Micah

Micah (which means “who is like the Lord?”) is among the twelve Old Testament books classified as Minor Prophets. The prophet Micah (eighth-century bc) was a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah. The book has three major sections (chs. 1–2; 3–5; 6–7) that all begin with the Hebrew word shama‘—“to hear” (1:2) or “listen” (3:1; 6:1). God called His people, particularly the leaders (chs. 2–3), to give heed to His words. Micah’s writing includes one of most beloved passages in the Bible: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (6:8). The prophet’s words are found in the New Testament in two places: Micah 5:2 is seen in Matthew 2:6 (the prophecy of the Messiah’s birthplace), and Jesus quotes Micah 7:6 in Matthew 10:35–36.

Arthur Jackson