מיכה, פרק ז׳, פסוק ד׳

A society can sink into such deep moral decay that even its most decent citizens become sources of pain and harm. In this reality of profound corruption, the very best individuals are compared to a brier—a painful, prickly plant that is incredibly difficult to shake off, much like thorns tangled in wool [רש״י, רד״ק, שטיינזלץ, מצודת ציון]. Those considered the most upright are actually worse than a dense hedge of dry branches and thorns [רש״י, רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון]. The primary approach among commentators is that the good and upright people of this generation are simply wicked, inflicting pain on anyone who comes into contact with them.

Offering a relative perspective, [מלבי״ם] notes that a single thorn is naturally crooked, but when many are woven into a hedge, they become even more tangled and warped. Similarly, the good person of this era is fundamentally corrupt; he is only considered upright when compared to a generation that is as completely twisted as a thorn bush. Taking a different angle, [אברבנאל] connects this imagery to corrupt leadership. Just as a person cannot harvest grapes without getting pricked by the vineyard's protective hedge, a citizen cannot obtain justice from the leaders and judges without suffering the painful sting of having to pay bribes.

This widespread corruption inevitably brings a time of reckoning, though commentators differ on how this unfolds. One perspective views this moment as the shattering of the people's hopes: on the very day they anticipate and wait for goodness, their punishment arrives, and their sins are called to account [רש״י, מצודת דוד, שטיינזלץ]. Others connect this reckoning to prophets. According to [רד״ק], the anticipated day targets false prophets who peddled empty promises; the arrival of punishment finally exposes their lies. Conversely, [אבן עזרא] suggests this refers to the true prophets who consistently warned of impending disaster, a day that has now finally materialized. A third approach by [מלבי״ם] shifts the focus to the surrounding nations waiting for Israel's downfall. When disaster eventually strikes these enemy nations, Israel's own sins will also be remembered and punished. Continuing his focus on judicial corruption, [אברבנאל] understands this day as a harsh critique of the legal system: a person's request is only addressed on the day the judges expect to receive a bribe, without which justice is entirely withheld.

The unavoidable consequence of this moral collapse is a state of utter panic, confusion, and a complete loss of direction [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון]. This bewilderment may strike the entire nation [מלבי״ם] or specifically target the false prophets whose predictions failed [רד״ק]. Focusing again on the corrupt establishment, [אברבנאל] and [אבן עזרא] explain that the leaders and judges themselves will be plunged into confusion. Once the land is ultimately destroyed, they will be left bewildered, with no citizens remaining to rob and no one left to offer them bribes.