1) This may well date back to the time of early Isaiah in the mid 700s. The Hebrew is harder to read ( at least of my poor attempts). While Isaiah is of the elite, Micah (short for who is like God) is from the countryside.
2) The form is the covenant lawsuit or court hearing form. This is used a number of times in the OT. This would enable one to refer to courtroom drams on TV, movies, and books. Richard Fenn wrote a book a number of years ago seeing liturgy as occupying the trial form.
3) I am not sure what to make about making nature the jury. Perhaps it is a way of "talking to the wall." Perhaps it is a metaphor for unbiased listeners.
4) I find v. 3 heartbreaking. God is looking for a reason for the people's actions and indifference. God is trying to find a cause for their response on God's own part.
5) God goes back a few hundred years into the origin of the people in the desert and lifts up the names of the Moses and his family as leaders.
6) The Baalam story acquired resonance over the years, apparently. (Refer to Num. 22-4 for a refresher) . Practice saying Shittim before reading it. It was the last camp on the way into the Promised Land. Joshua 4 has Gilgal as the launching point in the Promised Land.
7) Anybody who claims the old stereotype of the OT being ritualistic gets baked in vv 6-7. This is remarkably self-reflective material. Notice it leads up to child sacrifice. 2 Kings 16 and 21 have examples. One's mind may fall back to Jdg. 11 and notably Gen.22.
8) Many know this last verse by heart. Some would translate humbly as wisely. Mercy could be compassion as well. Some rabbis saw this as the Biblical message in miniature. One could do well in taking the three points one by one and amplifying them.
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