Woe to Those Who Oppress the Poor

21 Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds! When the morning is light they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. 2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away; and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage. 3 Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye walk haughtily: for it is an evil time. 4 In that day shall they take up a proverb concerning you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, [and] say, We are utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! He hath distributed our fields to the rebellious. 5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the measuring line upon a lot, in the congregation of Jehovah.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Micah 2:1-5

Commentary on Micah 2:1-5

(Read Micah 2:1-5)

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 moment to improve and employ hours of retirement and solitude in a proper manner. If covetousness reigns in the heart, compassion is banished; and when the heart is thus engaged, violence and fraud commonly occupy the hands. The most haughty and secure in prosperity, are commonly most ready to despair in adversity. Woe to those from whom God turns away! Those are the sorest calamities which cut us off from the congregation of the Lord, or cut us short in the enjoyment of its privileges.