📖 Biblical Definition
Prophet of the LORD in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of Ahab (1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18). Son of Imlah. Micaiah enters biblical history in the famous scene where Ahab king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah propose to recover Ramoth-gilead from the Syrians. Ahab's four hundred court prophets unanimously assure the kings of victory. Jehoshaphat, suspicious, asks whether there is yet a prophet of the LORD whom they might consult; Ahab grudgingly mentions Micaiah son of Imlah, but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil (1 Kings 22:8). Micaiah is brought from prison; the messenger urges him to speak good as the four hundred have spoken; Micaiah replies, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak (1 Kings 22:14). Micaiah first sarcastically gives the answer Ahab wants; Ahab adjures him to speak truth; Micaiah then prophesies Ahab's death in battle (I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd, 1 Kings 22:17) and reveals the lying spirit the LORD had permitted in the mouth of Ahab's four hundred prophets. Zedekiah son of Chenaanah strikes Micaiah on the cheek for the rebuke; Ahab orders Micaiah back to prison with bread and water of affliction. Ahab nevertheless goes to battle (in disguise) and is killed by a random arrow that pierces between the joints of his armor, fulfilling Micaiah's word. Micaiah is one of the great minority-prophet figures of the Old Testament: a single voice of truth against four hundred court prophets, willing to suffer imprisonment for the LORD's word.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Prophet of the LORD in Israel during Ahab's reign (1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18); a single voice against four hundred court prophets; predicted Ahab's death at Ramoth-gilead.
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MICAIAH, proper n. (OT prophet) Son of Imlah. Prophet of the LORD in the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of Ahab (1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18). A single voice against four hundred court prophets when Ahab and Jehoshaphat proposed to recover Ramoth-gilead. Famous declaration: As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak (1 Kings 22:14). Prophesied Ahab's death in battle and revealed the lying spirit the LORD had permitted in the mouth of Ahab's four hundred. Struck by Zedekiah son of Chenaanah for the rebuke; imprisoned by Ahab with bread and water of affliction. Ahab nevertheless went to battle in disguise and was killed by a random arrow, fulfilling Micaiah's word.
📖 Key Scripture
1 Kings 22:14 — "And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak."
1 Kings 22:17 — "And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace."
1 Kings 22:24 — "But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?"
1 Kings 22:28 — "And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
No major postmodern redefinition. Micaiah is rightly remembered as the model of the lone prophetic voice against the false-prophet majority; the recovery is the courage of his pattern.
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Micaiah as a proper name does not undergo lexical corruption. The principal pastoral lesson is the courage of Micaiah's pattern: one voice of truth against four hundred unanimous court prophets, willing to suffer imprisonment and physical assault rather than tailor the LORD's word to the king's preference. The pastoral application reaches into every register of the church: the faithful prophet, pastor, elder, theologian, or layman who finds himself the lone voice for truth against the cultural-evangelical consensus. What the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak (1 Kings 22:14) is the motto-verse of the Micaiah-tradition.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Prophet during Ahab's reign; 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18; one voice against four hundred.
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['Hebrew', 'H4321', 'Mikayehu', 'who is like Yahweh']
['Hebrew', 'H3236', 'Imlah', "Imlah, Micaiah's father"]
['Hebrew', 'H7433', 'Ramoth-gilead', 'the disputed city Ahab attempted to recover']
Usage
"Prophet of the LORD in Israel during Ahab's reign."
"One voice of truth against Ahab's four hundred court prophets (1 Kings 22)."
"What the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak (1 Kings 22:14)."