Who was Imlah in the Bible?

Imlah was the father of the prophet Micaiah. He is only mentioned in the Bible as the father of this significant prophet who confronted King Ahab (1 Kings 22:8-9).

Why is Imlah significant?

Imlah's significance comes entirely from his son, Micaiah. His legacy is that he raised a prophet known for his courage to deliver God's true message, even when it was unpopular with the king.

What do we know about Imlah's life?

The Bible provides no details about Imlah's own life or actions. All recorded information about him is in the context of his son, Micaiah, being identified as "Micaiah son of Imlah" (1 Kings 22:8).

Imlah

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleProphetFather

Imlah was the father of Micaiah, a prophet who spoke the truth to King Ahab of Israel, despite the king's displeasure.

Imlah

Biography

Imlah is known in Scripture exclusively as the father of Micaiah, the bold and uncompromising prophet of the northern kingdom of Israel who confronted Kings Ahab and Jehoshaphat before the ill-fated battle of Ramoth-gilead (1 Kings 22:8–28; 2 Chronicles 18:7–27). When summoned before the two kings, Micaiah delivered a vision of Israel scattered like sheep without a shepherd and an oracle of doom against Ahab, directly contradicting the four hundred court prophets who had promised victory. Ahab despised Micaiah and had him imprisoned. Beyond fathering this courageous prophet, nothing else is recorded of Imlah himself. He is identified simply as the man whose son refused to prophesy anything other than what the LORD revealed.

Significance

Imlah's significance is entirely bound up with the son he raised, Micaiah, one of the most striking exemplars of prophetic courage in the Old Testament. That Micaiah is consistently identified as "son of Imlah" rather than merely by his own name suggests that his father was a figure of some recognition. Whatever Imlah imparted to his son, whether spiritual formation, moral courage, or a tradition of prophetic integrity, its fruit was a man who stood alone against the pressure of kings, court prophets, and popular opinion to speak only the truth of God. Imlah's legacy is thus a legacy of truthfulness transmitted to the next generation, a gift of incalculable value.

Authority Records

Wikidata

Verse Appearances (4)

1Kgs

1Kgs 22:8 1Kgs 22:9

2Chr

2Chr 18:7 2Chr 18:8

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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