Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Micah 5:12
And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no [more] soothsayers:
12. witchcrafts ] Sorcery was highly developed in Syria and Palestine; the ancient Semites brought it from their early home in Mesopotamia (see Lenormant’s Chaldean Magic). Comp. Isa 2:6, Numbers 22-24, Deu 18:10-13.
soothsayers ] More precisely, diviners of the clouds (the clouds were much studied by the Chaldean diviners); or perhaps, cloud-makers (-falling, beneficent dew, and on the other to ths among savages, ‘rain-makers’).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 12. I will cut off witchcrafts] Thou shalt seek help only in Jehovah thy God. They have had neither soothsayers, images, groves, nor high places, from the captivity to the present day.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
In this verse the Lord foretells the downfall of all unlawful arts which had been in use, though forbidden by the law of God, Lev 20:27. Though Israel should have consulted with God alone, yet they did consult with sorcerers. So did Manasseh, and before him, 2Ki 17:17.
Thou shalt have no more soothsayers; the very art shall be out of use, and none shall openly, as formerly, consult with them, or they make profession of foretelling events, or what a lucky day or hour to set upon an enterprise, or to curse, as Balaam would have done, an enemy to make way for victory; no more of these; the oracles ceased when Christ was born: much to this purpose Zec 13:2; Mal 3:5. God will, in mercy to his people, take away these stumbling-blocks, these occasions of sin.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. witchcrafts out of thinehandthat is, which thou now usest.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand,…. Such as were formerly practised among the Jews, though forbidden them, and in mystical Babylon, or the antichristian church, whose sorceries are mentioned, Re 9:21; but nothing of this kind will be found in the Christian church, consisting of Jews and Gentiles, in the latter day; all unlawful arts, cheating and juggling in religious matters, will cease, and be no more:
and thou shalt have no [more] soothsayers; or diviners, that cast a mist over people’s eyes, and deceived them with false appearances of things; that pretended to know times and seasons, when it was or was not a good day to go abroad, or to make merchandise; that judged by the clouds, and by the position of the heavens, what would come to pass hereafter; and though such sort of men were formerly indulged, connived at, and caressed among the Jews, they should be so no more; nor should they apply to such persons for advice and counsel; nor would they need it, nor should they use it; see De 18:10.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
I will cut off, he says, the sorcerers, כשפים , cashephim (155) Some render the word jugglers, and others, augurs or diviners. We cannot know of a certainty what kind of superstition it was, nor the other which immediately follows: (156) for the Prophet mentions here two words which mean nearly the same thing. There is no doubt but that some, in that age, were called augurs or diviners, and others called jugglers or astrologers who are now called fortune-tellers. But on this subject there is no necessity of much labor; for the Prophet simply shows here that the people could not be preserved by Gods unless they were cleansed from these defilements. These superstitions, we know, were forbidden and condemned by God’s Law: but the Law was not able to restrain the wickedness of that people; for they continually turned aside to these evils. God then here shows, that until they had purged the Church, it could not continue safe. Now, in these words, the Prophet reminds the Jews, and also the Israelites, for their benefit, that it was, and had been, through their own fault, that they labored under constant miseries and were not helped by the hand of God. — How so? Because there was no room, as God shows here, for the exercise of his favor; for they were full of auguries and divinations, and of other diabolical arts. “How,” he says, “can I help you, for I have no agreement with Satan? As you are wholly given to wicked superstitions, my favor is rejected by you.” (157)
One thing is, that the Prophet intended to humble the people, so that every one might know that it had been through their fault, that God had not brought them help as they wished: but there is another thing, — God promises a cleansing, which would open a way for his favor, — I will take away, he says, all the diviners Let us then know, that it ought to be deemed the greatest benefit when God takes away from us our superstitions and other vices. For since a diminution, however hard and grievous it may be at first, is useful to us, as we see, when we willfully and openly drive away God from us; is it not a singular favor in God when he suffers us not to be thus separated from him, but prepares a way for himself to be connected with us, and has ever his hand extended to bring us help? Thus much as to these two kinds of impediments.
(155) From כשף. “In Arabic,” says Parkhurst, “the verb signifies to discover, disclose, reveal, and is always in the Hebrew Bible applied to some species of conjuring. ” The Septuagint render the word here φαρμακα, drugs or charms. They were enchanters or sorcerers, who applied drugs to magical purposes. See 2Ch 33:6. — Ed.
(156) The word here is מעוננים, from ענן, a cloud. Parkhurst renders it cloudmongers, who looked upwards to the clouds either on the flight of birds, or on the stars, or on meteors, and thereby pretended to foretell future things. Αποφθεγγομενους — oraclers — Sept. Theodoret renders it μαντεις — soothsayers; and Cyril ψευδομαντεις — false prophets. Some derive it from ענה, to answer; and others from עין, the eye; and hence, eyers or observers, either of times, or dreams, or of stars, or of birds. — Ed.
(157) “Many of them depended much upon the conduct and advice of their conjurors, diviners, and fortune-tellers, and these God will cut off, not only as weak things, and insufficient to relieve them, but as wicked things, and sufficient to ruin them.” — Henry.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
12. Witchcrafts and soothsayers will be removed.
Witchcrafts That witchcrafts were practiced in Judah in Micah’s age is stated also by Isaiah (Isa 2:6; Isa 8:19), but what was their precise nature cannot be determined, though necromancy seems to have played an important part (Isa 8:19). Some think that the expression “out of thine hand” limits the prophet’s implied condemnation to such “arts” as were performed with the hand. However, this is doubtful, since “out of thine hand” is equivalent to “from you” (compare Mic 2:1, “in the power of their hand,” equivalent to “in their power”; compare also Isa 1:12). The term used here is a general term denoting black arts and practices of every sort.
Soothsayers This also is a general term, denoting the persons who practice the “witchcrafts” mentioned in 12a. The Hebrew word seems to be a derivative from a noun meaning “cloud”; hence it may denote primarily persons who professed to read a hidden meaning in the movements of the clouds.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mic 5:12 And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no [more] soothsayers:
Ver. 12. And I will cut off witchcrafts, &c. ] As before God had promised to take away such things as in themselves are not evil, but only by our abuse; so here he will also remove from his people things simply evil and unlawful, such as are witchcrafts, idolatry, &c., that he may make way for mercy, which he is ready to give were they but fit to receive it. The word here rendered witchcrafts hath the signification of changing or turning; and is used for unlawful devilish arts and artisans: hence , fascino, to bewitch. It is also applied to false teachers and their magic acts, Gal 3:1-29 : 1Ki 18:23 . See a like promise Zec 13:2 . See Trapp on “ Zec 13:2 “ See Mal 3:5 . See Trapp on “ Mal 3:5 “
And thou shalt have no more soothsayers
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
witchcrafts = sorceries. Reference to Pentateuch (Exo 22:18. Lev 19:26. Deu 18:10). App-92.
hand. Some codices, with Septuagint, and Syriac, read “hands”.
soothsayers: i.e. users of secret or occult arts.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Isa 2:6-8, Isa 2:18, Isa 2:20, Isa 8:19, Isa 8:20, Isa 27:9, Zec 13:2-4, Rev 19:20, Rev 22:15
Reciprocal: 2Ki 17:17 – used Lam 2:2 – he hath thrown
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Mic 5:12. The belief in witchcraft and soothsaying was based largely on that of the supposed power of the in-visible false gods of the heathen. As an item in removing the indications of such false service, the presence and use of such evil characters as witches and soothsayers had to be removed.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mic 5:12-15. And I will cut off witchcrafts, &c. Here is foretold the downfall of all unlawful arts and devices, which had been used by the Jews in former ages, to obtain the knowledge of future events: that God would, in mercy to his people, take away these occasions of sinning. Thy graven images also will I cut off I will abolish every species of idolatry. This was effected, even among the Jews, by that severe judgment the Babylonish captivity, from which time they have abhorred the use of images in divine worship, and indeed have been kept from worshipping any false god. And I will pluck up thy groves The usual scenes of idolatrous worship. It is justly observed by Mr. Scott here, that though the reformation of the Jews, after their return from Babylon, might be alluded to in this passage, yet the purification of the Christian Church from all antichristian corruptions of faith and worship, and all idolatry and superstition, seems more immediately to be predicted. The reliance on human merits for justification, the external pomp used in worship, and the oppressive exercise of human authority in mere matters of conscience, will be entirely destroyed by the clear light of divine truth, and the power of divine grace; and simplicity and purity in doctrine, worship, and practice, will prevail, when the enemies of the church shall be destroyed. And I will execute vengeance in anger, &c. When I have purged my people from their corruptions, I will severely vindicate their cause, to the utter destruction of all their unbelieving enemies. Such as they have not heard In an unprecedented manner. God will give his Son either the hearts or necks of his enemies, and make them either his friends or his footstool.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
He would also remove the accouterments of pagan worship that had plagued His people. Sorceries involved seeking information from demonic sources (cf. 2Ki 9:22; Isa 47:9; Isa 47:12; Nah 3:4). Fortunetellers cast spells by calling demonic spirits to influence other people (cf. Lev 19:26; Deu 18:10). Carved images were pagan idols (cf. Exo 20:4). Sacred pillars and Asherim were stone and wooden symbols of the male and female Canaanite deities (cf. Deu 16:21-22; 1Ki 14:23; 2Ki 17:10; 2Ki 18:4; 2Ki 23:14). Yahweh would free His people from these human inventions that had always oppressed them. Cities were infamous as places where spiritual impurity flourished (cf. Mic 1:5), and God would destroy them too. These were Israel’s internal enemies whereas other nations were her external enemies.
"Secular man more effectively manipulates life by his use of science than his ancestors did by magic, but no more than they can he secure eternal life for himself. By continuing to substitute the creation for the Creator, he individually deprives himself of eternal life and collectively hastens his eternal death." [Note: Waltke, in Obadiah, . . ., p. 190.]
Occultism will continue into the Tribulation (Rev 9:21), but the Lord will finally root it out in the Millennium.