Micah
A prophet of both doom and hope — famous for foretelling a ruler from Bethlehem and for "what doth the Lord require."
Overview
Micah, a country prophet, speaks against the injustice and corruption of Israel and Judah — the leaders, priests, and prophets who use their power to rob the poor. But between the warnings come some of the Bible's brightest promises: a ruler to come from Bethlehem, and the call to "do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."
Book facts
- Author
- MicahNamed in the first verse; a prophet from the town of Moresheth in Judah.
- Date written
- c. 730–700 BCIn the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah.
- Original language
- HebrewHebrew poetry alternating judgment and hope.
- Setting
- Judah and Israel, c. 720 BCA country prophet against the corruption of the cities.
How it came to be
Micah is named in the opening verse as a prophet from Moresheth in Judah. He prophesied in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah — a contemporary of Isaiah.
The book alternates between sharp judgment and shining hope.
The whole book, chapter by chapter
| Chapter | What happens | Who is in it | Where it takes place |
|---|---|---|---|
Judgment — against the corrupt leaders, chapters 1–3 | |||
| Chapter 1The coming judgment | Judgment is announced on Samaria and Jerusalem for their idolatry. | — | , |
| Chapter 2The devisers of iniquity | Woe to those who lie awake plotting to seize others' fields and houses. | — | — |
| Chapter 3The rulers and prophets | Micah condemns the rulers, priests, and prophets who devour the people for gain. | — | |
Hope — the mountain of the Lord and the ruler from Bethlehem, chapters 4–5 | |||
| Chapter 4The mountain of the Lord | In the last days the mountain of the Lord will be lifted up, and nations will beat their swords into plowshares. | — | |
| Chapter 5The ruler from Bethlehem | A ruler will come out of Bethlehem, small among the towns of Judah. | — | |
The Lord's case — what God requires, and waiting for him, chapters 6–7 | |||
| Chapter 6The Lord's controversy | God brings a case against his people: he requires not sacrifice but "to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly." | — | — |
| Chapter 7The waiting for God | Amid corruption Micah resolves to wait for God, who pardons sin and keeps his promise. | — | — |
All 7 chapters. Start reading →
Worth knowing
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Some of the book's best-known lines — tap the verse to read it.
- The ruler from BethlehemMicah 5:2
- "Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly"Micah 6:8
- "Beat their swords into plowshares"Micah 4:3
- "Who is a God like unto thee?"Micah 7:18