the house is for high places of a forest.

c. Classic Amplified: Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and said to all the people of Judah, Thus says the Lord of hosts: Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps [of ruins], and the mountain of the house [of the Lord—Mount Moriah, on which stands the temple, shall become covered not with buildings, but] like a densely wooded height.

1). Footnote in Classic Amplified under Jeremiah 26:18: This prophecy of Micah, made in the days of King Hezekiah, that Mount Zion would become a plowed field, was literally fulfilled. When Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans took Jerusalem, they broke down the walls (II Kings 25:10). That was in 586 b.c. In a.d. 1542 the present walls of Jerusalem were built by Suleiman the Magnificent, the greatest of the sultans of the Turks. By some strange error, the part of the city known as Mount Zion was omitted from the enclosure and remained outside the walls; for centuries it was literally “plowed like a field.” That Mount Zion is the only part of Jerusalem ever known to be plowed is conclusive evidence of the divine inspiration and infinite foreknowledge of the word of the Lord which came to His prophet Micah. See also footnote on Mic. 3:12.

2). Footnote under Micah 3:12 in Classic Amplified: In his book The Land and the Book, Dr. William Thomson wrote, “Mount Zion is now [in the eighteenth century], for the most part, a rough field. From the tomb of David I passed on through the fields of ripe grain. It is the only part of Jerusalem that is now or ever has been plowed.” When Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in a.d. 1542, the architect omitted Mount Zion, the City of David, from the area he enclosed, and strangely enough it was only partly built up again. How, except by divine inspiration, could Micah have foretold that this particular part of Jerusalem would be “plowed like a field”?

d. Septuagint [Jeremiah 26:18 is found in jeremiah 33:18 in the Septuagint]: Michaea the Morathite lived in the days of Ezekias king of Juda, and said to all the people of Juda, Thus saith the Lord; Sion shall be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become a desolation, and the mountain of the house shall be a thicket of trees. 

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: Micah the Morashtite used to prophesy in the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and he said to all the people of Judah: “Thus said HASHEM, Master of Legions: Zion will be plowed over like a field: Jerusalem will become ruins and the Temple Mount will become like heaps [of rubble] in the forest.

1. “Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and spake to all the people of Judah, saying…”

a.  Micah [Strong: 4320 Mîykâyâh, me-kaw-yaw'; from H4310 and (the prefix derivative from) H3588 and H3050; who (is) like Jah?; Micajah, the name of two Israelites:—Micah, Michaiah.] 

b. [the] Morasthite [Strong: 4183 Môwrashtîy, mo-rash-tee'; patrial from H4182; a Morashtite or inhabitant of Moresheth-Gath:—Morashthite.]

c. [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

d. prophesied [Strong: 5012 nâbâʼ, naw-baw'; a primitive root; to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse):—prophesy(-ing), make self a prophet.]

e. [in the] days [Strong: 3117 yôwm, yome; from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb):—age, always, chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), elder, × end, evening, (for) ever(-lasting, -more), × full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, old, outlived, perpetually, presently, remaineth, × required, season, × since, space, then, (process of) time, as at other times, in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), × whole ( age), (full) year(-ly), younger.]

f. [of] Hezekiah [Strong: 2396 Chizqîyâh, khiz-kee-yaw'; or חִזְקִיָּהוּ Chizqîyâhûw; also יְחִזְקִיָּה Yᵉchizqîyâh; or יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ Yᵉchizqîyâhûw; from H2388 and H3050; strengthened of Jah; Chizkijah, a king of Judah, also the name of two other Israelites:—Hezekiah, Hizkiah, Hizkijah.]

g. king [Strong: 4428 melek, meh'-lek; from H4427; a king:—king, royal.]

h. [of] Judah [Strong: 3063 Yᵉhûwdâh, yeh-hoo-daw'; from H3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory:—Judah.]

i. [and] spoke [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.]

j. to [Strong: 413 'el ale (but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el}); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).]

k. all [Strong: 3605  kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

l. [the] people [Strong: 5971 ʻam, am; from H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:—folk, men, nation, people.]

m. [of] Judah [Strong: 3063 Yᵉhûwdâh, yeh-hoo-daw'; from H3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory:—Judah.]

1).  This is an historical reference to the prophet Micah.

a). Micah 1:1 The word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

2. “...Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.”

a. Thus [Strong: 3541 koh ko from the prefix k and 1931; properly, like this, i.e. by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now:--also, here, + hitherto, like, on the other side, so (and much), such, on that manner, (on) this (manner, side, way, way and that way), + mean while, yonder.]

b. saith [Strong: 559 ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.]

c. [the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.] 

d. [of] hosts [Strong: 6635 tsâbâʼ, tsaw-baw'; or (feminine) צְבָאָה tsᵉbâʼâh; from H6633; a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized for war (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship):—appointed time, (+) army, (+) battle, company, host, service, soldiers, waiting upon, war(-fare).] 

e. Zion [Strong: 6726 Tsîyôwn, tsee-yone'; the same (regularly) as H6725; Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem:—Zion.]

f. [shall be a] plowed [Strong: 2790 chârash, khaw-rash'; a primitive root; to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate (of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense); hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent, to let alone; hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of dumbness):—× altogether, cease, conceal, be deaf, devise, ear, graven, imagine, leave off speaking, hold peace, plow(-er, man), be quiet, rest, practise secretly, keep silence, be silent, speak not a word, be still, hold tongue, worker.]

g. [like a] field [Strong: 7704 sâdeh, saw-deh'; or שָׂדַי sâday; from an unused root meaning to spread out; a field (as flat):—country, field, ground, land, soil, × wild.]

h. [and] Jerusalem [Strong: 3389 Yᵉrûwshâlaim, yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im; rarely יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yᵉrûwshâlayim; a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of H3390)); probably from (the passive participle of) H3384 and H7999; founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine:—Jerusalem.]

i. [shall] become [Strong: 1961  [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

j. heaps [Strong: 5856 ʻîy, ee; from H5753; a ruin (as if overturned):—heap.]

k. [and the] mountain [Strong: 2022 har, har; a shortened form of H2042; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively):—hill (country), mount(-ain), × promotion.]

l. [of the] house [Strong: 1004 bayith, bah'-yith; probably from H1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.):—court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, × great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).]

m. [as the] high places [Strong: 1116 bâmâh, bam-maw'; from an unused root (meaning to be high); an elevation:—height, high place, wave.]

n. [of a] forest [Strong: 3293 yaʻar, yah'-ar; from an unused root probably meaning to thicken with verdure; a copse of bushes; hence, a forest; hence, honey in the comb (as hived in trees):—(honey-) comb, forest, wood.]

1). This was a citation of Micah 3.The context of this verse is there were princes of the people defending Jeremiah against priests and false prophets calling for his death because he was prophesying against Jerusalem and its people[the whole of Jeremiah 26]. In their defense they cited how that Micah prophesied about the destruction of Jerusalem and the people who heard his prophecy didn’t stone him. 

a). Micah 3:9-12 (12) Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

3:10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.

3:12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.