Paronomasia - Play on words

In these verses there are several instances of the paronomasia. See Mic 1:10, aphar, dust, and aphrah, the name of the city.

Mic 1:11.

tsaanan, the city, and yatsah, to go out. Mic 1:13,

lachish, the city, and rechesh, the swift beast.

Mic 1:14, achzib, the city, and achzab, a lie.

Isaiah 5:7 - And he looked for judgment] The paronomasia, or play on

the words, in this place, is very remarkable; mishpat, mishpach,

tsedakah, tseakah. There are many examples of it in the other

prophets, but Isaiah seems peculiarly fond of it. See

Isa 13:6; 24:17; 32:7; 28:1; 57:6; 61:3; 65:11, 12. Rabbi

David Kimchi has noticed the paronomasia here: he expected

mishpat, judgment, but behold mishpach, oppression; he

expected tsedakah, righteousness, but behold tseakah,

a cry. The rabbins esteem it a great beauty; their term for it is

tsachoth haltashon, elegance of language.

Oppression-"tyranny."] mishpach, from shaphach,

servum fecit, Arab. Houbigant: shiphchah is serva, a

handmaid or female slave. mispach, eighteen MSS.

Such paronomasias were reputed ornaments by the prophets. They occur in Isaiah with great effect. See Isa 5:7.