Book of Micah
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The Book of Micah (Hebrew: ספר מיכה) is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament, traditionally attributed to Micah the Prophet.
Micah the man
Micah prophesied throughout the reigns of the Judean kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, roughly 735–700 B.C.E. Micah was brought up in the small town of Moreseth (likely Moresheth-Gath in the Philistine plain). The prophet’s name, in its elongated form “Micayahu,” is commonly translated “Who is like God?” or possibly, "He who is like God."
The quality of his prophecy has led many scholars to the conclusion that he received a good education and may have been one of the wealthier members of the community. Regardless of his background, he was well aware of the avarice and injustices of the rich.
Date and authoriship
The book's prologue indicates that Micah prophecied during the reigns of Jotham (742–735 B.C.E.), Ahaz (735–715 B.C.E.), and Hezekiah (715–687 B.C.E.), a maxium period of 55 years, However, it is not likely that he was active during all of that time. He was among the earliest of the literary prophets—those whose messages were recorded as separate books rather than as part of longer histories such as the books of Samuel and Kings.
Historically, King Jotham was able build on the success of his father Uzziah and maintained a considerably prosperous reign. Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria, meanwhile, increased considerably in power, thriving long into the reign of Jotham's son Ahaz. Facing an invasion from the combined forces of Israel and Syria, King Ahaz became Tiglath-Pileser's vassal. After visiting the Assyrian king in Damascus, Ahaz remodeled the Temple of Jerusalem after the pattern of the Temple of Asshur in Damascus and was accused by the prophets of tolerating idolatry. His son Hezekiah came into power around 716, rebelled against Assyria (2 Kings 18), and instituted a strict Yahwistic religious reform. The book of Jeremiah indicates that Micah may have risked his life in prophesying at the beginning of Hezekiah's reign, but that his prophecies were heeded.
Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah.. Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the Lord and seek his favor? And did not the Lord relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves! (Jer. 26:18-19)
Conservative biblcial scholars attribute virtually the entire Book of Micah to his authorship. However, critical scholars attribute much of the material to others. It is generally agreed that Micah composed chapters 1 through 3. Chapters 3-5 are rejected by critical scholars primarily because they foretell specific events in the sixth century B.C.E. Chapters 6-7 contain elements of a universalistic religious outlook which was not widely present in Judaism until after Micah's day and are thus rejected by some while accepted by others.
Content
The book may be divided into three sections:
Chapters 1–3 mainly consist of oracles of judgment. Judgment in Micah is seen in the destruction of Samaria—the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel—in the coming of an invader (probably Assyria) against Jerusalem, in the loss of the land of the greedy, in their being abandoned by TYahweh, in shame over the false prophets, in the siege of Jerusalem, and the purgin of the land from idolatry and war.
Chapters 4–5 consist of oracles of hope. The prophet indicates that those conditions which brought on God's anger would not prevail forever. Judgment would come, but a saved, chastened, and faithful remnant would survive. A new king from the line of David would be replace the present weak king on the throne. He would reign in the majesty of the name of Yahweh. His people would dwell securely and he would be great to the ends of earths.
Chapters 6–7 begin with judgment and move to hope. God poignantly aske what He has done to offend His people and declares that he only asks of them: "To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (6:8) God's specifies His indictment against the people in 6:9–16. Violence, deception, and crooked business practices were rampant. They would bring desolation and destruction to the land. He accuses them of following the statutes of the northern kings Omri and Ahab whose alleged corruption and tolerance of Baal worship brought ruin to their nation.
Purpose
Micah was particularly aware of the greed and injustice of the wealthy, and He speaks boldly against social injustice. He was also a firm opponent of Ahaz' policy of religious pluralism, believing instead that Yahweh alone must be worshiped by His people.
After denouncing the northern kingdom of Israel for its toleration of idolatry at its high places, he asks: "What is Judah's high place? Is it not Jerusalem?" (1:5) He curse those in power who “plot evil on their beds,” (2:1) while in verses 3:1-3, he indict the leaders of Judah, declaring: “you ought to know what is right, but you hate good and love evil.”
Micah recognizes power as a God-given responsibility and sees, instead of thanksgiving and acts of love and marcy, the powerful conniving to maintain their wealth and further subjugate those of lesser status. He aimed his criticism not only at the politically powerful but also the religious establishment. At the time, certain other prophets urged Micah to keep silent on the issue of injustice, but Micah excoriated them for their hypocrisy. Neither prophet, nor priest, nor ruler was exempt from his criticism:
- Her leaders judge for a bribe
- her priests teach for a price,
- and her prophets tell fortunes for money.
- Yet they lean upon the Lord and say,
- "Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us."
- Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field,
- Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble
- the Temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.
The Book of Micah condemns religious practice when it was not combined with ethical performance (3:9–10, 6:3–5, 6–8). It's middle chapters provide the hope of redemption and the coming of a Messianic king. Fervently yet concisely it speaks to the issues of the day in terms of the nation's covenant obligations with the God of Israel.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897.
- LaSor, William Sanford et al. Old Testament Survey: the Message, Form, and Background of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1996.
- BELIEVE Religious Information Source. Book of Micah. (n.d.). 13 Paragraphs. Retrieved October 4, 2005, from http://mb-soft.com/believe/txs/micah.htm
- Hailey, Homer. (1973). A Commentary on the Minor Prophets. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
- Maxey, Al. THE MINOR PROPHETS: Micah. (n.d.). 20 Paragraphs. Retrieved October 4, 2005, from http://www.zianet.com/maxey/Proph11.htm
- McKeating, Henry. (1971). The Books of AMOS, HOSEA, AND MICAH. New York: the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press.
- Pusey, E. B. (1963). The Minor Prophets: A Commentary (Vol. II). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
- Smith, John Merlin Powis. (1914). A Commentary on the Cooks of AMOS, HOSEA, AND MICAH. New York: The MacMillan Company.
- Wood, Joyce Rilett. (2000). Speech and action in Micah’s prophecy. Catholic Biblical Quarterly, no. 4(62), 49 paragraphs. Retrieved September 30, 2005, from OCLC (FirstSearch) database http://newfirstsearch.oclc.org
External links
- Jewish translations:
- Michah - Micah (Judaica Press) translation with Rashi's commentary at Chabad.org
- Christian translations:
- Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
- BibleGateway.com (New International Version)
- Micah at The Great Books (New Revised Standard Version)
This entry incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.
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