SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:1
¶ ¡Ay de los que piensan iniquidad, y de los que fabrican el mal en sus camas! Cuando viene la mañana lo ponen en obra, porque tienen en su mano el poder.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Micah 2:1
Verse 1. Wo to them that devise iniquity] Who lay schemes and plans for transgressions; who make it their study to find out new modes of sinning; and make these things their nocturnal meditations, that, having fixed their plan, they may begin to execute it as soon as it is light in the morning. Because it is in the power of their hand.] They think they may do whatever they have power and opportunity to do.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. Woe to them that devise iniquity , etc.] Any kind of iniquity; idolatry, or worshipping of idols, for the word is used sometimes for an idol; or the sin of uncleanness, on which the thoughts too often dwell in the night season; or coveting of neighbours’ goods, and oppressing the poor; sins which are instanced in ( Micah 2:2); and every thing that is vain, foolish, and wicked, and in the issue brings trouble and distress: now a woe is denounced against such that think on such things, and please themselves with them in their imaginations, and contrive ways and means to commit them: and work evil upon their beds ; when, the senses being less engaged, the thoughts are more free; but should not be employed about evil; but either in meditating on the divine goodness, and praising the Lord for his mercies; or in examining a man’s heart, state, and case, and mourning over his sins, and applying to God for the remission of them; but, instead of this, the persons here threatened are said to “work evil on their beds”, when they should be asleep and at rest, or engaged in the above things; that is, they plot and contrive how to accomplish the evil they meditate; they determine upon doing it, and are as sure of effecting it as if it was actually done; and do act it over in their own minds, as if it was real; (see Psalm 36:4); when the morning is light, they practise it ; they wish and wait for the morning light, and as soon as it appears they rise; and, instead of blessing God for the mercies of the night, and going about their lawful business, they endeavour to put in practice with all rigour and diligence, and as expeditiously as they can, what they have projected and schemed in the night season; because it is in the power of their hand ; to commit it; and they have no principle of goodness in them, nor fear of God before them, to restrain them from it: or, “because their hand is unto power” f98 ; it is stretched out, and made use of in the commission of sin to the utmost of their power, without any regard to God or man. The Vulgate Latin version is, “because their hand is against God”; their hearts are enmity to God, and therefore they oppose him with both their hands, and care not what iniquity they commit; they are rebels against him, and will not be subject to him. The Septuagint and Arabic versions are, “because they lift not up their hands to God”; they do not pray to him, and therefore are bold and daring to perpetrate the grossest iniquity, which a praying man dared not do; but the Syriac version is the reverse, “they do lift up their hands to God”; make a show of religion and devotion, when their hearts and their hands are deeply engaged in, sinning; which shows their impudence and hypocrisy; but the passages in ( Genesis 31:29 Deuteronomy 32:28 Proverbs 3:27) favour and confirm our version, and the sense of it; so the Targum.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Woe to the people that devise evil during the night, and rise early to carry it into execution! It is bad to do mischief on a sudden thought much worse to do it with design and forethought. It is of great momen to improve and employ hours of retirement and solitude in a prope manner. If covetousness reigns in the heart, compassion is banished and when the heart is thus engaged, violence and fraud commonly occup the hands. The most haughty and secure in prosperity, are commonly mos ready to despair in adversity. Woe to those from whom God turns away Those are the sorest calamities which cut us off from the congregatio of the Lord, or cut us short in the enjoyment of its privileges.
Original Hebrew
הוי 1945 חשׁבי 2803 און 205 ופעלי 6466 רע 7451 על 5921 משׁכבותם 4904 באור 216 הבקר 1242 יעשׂוה 6213 כי 3588 ישׁ 3426 לאל 410 ידם׃ 3027
