Atomic Bible

A man from Ephraim who set up idolatrous worship.

Micah

Named in 19 verses of Judges, first in Judges 17:1.

מִיכָהMicah

מִיכָֽיְהוּMicah

The name means “poor; humble.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

People
Tribe of Levi

About Micah Written by AI

Micah is a man from the hill country of Ephraim who is featured in a narrative in the book of Judges (Jdg.17-18). He stole 1,100 pieces of silver from his mother but later returned them. His mother then dedicated 200 pieces of silver to the Lord for Micah to make a carved image and a metal idol (Judges 17:1 to 4). Micah set up these idols in his house, along with an ephod and household gods, and installed one of his sons as his priest (Judges 17:5). Later, a Levite from Bethlehem came to Micah's house, and Micah hired him to be his personal priest (Judges 17:8 to 13). The Danites, who were seeking land to settle, sent spies who stayed at Micah's house. They later returned with 600 armed men, stole Micah's idols and his priest, and went on to conquer the city of Laish (Judges 18:1 to 29). This narrative highlights the religious and moral decline in Israel during the time of the judges, when "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6; 21.25).

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

This entry is on the name Micah, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.

A shortened form of Micaiah, who is like Jehovah? (1.) A man of Mount Ephraim, whose history so far is introduced in Judg. 17, apparently for the purpose of leading to an account of the settlement of the tribe of Dan in Northern Palestine, and for the purpose also of illustrating the lawlessness of the times in which he lived (Judg. 18; 19:1-29; 21:25).

(2.) The son of Merib-baal (Mephibosheth), 1 Chr. 8:34, 35.

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(3.) The first in rank of the priests of the family of Kohathites (1 Chr. 23:20).

(4.) A descendant of Joel the Reubenite (1 Chr. 5:5).

(5.) “The Morasthite,” so called to distinguish him from Micaiah, the son of Imlah (1 Kings 22:8). He was a prophet of Judah, a contemporary of Isaiah (Micah 1:1), a native of Moresheth of Gath (1:14, 15). Very little is known of the circumstances of his life (comp. Jer. 26:18, 19).

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names him

  1. Judges 17:1

    Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim

  2. Judges 17:4

    So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.

  3. Judges 17:5

    Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.

  4. Judges 17:8

    This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.

  5. Judges 17:9

    “Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.”

  6. Judges 17:10

    “Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in

  7. Judges 17:12

    Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house.

  8. Judges 17:13

    Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.”

  9. Judges 18:2

    So the Danites sent out five men from their clans, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. “Go and explore the land,” they told them. The men entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night.

  10. Judges 18:3

    And while they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they went over and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”

  11. Judges 18:4

    “Micah has done this and that for me,” he replied, “and he has hired me to be his priest.”

  12. Judges 18:13

    And from there they traveled to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah’s house.

  13. Judges 18:15

    So they turned aside there and went to the home of the young Levite, the house of Micah, and greeted him.

  14. Judges 18:18

    When they entered Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

  15. Judges 18:22

    After they were some distance from Micah’s house, the men in the houses near Micah’s house mobilized and overtook the Danites.

  16. Judges 18:23

    When they called out after them, the Danites turned to face them and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you that you have called out such a company?”

  17. Judges 18:26

    So the Danites went on their way, and Micah turned to go back home, because he saw that they were too strong for him.

  18. Judges 18:27

    After they had taken Micah’s idols and his priest, they went to Laish, to a quiet and unsuspecting people, and they struck them with their swords and burned down the city.

  19. Judges 18:31

    So they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image, and it was there the whole time the house of God was in Shiloh.

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.