The thought has been presented by a trinitarian that since in Micah 5:2 we find the Hebrew word transliterated as "‘ō-w-lām" (Strong's #5769) applied to the Messiah that it means in Micah 5:2 the same as it means in Psalm 90:2 where it speaks of Jehovah as being "from everlasting to everlasting". Thus, Micah 5:2 is said to offer proof of the trinity doctrine.
Actually, forms of the Hebrew word "‘ō-w-lām" can mean "everlasting", and yet often forms of this word do not mean "everlasting", especially as related to the past. Indeed, as referring to the past, it is only when it is used of Jehovah, the God of the Messiah (Micah 5:4; Ephesians 1:3), that it means such. The usage in Psalm 90:2 to designate eternity past does not necessitate such a meaning as when the word is used in scriptures like Genesis 6:4; Deuteronomy 32:7; Joshua 24:2; 1 Samuel 27:8; Psalm 25:6; 119:52; 143:3; Isaiah 46:9; 63:9,11; Jeremiah 18:15; Ezekiel 26:20; Amos 9:11; Micah 5:2; 7:14; Malachi 3:4.
In Psalm 90:2, however, we do not find the phrase used in Micah 5:2, that is, "mî-mê ‘ō·w·lām". "mî-mê" is a plural form of the Greek word often transliterated as "yom" (day -- Strong's 5769). Thus in Micah 5:2 it means "days". I have found no place in the Bible where forms of these two words are used together to designate an eternal past. Indeed, it appears that the only scripture that translators would like this phrase to mean everlasting or eternal is in Micah 5:2.
In Micah 7:14, for instance, forms of these two words appear, but I don't know of any translation that renders the phrase in Micah 7:14 as "from everlasting". Rather it is rendered as "days of old", "a long time ago", "ancient times", or something similar. Many translations do recognize this also in Micah 5:2, such as the Common English Bible, The Complete Jewish Bible, English Standard Version, Good News Translation, God's Word Translation, Jubilee Bible 2000, Lexham English Bible, The Message Bible, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, New International Version, New Living Translation, New Revised Standard, Revised Standard Version, Young's Literal Translation, and others. Most of the scholars who produced these translations believe in the trinity, and yet they realized that the Hebrew phrase does not refer to eternity past in Micah 5:2.
Regarding the Hebrew word often transliterated as qedem (Strong's #6924). This word also appears in Micah 5:2 before the phrase "mî-mê ‘ō·w·lām". Like forms of ‘ō-w-lām, this word also can take on the meaning of eternal past when used of Jehovah. (Psalm 55:19) However, it is rarely rendered with some form of everlasting or eternity". It simply means "ancient time, aforetime, from of old". Its usage of Jehovah in Habakkuk 1:12 does not necessitate that it means everlasting in such scriptures as Psalms 74:2; 77:5,11; 78:2; 118:152; 119:152; 143:5; Isaiah 19:11; 37:26; Lamentations 1:7; 2:17; 5:21; or in Micah 5:2; 7:20.
There is definitely nothing in Micah 5:2 or any scripture in the Bible that presents Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as being three persons or that says that Jesus is a person of such a triune God.
See also our resource page: Jesus’ Prehuman Existence
