Micheas, Son of Jemla

Micheas, Son of Jemla

Also called Michas. In Hebrew the complete form of the name is Mikhayahu or Mikhayehu (contracted into Mikhehu? II Chronicles 18:8, kethibh) or Mikhayah (who is like Yahu, Yehu, Yah?); the shortened form is Mikhah.

Micheas, son of Jemla, was a prophet of the Kingdom of Samaria, contemporary with Elias and Eliseus. It is related in III Kings 22 (cf. II Chronicles 18), that Achab, King of Israel (c. 873-852 B. C.), allied to Josaphat, King of Juda, having obtained from 400 prophets an assurance that his intended expedition against Ramoth-Galaad, a town which he wished to recover from the Syrians, would succeed, summoned at the earnest request of Josaphat the Prophet Micheas, son of Jemla, although the latter, he asserted, had always proved to him a prophet of evil. Micheas, in his first answer, foretold the success of the enterprise, but his words were probably spoken in an ironical tone, for Achab adjured him in the name of the Lord to speak the truth. Micheas then announced the defeat of the two kings. He added that he had seen in a vision a spirit promise Yahweh to deceive Achab by his prophets. Whereupon one of these prophets, Sedecias, son of Chanaana, struck him on the face. Achab ordered the imprisonment of Micheas till the day when he should return in peace. "If thou return in peace", said Micheas, "the Lord hath not spoken by me." In the ensuing battle Achab was severely wounded by a chance arrow and died the same day.

A. VAN HOONACKER