The Goal of Yahweh’s Action: The book of Micah is never content to rest with the message of one historical period or with one manifestation of Yahweh’s action. (See the introduction and the comment on 1:2–5b). The preceding oracles have dealt with the fall of Samaria (1:5c–7), with the Assyrian conquest of the Judean towns to the west of Jerusalem (1:10–16), with the threatened fall of Jerusalem (2:1–3, 10), and with the postexilic reversal of the fortunes of the oppressors and the oppressed (2:4–5).

But what is the goal of this history of some two hundred years? Its goal is Yahweh’s salvation of his chosen people. Yahweh’s intervention, his judgment on the northern and southern kingdoms, his dispossession of the oppressing Jerusalem leaders—all have one purpose: to make a new covenant people. That is what is announced in this oracle of salvation in 2:12–13, and the announcement is couched in the terms of some of Israel’s oldest traditions.

2:12–13 After the exiles of 721, 597, 587, and 582 BC, Israel’s former population is scattered throughout the Fertile Crescent. Yahweh personally announces, in verse 12, however, that none of Israel’s survivors will be lost (cf. Luke 15:3–5). Rather, like a shepherd gathering together his dispersed sheep into one fold, Yahweh will gather together all of Israel’s remnant (cf. Isa. 43:5–6; Jer. 31:7–10; Ezek. 34:11–16) into one great noisy multitude. So reads the Hebrew of verse 12e.

The depiction of Yahweh as shepherd is one of the oldest images for God in the Bible (cf. Ps. 80:1). It is found repeatedly in the Psalms (23:1; 28:9; 78:52) and in the writings of the prophets (Isa. 40:11; Jer. 23:3), and it is then applied to Christ in the NT (Mark 6:34 and parallel; 14:27 and parallel; John 10:11–17; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4; Rev. 7:17). While the figure embodies the thought of tenderness and care (cf. Isa. 40:11), it also serves as a royal image (cf. Ezek. 34:23). Kings in the ancient Near East were known as the shepherds of their people (cf. Jer. 49:19), and Yahweh, who is Israel’s shepherd, is at the same time also Israel’s king, as Micah 2:13 goes on to say. (Cf. the hymn, “The King of Love My Shepherd Is.”)

Verse 12 does not say where God’s gathering will take place, but it is clear that the Israelites will be reunited as one people under the leadership of their shepherd-king Yahweh. The thought is similar to Paul’s, “All Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26).

Dispersed Israel is, however, a captive people, subject after 721 first to Assyria, then to Babylonia, and then to Persia. To be saved by God, they must be released from their captivity (cf. Isa. 61:1). The figure of speech is therefore changed in verse 13. Once again God takes the initiative and performs the action, but now God is spoken of as the “wall-breaker” (pōrēṣ), the one who breaks open the walls and gates that confine Israel to captivity (cf. 2 Sam. 5:20; Isa. 45:2; Ps. 107:16). God is the liberator giving Israel its freedom now as in the past, when Israel was liberated from slavery in Egypt.

Breaking down the confining enclosure of its captivity, God then will lead the people out into freedom, going before them as their king. The figure of Yahweh as the king of Israel is as old as the exodus (Exod. 15:18) and is found prominently in the theology of Israel’s ancient tribal federation during the time of the Judges (Judg. 8:23; 1 Sam. 8:7). Used frequently in the Psalms (cf. Pss. 95, 96, 98, 99), the figure is taken up also by the NT and applied to Christ, especially in the Fourth Gospel.

Throughout Israel’s history, Yahweh is said to “go before” his people, in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night (Exod. 13:21), enthroned above the ark in the time of the wilderness wandering (Num. 10:33–36), and during Israel’s battles with its enemies (cf. 2 Sam. 5:24). It is perhaps significant therefore that the NT picks up the same terminology: “But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee” (Mark 14:28 and parallels; 16:7 and parallel; Matt. 28:7). Our God, the king of a gathered and freed people, goes always before us, leading us toward final salvation in the kingdom of good.