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Selected Verse: Micah 3:4 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Mic 3:4	Strong Concordance	Then shall they cry [02199] unto the LORD [03068], but he will not hear [06030] them: he will even hide [05641] his face [06440] from them at that time [06256], as they have behaved themselves ill [07489] in their doings [04611].
	King James	Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Then--at the time of judgment, which Micah takes for granted, so certain is it (compare Mic 2:3). they cry . . . but he will not hear--just as those oppressed by them had formerly cried, and they would not hear. Their prayer shall be rejected, because it is the mere cry of nature for deliverance from pain, not that of repentance for deliverance from sin. ill in their doings--Men cannot expect to do ill and fare well.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Then--at the time of judgment, which Micah takes for granted, so certain is it (compare Mic 2:3).

they cry . . . but he will not hear--just as those oppressed by them had formerly cried, and they would not hear. Their prayer shall be rejected, because it is the mere cry of nature for deliverance from pain, not that of repentance for deliverance from sin.

ill in their doings--Men cannot expect to do ill and fare well.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Then shall they cry unto the Lord - "Then." The prophet looks on to the Day of the Lord, which is always before his mind. So the Psalmist, speaking of a time or place not expressed, says, "There were they in great fear" Psa 53:5. He sees it, points to it, as seeing what those to whom he spoke, saw not, and the more awfully, because he saw, with superhuman (certain) vision, what was "hidden from their eyes." The then was not then, "in the time of grace," but when the Day of grace should be over, and the Day of Judgment should be come. So of that day, when judgment should set in, God says in Jeremiah, "Behold I will bring evil upon them which they shall not be able to go forth of, and they will cry unto Me, and I will not hearken unto them" Jer 11:11. And David, "They cried and there was none to save; unto the Lord, and He answered them not" Psa 18:41. And Solomon; "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he shall cry himself and shall not be heard" Pro 21:13. And James, "He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy" Jam 2:13. The prayer is never too late, until judgment comes ; the day of grace is over, when the time of judgment has arrived. "They shall cry unto the Lord, and shall not be heard, because they too did not hear those who asked them, and the Lord shall turn His Face from them, because they too turned their face from those who prayed them." He will even hide His Face - He will not look in mercy on those who would not receive His look of grace. Your sins, He says by Isaiah, "have hid His face from you, that He heareth not." O what will that turning away of the Face be, on which hangs eternity! As - There is a proportion between the sin and the punishment . As I have done, so God hath requited me. "They have behaved themselves ill in their doings. literally have made their deeds evil." The word rendered doings is almost always used in a bad sense, mighty deeds, and so deeds with a high hand. Not ignorantly or negligently, nor through human frailty, but with set purpose they applied themselves, not to amend but to corrupt their doings, and make them worse. God called to them by all His prophets, make good your doings Jer 35:15; and they, reversing it, used diligence to make their doings evil. Jerome: "All this they shall suffer, because they were not rulers, but tyrants; not Prefects, but lions; not masters of disciples, but wolves of sheep; and they sated themselves with flesh and were fattened, and, as sacrifices for the slaughter, were made ready for the punishment of the Lord. Thus far against evil rulers; then he turns to the false prophets and evil teachers, who by flatteries subvert the people of God, promising them the knowledge of His word."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

Then shall they cry unto the Lord - "Then." The prophet looks on to the Day of the Lord, which is always before his mind. So the Psalmist, speaking of a time or place not expressed, says, "There were they in great fear" Psa 53:5. He sees it, points to it, as seeing what those to whom he spoke, saw not, and the more awfully, because he saw, with superhuman (certain) vision, what was "hidden from their eyes." The then was not then, "in the time of grace," but when the Day of grace should be over, and the Day of Judgment should be come. So of that day, when judgment should set in, God says in Jeremiah, "Behold I will bring evil upon them which they shall not be able to go forth of, and they will cry unto Me, and I will not hearken unto them" Jer 11:11. And David, "They cried and there was none to save; unto the Lord, and He answered them not" Psa 18:41. And Solomon; "Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he shall cry himself and shall not be heard" Pro 21:13. And James, "He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy" Jam 2:13. The prayer is never too late, until judgment comes ; the day of grace is over, when the time of judgment has arrived. "They shall cry unto the Lord, and shall not be heard, because they too did not hear those who asked them, and the Lord shall turn His Face from them, because they too turned their face from those who prayed them."

He will even hide His Face - He will not look in mercy on those who would not receive His look of grace. Your sins, He says by Isaiah, "have hid His face from you, that He heareth not." O what will that turning away of the Face be, on which hangs eternity!

As - There is a proportion between the sin and the punishment . As I have done, so God hath requited me. "They have behaved themselves ill in their doings. literally have made their deeds evil." The word rendered doings is almost always used in a bad sense, mighty deeds, and so deeds with a high hand. Not ignorantly or negligently, nor through human frailty, but with set purpose they applied themselves, not to amend but to corrupt their doings, and make them worse. God called to them by all His prophets, make good your doings Jer 35:15; and they, reversing it, used diligence to make their doings evil. Jerome: "All this they shall suffer, because they were not rulers, but tyrants; not Prefects, but lions; not masters of disciples, but wolves of sheep; and they sated themselves with flesh and were fattened, and, as sacrifices for the slaughter, were made ready for the punishment of the Lord. Thus far against evil rulers; then he turns to the false prophets and evil teachers, who by flatteries subvert the people of God, promising them the knowledge of His word."

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Then - When these miseries come upon them.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Then shall they cry - When calamity comes upon these oppressors, they shall cry for deliverance: but they shall not be heard; because, in their unjust exactions upon the people, they went on ruthlessly, and would not hear the cry of the oppressed.

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³ Therefore thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068]; Behold, against this family [04940] do I devise [02803] an evil [07451], from which ye shall not remove [04185] your necks [06677]; neither shall ye go [03212] haughtily [07317]: for this time [06256] is evil [07451].

¹⁵ I have sent [07971] also unto you all my servants [05650] the prophets [05030], rising up early [07925] and sending [07971] them, saying [0559], Return [07725] ye now every man [0376] from his evil [07451] way [01870], and amend [03190] your doings [04611], and go [03212] not after [0310] other [0312] gods [0430] to serve [05647] them, and ye shall dwell in [03427] the land [0127] which I have given [05414] to you and to your fathers [01]: but ye have not inclined [05186] your ear [0241], nor hearkened [08085] unto me.

¹³ For [1063] he shall have judgment [2920] without mercy [448], that hath shewed [4160] no [3361] mercy [1656]; and [2532] mercy [1656] rejoiceth against [2620] judgment [2920].

¹³ Whoso stoppeth [0331] his ears [0241] at the cry [02201] of the poor [01800], he also shall cry [07121] himself, but shall not be heard [06030].

⁴¹ They cried [07768], but there was none to save [03467] them: even unto the LORD [03068], but he answered [06030] them not.

¹¹ Therefore thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068], Behold, I will bring [0935] evil [07451] upon them, which they shall not be able [03201] to escape [03318]; and though they shall cry [02199] unto me, I will not hearken [08085] unto them.

⁵ There were they in great [06343] fear [06342], where no fear [06343] was: for God [0430] hath scattered [06340] the bones [06106] of him that encampeth [02583] against thee: thou hast put them to shame [0954], because God [0430] hath despised [03988] them.