King James Bible Dictionary

A shortened form of Micaiah, who is like Jehovah?

1. A man of Mount Ephraim, whose history so far is introduced in Judges 17, apparently for the purpose of leading to an account of the settlement of the tribe of Dan in Northern Palestine, and for the purpose also of illustrating the lawlessness of the times in which he lived (Judges 18; 19:1-29; 21:25).

2. The son of Merib-baal (Mephibosheth), 1 Chronicles 8:34, 35.

3. The first in rank of the priests of the family of Kohathites (1 Chronicles 23:20).

4. A descendant of Joel the Reubenite (1 Chronicles 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 (comp. Jeremiah 26:18, 19).

poor; humble

1. An Ephraimite, his robbery and idolatry
Jude 1:17-18

2. Head of a family of Reuben
1 Chronicles 5:5

3. Called Micha, son of Mephibosheth
2 Samuel 9:12; 1 Chronicles 8:34-35; 1 Chronicles 9:40-41

4. Called Michah, a Kohathite
1 Chronicles 23:20; 1 Chronicles 24:24-25

5. Father of Abdon
2 Chronicles 34:20

6. One of the minor prophets:

General references
Jeremiah 26:18-19; Micah 1:1; Micah 1:14-15

Denounces:

The idolatry of his times
Micah 3:1

The oppressions of the covetous
Micah 2:1-11

Foretells:

The restoration of Israel
Micah 2:12-13

The injustice of judges and falsehoods of false prophets
Micah 3:1-12

Prophesies the coming of the Messiah
Micah 4, 5

Denounces the oppressions, frauds, and other abominations
Micah 6

Laments the state of Zion, and foretells the triumphs, righteousness, and the mercies of God
Micah 7

(who is like God?), the same name as Micaiah. [MICAIAH]

1. An Isr'lite 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, (Judges 17:5) and then in the person of a Levite not of the priestly line. ver. (Judges 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 Isr'l, and with Isaiah in Judah.
3. A descendant of Joel the Reubenite. (1 Chronicles 5:5)
4. The son of Meribbaal or Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan. (1 Chronicles 8:34,35; 9:40,41)
5. A Kohathite levite, the eldest son of Uzziel the brother of Amram. (1 Chronicles 23:30)
6. The father of Abdon, a man of high station in the reign of Josiah. (2 Chronicles 34:20)

The sixth in order of the so-called minor prophets. The superscription to this book states that the prophet exercised his office in the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. If we reckon from the beginning of Jotham's reign to the end of Hezekiah's (B.C. 759-698), then he ministered for about fifty-nine years; but if we reckon from the death of Jotham to the accession of Hezekiah (B.C. 743-726), his ministry lasted only sixteen years. It has been noticed as remarkable that this book commences with the last words of another prophet, "Micaiah the son of Imlah" (1 Kings 22:28)- "Hearken, O people, every one of you."

The book consists of three sections, each commencing with a rebuke, "Hear ye," etc., and closing with a promise, (1) ch. 1; 2; (2) ch. 3-5, especially addressed to the princes and heads of the people; (3) ch. 6-7, in which Jehovah is represented as holding a controversy with his people- the whole concluding with a song of triumph at the great deliverance which the Lord will achieve for his people. The closing verse is quoted in the song of Zacharias (Luke 1:72, 73). The prediction regarding the place "where Christ should be born," one of the most remarkable Messianic prophecies (Micah 5:2), is quoted in Matthew 2:6.

There are the following references to this book in the New Testament-

5:2, with Matthew 2:6; John 7:42. 7:6, with Matthew 10:21, 35, 36. 7:20, with Luke 1:72, 73.

Three sections of this work represent three natural divisions of the prophecy 1, 2; 3-5; 6,7 each commencing with rebukes and threatening and closing with a promise. The first section opens with a magnificent description of the coming of Jehovah to judgment for the sins and idolatries of Isr'l and Judah, ch. 1:2-4, and the sentence pronounced upon Samaria, vs. 5-9, by the Judge himself. The sentence of captivity is passed upon them. (Micah 2:10) but is followed instantly by a promise of restoration and triumphant return. ch. (Micah 2:12,13) The second section is addressed especially to the princes and heads of the people- their avarice and rapacity are rebuked in strong terms; but the threatening is again succeeded by a promise of restoration. In the last section, chs. 6,7, Jehovah, by a bold poetical figure, is represented as holding a controversy with his people, pleading with them in justification of his conduct toward them and the reasonableness of his requirements. The whole concludes with a triumphal song of joy at the great deliverance, like that from Egypt, which jehovah will achieve, and a full acknowledgment of his mercy and faithfulness of his promises. vs. 16-20. The last verse is reproduced in the song of Zacharias. (Luke 1:72,73) Micah's prophecies are distinct and clear. He it is who says that the Ruler shall spring from Bethlehem. ch. (Luke 5:2) His style has been compared with that of Hosea and Isaiah. His diction is vigorous and forcible, sometimes obscure from the abruptness of its transitions, but varied and rich.