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micah Summary and Overview

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micah in Easton's Bible Dictionary

a shortened form of Micaiah, who is like Jehovah? (1.) A man of Mount Ephraim, whose history so far is introduced in Judg. 17, apparently for the purpose of leading to an account of the settlement of the tribe of Dan in Northern Israel, and for the purpose also of illustrating the lawlessness of the times in which he lived (Judg. 18; 19:1-29; 21:25). (2.) The son of Merib-baal (Mephibosheth), 1 Chr. 8:34, 35. (3.) The first in rank of the priests of the family of Kohathites (1 Chr. 23:20). (4.) A descendant of Joel the Reubenite (1 Chr. 5:5). (5.) "The Morasthite," so called to distinguish him from Micaiah, the son of Imlah (1 Kings 22:8). He was a prophet of Judah, a contemporary of Isaiah (Micah 1:1), a native of Moresheth of Gath (1:14, 15). Very little is known of the circumstances of his life (compare Jer. 26:18, 19).

micah in Smith's Bible Dictionary

(who is like God?), the same name as Micaiah. [MICAIAH] 1. An Israelite whose familiar story is preserved in the 17th and 18th chapters of Judges. Micah is evidently a devout believers in Jehovah, and yet so completely ignorant is he of the law of Jehovah that the mode which he adopts of honoring him is to make a molten and graven image, teraphim or images of domestic gods, and to set up an unauthorized priesthood, first in his own family, #Jud 17:5| and then in the person of a Levite not of the priestly line. ver. #Jud 17:12| A body of 600 Danites break in upon and steal his idols from him. 2. The sixth in order of the minor prophets. He is called the Morasthite, that is, a native of Moresheth, a small village near Eleutheropolis to the east, where formerly the prophet's tomb was shown, though in the days of Jerome it had been succeeded by a church. Micah exercised the prophetical office during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, giving thus a maximum limit of 59 years, B.C. 756-697, from the accession of Jotham to the death of Hezekiah, and a minimum limit of 16 years, B.C. 742-726, from the death of Jotham to the accession of Hezekiah. He was contemporary with Hosea and Amos during the part of their ministry in Israel, and with Isaiah in Judah. 3. A descendant of Joel the Reubenite. #1Ch 5:5| 4. The son of Meribbaal or Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan. #1Ch 8:34,35; 9:40,41| 5. A Kohathite levite, the eldest son of Uzziel the brother of Amram. #1Ch 23:30| 6. The father of Abdon, a man of high station in the reign of Josiah. #2Ch 34:20|

micah in Schaff's Bible Dictionary

MI'CAH (who is like Jehovah?). 1. An idolater in Mount Ephraim who persuaded a Levite to officiate as his priest, but had his idols stolen from him by a troop of Danites. Judg 17-18. 2. The sixth of the minor prophets, is called the Morashite, from his birthplace Moresheh, a village in the neighborhood of Eleutheropolis, in the territory of Gath, westward from Jerusalem. He prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, b.c. 750-698, and was a contemporary of Isaiah, whom he often resembles in style and expressions. Compare, for instance, Isa 2:2 with Mic 4:1, or Isa 41:15 with Mic 4:13. The Book of Micah contains prophecies concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Samaria is threatened with complete devastation, and Jerusalem with destruction and the captivity of its inhabitants. He admonishes them to repent, but he predicts also the return of the divine mercy and blessing, with a pardon of their sins. Then shall the mount of the temple be glorious and foreign nations will acknowledge Jehovah as their Lord, and henceforth there shall be no more war. In his prophecies concerning Messiah he is very precise. The prediction that Christ should be born in Bethlehem belongs to him. Song of Solomon 5:2. His style is poetic throughout, pure, rich in images and plays upon words, bold and lofty, but sometimes abrupt and obscure. 1. A Reubenite, the ancestor of Beerah. 1 Chr 5:5. 2. The son of Mephibosheth, and grandson of Jonathan, 1 Chr 8:34-35; 1 Chr 9:40-41; called Micha in 2 Sam 9:12. 3. A Levite of the family of Asaph, 1 Chr 9:15; called Micha in Neh 11:17, Josh 11:22, and Michaiah in Neh 12:35. 4. A Kohathite Levite, the son of Uzziel, 1 Chr 23:20; called Michah in 1 Chr 24:24-25. 5. The father of Abdon, a high official in the reign of Josiah, 2 Chr 34:20; called Michaiah in 2 Kgs 22:12.

micah in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1. Of Mount Ephraim. (See JONATHAN.) The date of the event is implied as before Samson, for the origin of the name Mahaneh Dan occurs in this narrative (Judges 18:12) and it is mentioned as already so named in Samson's childhood (Judges 13:25, margin). Josephus places the synchronous narrative of the Levite and his concubine at the beginning of the judges. Phinehas, Aaron's grandson, is mentioned (Judges 20:28). The narrative was written after the monarchy had begun (Judges 18:1; Judges 19:1), while the tabernacle was still at Shiloh, not yet moved by David to Jerusalem (Judges 18:81). 2. MICAH THE PROPHET. The oldest form of the name was Mikaiahuw, "who is as Jah?" (compare MICHAEL.) In Micah 7:18 Micah alludes to the meaning of his name as embodying the most precious truth to a guilty people such as he had painted the Jews, "who is a God like unto Thee that pardon iniquity," etc. Sixth of the minor prophets in the Hebrew canon, third in the Septuagint. The Morasthite, i.e. of Moresheth, or Moresheth Gath (near Gath in S.W. of Judaea), where once was his tomb, but in Jerome's (Ep. Paulae 6) days a church, not far from Eleutheropolis. Micah prophesied in the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah somewhere between 756 and 697 B.C. Contemporary with Isaiah in Judah, with whose prophecies his have a close connection (compare Micah 4:1-3 with Isaiah 2:2-4, the latter stamping the former as inspired), and with Hosea and Amos during their later ministry in Israel. His earlier prophecies under Jotham and Ahaz were collected and written out as one whole under Hezekiah. Probably the book was read before the assembled king and people on some fast or festival, as certain elders quoted to the princes and people assembled against Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:18) Micah 3:12, "Micah the Morasthite in the days of Hezekiah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest. Did Hezekiah put him ... to death? Did he not fear the Lord and besought the Lord, and the Lord repented Him of the evil which He had pronounced against them?" The idolatries of Ahaz' reign accord with Micah 's denunciations. He prophesies partly against Israel (Samaria), partly against Judah. Shalmaneser and Sargon took Samaria in the sixth year of Hezekiah (722 B.C.). The section in which is (Micah 1:6) "I will make Samaria as an heap" was therefore earlier. The "high places" (Micah 1:5) probably allude to those in Jotham's and Ahaz' reigns (2 Kings 15:35; 2 Kings 16:4). The "horses and chariots" (Micah 5:10) accord with Jotham's time, when Uzziah's military establishments still flourished (2 Chronicles 26:11-15). Micah 5:12-14; Micah 6:16, "the statutes of Omri are kept and all the works of the house of Ahab," accord with the reign of Ahaz who "walked in the way of the kings of Israel" (2 Kings 16:3). DIVISIONS. The thrice repeated phrase "Hear ye" (Micah 1:2; Micah 3:1; Micah 6:1) divides the whole into three parts. The middle division (Micah 3-5) has Messiah and His kingdom for its subject. The first division prepares for this by foretelling the overthrow of the world kingdoms. The third division is the appeal based on the foregoing, and the elect church's anticipation of God's finally forgiving His people's sin completely, and restoring Israel because of the covenant with Jacob and Abraham of old. The intimations concerning the birth of Messiah as a child and His reign in peace, and Jacob's remnant destroying adversaries as a "lion," but being "a dew from the Lord amidst many people" (Micah 4:9-5:5), correspond to Isaiah 7:14-16; Isaiah 9:6-7. This middle section is the climax, failing into four strophes (Micah 4:1-8; Micah 4:9-5;Micah 4:2; Micah 5:8-9; Micah 5:10-15). Micah 6:7, form a vivid dialogue wherein Jehovah expostulates with Israel for their sinful and monstrous ingratitude, and they attempt to reply and are convicted (Micah 6:6-8). Then the chosen remnant amidst the surrounding gloom looks to the Lord and receives assurance of final deliverance. Zacharias (Luke 1:72-73) reproduces the closing anticipation (Micah 7:16-20), "Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham which Thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old." Sennacherib's invasion is foreseen, Micah 1:9-16; especially Micah 1:13-14, compare 2 Kings 18:14-17. Jerusalem's destruction in Micah 3:12; Micah 7:13. The Babylonian captivity and deliverance in Micah 4:10; Micah 4:1-8; Micah 7:11, confirming the genuineness of the latter half of Isaiah his contemporary, with whom Micah has so much in common and who (Isaiah 39-66) similarly foretells the captivity and deliverance. The fall of Assyria and Babylon are referred to (Micah 5:5-6; Micah 7:8; Micah 7:10). Hengstenberg thinks that Micaiah's words (1 Kings 22:28), "hearken, O people, every one of you," were intentionally repeated by Micah to intimate that his own activity is a continuation of that of his predecessor who was so jealous for God, and that he had more in common with him than the mere name. STYLE. His diction is pure and his parallelisms regular. His description of Jehovah (Micah 7:18-19), "who is a God like unto Thee, forgiving?" etc., alludes to the meaning of his own name and to Exodus 15:11; Exodus 34:6-7, and is a fine specimen of his power and pathos. He is dramatic in Micah 6; 7. His similarity to Isaiah in style is due to their theme being alike (Micah 1:2; Isaiah 1:2; Micah 2:2; Isaiah 5:8; Micah 2:6; Micah 2:11; Isaiah 30:10; Micah 2:12; Isaiah 10:20-22; Micah 6:6-8; Isaiah 1:11-17). He is abrupt in transitions, and elliptical, and so obscure; the contrast between Babylon, which triumphs over carnal Israel, and humble Bethlehem out of which shall come forth Israel's Deliverer and Babylon's Destroyer, is a striking instance: Micah 4:8-5:7. Pastoral and rural imagery is common (Micah 1:6; Micah 1:8; Micah 2:12; Micah 3:12; Micah 4:3; Micah 4:12-13; Micah 5:4-8; Micah 6:15; Micah 7:1; Micah 7:4; Micah 7:14). Flays upon words abound (Micah 1:10-15). (See APHRAH; BETHEZEL; MAROTH; ACHZIB; MARESHAH.) New Testament quotations of Micah: Matthew 2:5-6 (Micah 5:2); Matthew 10:35-36 (Micah 7:6); Matthew 9:13 (Micah 6:6-8); Mark 13:12; Luke 12:53 (Micah 7:6); John 7:42 (Micah 5:2); Ephesians 2:14 (Micah 5:5). 3. The Reubenite Joel's descendant (1 Chronicles 5:5). 4. Mephibosheth's or Meribbaal's son (1 Chronicles 8:34; 2 Samuel 9:12), MICHA. 5. A Kohathite Levite, Uzziel's oldest son; nephew of Amram, and cousin to Moses (1 Chronicles 23:20; 1 Chronicles 24:24-25); the spelling varies in the two chapters. 6. Abdon's father (2 Chronicles 34:20); Achbor's, 2 Kings 22:12.