MICAH (Book)
He is the sixth of the minor prophets. (a) STYLE.
His style is simple, elegant, direct. The prophet openly denounces sin (Mi. 1: 5; 2: 1, 2; 6: 10-12). The transitions are often abrupt, but the reason can almost always be discerned.
Micah raises questions (Mi. 1:5; 2:7; 4:9; 6:3, 6, 7, 10, 11), ironizes (Mi. 2:11), uses a metaphor, prolongs it (Mi. 1 :6; 3:2, 3, 6; 4:6-8, 13; 6:10, 11, 14, 15). He is fond of puns, using them liberally in the first chapter, and perhaps one appears in the last paragraph of the book.
His speech, in praise of Jehovah, is based on the question: “What God is like you?”, a phrase that corresponds, in Hebrew, to the name Micah. Micah’s faith is based on what he knows about God through his law and his way of acting towards the people and towards individuals (Mi. 2: 7; 6: 3-5; 7:15) .
The Lord, just judge, loves mercy. He demands that his people practice justice and charity. The prophet exhibits strength and courage wrapped in divine promises. He knows that Israel’s security rests on God’s covenant with his people, on the promise of salvation made to Abraham (Mi. 7:20) and that it is centered on the Son of David (Mi. 5:2-6; cf. Luke 1:72-75).
The enemies of the Kingdom could not prevail. The cap. 5 is based on the same messianic truth as that of Ps. 2; It is based on God’s declarations, as well as My sublime message of forgiveness and restoration. 7:8-20.
(b) DATE. The prophecy begins under Jotham (Mi. 1:1) and extends from 745 to 715 B.C. The context shows that, being later than Omri and Ahab (Mi. 6:16), it dates from the time when Israel feared the threatening power of Assyria (Mi. 5:5, 6).
The book was written, at least partially, during the time when Samaria and the northern kingdom still existed (Mi. 1:6, 14). About my. 1:5-7, it cannot be determined how long before the fall of Samaria these words were spoken.
In fact, from the time of Uzziah and Jotham, the prophets announced that the judgment of Samaria was imminent (Hos. 1:6; 3:4; 5:9; Am. 2:6; 3:12; 5:1 -3, 27; 6:1, 7-11, 14; Is. 7:8, 9; 8:4), and that Judah would be devastated (Hos. 5:10; Am. 2:4; Joel 6: 1, 11-13; 7:17-25).
The allusion to the devastation of Bashan and Gilead could be an indication of a period after the year 733-732 BC, the year in which Tiglath-pileser deported its inhabitants (Mi. 7:14). This verse mentions the settlement of the Israelites in this country since Joshua’s conquest (cf. Mi. 7:14, 20).
The proclamation of Me. 3:12 was given already in the time of Hezekiah, but it is possible that Micah had announced this catastrophe beforehand. (c) CONTENT OF THE BOOK. Although focused on Judah and the southern kingdom, Micah’s prophecies deal with Israel as a whole (Mi. 1:1, 5-7, 9-16).
The abrupt transitions indicate that the book summarizes the prophet’s teaching, rather than constituting a transcription of his various speeches. The imperative “hear!” Repeated three times it introduces three sections, each of which ends on a note of hope.
(A) Sanctions against Samaria, because of its idolatry (Mi. 1:2-8) and against Judah for the same reason (Mi. 1:9-16). Curse against the oppressors of the people; prophecy of ruin and deportation (Mi. 2:4, 5), because of the dishonesty and injustice and corruption of the great (Mi. 2:1-11); however, there will be a residue that will be restored (Mi. 2:12, 13). (B) Denunciation of the sins of princes, followed by messianic prophecies.
The civil and religious authorities did not care about truth or law; His way of ruling revealed his vanity (Mi. 3:1-11). Jehovah will abandon Zion to his enemies (Mi. 3:12). The future greatness of the Messianic Kingdom is revealed, which will exert a moral influence on all men in peace, prosperity and power (Mi. 4:1-8).
The current perspective presents only crying, pain and captivity (Mi. 4:9, 10); but Zion will eventually crush his enemies who oppose Jehovah (Mi. 4:11-13). The prophet speaks of the dejection of Zion (Mi. 5: 1), a dejection that will cease to be when he will reign over Israel, the One whose origin goes back to the days of eternity (Mi. 5: 2-4).
This divine predestination of the Messiah guarantees the liberation from the Assyrian yoke (Mi. 5: 5, 6; cf. Is. 7: 4-16), the survival of Israel, her final triumph over all her enemies; Finally, the people will be molded to the divine ideal (Mi. 5:7-14).
(C) Requisition against all the people (Mi. 6:1-5). Exposition of the demands of true religion (Mi. 6:6-8; cf. Is. 1:11-17). The Lord stigmatizes iniquity (Mi. 6:9-7:6). The prophet concludes by proclaiming his faith in the glorious future that will bring the merciful grace of Jehovah, based on his alliance with Abraham (Mi. 7: 7-20).
The passage of Me. 4:13 is almost identical with Isaiah 2:24, but relates more closely to the following verses than to the Isaiah passage. Jl. 3:10 expresses the same messianic thought. It is quite possible that it is Isaiah who quotes Micah.
But the differences in terms between Isaiah and Micah could be explained by the assumption that each of them was based on a prediction current in his time. In any case, the people of God of those times could well rely on the known prophecies, recognizing their authority and quoting them, in the same way as Christians in our time.
(d) AUTHENTICITY. The authenticity of this book has been called into question. There are critics who do not assign more than the first three chapters to Micah. But G. A. Smith, after having said that “no other book of the Bible has given rise to so many discussions regarding the dates of its different sections,” concludes by stating that the whole work dates back to the time of Micah (cf. G. T. Manley, “Le Nouveau Manuel de la Bible”, p. 252).
On the other hand, the repetition of the expression: “Hear…” is an indication of the unity of style and author (Mi. 1:2; 3:1; 6:1; cf. 5:14). The fact that the book summarizes the various messages proclaimed in various circumstances and over a sufficiently long time is sufficient to explain its lack of a strictly logical development.
You can see in this text a good number of passages parallel to those written by other prophets who lived more or less contemporaneously. There’s P. e.g., several points in common with Isaiah (Mi. 1:9 and Is. 10:28-32; Mi. 2:2 and Is. 5:8; Mi. 3:6 and Is. 8:10; Mi. 5 :3, 7, 8 and Is. 11:11; Mi. 7:11 and Is. 5:5).
Like Amos, Hosea and Isaiah, the prophet Micah speaks of the greatness of God (Mi. 1:2, 4), of his holiness (Mi. 6:8), of the sin of the unfaithful people (Mi. 6:3 , 4), of social injustices (Mi. 6:10, 15), of the degeneration of the priesthood (Mi. 3:5).
The opinion of the critic is vitiated by the theory of evolution (very much in vogue since the time of Wellhausen), applied to the religious notions of the prophets and sacred authors. According to the evolutionary conception, certain theological ideas of Micah (as of Isaiah, etc.) could not have undergone a certain development before a late date.
But it’s all pure speculation that was believed plausible more than a hundred years ago, in the absence of concrete research. However, archaeological excavations have shown a very different scene (notably, see EGYPT, MARDIKH, and see also Custance in Bibliography at the end of this article). It should also be noted that Micah knew the Pentateuch and that in it
evidences the legal framework of Deuteronomy (Mi. 3:5-7; cf. Deut. 18:15-22), with its prohibitions (Mi. 5:11; Deut. 18:10) and its punishments (Mi. 6: 15; Deut. 28:38). The prophet mentions the exodus from Egypt (Mi. 6:4; 7:15), the conquest (Mi. 6:5), and cites the great figures of Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Aaron (Mi. 7:20; 6 :4).
What Micah says about slavery to foreign powers and deportation (Micah 1:15-16; 2:3-5, 10) is in line with Deut. 28:31-37, 47-53 (cf. Is. 1:19-20; 5:13; 6:11-13; 7:3). Micah 4:10 announces that the place of exile will be Babylon, as Is. 39:6-7 (cf. Is. 11:11, Shinar).
The messianic elements are also in perfect agreement with previous and contemporary revelations: gathering of Israel, which triumphs thanks to its king (Mi. 2: 12-13); peace and prosperity of Zion, salvation of the Gentiles (Mi. 4:1-8); the person of the Messiah, the birth and reign of him (Mi. 5: 1-8).
It is indisputable that these truths were known in the time of Micah (cf. Is. 2:2-4; 4:2-6; 8:23-9:6; 10:20-22; 11:1-10; Am 9:11-15; Hos. 11:8-11). Finally, the universalist notion of the scope of salvation appears, not limited to a single nation, but reaching all nations (Mi. 4:1-3; cf. Gen. 18:18, 25; Ps. 72:8 -11; 15. 49:6; 55:5) and the eschatological idea also appears of an attack by all nations against the finally restored Zion (Mi. 4:11-13; cf. JI. 3:2, 12; cf. also Zech. 12:3, 9; 14:2).
The passage of Me. 5:1-3, cited by Mt. 2:5-6, is particularly dear to the heart of the Christian, and in Me. 6 and 7 are some of the most beautiful verses in Scripture.