Bible Word Study
מִיכָא
Mîykâʼ · Mica, the name of two Israelites
מִיכָא
Mica, the name of two Israelites
Definition
מִיכָא (Mîykâʼ) is a proper name referring to two distinct individuals in the Old Testament. The primary figure is a Levite, the son of Zichri, who is listed among the temple officials in Jerusalem after the return from exile (1 Chronicles 9:15, Nehemiah 11:22). The second individual is a descendant of Saul, mentioned as the son of Mephibosheth (Merib-baal) in 2 Samuel 9:12. The name is a variant of the more common מִיכָה (Mîkâh, H4318), meaning 'Who is like Yahweh?'
Biblical Usage
The name appears four times in the Hebrew Bible, always as a proper noun identifying specific individuals. It is used in historical and genealogical contexts: in the royal lineage of Saul (2 Samuel 9:12), in the Chronicler's list of Levitical families (1 Chronicles 9:15), and in two post-exilic lists of leaders and officials (Nehemiah 10:11, 11:22). Its usage is confined to narrative and list-making sections of the historical books.
Etymology
מִיכָא is a shortened or variant form of the name מִיכָה (Mîkâh, H4318). Both names derive from the rhetorical question מִי כָיָה (mî kā-Yah), meaning 'Who is like Yahweh?' This name reflects a common Hebrew naming convention that expresses praise or a theological affirmation about God's incomparable nature.
Semantic Range
While the individuals named Mica are not central theological figures, the name itself carries significant theological weight. As a variant of 'Micah,' it embeds a profound declaration of Yahweh's uniqueness and supremacy—'Who is like Yahweh?' This encapsulates a core theme of Israelite faith, contrasting God with idols and other powers (e.g., Exodus 15:11). Understanding the name's meaning reminds the reader that even minor characters in genealogies point to the overarching story of God's covenant people who bear His praise. In ancient Israelite culture, names were often meaningful statements of faith or circumstances. Giving a child a name like Mica (Who is like Yahweh?) was an act of piety and a public declaration of the family's allegiance to God. The variant spelling may indicate regional or familial preference. The appearance of this name in both pre-exilic (2 Samuel) and post-exilic (Chronicles, Nehemiah) lists shows its continuity within Israelite tradition. מִיכָה (Mîkâh, H4318) — The more common, full form of the same name, borne by the prophet Micah.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]