מִיכָיָהוּ
𐤌𐤉𐤊𐤉𐤄𐤅
Mikhayahu
H4322 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name meaning 'Who is like YHWH?' It is a theophoric name used for multiple individuals in the Hebrew Bible, both male and (occasionally) female. The essential sense is that of a rhetorical question affirming the uniqueness and incomparability of YHWH (the Israelite deity).
Semantic Range
personal name; rhetorical question affirming incomparability of YHWH; used as both masculine and, in rare cases, feminine given name
Root / Etymology
From the root מִיכָיָה (Mikayah), which itself is a composite: מִי ('who?') + כָּ ('like, as') + יָהוּ (abbreviated form of the divine name YHWH), together forming 'Who is like YHWH?' The -יהוּ (-yahu) suffix is an extended theophoric element referencing the Tetragrammaton.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name מִיכָיָהוּ was borne by several figures in the Hebrew Bible, including priests, prophets, and officials. The name is a longer or variant form of מיכיה (Mikayah or Micaiah), with the -יהו suffix reflecting the full divine name as opposed to the shorter -יה form found in some Israelite names. In English translations, it is often rendered Michaiah, sometimes as Micaiah, or the feminine form Michaiah in specific cases (e.g., a daughter of the Israelite king Uzziah). Later translation traditions (Septuagint, Vulgate) use Greek and Latin forms (e.g., Michaias). The English term 'Jew' does not apply, as all known bearers of the name in the biblical period were Israelites or Israelite-associated individuals. Theophoric names such as this reflect the religious worldview of ancient Israelites and their emphasis on YHWH’s uniqueness. Comparable names include מִיכָאֵל (Mikael, 'Who is like God?'). The -יהו form indicates a Southern Israelite or Judahite naming convention, especially in First Temple period records.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
for מִיכָיָה; Mikajah, the name of an Israelite and an Israelitess; Michaiah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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מיכיהו (m-y-k-y-h-w) — who, like, YHWH
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4321 | מִיכָיְהוּ | to Who-is-like-YHWH |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4322-01 |
מִיכָיָ֥הוּ | mikhayahu | HNp |
was Micaiah | Who-Is-Like-YHWH? | 1 |
H4322-02 |
וּ/לְ/מִיכָיָ֑הוּ | ulemikhayahu | HC/R/Np |
and to Micaiah | and to Who-is-like-YHWH | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4322-01 |
2 Chronicles 13:2 | מִיכָיָ֥הוּ | mikhayahu | HNp |
was Micaiah | Who-Is-Like-YHWH? |
H4322-02 |
2 Chronicles 17:7 | וּ/לְ/מִיכָיָ֑הוּ | ulemikhayahu | HC/R/Np |
and to Micaiah | and to Who-is-like-YHWH |