(1) The chief character of an episode given as an appendix to the Book of Judges (Judges 17:1-13; 18). Micah, a dweller in Mt. Ephraim, was the founder and owner of a small private sanctuary with accessories for worship (Matthew 17:1-5 ), for which he hired as priest a Judean Levite (Matthew 17:7-13 ). Five men sent in quest of new territory by the Danites, who had failed to secure a settlement upon their own tribal allotment, visited Micah's shrine, and obtained from his priest an oracle favoring their quest (Judges 18:1-6 ). They then went on until they reached the town of Laish in the extreme North, and deeming it suitable for the purpose, they returned to report to their fellow-tribesmen. These at once dispatched thither 600 armed men, accompanied by their families (Judges 18:7-12 ). Passing Micah's abode, they appropriated his idols and his priest, and when their owner pursued, he was insulted and threatened (Judges 18:13-26 ). They took Laish, destroyed it with its inhabitants and rebuilt it under the name of Dan. There they established the stolen images, and appointed Micah's Levite, Jonathan, a grandson of Moses (the King James Version "Manasseh"), priest of the new sanctuary, which was long famous in Israel (Judges 18:27-31 ).
The purpose of the narrative is evidently to set forth the origin of the Danite shrine and priesthood. A few peculiarities in the story have led some critics - e.g., Moore, "Judges," in
(2)
(3) A son of Merib-baal (1 Chronicles 8:34 f; 1 Chronicles 9:40 f). See MICA , (1).
(4)
(5) The father of Abdon, one of Josiah's messengers to the prophetess Huldah (2 Chronicles 34:20 ). In the parallel passage (2 Kings 22:12 ), the reading is "Achbor the son of Micaiah," the King James Version "Michaiah."
(6)
(7) The prophet, called, in Jeremiah 26:18 (Hebrew), "Micaiah the Morashtite." See special article.
(8) The son of Imlah. See MICAIAH , (7).