Old Testament Bible Dictionary Project:
Micah, Book of
Micah 1:1 attributes the authorship to Micah of Moresheth. This was during the time of the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. His visions were particularly directed at Samaria, and Jerusalem. This makes the writings current with the dates of their reigns. Thus, it would be the dates as Jotham (c. 742-735 BC), Ahaz (c. 735-715 BC), and Hezekiah (c. 742-735 BC) Micah is often referred to as the prophet of the poor, as he preached judgment against the people of Jerusalem – the city folk (Mariottini n.p.). Micah falls under the literary genre of prophetic writing. The English Bible does lay it out in the form of poetry as well. This is merely as the verses contain the prophecies spoken by Micah.
Micah is summed up as follows:
Chapter 1:1-16 gives an indication of the future judgment upon Israel.
Chapter 2:1-13 tells of the punishment and then the restoration of the Israel.
Chapter 3:1-12 give the layout of the condemnation of the princes and the prophets.
Chapter 4:1-13 also predicts the future glory and peace of Jerusalem.
In Chapter 5:1-15 Micah reveals the suffering and the restoration of Zion.
He also contrasts popular and prophetic religion – Chapter 6:1-16
He reveals the corruption of society and concludes with a statement of trust in God (Chapter 7:1-20).
Even though Micah wrote the book, there is hardly any mention of his name, except for the words he spoke. His main purpose is to encourage and demand a moral, and righteous living from all. (Douglas 819).
Saul
Saul became the first king of Israel, after the nation demanded a king from God (1 Samuel 8:5). It is for this reason that he was chosen as the first king of Israel. He was born in the land of Benjamin in Israel, in c.1076 BC (“Saul|King of Israel” n.p.). Even though God chose him, it did not make him a perfect character for the role. Having said that, he was a perfect person in other ways such as the fact that he was of splendid physique, and was a “valiant warrior.” He was also very successful in his military pursuits (Lozovyy 128). The scripture for it is 2 Sam 1:22-23. However, his decline spiritually, and especially his disobedience to God, is what caused his downfall as king of the nation, Israel. His first disobedience His reign was from c. 1021–1000 BC (“Saul|King of Israel” n.p.). This sets his period in charge of Israel at forty-two years (1 Samuel 13:1). His reign ended with the anointing of David as the second King of Israel. However, the two, David and Saul, were at loggerheads even while Saul was king. Saul was jealous of David’s accomplishments, especially on the battlefields. It was because of this that the nation was swayed to support David. They would do this: “As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). It finally led to the fact that an evil spirit possessed Saul. His life finally ended on the battlefield.
Egypt
Egypt is one of the oldest civilizations on earth, with the Nile River as its signature feature to this day. In this instance, the reference is to Biblical Egypt. The land was also divided into what was called the “black land,” and the “red land”(“Egyptian Civilization” n.p). Biblical Egypt is the place that was known for its captivity of the Israeli nation. The Israelis ended up here through one of their Fathers, Joseph. During the time of severe drought in Israel, Joseph brought his entire family to this land (Genesis 45-46). Thus, Egypt was first a land of refuge to them, and then ended up as a land of bondage for the Israelis. The Israeli bondage ended with the Exodus that is described in the Book of Exodus. At the time of their refugee status, Egypt was a prosperous nation. The two nations had completely different religions, and this was the reason for the later conflict. Israel served Yahweh and the Egyptians served numerous false deities. The political structures became fearful that Israel would overrun them and, hence, the edict to kill all male babies (Exodus 1:22). Moses were hidden, and ended up in the palace when the Pharaoh’s princess discovered him in the reeds. Moses was key to the release of the Jews from Egypt with this message: “Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Let my people go” (Ex. 5:1). The forerunners to the Exodus were the plagues as described in Exodus, as well as the initiation of the Passover.
Reference
Douglas, J. D. The New Bible Dictionary. London: Intervasity, 1972. Print.
“Egyptian Civilization - Geography - Nile River and Desert.” Egyptian Civilization - Geography
- Nile River and Desert. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 June 2016.
Lozovyy, Joseph. Saul, Doeg, Nabal, and the “son of Jesse:” Readings in 1 Samuel 16-25.
London: T & T Clark International, 2009. Print.
Mariottini, Claude. “Micah, the Prophet of the Poor.” Dr Claude Mariottini Professor of Old
Testament. N.p., 21 Feb. 2014. Web. 11 June 2016.
“Saul | King of Israel.” Encyclopedia Britannica. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 June 2016.
