What is known about the prophet Micah?
Micah was a (slightly later) contemporary of Isaiah. The dates of his birth and death aren’t known, but according to the Seder Olam (Ch. 20) he was the last of four prophets (Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, Micah) who prophesied during the reigns of Yosam, Achaz, and Chizkiyahu (kings of Judah; the dates of their reigns are given as 758-698 BCE in the Encyclopedia Judaica). Micah prophesied (Chs. 1-3) that Samaria and Jerusalem would be destroyed for their sins, but king Chizkiyahu didn’t punish him for doing so; see Jeremiah 26:18, which quotes Micah 3:12. He continued with the prophecy that at the end of days, Jerusalem would be a light to the world; see Micah 4:1-3, closely paralleling Isaiah 2:2-4. The Talmud (Makkos 24a) credits Micah with summarizing the 613 commandments of the Torah in three principles (Micah 6:8): “What does HaShem require of you but to do justice, love mercy, and behave modestly?”. His prophecy concludes (Micah 7:18-20) with the assurance that, as He promised our ancesto
