The term "Morasthite" is a designation used in the Bible to identify the prophet Micah, indicating his place of origin. Micah is referred to as the Morasthite because he hailed from Moresheth, a town in the region of Judah. This identification is significant in understanding the historical and geographical context of Micah's prophetic ministry.

Biblical References:

The primary reference to Micah as the Morasthite is found in the book of Jeremiah and the book of Micah itself. In Jeremiah 26:18, the prophet is explicitly called "Micah the Morasthite," which underscores his connection to Moresheth: "Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, saying to all the people of Judah: ‘This is what the LORD of Hosts says: Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.’"

In the book of Micah, the prophet's origin is mentioned in the introductory verse: "The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem." (Micah 1:1)

Historical and Geographical Context:

Moresheth, often identified with Moresheth-Gath, was a town located in the Shephelah, the lowland region of Judah. This area was strategically significant, serving as a buffer zone between the coastal plains and the hill country of Judah. The town's proximity to Gath, a major Philistine city, may have influenced Micah's perspective on the socio-political dynamics of his time.

Micah's designation as the Morasthite highlights his rural background, which is reflected in his prophecies. His messages often emphasize social justice, the plight of the poor, and the corruption of the urban elite. This rural perspective provides a unique lens through which Micah addresses the spiritual and moral issues facing Judah and Israel.

Prophetic Ministry:

Micah's ministry occurred during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, placing him in the 8th century BC. His prophecies are characterized by a call to repentance and a warning of impending judgment due to the people's idolatry and social injustices. Despite the harshness of his warnings, Micah also offers hope, prophesying the coming of a ruler from Bethlehem who would shepherd God's people (Micah 5:2-4).

The reference to Micah as the Morasthite serves as a reminder of the prophet's humble origins and his role as a voice for the marginalized. His messages continue to resonate as a call to righteousness and faithfulness to God's covenant.

Doubtful Fragments on the Pentateuch.
... And Jonan delivered it to Micha the Morasthite, who delivered it to Nachum the
Alcusite. And Nachum delivered it to Chabakuk the prophet. ...
/.../doubtful fragments on the pentateuch.htm

From Megiddo to Carchemish, 608-605.
... There was Micaiah the Morasthite in the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and he
said to all the people of Judah, Thus saith the Lord: Sion like a field shall ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/1 from megiddo to carchemish.htm

Letter Liii. To Paulinus.
... Micah the Morasthite a joint heir with Christ [1481] announces the spoiling of the
daughter of the robber and lays siege against her, because she has smitten ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter liii to paulinus.htm

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
... Micah is called the Morasthite, probably because he was a native of Moresheth-gath,
a small town of Judea, which, according to Eusebius and Jerome, lay in a ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxiii the twelve minor.htm

The Jewish Institutions and Laws of Far Higher Antiquity than the ...
... sixteen years. In his time Esaias still prophesied, and Hosea, and Mich??as
the Morasthite, and Joel the son of Bethuel. Next in ...
/.../the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxi the jewish institutions and.htm

The Prophet Micah.
... The circumstance of Micah being called the Morasthite, accounts for the fact that,
in this threatening against the cities of Judah, in i.14, it is Moresheth ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet micah.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8. <. ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

Morasthite (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Morasthite (2 Occurrences). Jeremiah 26:18 Micah
the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king ...
/m/morasthite.htm - 7k

Morashtite (2 Occurrences)
... mo-rash'-tit (hamorashti; the King James Version, Morasthite, mo-ras'-thit): Gentilic
designation of the prophet Micah (Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 1:1). See also ...
/m/morashtite.htm - 7k

Morbid (1 Occurrence)

/m/morbid.htm - 7k

Micah (54 Occurrences)
... (4.) A descendant of Joel the Reubenite (1 Chronicles 5:5). (5.) "The Morasthite,"
so called to distinguish him from Micaiah, the son of Imlah (1 Kings 22:8 ...
/m/micah.htm - 38k

Moresheth-gath (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Possession of the wine-press, the birthplace of the prophet
Micah (1:14), who is called the "Morasthite" (Jeremiah 26:18). ...
/m/moresheth-gath.htm - 8k

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