Rashi on TanakhMicah 4

shall stream Heb. וְנָהֲרוּ. And they shall gather there together like rivers flowing into the sea.

And he shall judge—This judgment is an expression of reproof, derajjnement in O.F. [Isa 2:4]

for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has spoken—Now where has He spoken? (Lev. 26:6) “And I will place peace in the land, etc.” [from Mechilta to Exodus 12:25]

For all peoples shall go, each one in the name of his god—Shall go to destruction because they worshipped idols. So did Jonathan render it.

I will heal the limping one Heb. אֹסְפָה. I will gather in the exiles. So did Jonathan render. To me, however, it appears as an expression of healing, as in (II Kings 5:6) “And you shall cure him (וְאֲסַפְתּוֹ) of his zaraath.”

and those whom I harmed—And those whom I harmed because of their iniquity.

And you, tower of the flock Heb. מִגְדַּל עֵדֶר. Jonathan renders: And you, anointed one of Israel, who is hidden because of the sins of the people of Zion. His explanation is: מִגְדַּל is an expression of a stronghold, and he renders עֵדֶר as the people of Israel. He renders עֹפֶל as an expression of אֹפֶל, darkness. [I.e., מִגְדַּל עֵדֶר is the stronghold of Israel, identified as the Messiah. He is hidden because of the sins of the people of Zion. The word “hidden” is derived from אֹפֶל, darkness.] But it is possible to interpret מִגְדַּל עֵדֶר as the Temple, and עֹפֶל as an expression of a mighty tower. Likewise there is (Isa. 32:14) “Rampart (עֹפֶל) and tower.”

to you it shall come—The remnant of the limping ones and the scattered ones shall gather to you.

and the former kingdom shall come—The complete kingdom, in its entirety, shall come to the house of David in Jerusalem as it was originally, before it was divided. Now what was the former kingdom? The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.

Now that you rebel against Me.

why do you seek friends? Heb. תָרִיעִי רֵעַ, lit. befriend a friend. Put to your heart: why do you need to seek friends and beloved ones, the kings of Egypt and the kings of Assyria, for aid?

Be in pain Heb. חוּלִי, an expression of pain, as in (verse 9) “that pangs (חִיל) have seized you.” This expression is appropriate for a woman in confinement.

and kneel Heb. וָגֹחִי, kneel and bend down on your belly (גָחוֹן). So it is in the language of the Mishnah (Moed Katan 7a): “A wall that bends over (הַגוֹחֶה) into a public domain.”

you shall go forth from the city—From Jerusalem, to go into exile.

and you shall dwell in the field—Your dwelling shall be plowed up like a field.

who say, “Let her be guilty”—Let Zion be guilty of her sins, and let her iniquity be visited upon her.

and our eyes shall gaze on Zion And our eyes will see in her what we hoped to see her.

for He gathered them as sheaves to a threshing floor—And eventually, He will gather them to the Valley of Jehoshaphat and around Jerusalem to war, as they gather a sheaf in order to thresh it there. The heathens, too, will be gathered there for their detriment, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to the people of Israel: “Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion.”

and I will devote Heb. וְהַחֲרַמְתִּי, an expression of hallowing.

their plunder—What they gathered from robbery and violence.

and their wealth—Their possessions.

Now you shall gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops—Now, at the time of its [Israel’s] evil decree concerning the iniquity, which has increased, you shall gather yourself in troops, O daughter of troops; O daughter of the Chaldeans, gather troops, for now you shall succeed with the troop that laid siege upon us.

With a rod, they strike... on the cheek—Who caused them (Babylon) to succeed? The Israelites deride their prophets and their judges and strike them on the cheek. So were they wont to do, and so we find in Pesikta (d’Rav Kahana, p. 125b), and so does Isaiah say, (Isa. 50:6) “I gave my back to smiters.”