The interpretation timeline

Mic 7:17

How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.

From the early Church Fathers to now.

1 Jewish · 1 Catholic · 1 Reformed

Mic 7:17 · Douay-Rheims
“They shall lick the dust like serpents, as the creeping things of the earth, they shall be disturbed in their houses: they shall dread the Lord our God, and shall fear thee.”
Scholastic c. 1100 – 1500
1105
A.D.
Rashi Jewish
1040–1105
“as those who crawl on the earth—They are snakes, which crawl on their bellies on the dust of the earth. They shall quake from their imprisonment—They shall quake because of the extreme narrowness of their imprisonment and the confinement of their captivity.”
744 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Post-Reformation c. 1650 – 1900
1849
A.D.
1774–1849
“Serpents, (Genesis iii. 14.) out of respect or rage. (Calmet) — Converts shall humbly apply to the ministers of Christ to receive baptism and confirmation. (Theodoret; Sanct. lxvii.)”
1871
A.D.
1871
“lick the dust--in abject prostration as suppliants (Psa 72:9; compare Isa 49:23; Isa 65:25). move out of their holes--As reptiles from their holes, they shall come forth from their hiding-places, or fortresses (Psa 18:45), to give themselves up to the conquerors. More literally, "they shall tremble from," that is, tremblingly come forth from their coverts. like worms--reptiles or crawlers (Deu 32:24). they shall be afraid of the Lord--or, they shall in fear turn with haste to the Lord. Thus the antithesis is brought out. They shall tremble forth from their holes: they shall in trepidation turn to the Lord for salvation (compare Note, see on Hos 3:5, and Jer 33:9). fear because of thee--shall fear Thee, Jehovah (and so fear Israel as under Thy guardianship). There is a change here from speaking of God to speaking to God [MAURER]. Or rather, "shall fear thee, Israel" [HENDERSON].”
Source
Modern · 1953 →

The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.