Micah (Micah 1:1; Micah 1:8–9; Micah 2:1–2; Micah 3:1; Micah 3:5; Micah 3:8; Micah 3:11–12; Micah 4:1–3; Micah 5:2; Micah 6:2–3; Micah 6:8; Micah 6:16; Micah 7:1–2; Micah 7:7; Micah 7:18–19; Jeremiah 26:18–19; Matthew 2:5–6)

Micah the Morashtite, to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah concerning Samaria and Jerusalem; he rebuked the heads of Jacob and the prophets who cried Peace, and the elders later recalled that Hezekiah did not put him to death.

The book that bears his name opens: “The word of Jehovah that came to Micah the Morashtite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem” (Micah 1:1). Scripture says nothing of his parentage or his call, and of his home only what "the Morashtite" implies, a man of Moresheth; what it gives is his word. It laments that the wound of Samaria has come “even unto Judah” (Micah 1:9), and it speaks against those who devise iniquity and covet fields and houses (Micah 2:1-2).

To the heads of Jacob he says, “is it not for you to know justice?” (Micah 3:1), and of himself, “I am full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin” (Micah 3:8). He says that Zion shall be plowed as a field (Micah 3:12), and he also speaks of the mountain of the LORD's house established in the latter days (Micah 4:1), of one to come forth out of Beth-lehem Ephrathah (Micah 5:2), of the LORD's controversy with his people (Micah 6:2), and it closes in waiting: “I will look unto Jehovah; I will wait for the God of my salvation” (Micah 7:7).

He is named in only one other place. When Jeremiah is on trial, certain elders say, “Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah” (Jeremiah 26:18) and ask, “Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death?” (Jeremiah 26:19). Matthew 2:5-6 quotes the word about Bethlehem as written “through the prophet” (Matthew 2:5) without giving his name.

Strengths

• Full of power by the Spirit
• Declaring Jacob's transgression
• Looking unto the LORD and waiting

Themes

• Judgment on Samaria and Jerusalem
• Rulers and false prophets
• Justice and kindness
• The ruler from Bethlehem
• Waiting on God

The word comes to Micah (Micah 1:1–9)

The word of the LORD comes to Micah in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah concerning Samaria and Jerusalem, and the word laments that the wound has come even unto Judah.

Rulers and prophets rebuked (Micah 3:1–8)

Micah calls the heads of Jacob to know justice, the LORD speaks against the prophets who cry Peace, and Micah says he is full of power by the Spirit to declare Jacob's transgression.

Rulers and prophets rebuked

“And I said, Hear, I pray you, ye heads of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel: is it not for you to know justice?” (Micah 3:1). The LORD speaks “concerning the prophets that make my people to err; that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and whoso putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him” (Micah 3:5).

Then Micah says of himself: “But as for me, I am full of power by the Spirit of Jehovah, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin” (Micah 3:8).

Zion plowed as a field (Micah 3:9–12)

The heads judge for reward, the priests teach for hire and the prophets divine for money, yet say that no evil shall come; therefore Zion shall be plowed as a field.

Zion plowed as a field

“Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and rulers of the house of Israel, that abhor justice, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity” (Micah 3:9-10).

“The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet they lean upon Jehovah, and say, Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? no evil shall come upon us” (Micah 3:11).

“Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest” (Micah 3:12).

A ruler from Beth-lehem Ephrathah (Micah 4:1–3; Micah 5:2–5)

The word speaks of the mountain of the LORD's house exalted in the latter days, and names Beth-lehem Ephrathah as the place from which one shall come forth to be ruler in Israel.

The controversy of the LORD (Micah 6:1–8; Micah 6:16)

The LORD has a controversy with his people and asks what he has done to them; the word declares what is good and what the LORD requires, and warns that the statutes of Omri are kept.

The controversy of the LORD

“Hear, O ye mountains, Jehovah's controversy … for Jehovah hath a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me” (Micah 6:2-3).

“He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8).

Of the people's ways the word says, “the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels” (Micah 6:16).

Lament, and waiting on God (Micah 7:1–9; Micah 7:18–19)

The speaker cries Woe is me that the godly man is perished, then says he will look unto the LORD and wait; the book closes on the God who pardons iniquity.

Remembered at Jeremiah's trial (Jeremiah 26:16–19)

In Jeremiah's day, elders of the land recall that Micah prophesied Zion plowed as a field in Hezekiah's days and ask whether Hezekiah put him to death.

Remembered at Jeremiah's trial

When the princes and the people said that Jeremiah was not worthy of death, “then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people” (Jeremiah 26:17).

“Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest” (Jeremiah 26:18).

“Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? did he not fear Jehovah, and entreat the favor of Jehovah, and Jehovah repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them?” (Jeremiah 26:19). The text does not describe a meeting between Micah and the king.

The LORD (Micah 1:1; Micah 3:8; Micah 7:7)

The word of the LORD came to Micah, who says he is full of power by the Spirit of the LORD.

Jotham (Micah 1:1)

The first of the kings of Judah in whose days the word of the LORD came to Micah.

Ahaz (Micah 1:1)

Named second of the kings of Judah in whose days the word of the LORD came to Micah.

Hezekiah (Micah 1:1; Jeremiah 26:18–19)

King of Judah in whose days Micah prophesied; the elders ask whether he put Micah to death, and say he feared the LORD.

The heads and rulers of Jacob (Micah 3:1; Micah 3:9)

Micah calls them to know justice and says they abhor justice and pervert all equity.

The prophets who cry Peace (Micah 3:5; Micah 3:11)

The LORD speaks against the prophets who make his people to err and cry Peace to those who feed them.

Major sections

• Micah 1–3
• Micah 4–5
• Micah 6
• Micah 7
• Jeremiah 26:16–19

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