9 The voice of the Lord will call to the city - And it is sound wisdom to fear Your name : "Hear , O tribe . Who has appointed its time? 10 "Is there yet a man in the wicked house , Along with treasures of wickedness And a short measure that is cursed ? 11 "Can I justify wicked scales And a bag of deceptive weights ? 12 "For the rich men of the city are full of violence , Her residents speak lies , And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth . 13 "So also I will make you sick , striking you down , Desolating you because of your sins . 14 "You will eat , but you will not be satisfied , And your vileness will be in your midst . You will try to remove for safekeeping, But you will not preserve anything, And what you do preserve I will give to the sword . 15 "You will sow but you will not reap . You will tread the olive but will not anoint yourself with oil ; And the grapes , but you will not drink wine . 16 "The statutes of Omri And all the works of the house of Ahab are observed ; And in their devices you walk . Therefore I will give you up for destruction And your inhabitants for derision , And you will bear the reproach of My people ."

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Micah 6:9-16

Commentary on Micah 6:9-16

(Read Micah 6:9-16)

God, having showed how necessary it was that they should do justly, here shows how plain it was that they had done unjustly. This voice of the Lord says to all, Hear the rod when it is coming, before you see it, and feel it. Hear the rod when it is come, and you are sensible of the smart; hear what counsels, what cautions it speaks. The voice of God is to be heard in the rod of God. Those who are dishonest in their dealings shall never be reckoned pure, whatever shows of devotion they may make. What is got by fraud and oppression, cannot be kept or enjoyed with satisfaction. What we hold closest we commonly lose soonest. Sin is a root of bitterness, soon planted, but not soon plucked up again. Their being the people of God in name and profession, while they kept themselves in his love, was an honour to them; but now, being backsliders, their having been once the people of God turns to their reproach.