Micah

Birth and Ancestors

Timeframe: Approximately 8th century BCE (circa 737–696 BCE, during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah; Micah 1:1).
Place: Moresheth (Moresheth-Gath), a town in Judah, likely in the Shephelah region (Micah 1:1, 1:14).
Father:
Mother:
Hebrew meaning of Name: Micah (מִיכָה, Mikhah) means "Who is like Yahweh?" or "Hope."
Other Relatives of Note:

Moresheth (Micah 1:1), a rural town in Judah, likely his hometown and primary residence.

Possible travel to Jerusalem to deliver prophecies (Micah 3:9–12, where he addresses Judah’s leaders), but no specific journeys are detailed.

Faithful prophet of God, delivering messages of judgment and hope (Micah 1:1, 6:8).
Known for his call to justice, mercy, and humility: “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” (Micah 6:8).
His prophecy influenced King Hezekiah’s reforms (Jeremiah 26:18–19).

Micah’s prophecies addressed both judgment on Israel and Judah for their sins and future restoration, including the famous prophecy of a ruler coming from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, later associated with Jesus in the New Testament).
- Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah (active around 740–700 BC), likely saw the Assyrian conquest of the Northern Kingdom (722 BC, 2 Kings 17:6) and warned Judah of similar judgment.
His ministry overlapped with the prophet Isaiah, and his book is part of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible.

Moresheth-Gath: Identified with Tell Judeideh or Tel Goded in modern Israel, though not definitively confirmed. No specific landmarks tied directly to Micah are noted in extra-biblical sources.

The town of Moresheth-Gath (Tell Judeideh) has been excavated, revealing 8th-century BCE Judahite settlements, consistent with Micah’s time and place.