Structure of Micah 3

Micah 3 appears to be a distinct unit of the prophecy (but see below).  It begins with “And I said,” and chapter 4 begins with a disjunctive “it will come about in the last days” (4:1).

Within chapter 3, there is an obvious inclusio between verses 1 and 9.  Both verses begin with a shema (“hear”), both use “heads . . . of Jacob” and “rulers of the house of Israel,” as well as the word “justice.”  Verse 10 is connected to verse 9 by a relative pronoun, so verses 9-10 go together.

Within the inclusio, the passage has a chiastic arrangement:

A. Heads and rulers, v. 1

B. Sacrifice people, vv. 2-3

C. Yahweh hides His face, no answer, v. 4

D. Condemnation of the prophets, darkness, vv. 5-7a

C’. No answer, v. 7b

B’. Micah is filled with the Spirit, v. 8

A’. Heads and rulers, vv. 9-10

Given this structure, what do we make of the final verses of the chapter?  Verse 11 might be taken as further description of heads and rulers, their greed and their confidence that Yahweh will protect them.  Verse 12, though, announces the judgment on Zion.  In its terminology, verse 12 is more closely linked with 4:1 than with chapter 3.  Zion will be left in ruins, and the “mountain of the house” will be reduced to a forest; but then (4:1), in the last days, the “mountain of the house of Yahweh” wil become the chief mountain, raised above all hills.  Yet, if verses 11-12 are connected to chapter 4, it leaves chapter 3 quite unfinished.  ”Hear this, heads and rulers,” Micah says (v. 1), and then resumes the announcement with another “Hear this, heads and rulers” (v. 9).  But what are they supposed to hear?  Without verses 11-12, there is nothing to hear.  What they are supposed to hear is that “Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins” (v. 12).  Even though verses 11-12 stand outside the structure in some respects, they have to be included in chapter 3 to make the chapter coherent.

And the coherence of the chapter, including verses 11-12, is underscored by parallels with the creation week.  It’s largely an anti-creation week.  Heads and rulers who are supposed to be lights of justice (Day 1) are going to find themselves in darkness when the sun goes out (Day 4).  A Sabbatical judgment is coming (Day 7; verses 11-12).  Those parallels highlight the role of Micah the prophet, the prophet filled with the Spirit of justice and courage.  He is a Day 6 prophet, a new but exalted Adam, an Adam who has grown from priest to prophet, an Adam glorified by the Spirit.