מִיכָא
𐤌𐤉𐤊𐤀
Mikha
H4316 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Mîykâʼ is a personal name meaning 'Who is like Yah(weh)?' It is a theophoric name, referencing the Israelite deity YHWH, found as the name of multiple individuals in the Hebrew Bible. The form is a variant spelling or contraction of the longer form מִיכָיָה (Mîkāyā), retaining the rhetorical question structure: 'Who is like Yah?'
Semantic Range
personal name, rhetorical question expressing incomparability (usually of the deity YHWH); name of an Israelite; variant or contracted form of names with theophoric elements referring to YHWH
Root / Etymology
From the root מ־י־כ (from the question 'Who is like...?') plus a short form of the divine name Yah(weh). 'Mî' (מִי) = 'who', 'kā' (כָּ) = 'like', plus an abbreviated theophoric element '-â' (from Yah). Derived by shortening from מִיכָיָה (Mikayah or Micaiah).
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name מִיכָא appears as a short form of the more common מִיכָיָה or מִיכָיְהוּ (Micaiah, Micayahu), seen throughout the monarchic period. Such theophoric names were widespread among Israelites from the monarchic through the post-exilic periods as an assertion of allegiance to YHWH, distinguishing Israelites from neighboring peoples with different deities. In English translations, the names Mica, Micah, or Micha have been used, but in the biblical text, this particular form appears as a truncated variant and should not be confused with the prophetic book Micah (מִיכָה, H4318), though they are cognate. The use of '-â' as a short theophoric element is common in both personal names and poetic contexts. The name is attested for at least two distinct individuals in the Hebrew Bible.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a variation for מִיכָה; Mica, the name of two Israelites; Micha.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מיכ (m-y-k) — who is like, compare, resemble
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4316-01 |
מִיכָ֑א | mikha | HNp |
Mica | Who is like Yah? | 4 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4316-01 |
2 Samuel 9:12 | מִיכָ֑א | mikha | HNp |
was Mica | Who is like Yah? |
H4316-01 |
Nehemiah 10:12 | מִיכָ֥א | mikha | HNp |
Micha | Who is like Yah? |
H4316-01 |
Nehemiah 11:22 | מִיכָ֑א | mikha | HNp |
Mica | Who is like Yah? |
H4316-01 |
1 Chronicles 9:15 | מִיכָ֔א | mikha | HNp |
Mica | Who is like Yah? |