Micah

THE BOOK OF

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INTRODUCTION

MICAH was a native of Moresheth, not the same as

Mareshah in

Mic 1:15,

but the town called Moresheth-gath

(Mic 1:14),

which lay near Eleutheropolis, west of Jerusalem, on the border of the

Philistine country; so called to distinguish it from Moresheth of

Judah. His full name is Micaiah (not the Micaiah mentioned

1Ki 22:8,

the son of Imlah), signifying, Who is like Jehovah? The time of

his prophesying is stated in the introduction to be in the reigns of

Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, that is, between 757 and 699

B.C. Jeremiah

(Jer 26:18)

quotes

Mic 3:12,

as delivered in the reign of Hezekiah. He was thus a contemporary of

Isaiah and Hosea. The idolatries practised in the reign of Ahaz accord

with Micah's denunciations of such gross evils, and confirm the truth

of the time assigned

Mic 1:1.

His prophecies are partly against Israel (Samaria), partly against

Judah. As Samaria, Israel's metropolis, was taken first, and Jerusalem,

the capital of Judah subsequently, in the introductory heading,

Mic 1:1,

Samaria is put first, then Jerusalem. He prophesies the

capture of both; the Jews' captivity and restoration; and the coming and

reign of Messiah. His style is full, round, and perspicuous; his

diction pure, and his parallelisms regular. His description of Jehovah

(Mic 7:18, 19)

is not surpassed by any elsewhere in Scripture. The similarity between

Isaiah and Micah in some passages (compare

Mic 4:1-3,

with Isa 2:2-4)

is to be accounted for by their being contemporaries, acquainted with

each other's inspired writings, and having the same subjects for their

theme. HENGSTENBERG maintains that the passage in

Micah is the original. Isaiah was somewhat the older, being a prophet

in the reign of Uzziah, Jotham's predecessor, whereas Micah began his

prophecies under Jotham.

The book consists of two parts: (1) the first through fifth

chapters; (2) the sixth and seventh chapters, a dialogue or

contestation between Jehovah and His people, in which He reproaches

them with their unnatural and ungrateful conduct, and threatens

judgment for their corruptions, but consoles them with the promise of

restoration from captivity.

Micah stands sixth of the minor prophets in the Hebrew canon, but

third in the Septuagint.