מִיכָהוּ
Mikehu, an Israelite prophet
Definition
מִיכָהוּ (Mîykâhûw) is a contracted form of the name מִיכָיְהוּ (Mîykâyᵉhûw), meaning 'Who is like Yahweh?' It refers to a prophet named Micaiah, son of Imlah, who appears in 2 Chronicles 18:8. This Micaiah is distinct from other biblical figures with similar names, such as the prophet Micah (מִיכָה). His sole recorded narrative involves his courageous confrontation with King Ahab of Israel, where he faithfully delivers an unfavorable prophecy from God, contrasting sharply with the false assurances of 400 other prophets. The name itself is a theophoric name, a common practice in Israel, embedding the divine name Yahweh (יהוּ) within a statement of praise.
Biblical Usage
This specific form of the name occurs only once in the Old Testament, in 2 Chronicles 18:8. It is used in the context of King Jehoshaphat of Judah requesting a prophet of Yahweh to consult before going to war. The narrative highlights a context of royal court prophecy, conflict between true and false prophecy, and political tension between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The usage establishes Micaiah as a lone voice of divine truth against overwhelming opposition.
Etymology
The name is a contraction of מִיכָיְהוּ (Mîykâyᵉhûw, H4321), which combines the interrogative particle 'מִי' (mî, 'who'), the preposition 'כְּ' (kᵉ, 'like'), and the divine name 'יָהוּ' (Yāhû, a short form of Yahweh). Thus, the full meaning is a rhetorical question: 'Who is like Yahweh?' This name form reflects a common linguistic shortening in Hebrew and belongs to a category of names expressing awe and praise for God's incomparable nature.
Semantic Range
The prophet Micaiah embodies the theme of the faithful, minority witness. His story (2 Chronicles 18) is a profound case study on the nature of true versus false prophecy, the sovereignty of God in revealing truth (even through a 'lying spirit' as a form of judgment), and the cost of prophetic integrity. Understanding the meaning of his name, 'Who is like Yahweh?', enriches the narrative, as his very identity declares the unique sovereignty of the God whose message he faithfully delivers, even when it contradicts royal authority and popular opinion.
In ancient Israel, names were often descriptive and carried significant meaning. Theophoric names, like Micaiah's, which include a divine element, were statements of faith and identity. A prophet bearing such a name was a living reminder of God's character. The confrontation in 2 Chronicles 18 reflects the common ancient Near Eastern practice of kings consulting prophets or diviners before major undertakings like war, but it uniquely contrasts the Canaanite model of prophets as royal servants with the Israelite ideal of the prophet as Yahweh's independent messenger.
מִיכָה (Mîykâh, H4318) — The more common short form of the name, referring to a different prophet, the author of the Book of Micah. מִיכָיְהוּ (Mîykâyᵉhûw, H4321) — The full, uncontracted form of the same name, used for other individuals (e.g., Jeremiah 36:11, 13).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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