The fifth of the Minor Prophets, he is given the date of the last decades of 700 B.C. The prophet predicts the fall of Samaria which occurred in 722, but is more concerned with the sins and danger of Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah, around the year 700. As the arrangement below demonstrates, the message varies between condemnation for actual sins and God’s purpose to finally give his people a blessing:
I. Predicts desolation of Samaria and Jerusalem (Mic 1:1—Mic 3:12)
II. Future blessings for Zion (Mic 4:1-8)
III. Invasion and rescue by a Davidic ruler (Mic 4:9—Mic 5:15)
IV. Condemnation for sins (Mic 6:1—Mic 7:6) V. Future help from God (Mic 7:7-20)
In the initial part of the book (Mic 1:1—Mic 3:12), God’s judgment on Samaria for her idolatry is announced. However, Micah’s interest seems to lie largely in Jerusalem, the desolation of which he announces in Mic 3:12 in very similar terms. Chapters 2 and 3 are a catalog of the sins of Judah. The oppression of the poor was one of the characteristics in Judah, but another was that they refused to listen to the prophets of God. Just as in Jeremiah’s day, the preferred prophets predicted peace (compare Mic 3:5 with Jer 8:10-11; Eze 13:10). It is not unlikely that Jeremiah and Ezekiel took their texts for this subject from Micah. At least Micah’s warnings in 3:12 were well known in Jeremiah’s day (Jer 26:18).
The second section (Mic 4:1-8) includes a passage that is practically identical to Isa 2:1-4. Isa 2:1 calls this passage the word of Isaiah. Micah evidently uses Isaiah’s prophecy and skillfully weaves it together so that it becomes part of his composition.
The third section (Mic 4:9—Mic 5:15) has as its background the wars of Hezekiah’s time. The Assyrians took 40 cities of Judah captive and received tribute from Hezekiah (compare 2Ki 18:13-16).
The condemnations of the fourth section (Mic 6:1—Mic 7:6) include several references to the Pentateuch and other historical books (Mic 6:4-5; compare also 5:6 with Gen 10:8-9). Mic 6:8’s answer is famous. Some have argued that it teaches a salvation apart from sacrifices. Indeed, it alludes to Deu 10:12 and has to do with Israel’s duty to obey all of Moses’ commands. Christ probably referred to this v. in his condemnation of the formalistic Pharisees (Mat 23:23). The book ends with the prophet’s declaration of his faith that God’s covenant to bless Abraham will find its final fulfillment.
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
Sixth book in the collection of the minor prophets.
Author and date. As M. preached in the times of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, the basic material for this collection of oracles comes from that time (786-750 BC), for which the book is attributed to the prophet. However, the Jewish tradition speaks of the so-called “Great Synagogue”, which during the Persian period compiled and canonized various biblical writings, including that of the prophet Micah. The date of this book has been the subject of much discussion. It is convenient to always remember that the book contains several oracles of Micah. The way the book is edited does not necessarily imply that the prophecies were spoken one after the other, with no intervals between them.
Circumstances. In Jotham’s government a census was taken in Gilead (Transjordan) (1Ch 5:17) and there was a conflict with †¢Rezin, king of Syria and †¢Pekah, king of Israel. But his son Ahaz was distinguished by impious behavior, even burning his own children as sacrifices (2Ch 28: 3-4). It was at a time when strong threats of invasion were seen from Assyria. The kings of Israel and Syria proposed an anti-Assyrian alliance, but Ahaz refused, so they invaded him and did him much harm (2Ch 28:5-8). The Edomites took advantage of Ahaz’s weak position and attacked Judah. All this happened because of the impiety of Ahaz (2Ch 28:19), who asked the Assyrians for help by buying their help with the treasures of the royal house and the house of Jehovah (2Ki 16: 8). The Assyrians attacked Syria and took Damascus, leaving Judah as a tributary (2Ch 28:20-21). Ahaz visited Tiglath-pileser in Damascus and saw a pagan altar whose design he liked, he had it copied and made one just like it, making modifications to the temple.
This time Micah has been preaching various oracles announcing God’s judgment against Jerusalem and Samaria. When Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, ascends the throne, the prophecies against Samaria are fulfilled, as it is destroyed. Hezekiah reacts to the prophet’s message and begins his famous religious reform in Jerusalem.
Developing. The prophet begins by denouncing “Jacob’s rebellion,” which is Samaria, and “the high places of Judah,” which is Jerusalem. God will come to execute judgment “and the mountains will melt under him.” Samaria will be made “heaps of ruins.” Calamity will come “as far as Judah…until the gate of my people, as far as Jerusalem.” He names several towns to which destruction will come: Gath, Bet-le-afra, Safir, Zaanan, Bethesel, Marot, Lachish, Maresa, Adullam. . It is an allusion to the Assyrian invasion to come. All these peoples would be affected by it (Mic 1:1-16).
The second chapter includes a denunciation of the rulers, who “oppress man and his house, man and his inheritance”. these will be destroyed and their inheritance distributed to others. They are the ones who say to the prophets: “Do not prophesy”. “If anyone walking in a spirit of falsehood lies, saying, I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink; this one will be the prophet of this people† . God complains “of the one who yesterday was my people”, where now injustice prevails. However, God promises to gather the remnant of Israel, placing himself “at their head” (Mic 2:1-13).
The princes and chiefs of Israel love injustice (“…you hate what is good and you love what is bad†) and exploit the people. The prophets speak of peace “when they have something to eat, and whoever does not feed them, they proclaim war against him.” God will not hear the cry of the princes and “the sun will go down on the prophets”, because “no answer from God”. The prophet speaks in the first person: “But I am full of power from the Spirit of the Lord… to declare his transgression to Jacob.” The “chiefs judge for a bribe, and their priests teach for a price, and their prophets divine for money.” For all this “Zion will be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem will become heaps of ruins” (Mic 3:1-12).
in later times “the mountain of the house of Zion will be established for the head of mountains.” The nations will come there to worship God. There will be a universal peace (“…they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they rehearse for war anymore. And each one will sit under his vine and under his fig tree… † ). God will treat Israel as a shepherd treats lost sheep, “and Jehovah will reign over them on Mount Zion.” This glory will begin with “the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.” However, this will happen after Jerusalem has been taken to Babylon, from where she will later be delivered to become mistress of nations (Mic 4: 1-13).
in the fifth chapter appears the promise of the Messiah: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrata… from you will come the one who will be Lord in Israel†, who “will be great to the ends of the earth. And this will be our peace† . The scattered ones of Israel will be “like the lion among the beasts of the jungle.” But certainly, God has decided to destroy “the cities of your land…. your sculptures and your images† , as well as “the nations that did not obey” (Mic 5:1-15).
he has †œa lawsuit with his people† . She reminds him of what she did for him, telling him about the exodus and the Balaam incident. He then points out that what pleases Jehovah is not † œthousands of rams, or ten thousand streams of oil †, nor that his firstborn son is offered to him. What God asks is “to do justice, and love mercy, and humble yourself before your God.” He accuses the wicked who store up “ungodly treasures”, those who have “false scales and bags of deceitful weights”. For these things God has sent punishment (Mic 6:1-16).
The prophet laments because “the merciful man is missing from the earth and there is none upright among men…. The best of them is like the hawthorn; the straightest, like a briar† . Friendship is not respected and family ties cannot be trusted. But there is hope (“But I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me”). The enemies should not rejoice at God’s judgment on his people, because God will build the walls of Jerusalem and do wonders like the day Israel came out of Egypt. “The nations…. they will lick up the dust like a snake† . The book ends by making a play on words with Micah’s name, by saying: †œWhat God is like you…† That God is the one who †œforgives wickedness…. He will have mercy on us again; he will bury our iniquities, and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea… † (Mic 7: 1-20).
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
Prophetic book of the Hebrew Scriptures that contains the word of Jehovah through Micah concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. (See MICAH no. 7.) It consists of three basic sections, each beginning with the word “Hear.” (Mic 1:2; 3:1; 6:1.)
Micah’s prophetic words regarding the desolation of Samaria must have been spoken prior to the destruction of that city in 740 B.C. CE, and his statements must have been put in writing before the end of Hezekiah’s reign.
The moral conditions of the peoples of Israel and Judah at the time of Micah were deplorable. The caudillos oppressed the people, especially the poor. The judges, priests and prophets coveted money. Idolatry, fraud, oppression, injustice, and bloodshed abounded. Even close friends and relatives could not be trusted. (Mic 1:7; 2:1, 2; 3:1-3, 9-12; 6:12; 7:2-6)
The book of Micah frankly describes the errors of Israel and Judah. Although it predicts the desolation of Samaria and Jerusalem due to their transgressions (Mic 1:5-9; 3:9-12), it also contains promises of restoration and divine blessings to come. (Mic 4:1-8; 5:7-9; 7:15-17)
The authenticity of this book is not in question. It harmonizes with the rest of the Scriptures by showing that Jehovah is a merciful and loving God, who forgives error and overlooks transgression. (Mic 7:18-20; compare Ex 34:6, 7; Ps 86:5.) From ancient times it has been accepted as authentic by the Jews. About a century after the time of Micah, certain elders of Judah quoted in Jeremiah’s defense the words that Micah spoke during the reign of…