Micah (son of Mephibosheth)

Biblical Record

Micah was the son of Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, which made him a great-grandson of Saul. He is mentioned directly in only three places in Scripture.

• 2 Samuel 9:12: At the close of the account in which David, remembering his covenant with Jonathan, seats Mephibosheth at the king's table, a single line is added: "And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha."
• 1 Chronicles 8:34–35: In the genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin, Mephibosheth appears under the name Merib-baal. The genealogy records that "Merib-baal begat Micah" and then lists Micah's sons as Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. The verses that follow trace his descendants through several generations.
• 1 Chronicles 9:40–41: A nearly identical genealogy appears a second time.

Beyond these references, Scripture records nothing about Micah's life or deeds.

Significance Within Scripture

Even after the fall of the house of Saul, Jonathan's line continued through the lame Mephibosheth and his son Micah. The genealogy in 1 Chronicles records Micah's descendants for many generations. For this reason, Micah's name is read as evidence that the kindness David promised Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:14–17) extended to Jonathan's descendants. The New Testament makes no mention of him.

Interpretation and Points of Discussion

• Distinguishing him from others of the same name: Several people in the Bible bear the name Micah. He is distinct from the prophet Micah and from Micah the Ephraimite of Judges 17–18, among others.
• His father's two names: 2 Samuel calls his father Mephibosheth, while 1 Chronicles calls him Merib-baal. A widely known view among scholars holds that the element "Baal" in such names was replaced in writing with "bosheth" ("shame").
• Details not found in the text: Sermons sometimes state that Micah, too, ate at the king's table with his father. However, 2 Samuel 9:13 records this only of Mephibosheth. Micah is likewise not mentioned in the episode of Ziba's accusation (2 Samuel 16; 19).

In the Korean Church

In the Korean church, the story of Mephibosheth is frequently preached as a text illustrating grace. In such sermons Micah is usually mentioned only to note that Mephibosheth's family line continued, and he is rarely treated on his own.