Who was Micah in the bible?

Micah is a Hebrew personal name borne by multiple Israelites in Scripture, including a prophetic figure (“Micah the Morashtite”) and several individuals named in genealogies and priestly contexts. Lexicon-derived etymology connects the longer form Miykayah with the sense “Who (is) like Jah?” (i.e., “Who is like Yahh/Jah?”).

Micah in Scripture

One prominent bearer is a prophet consulted in a royal crisis: Micaiah the son of Imlah (a name form closely related to Micah). In a scene where the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat are seeking divine guidance about war, the king of Israel acknowledges reluctance to consult him:

“There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” (1 Kings 22:8, WEB)

The king orders that Micaiah be brought (1 Kings 22:9), and the messenger pressures him to match the unanimous favorable message of other prophets:

“See now, the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak good.” (1 Kings 22:13, WEB)

Micaiah answers with a principle of prophetic speech:

“As Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that I will speak.” (1 Kings 22:14, WEB)

Before the king, Micaiah is asked directly, “shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” (1 Kings 22:15). Micaiah replies, “Go up and prosper; and Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.” (1 Kings 22:15). When the king insists on “nothing but the truth in Yahweh’s name” (1 Kings 22:16), Micaiah describes a vision of Israel “scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd” and a divine word: “Let them each return to his house in peace.” (1 Kings 22:17). He then relates a heavenly council scene: “I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne” (1 Kings 22:19) and the sending of “a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets” (1 Kings 22:23), concluding, “Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you.” (1 Kings 22:23).

Micaiah is struck by another prophet:

“Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did Yahweh’s Spirit go from me to speak to you?”” (1 Kings 22:24, WEB)

Micaiah responds with a warning: “Behold, you will see on that day, when you go into an inner room to hide yourself.” (1 Kings 22:25). The king orders imprisonment: “Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.” (1 Kings 22:27). Micaiah publicly stakes his message on the outcome:

“If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, all you people!” (1 Kings 22:28, WEB)

The same confrontation is echoed in Chronicles, where the king says, “I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.” (2 Chronicles 18:7), and the messenger repeats the pressure to “speak good” (2 Chronicles 18:12).

Another prophetic bearer is Micah the Morashtite, remembered in Jeremiah during a dispute about prophetic judgment. Elders cite Micah as precedent:

“Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies says: “ ‘Zion will be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem will become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.’” (Jeremiah 26:18, WEB)

In the same setting, Jeremiah’s own defense is summarized by leaders and people: “This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God.” (Jeremiah 26:16). The citation of Micah’s words frames prophetic speech as a matter of public warning addressed “to all the people of Judah” (Jeremiah 26:18).

Several Micah/Micaiah figures appear in genealogies and lists. In Benjamin’s genealogical record, Micah is identified as a descendant of Jonathan through Merib Baal, and as a father:

“The son of Jonathan was Merib Baal. Merib Baal became the father of Micah.” (1 Chronicles 8:34, WEB)

“The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.” (1 Chronicles 8:35, WEB)

This same line is repeated: “Merib Baal became the father of Micah.” (1 Chronicles 9:40) and “The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.” (1 Chronicles 9:41).

Micah also appears among Levites: “The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief, and Isshiah the second.” (1 Chronicles 23:20). Another list continues: “The sons of Uzziel: Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir.” (1 Chronicles 24:24), alongside, “The brother of Micah: Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah.” (1 Chronicles 24:25).

Micah/Micaiah is also named as an ancestor in royal administrative contexts. In Josiah’s commands about inquiring of Yahweh, one messenger is identified through a father named Micaiah:

“The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,” (2 Kings 22:12, WEB)

A parallel form appears in Chronicles: “Abdon the son of Micah” is included among those commanded by the king (2 Chronicles 34:20). The surrounding narrative emphasizes the gravity of the found “book of the law” and the king’s response: “When the king had heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.” (2 Kings 22:11). He orders inquiry “concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is Yahweh’s wrath that is kindled against us” (2 Kings 22:13). Huldah delivers an oracle: “Yahweh says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and on its inhabitants’” (2 Kings 22:16), and also speaks of the king’s humility: “because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Yahweh” (2 Kings 22:19).

In Nehemiah’s account of a ceremonial procession, Micaiah is an ancestor in a lineage of singers (Nehemiah 12:35) and also a named priest present “with trumpets”:

“and some of the priests’ sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph;” (Nehemiah 12:35, WEB)

“and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;” (Nehemiah 12:41, WEB)

Multiple bearers

The name Micah (and closely related forms Micaiah/Micajah) is borne by multiple individuals in the cited passages: (1) Micaiah the son of Imlah/Imla, a prophet brought before Israel’s king (1 Kings 22:8–28; 2 Chronicles 18:7–12); (2) Micah the Morashtite, remembered for proclaiming judgment against Zion and Jerusalem (Jeremiah 26:18); (3) Micah in Benjamin’s genealogies, father of “Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz” (1 Chronicles 8:34–35; 1 Chronicles 9:40–41); (4) Micah among the sons of Uzziel, called “the chief,” and his descendant Shamir (1 Chronicles 23:20; 1 Chronicles 24:24–25); (5) Micaiah as the father of Achbor, who is named in a royal commission to inquire of Yahweh (2 Kings 22:12); (6) Micaiah as an ancestor in a lineage (Nehemiah 12:35) and as a priest in a trumpet-bearing group (Nehemiah 12:41).

Name and Meaning

One Hebrew form is written מִיכָה (Miykah, pronounced mee-kaw’), described in lexicon material as an abbreviated form related to a longer name. Another related form is מִיכָיָה (Miykayah, pronounced me-kaw-yaw’), derived from components that yield the sense “Who (is) like Jah?”; the components include miy (“who?”) and the divine element Yahh (“Jah”). A further related spelling is מִיכָיְהוּ (Miykayehuw, pronounced me-kaw-yeh-hoo’), described as an abbreviated form of a longer theophoric name.

Observation

Across these passages, the name is attached both to public proclamation—“what Yahweh says to me, that I will speak” (1 Kings 22:14)—and to quieter identifying details in genealogies and priestly lists (1 Chronicles 8:34–35; Nehemiah 12:41).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Micah mean?

Micah (Micajah) means “Who (is) like Jah?”

How many times does Micah appear in the Bible?

Across the listed Hebrew name forms, Micah/Micaiah/Micaiah appears 53 times in total.

Who was Micah?

Micah is the name of multiple Israelites, including a man named Micah who is mentioned in genealogies (for example, 1 Chronicles 8:34–35) and “Micah the Morashtite,” who “prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah” (Jeremiah 26:18).

Was there more than one person named Micah?

Yes. The name is used for several Israelites, including Micah (said to be the name of seven Israelites), Mikajah (the name of three Israelites), and Micajah (the name of two Israelites).

Explore Further

If you found this page about Micah interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).