A brief reference may further be made to Mic 6"-, which are not only marked by a depth and a moral earnestness, but also interpenetrated by an intensity of genuine feeling such as are scarcely paralleled elsewhere. These verses likewise have a point of contact with Amos, in so far as in them the thought is emphasized that moral goodness
coincides with humanity (‘Das Sittlich-Gute ist auch das Natiirlich-Menschliche’); but in another point they go far beyond Amos—in fact, scarcely anywhere in the OT is the essence of true worship expressed so briefly and appropriately as in 6% ‘It is said to thee, Ὁ man, what is good and what J” requires of thee: to do justice, to love kind ness, and to walk humbly before thy God.’
Lireraturs.—Driver, LOT® 325 ff. ; Cornill, Einleit.2 182 ff.; Wildeboer, Lit. ἃ. AT’, 148 ff. ; Strack, Eindeit. 104 ff. ; Stade, ZATW, 1881, p. 161ff., 1883, p. 1ff., 1884, ὃ: 291 ff. ; Nowack, ib. 1884, p. 277 ff.; Kuenen, Etudes dédiges ἃ Mr, le Dr. Leemanns, 110 ff.; Pont, ‘ Micha-Studién’ in Theol. Stud. 1888, p. 235 ff., 1889, p. 436 ff., 1892, p. 329 ff. ; Kosters, ‘De samenstelling v. het boek Micha’ in ΤΆΤ, 1893, p. 249ff.; V. Ryssel, Untersuch, tiber die Textgestalt u. die Echtheit ἃ. Buches Micha, Leipzig, 1887; J. Taylor, he Massoretic text and the ancient versions of Micah, 1891; Elhorst, De profetie van Micha, Arnhem, 1891; W. R. Smith, Prophets of Israel, 287 ff.
Of commentaries the following may be consulted :—Pocock, Comm. on Micah, 1677 ; Caspari, Ueber Micha den Morashthiten u, seine prophet. Schrift, 1851-52 ; Roorda, Comm, in Vaticin, Micha, Leiden, 1869; L. Reinke, Der Prophet Micha, Munster, 1874 ; Cheyne, Mi (in ‘Camb. Bible’), 1882, 2nd ed. 1895; Pusey, Vhe Minor Prophets, 1860; Wellhausen, Die Kl. Pro- pheten, pp. 22ff., 131ff.; G. A. Smith, Book of the Twelve Pro- phets, vol. i. (1896), 855 ff.; Nowack (in the Handkommentar), 1898, p. 185 ff. W. Nowack.
MICAIAH.—The Heb. name ὑπ (‘who is like J”?’) and its abbreviations Ἐπ. Ὁ, m:3">, ADD, ἘΦ Ὁ are variously rendered in AV; but, with the exception of one instance, the first three words appear in RV as Micaiah. The exception is in Jg 17} 4, Here the name 732, which occurs frequently in Jg 17. 18, is found in the longer form 37>, and is rendered Micah for the sake of the unity of the narrative. The LXX equivalents of Micaiah have in every case the alternative spellings Mcy. and Merx., the latter being found uniformly in B.
4. Micaiah (37;3°>, Μααχά, AV Michaiah) is the name given in 2 Ch 13? to the mother of Abijah. It is evident from 1 K 15°, 2Ch 11°, and from LXX, that this is a corruption of Maacah (wh. see). 2. One of the princes of Judah (2 Ch 177) appointed by deheabanbe to superintend religious instrue- tion throughout the kingdom, was called Micaiah (aarp, Μιχαίας, AV Michaiah).
3. Micaiah (32°, M(e)cyaias) the son of Imlah was a prophet of J” in Israel in the days of Ahab. His name is once (2 Ch 18%) spelt πρὸ (RVm Micah). In Scripture history he appears only on the great occasion described in the almost identical narratives of 1 K 22°38, 2 Ch 185: It is evident, however, from 1 Καὶ 228|| that this was not the be-
inning of his prophetic activity, and that his ormer messages had not been favourable to the king. Josephus (Ant. vill. xiv. 5) identifies Micaiah with the prophet who disguised himself after the victory over the Syrians at Aphek, and reproved Ahab for allowing the king of Syria to escape (1 K 20%); and adds that Ahab, in his displeasure at this, put Micaiah in prison. These statements at least harmonize with the Scripture account, and the identification is not in itself unlikely.
In LXX 1 K 22 follows 20, and both chapters are derived from a special source (see ΚΊΝΘΒ 1. and 11, vol. il. pp. 867, 868) in which Elijah is not mentioned, but which has several references to un- named prophets. In so far as any prophet is mentioned by name, Micaiah may be said in this section to take Elijah’s place (Kittel, Hist. Heb., Eng. tr. ii. 276).
On the occasion recorded in Scripture, Jehosha- phat, king of Judah, was on a visit to Samaria, when Ahab asked his co-operation in recovering Ramoth-gilead, which the Syrians had formerly captured, and which they were now retaining, contrary to the conditions of the latest peace (1 K 20° 298), Jehoshaphat declared his willing- ness to join in the expedition, but suggested that at the outset they should ‘inquire at the word of J’. The prophets of Israel, to the number of 400,
were accordingly assembled where the two kings sat in royal state at the gate of Samaria. They prophesied unanimously that the undertaking would be successful, and one of them, Zedekiah the son cf Chenaanah, emphasized the Prophecy by producing horns of iron as symbols of the conquering might of Ahab and Jehoshaphat. These Israelite prophets er as Speer of J”, and spoke in His name (2 Ch 18° has ‘ ’ instead of ‘J”’); but Jehoshaphat was doubtful of their true character, and eed anxiously if there was not besides a prophet of J” whom they might con- sult (cf. 2K 3"). Ahab then mentioned Micaiah for the first time, but added that he hated him, as he was always a prophet of evil—a remark which Jehoshaphat courteously deprecated. A eunuch was sent to fetch Micaiah (who, according to Josephus, was already in prison), and this officer told him of the favourable reply which the 400 prophets had given to the inquiry of the kings, counselling him in a friendly way to answer in the same strain. Micaiah, however, replied boldly that he would speak only what J” should say to him. When he appeared before the kings, and when Ahab asked his counsel, he at first echoed ironically the advice of the 400. But Ahab detected the irony; and Micaiah, when pressed for his true opinion, answered in words of solemn imagery, which boded nothing but disaster. He had seen all Israel scattered upon the mountains as sheep that had no shepherd: and J” had said, ‘ These have no master, let them return every man to his house in peace.’ Besides replying thus to Ahab’s immediate question, he went on to pronounce a verdict on the whole situation and on the prophets who were opposed to him. This he did in an account of a remark- able vision. J” sat on a throne, attended by all the host of heaven. He asked who would entice Ahab that he might go and fall at Ramoth- gilead. A spirit volunteered to do so by being a ‘lying spirit’ (1~Y 01) in the mouth of Ahab’s rophets. J” accepted the offer, and sent the spirit orth with a promise of success. Micaiah’s con- cluding message to Ahab, therefore, was that his prophets were false prophets, and that J” had spoken evil concerning him. Zedekiah the son of Cianaatiatl replied to Micaiah by an insulting blow and a mocking