Micah Chapter 1
Introduction to the Book of Micah
The Book of Micah is one of the twelve Minor Prophets, yet its message is anything but minor. Micah prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, placing his ministry around 740 to 686 B.C. He was a contemporary of Isaiah and Hosea, yet unlike Isaiah who preached in the royal courts of Jerusalem, Micah came from the rural town of Moresheth in the lowlands of Judah. This background allowed Micah to speak plainly, directly, and without hesitation against both the corrupt elites of Jerusalem and the spiritual failures of the people.
Micah’s prophecy addresses both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. He witnessed the growing Assyrian threat, saw the fall of Samaria in 722 B.C., and warned Judah that similar judgment awaited them if they continued in idolatry, injustice, and false religion. His message contains sharp condemnation against oppressive rulers, corrupt priests, dishonest merchants, and false prophets who proclaimed peace while living in rebellion against God.
Despite its strong judgments, the Book of Micah also contains some of the most beautiful promises of restoration in Scripture. The same God who brings justice also offers mercy to those who repent. Micah reveals the heart of God when he declares in Micah 7:18, “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?” This question becomes the theme of the entire book, highlighting both divine justice and divine mercy.
Micah is also significant for its clear Messianic prophecy. In Micah 5:2, he foretells that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, a prophecy fulfilled in Jesus Christ centuries later. This connects the prophetic warnings to the ultimate hope centered in the coming Savior, who establishes God’s kingdom in righteousness and peace.
The structure of Micah’s prophecy alternates between judgment and hope. The book can be divided into three major cycles, each beginning with the word “Hear” (Micah 1:2, 3:1, 6:1). Each cycle begins with an announcement of judgment because of sin, followed by a promise of restoration for the faithful remnant. Micah reminds God’s people that outward religion without obedience means nothing to the Lord. Micah 6:8 summarizes the heart of true faith: to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God.
Micah’s message is deeply relevant today. He confronts social injustice, religious hypocrisy, and moral decay, while pointing to the hope found only in the Lord. Judgment is certain for those who reject God, but mercy is available to all who turn to Him. The Book of Micah stands as a powerful testimony that God sees all corruption, He judges righteously, and He will ultimately restore His people under the reign of the Messiah.
1. (Micah 1:1) Introduction to the prophecy of Micah
“The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.”
a. Micah the Morasthite: Micah identifies himself as being from Moresheth, a rural town in the lowlands of Judah near the Philistine border. This location is also called Moresheth-gath in Micah 1:14, showing its close association with the Philistine region. Micah, like Amos, was not from the royal courts or priestly line. He was a man from the countryside called by God to confront the sins of the powerful in Jerusalem and Samaria. His rural background allowed him to see clearly the corruption of the capital cities and to speak boldly against oppression, idolatry, and hypocrisy.
i. Scripture does not record Micah’s family, occupation, or the details of his calling. However, Micah himself declared his divine authority. In Micah 3:8 he says, “But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.” This shows a prophet who was not uncertain or hesitant. He knew God had called him, and he spoke with conviction.
b. In the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah: This places Micah’s ministry roughly between 739 B.C. and 686 B.C. These were days of great political unrest, external threats from Assyria, and moral decay in both kingdoms. Jotham was generally righteous, but he did not remove the high places. Ahaz was a wicked king who embraced idolatry, sacrificed his own son, and invited Assyrian influence into Judah. Hezekiah, however, was a godly king who brought reform and restored temple worship.
Micah’s prophecy likely began during the reigns of Jotham and Ahaz when idolatry and injustice were at their peak. His warnings would have contributed to the environment of repentance that helped fuel Hezekiah’s reforms (2 Kings 18–20). Yet even during Hezekiah’s reforms, Micah warned that judgment would still come unless the nation fully returned to the LORD.
c. Concerning Samaria and Jerusalem: These two cities represent the capitals and spiritual centers of the divided kingdoms—Samaria for Israel in the north, and Jerusalem for Judah in the south. By addressing both, Micah makes it clear that neither nation is exempt from judgment. Both are guilty of idolatry, corruption, and covenant unfaithfulness.
i. In Israel, many kings during Micah's time were wicked, leading the nation deeper into idolatry and injustice. In Judah, King Ahaz especially provoked God with his evil practices, including child sacrifice and alliances with pagan nations. Micah saw that judgment was coming upon both kingdoms—Israel first through the fall of Samaria to Assyria in 722 B.C., and Judah later through the Babylonian conquest.
2. (Micah 1:2-5) The LORD Comes to Judge Israel and Judah
“Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place. For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem?”
a. Hear, all ye people… let the Lord GOD be witness against you: Micah opens this section with a courtroom scene. All the peoples of the earth are summoned to hear the charges. This is not a private matter between God and Israel, it is a public indictment, and God Himself stands as both witness and Judge. From His holy temple—His place of perfect purity—He observes the corruption of His people and steps forward to testify against them. This universal summons shows that Israel and Judah, though chosen, are not exempt from accountability.
b. For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place: Micah uses dramatic language to portray God rising from His throne to intervene directly in human affairs. This is the language of judgment. God “coming down” recalls His descent at Sinai (Exodus 19:18) and anticipates future judgment when He returns in glory (Revelation 19:11-16). When He treads upon the high places, He crushes the centers of idolatry and pride. If even the mountains—symbols of strength and permanence—melt before Him, then no human power can stand against Him.
c. The mountains shall be molten… and the valleys shall be cleft: The imagery emphasizes God’s irresistible power. The mountains, which seem eternal and immovable, dissolve like wax before fire. Valleys are split open like ground under a mighty flood. This poetic description shows that creation itself trembles when the Holy God rises in judgment. If creation cannot endure His presence, then the sinful heart of man has no defense.
d. For the transgression of Jacob… and the sins of the house of Israel: God makes it clear—His judgment does not come without cause. It is not random or cruel. It is a response to persistent rebellion. Jacob and Israel here represent the entire covenant nation—both the northern and southern kingdoms.
i. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? God points to the capital cities as the centers of corruption. Samaria symbolizes the idolatry of Israel, especially the worship of golden calves and Baal. Jerusalem, rather than being a beacon of holiness, has become a high place of religious hypocrisy. This reveals a painful truth—the sin that provokes God most is not in the pagan nations, but among His own people who should know better.
ii. Israel and Judah may have thought judgment was unfair, especially when surrounded by nations more wicked than themselves. Yet God judges His people first because they have received greater light and greater privilege. “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17). With privilege comes responsibility. However, the same verse reminds us—if judgment begins with God’s people, how much more severe will it be for those who reject His salvation altogether?
3. (Micah 1:6-7) Samaria Left Desolate in Judgment
“Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof. And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.”
a. I will make Samaria as an heap of the field: The Lord declares that Samaria, once a fortified and beautiful capital city, will be reduced to a pile of rubble. What had been palaces and walls would become ruins fit only for vineyards and fields. This prophecy was fulfilled when the Assyrians conquered Samaria in 722 B.C. They tore down its defenses, destroyed its buildings, and deported its people. The language is vivid—God would pour Samaria’s stones down the hillside and expose the city’s very foundations. Nothing would remain hidden or strong enough to stand.
b. All the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces: The idols and religious images that Israel trusted in would not save them. Instead, they would be shattered. The altars, shrines, and idols—made of precious metals and adorned by the people—would be broken and burned. These physical idols symbolized Israel’s deeper sin of spiritual adultery.
c. All the hires thereof shall be burned with fire: God uses the language of prostitution to describe Israel’s idolatry. The phrase “hire of a harlot” refers to wealth gained through idolatrous worship and pagan alliances. Israel used its resources, blessings, and riches to support false gods and immoral worship. God declares that the same wealth spent on idols will be consumed, taken, or given back to the same wicked systems. In judgment, the conquerors would seize those idols, melt them down, and use the gold and silver to fund more idolatry. Sin always cycles back upon itself unless broken by repentance.
i. The picture is tragic and sobering. The people used God’s blessings—wealth, prosperity, influence—not to honor Him, but to indulge false religion. As a result, everything they built in rebellion against God would be torn down in front of them. The destruction of Samaria proves that no nation, however strong or religious in appearance, can stand when it replaces God with idols.
1. (Micah 1:8-9) The Agony of Announcing Judgment on Judah
“Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls. For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.”
a. Therefore I will wail and howl: Micah does not deliver God’s message with cold indifference. He is not a detached observer but a broken-hearted prophet. He expresses deep anguish—wailing like the jackals and mourning like the ostriches that cry out in desolate places. His description of going “stripped and naked” is not about full nudity but about laying aside his outer garments as an act of intense grief and humiliation. True prophets did not delight in judgment; they wept over it. Micah reflects the heart of God—grieved over sin yet faithful to speak the truth.
i. This is a model for every servant of God. Truth must be spoken, but it must be spoken with tears, not with arrogance. As Paul said in Philippians 3:18, “For many walk… that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction,” and he said this “even weeping.” Judgment is never a topic to handle lightly. Micah shows that proclaiming truth and having compassion are not opposites—they belong together.
b. For her wound is incurable: This describes the spiritual condition of the nation. The sin of Samaria has spread to Judah, and now the disease of rebellion has infected Jerusalem itself. The phrase “wound is incurable” means that judgment is unavoidable. It is not that God cannot heal—“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27)—but that the people refuse to repent. The wound is incurable because they will not seek the Great Physician.
c. For it is come to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem: The danger is no longer distant. Judgment is at the gate. What began in Samaria has now pressed southward to Judah’s capital. The sins of the northern kingdom are being repeated in the south. Micah sees the Assyrian threat nearing Jerusalem itself. This shows a spiritual truth—sin never stays contained. What is tolerated in one area soon spreads to another. What begins in Samaria ends at Jerusalem’s gates.
2. (Micah 1:10-16) The Shame of Judah’s Judgment Is Evident Among the Nations
“Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust. Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth–ezel; he shall receive of you his standing. For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem. O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee. Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth–gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel. Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.”
a. Declare ye it not at Gath: Micah echoes the spirit of 2 Samuel 1:20, where David lamented the death of Saul and Jonathan, saying, “Tell it not in Gath… lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice.” Gath was a Philistine city and traditional enemy of Israel. The thought that God’s people would suffer judgment and their enemies would triumph and mock was heartbreaking. Micah does not want the enemies of Judah to take joy in Judah’s humiliation.
b. In the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust: The name Aphrah sounds like the Hebrew word for dust. Micah uses this to call them to mourning—literally to roll in dust as a sign of grief. From here to the end of the chapter, Micah uses prophetic wordplay on the names of towns in Judah to show how their destinies match their names. This is not casual wordplay—it shows how deeply sin and judgment shape identity. In Scripture, a name often reflects nature, and Micah is showing how their character and sin have shaped their future.
c. Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir: Saphir means “beautiful” or “pleasant,” yet these inhabitants would pass away in naked shame. Their beauty will be stripped away by judgment. What was once outwardly pleasant will become a picture of humiliation.
d. The inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth: Zaanan sounds like “to go out,” yet when the invaders come, no one will go out. They will be locked in fear, surrounded and cut off. Their name mocks them—“place of going out,” yet no one escapes.
e. The mourning of Beth–ezel: Beth–ezel means “House of support” or “nearby house.” Yet in judgment, it will offer no refuge or support to neighboring cities. The place that should have stood with others will be powerless.
f. For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: Maroth means “bitterness.” The people hoped for good, deliverance, and relief—but instead, evil came down from the LORD even to the gate of Jerusalem. Their expectations ended in bitterness because they would not turn to the Lord.
g. O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: Lachish was a heavily fortified military city, known for its chariots and horses. Its name sounds like the Hebrew word for “team of horses.” They are told to harness their chariots—not for victory, but to flee. Lachish was also significant because Micah says it was “the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion.” This means idolatry and corruption spread from Lachish into Jerusalem.
h. Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth–gath: Moresheth (Micah’s hometown) sounds like “betrothed” or “possession.” The idea is of a bride being handed over. Judah will give gifts—like a dowry or tribute—to foreign powers as the land is handed over to a new “husband,” the invading nation. Judah is being given away.
i. The houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel: Achzib sounds like “deception” or “falsehood.” This town will live up to its name, proving unreliable and deceptive. It will fail to provide help or defense to Judah’s kings—they will find it a disappointment, a lie.
j. Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: Mareshah means “possessor” or “heir.” God declares that an “heir”—the conqueror—will come and take possession. The city that thought it would inherit land will instead be inherited by the enemy.
k. He shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel: Adullam was the cave where David fled from Saul (1 Samuel 22:1). It was a place of refuge for the distressed. Now, once again, it will be a hiding place—but this time, not for the oppressed righteous, but for the nobles of Israel fleeing judgment.
l. Make thee bald… enlarge thy baldness like an eagle: Shaving the head was a sign of mourning in Israel. Micah calls for deep grief—like an eagle or vulture that appears bald. Why? “For they are gone into captivity from thee.” The beloved children of Judah, the next generation, will be carried into exile. Nothing pierces a nation more deeply than seeing its sons and daughters taken from them because of sin.
