Micah 7:14
Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
Study Note
Study Note
The prayer 'feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel' employs the shepherd metaphor for God's pastoral care of a scattered, vulnerable community — appropriate to the exilic or post-exilic context of Micah 7:11-20. The image of dwelling 'solitarily' evokes Numbers 23:9 — Balaam's blessing that Israel 'shall not be reckoned among the nations' — suggesting that isolation is simultaneously covenant vulnerability and covenantal distinctiveness. The reference to Bashan and Gilead ('as in the days of old,' verse 14) recalls the rich pastoral territories east of the Jordan, invoking the memory of Davidic prosperity as the basis for hope. Ezekiel 34 develops the divine-shepherd motif most fully, and John 10:11's 'good shepherd' draws on the same tradition.
Other Translations
Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thy heritage, which dwell solitarily, in the forest in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
Rule Thou Thy people with Thy rod, The flock of Thine inheritance, Dwelling alone <FI>in<Fi> a forest in the midst of Carmel, They enjoy Bashan and Gilead as in days of old.
Keep your people safe with your rod, the flock of your heritage, living by themselves in the woods in the middle of Carmel: let them get their food in Bashan and Gilead as in the past.
Cross References
For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it …
For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people …
Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; …
And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie …
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on …
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in …
By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come …
It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, …
In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there …
And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul …