Micah 1:10-16

Micah 1:10-16

[10] Declare  ye it not at Gath,  weep  in the house of Aphrah  roll  thyself in the dust.  [11] Pass ye away,  thou inhabitant  of Saphir,  having thy shame  naked:  the inhabitant  of Zaanan  came not forth  of Bethezel;  he shall receive  of you his standing.  [12] For the inhabitant  of Maroth  for good:  but evil  came down  unto the gate  of Jerusalem.  [13] O thou inhabitant  of Lachish,  bind  the chariot  to the swift beast:  she is the beginning  of the sin  to the daughter  of Zion:  for the transgressions  of Israel  were found  in thee. [14] Therefore shalt thou give  presents  to Moreshethgath:  the houses  of Achzib  shall be a lie  to the kings  of Israel.  [15] Yet will I bring  an heir  unto thee, O inhabitant  of Mareshah:  he shall come  unto Adullam  the glory  of Israel.  [16] Make thee bald,  and poll  thee for thy delicate  children;  enlarge  thy baldness  as the eagle;  for they are gone into captivity  from thee.

What does Micah 1:10-16 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The prophet used several clever wordplays in this poem to describe the desolation that God would bring on Judah. He selected towns and villages near his own hometown in Judah"s Shephelah whose names were similar to the coming devastations or to other conditions that he described. The known towns encircle Micah"s hometown of Moresheth-gath.
"Interestingly Sennacherib too used wordplays when recording his conquests." [1]
James Moffatt"s paraphrase gives the sense of Micah"s wordplays.
"Tell it not in Tellington!Wail not in Wailing!Dust Manor will eat dirt,Dressy Town flee naked.Safefold will not save,Wallchester"s walls are down,A bitter dose drinks Bitterton." Etc. [2]