A Prophecy of God's Just Punishment and Mercy

Micah (Micheas, archaically), from a root signifying, according to St. Jerome, "to be lowly." In Jeremiah 26:18, the name is written "Mi-che-Yah," i.e. "who is like to God," cf. Micah 7:18. He prophesied under Joatham, 757-742 B.C., Achaz, 742-726, and Ezechias, 726-698, according to the ordinary chronology. He was an inhabitant of Morasthi which may be identified with Moreshith-Geth, Michah 1:14, in which case it would signify the suburbs of Gath. Micah prophesied against Judah and Israel, but while threatening them with dire punishment for their sins of oppression he at the same time, like Isaiah, dwells at length on the doctrine of the ultimate salvation of a "remnant."

Structure of Micah

Chapter 1. Judgment shall come,

Chapters 2-3. And it is necessary,

Chapters 4-5. Promise of ultimate restoration,

Chapters 6-7. A threefold judicial discussion between God and His people.

Chapter 6:1-8. Complaint of their ingratitude.

Chapter 6:9-7:10. Therefore He must punish them.

Chapter 7:11-20. The people celebrate the divine mercy shown in their redemption.

It should be noted that all through the prophecy justice and mercy are intermingled.

The State of the Times

It is evident from the prophecy that a great deal of idolatry, 5:10-14, 6:16, prevailed; also that there was much oppression of the poor by the princes, the false prophets, and the priests, 3:5-11. Since Ezechias instituted such great reforms it might seem improbable that the prophecy of Micah can actually date from this time, yet on the other hand, in Jeremiah 26:18-19, the prophecy contained in Michah 3:12 is expressly referred to the days of Ezechias, thus furnishing us with a good example of the danger attaching to purely intrinsic evidence. This brings us to the question of the Date of the prophecy. The reigns of Joatham, Achaz and Ezechias, cover a period of some sixty years, and it is worth while trying to ascertain to what precise part of that period the prophecy in question is to be assigned. It seems clear that 3:12 is intimately connected with 4:1-2, and that both passages are to be assigned to the time of Ezechias (Jeremiah 26:18); but we find in Isaiah 2:2-4, the first part of this Messianic promise, viz. verses 1-3. Instead, however, of continuing as Micah does in v. 4, Isaiah suddenly breaks off in an address to Jacob. It is legitimate, then, to argue that this prophecy in Isaiah is borrowed from Micah and is consequently later in the reign of Ezechias than the prophecy of Micah. The parallels between these two prophets are numerous; thus cf. Michah 1:9-16, the catalogue of cities in the Shephelah, and Isaiah 10:28-32, a similar catalogue of the cities in the hill-country; also Micah 2:1-2 and Isaiah 5:8; Micah 2:11 and Isaiah 28:7; Micah 3:5-7 and Isaiah 29:9-12; Micah 4:4 and Isaiah 1:20; Micah 6:6-8, and Isaiah 1:11-17.

The Style of Micah.

We miss the striking imagery of Amos and Osee, and Micah has not given to the world so many household words as Amos; but it would be a mistake to regard his prophecy as lacking in fire, cf. Michah 1:16, 2:11, 4:13, etc. And while he has not the inimitable pathos of Osee, we cannot deny the beauty of the lamentation of chapter 6, which has been chosen by the Church to form portion of the Responsories at Tenebrae. In comparison with Amos, too, Micah is wanting in striking similes, verse 7 and verse 8 are practically the only examples. But just as Amos is fond of mentioning the lions with which he had be come familiar while minding his flock, so too Micah is fond of the mountains, cf. Micah 2:6, 6:1-2, 7:12.

Theology of Micah.

Throughout we are reminded of the latter portion of Isaiah; the days of the Messiah are depicted in the same terms, Micah 2:13, 4:1, 5:2-6; the Messiah is of the stock of Juda and to spring from Bethlehem, 5:2; He is to be the Ruler, and our Peace, 5:5; and lastly, "I will look towards the Lord, I will wait for God my Savior," cf. Isaiah 25:9, 26:8, and Habaccuc 3:18. The spiritual Sion, the heavenly Jerusalem, is spoken of in the same terms as in Isaiah, cf. 3:12, it is to be destroyed, but cf. 4:7, 8, 10, 11, 13, where a glorious future is foretold for it. So also Micah idea of God is that with which we are familiar from Isaiah, cf. 4:4, where the purely Isaianic phrase occurs for the mouth of the Lord God of hosts has spoken it. The moral teaching of Micah is like that of all the prophets; he insists, 5:6-8, on the real nature of sacrifice, cp Amos 5:21-27, Psalm 49, etc. His words regarding the inspiration of the prophets, 2:11, should be noted, cf. 3:8, Amos 7:14-15, 2 Samuel 23:1-3.

Contemporary Events.

The picture of the political state of the world corresponds with that furnished by Isaiah; Assyria looms on the horizon, 5:5, but yet vengeance is in store for it, 5:6; while a Babylonian captivity is in view, 4:8 (LXX) and 4:10, though even from it Israel shall be redeemed.

Other Points of Interest.

Allusions to the past history; Balaam, 6:5; Moses, Aaron, and Mary, 6:4; the house of Amri, 6:16; the Exodus, 7:15. The text in the Douay version is obscure in parts: Micah 1:10-15, the names of the ten towns of the Shephelah have mostly been translated instead of transliterated, and the sense is thus lost; in Micah 4:8, "the cloudy tower of the flock," the word rendered "cloudy" is "Ophel," the name of the low-lying hill on which the city of David was built.

by
Very Rev. Hugh Pope, O.P., S.T.M.
Doctor in Sacred Scripture,
Member of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, and
late Professor of New Testament Exegesis at the Collegio Angelico, Rome.