About Micah
God has told you what is good: do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God - no amount of religious performance substitutes for this.
"Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God."
Micah 6:8
Written
circa 740-700 BC
Author
Micah
Genre
Prophecy
Position
33rd of 66 books - Minor Prophets
Authorship
Micah of Moresheth - a small town in the Judean foothills (Shephelah). He was a rural prophet contemporary with Isaiah in Jerusalem, bringing a country perspective to the Assyrian threat.
Historical Context
Micah prophesied during the same period as Isaiah (c. 740-700 BC), addressing both the northern kingdom before its fall (722 BC) and Judah under Hezekiah. His rural background gave him special sensitivity to how the powerful exploited the poor.
Purpose
To call leaders, priests, and prophets to account for their exploitation of the poor, to announce judgment on both capitals (Samaria and Jerusalem), and to promise a future ruler from Bethlehem who will bring lasting peace.
Key Message
God has told you what is good: do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God - no amount of religious performance substitutes for this.
Book Structure
Interesting Facts
Micah 5:2 - But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah... out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel - one of the most specific messianic prophecies.
Micah 6:8 is considered one of the greatest ethical summaries in all of Scripture: Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God.
Micah's prophecy that Zion would become a plowing field (3:12) is quoted in Jeremiah 26:18 - 100 years later - to save Jeremiah's life.
Micah was the first prophet to specifically predict the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple.