Examining The Scripture CXXXVII: Equivocal

I have always liked puns, wit and wordplay but there is wit involved with the words in Micah, the wordplay in Micah 1:10-15 is anything but likable. It is describing the destruction of the towns of Judah. I will list the towns and how Micah manipulates the wordage about them in a biting and often accusatory manner. According to the NIV study notes we find the following correspondences to word meanings and word plays and I will outline them in the following format:

Wordplay: The actual wordage from Micah in the Bible
Literal: Its literal translation was it would've been read in the Hebrew
Meaning: A brief explanation of the wordplay's literal meaning

I. The First Wordplay - A Wordplay in Sound

"Tell it not in Gath; weep not at all. In Beth Ophrah roll in the dust." ~Micah 1:10

(v. 10a) Wordplay: “Tell it not in Gath” [Gath in Hebrew sounds like: tell]
(v. 10a) Literal: Tell it not in Tell [city]
(v. 10a) Meaning: There will be no publicity or telling as it will invoke open mourning of coming defeat

Geographically Gath is in the east.

We then see just the opposite and contrasting counsel in a different direction

(v. 10b) Wordplay: “weep not at all.” (Septuagint may suggest “not in Acco”. The Hebrew for “in Acco” sounds like the Hebrew for weep)
(v. 10b) Literal: Weep not [at all] in Weep [city/Acco]
(v. 10b) Meaning: There will be no publicity or weeping as it will invoke open mourning of coming defeat

(v. 10c) Wordplay: “In Beth Ophrah” [Beth Ophrah means house of dust]
(v. 10c) Literal: In the house of dust, roll in the dust.
(v. 10c) Meaning: They are to mourn of give vent to emotion or roll in ashes
Geographically Beth-Ophrah is in the west.

Conclusion: Gath is in the east, Beth-Ophrah in the west. The judgement of destruction above covers the entire area east to west.


II. The Second Set of Wordplay - Wordplays in Meaning & Contrasting Ideas

"Pass on in nakedness and shame, you who live in Shaphir. Those who live in Zaanan will not come out. Beth Ezel is in mourning; its protection is taken from you." ~Micah 1:11

(v. 11a) Wordplay: “Pass on in nakedness and shame, you who live in Shaphir which means pleasant/beautiful
(v. 11a) Literal: Pass on in nakedness, shame, you who live in Beautiful /Pleasant[city]
(v. 11a) Meaning: When attacked by Assyria, Shaphir which is pleasant, would become a city of nakedness and shame (i.e.: not beautiful or pleasant).

(v. 11b) Wordplay: “Those who live in Zaanan (come out) will not come out.”
(v. 11b) Literal: Those who live in Come Out [city] will not come out.
(v. 11b) They will not come out for fear of their lives during the warfare.

"Those who live in Maroth writhe in pain, waiting for relief, because disaster has come from the LORD, even to the gate of Jerusalem." ~Micah 1:12

(v. 12) Wordplay: “Those who live in Maroth (bitter) writhe in pain, waiting for relief…
(v. 12) Literal: Those who live in Bitter [city] writhe in pain, waiting for relief…
(v. 12) There would be no relief for the people of Maroth, destruction would roll over them like a wheel of destruction.

"You who live in Lachish, harness the team to the chariot. You were the beginning of sin to the Daughter of Zion, for the transgressions of Israel were found in you." ~Micah 1:13

(v. 13) Wordplay: “You who live in Lachish (team) harness the team to the chariot.
(v. 13) Literal: You who live in Team [city] harness the team to the chariot
(v. 13) Meaning: A chariot will be need to escape the Assyrians when they attack as they will descend in the city with speed and viciousness.

"Therefore you will give parting gifts to Moresheth Gath. The town of Aczib will prove deceptive to the kings of Israel." ~Micah 1:14

(v. 14) Wordplay: “The town of Aczib (deception or cheat) will prove deceptive to the kings of Israel.
(v. 14) Literal: The town of deception will prove deceptive to the kings of Israel
(v. 14) Meaning: The parting gifts refer to the fact that the town was departing (for exile). The people would decietful to the kings of Israel because they would not be able to fend off the enemy, once under Assyrian control Israel would not be able to collect taxes from the province. Aczib was an extremely rich town.

"I will bring a conqueror against you who live in Mareshah. He who is the glory of Israel will come to Adullam." ~Micah 1:15

(v. 15) Wordplay #1: “I will bring a conqueror against you who live in Mareshah. (sounds like a Hebrew word for conquerer or possessor) NIV
(v. 15) Wordplay #2: “I will bring a conqueror against you who live in Possessor. (also sounds like Hebrew: “betrothed or beloved” alluding to the fact that a woman has no choice in a pre-arranged marriage, she is locked into her fate or authority of her new husband or possessed by him. (Allen 280) Also Mareshah was Micah's own beloved town.
(v. 15) Literal: I will bring a conqueror against you who live in Conquer [city]. *That conquerer would be Sargon
(v. 15) Meaning: In a figurative sense God I will give them a keeper/husband that will have authority over them and possess them and he will not have been your choice. That husband or keeper would be Assyria.

Allen, Leslie C. "Edom On The Day of Yahweh." The Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1976. 276-280. Print.

Martin, John., John Walvoord. "Micah: Judgment Will Come" Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 1985. 1479. Print.