but he possibly believed that, if he retired from Palestine, got out of the land of theocratic manifestation, the message might be entrusted to another. The argument that it was a long journey to Nineveh is futile; and so is the objection that the heathen inhabitants would not be likely to listen to an Israelitish stranger. Paul made longer journeys, and found his preaching in heathen cities as stirring, nay, made, by God's power, far more effectual than that of Jonah was. The prayer of Jonah, it is said, never could have been composed in its poetical form and imagery in the fish's belly. Of course not: he did not write it there. But the ideas were conceived under the specified circumstances, just as those of Hezekiah in his sickness (Isai. xxxviii.); and both the prophet and the king put in writing after their deliverance the experience of their mournful moments, and add their praises (see Jonah ii. 2, 6, 9.) for the mercy vouchsafed them. It is not needful, therefore, to resort to the expedient of translating (ii. 1), "on account of," or when "out of the fish's belly."i For a full refutation of the various objections, the student may be referred to Hävernick.2 Whether Jonah wrote the book himself has been a question. Some critics have brought it down to a very late date; Hitzig even to Maccabean times. The use of the third person is no proof that Jonah did not compose it. The way in which Nineveh is spoken of in the past tense (iii. 3.), urged by Ewald as a proof that the great city had perished long before3, is regarded by De Wette as of no weight: the uniformity of the narrative required such a mode of expression. The only argument therefore, is, that we find some Aramaisms, which Keil contends may be readily accounted for.5 IV. The book of Jonah consists of two parts; viz. PART I. His first commission to Nineveh, and delivery from the fish (i. ii.). PART II. His second mission and its happy result to the Ninevites, who repented (iii.); and the discontent of Jonah (iv.). SECTION XII. ON THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET MICAH. I. Author and date.-II. Occasion and scope.-III. Synopsis of its contents. -IV. Prophecies concerning the Messiah.-V. Observations on its style. BEFORE CHRIST, 758-699. I. MICAH was a native of Moresheth, a small town in the southern part of the territory of Judah; and, as we learn from the com 'See Kitto's Cycl. of Bibl. Lit. art. Jonah. ? Einleitung, Die Propheten des A. B. vol. ii. 559. 245. II. ii. pp. 328, &c. Einleitung, § 237. p. 325. Einleitung. § 92. mencement of his predictions, he prophesied in the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of that country; consequently he was contemporary with Isaiah. The time, place, and manner of his death are unknown. The genuineness of his prophecies, relating to the complete destruction of Jerusalem, and of the temple, is supported by the testimony of Jeremiah (xxvi. 18, 19.). [It would seem more likely that Micah's birth-place was Moresheth-gath (i. 14), rather than Mareshah (i. 15.) De Wette and some others dispute the authenticity, at least in part, of the inscription i. 1, thinking that the whole of his book evinces its composition in the earlier part of Hezekiah's reign.' But the reasons are not sufficient to justify the objection. Thus it is said that the prophet could not name Samaria in his title. And yet he utters a threatening against Samaria, i. 5-8. Again, a particular prediction of Micah is cited in Jer. xxvi. 18, as being given in the days of Hezekiah. Therefore, say the critics, he prophesied only in Heze kiah's reign. It would be a waste of time to argue against such reasoning. The student who desires more information may consult Hävernick and Keil3; though their replies are not very judicious, one saying that there were old people alive in Jeremiah's time who remembered Hezekiah; the other, that of the three kings named in the title Hezekiah alone had theocratic authority.] II. The people of Judah and Israel being very profane and impenitent in the days of Isaiah (in consequence of which the Assyrian captivity was then hastening upon Israel, and the Babylonian above a century after fell upon Judah), the prophet Micah was raised up to second Isaiah, and to confirm his predictions against the Jews and Israelites, whom he invited to repentance both by threatened judgments and by promised mercies.5 III. This book contains seven chapters, forming three parts; viz. Introduction or title, i. 1. PART I. comprises the prophecies delivered in the reigns of Jotham king of Judah (with whom Pekah king of Israel was contemporary), in which the divine judgments are denounced against both Israel and Judah for their sins (i. 2-16.). PART II. contains the predictions delivered in the reigns of Ahaz king of Judah (with whom his son Hezekiah was associated in the government during the latter part of his life), and of Pekah king of Israel, who was also contemporary with him (ii. — iv. 8.). Micah foretells the captivity of both nations (ii. 1—5.), and threatens Israel for their enmity to the house of David (6-13.), and Judah for their cruelty to the pious (iii. 1-7.). He then announces that Zion should be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem should become heaps (8-12.). This prophecy had its utmost completion in the final destruction of the city and temple by the Romans. We learn, from Jer. xxvi. 18, 19, 24., that this 2 1 De Wette, Einleitung, § 238. Conf. Ewald, Die Propheten des A. B. vol. i. p. 327. Einleitung, § 248. II. ii. pp. 362, 363. Einleitung, § 93. pp. 340, 341. Comp. 2 Kings xv.-xix.; 2 Chron. xxvi.-xxxi.; Isai. xxxvi.—xxxviii. prediction was uttered in the time of Hezekiah; and that in the reign of Jehoiakim it was a means of preserving Jeremiah. In iv. 1-8. the glorious kingdom of Messiah is foretold. PART III. includes the prophecies delivered by Micah during the reign of Hezekiah king of Judah; the first six years of whose government were contemporary with the greater part of the reign of Hoshea, the last king of Israel (iv. 9-13. v.-vii.). The Jews are threatened with the Babylonish captivity (iv. 9, 10.). The total overthrow of Sennacherib's forces is foretold (11-13.); and Hezekiah is assured by a new promise of the Messiah, who should descend from him (the place of whose nativity is particularly indicated), and by a prediction of Sennacherib's murder (v. 1-15.). The people are then forewarned of judgments in the reign of Manasseh (vi. 1-16.), whose wickedness is further described, together with his captivity and return, as also the return of the Jews from Babylon, and from their general dispersion after they shall be converted to the gospel (vii.). [It is questionable whether the book of Micah can be separated into distinct discourses uttered at various times. It would rather seem that the prophet ultimately gathered up his oracles into one connected whole; and this we may suppose he did at the close of his ministry in the reign of Hezekiah. The structure is curiously fitted and developed. There are three sections, chaps. i. ii. ; iii. — v.; vi., vii. Each begins with the same word w; and each closes with a promise of strength and salvation to God's people. And there is a kind of parallel development. Thus, in the first section, Judah is threatened that the deadly blows which are dealt out on Samaria should reach to the gates of Jerusalem, i. 9, 12. There is also the deliverance promised of the covenant-people from their misery, and a victorious bursting out of captivity, ii. 12. &c. In the second section we find the destruction of Jerusalem with the temple, and the exile of the nation to Babylon solemnly proclaimed, iii. 12, iv. 10; while also positive salvation through the supremacy of Messiah is described, iv. v. The third section is hortatory both in its threatenings and promises.1 Jahn makes the following enumeration of the most remarkable predictions contained in this book2: "(1.) The overthrow not only of the kingdom of Israel, which was near at hand, but also of Judah, and the destruction of Jerusalem, iii. 12., vii. 13. (2.) The carrying away of the Jews to Babylonia, iv. 10, 11., vii. 7, 8, 13. This event took place almost 150 years after Micah's time; and the Chaldeans, who were to be the instruments in effecting it, had not arisen, in the prophet's age, to any distinction among the nations. (3.) The return from exile, the restoration of Jerusalem, the re-building of the temple, its celebrity, the perseverance of the nation in the worship of Jehovah, and the peaceful period under the Persian and Grecian governments; all of which events were from 200 to 500 years distant from the prophet, iv. 1-8., vii. 11, 14-17. (4.) The still more 1 Keil, Einleitung, § 94. Introduction to the Old Test. transl. by Turner and Whittingham, part ii. sect. ii. chap. ii. § 97. p. 333. remote wars of the Maccabees, iv. 13. (5.) The restoration of the royal residence in Zion, iv. 8. (6.) The coming of a king of the family of David from Bethlehem v. 2. The three last predictions, inasmuch as they relate to a very remote period, are involved in some degree of obscurity."] IV. The book of Micah, who (we have seen) was the contemporary of Isaiah, contains a summary of the prophecies delivered by the latter concerning the Messiah and the final return of the Jews. Dr. Hales puts together v. 2., iii. 3., and iv. 4, and remarks: "This prophecy consists of four parts, 1. The human birth-place of Christ. 2. His eternal generation. 3. His temporary desertion of the Jews, until his miraculous birth of the Virgin; after which they are to return with the true Israelites. 4. His spiritual and universal dominion." The application of the first part of this prophecy was decided at the time of our Saviour's birth, by the most respectable Jewish synod that ever sat, convened by Herod, to determine from prophecy the birth-place of the Messiah, which they agreed to be Bethlehem, upon the authority of Micah, which they cited. Their citation, of the first part only, is given by the evangelist Matthew, in an improved translation of the original. Matt. ii. 6. "And thou Bethlehem, territory of Judah, Art by no means least among the captains of Judah; From thee shall issue THE LEADER, Who shall guide my people, the Israel [of God].” 1. Here the evangelist has removed the ambiguity of the question proposed by the prophet, by supplying the answer in the negative. As in Nathan's prophecy, Shalt thou build me a house? (2 Sam. vii. 5.), the parallel passage answers in the negative, Thou shalt not build me a house (1 Chron. xvii. 4.). 2. He has supplied a chasm in the Masoretic text, of T, an usual epithet of the Messiah (1 Chron. v. 2.; Isai. lv. 4.; Dan. ix. 25.), usually rendered 'Hyoúuevos, leader, by the Septuagint, and retained here by the evangelist, as a necessary distinction of his character, as supreme commander, from the captains of thousands styled nyeμóo, judiciously substituted for the thousands themselves in Micah, to mark the analogy more correctly. 3. He has also determined the pastoral nature of the Messiah's "rule" by the verb Toμaveî, "shall guide as a shepherd," afterwards intimated by Micah, y, xal Toμaveî, as there rendered by the Septuagint. For he is the shepherd of Israel (Gen. xlix. 24.; Psal. lxxx. 1.), the chief shepherd (1 Pet. v. 4.), and the good shepherd (John x. 14.), who appointed his apostles to guide and pasture his sheep (John xxi. 16.). 4. The human birth of the Messiah is carefully distinguished by Micah from his eternal generation, in the parenthetical clause, which strongly resembles the account of the primeval birth of Wisdom (Prov. viii. 22-25.). 5. The blessed virgin of Isaiah's former prophecy (vii. 14.) is evidently alluded to by Micah, and also the return of the remnant of the Jews (Isai. x. 20, 21.), and the final peace of his kingdom (Isai. ix. 6, 7.). This prophecy of Micah is, perhaps, the most important single prophecy in the Old Testament, and the most comprehensive, respecting the personal character of the MESSIAH, and his successive manifestation to the world. It forms, therefore, the basis of the New Testament, which begins with his human birth at Bethlehem, the miraculous circumstances of which are recorded in the introductions of Matthew's and Luke's Gospels; his eternal generation, as the Oracle or Wisdom, in the sublime introduction of John's Gospel; his prophetic character, and second coming, illustrated in the four Gospels and Epistles, ending with a prediction of the speedy approach of the latter in the Apocalypse (Rev. xxii. 20.).1 V. "The style of Micah is, for the most part, forcible, pointed, and concise, sometimes approaching the obscurity of Hosea; in many parts animated and sublime, and in general truly poetical.”2 His tropes are very beautiful, and varied according to the nature of the subject.3 SECTION XIII. ON THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET NAHUM. I. Author and date.-II. Scope and synopsis of its contents.—III. Observations on its style. BEFORE CHRIST, 720-698. I. NAHUM, the seventh of the minor prophets, is supposed to have been a native of Elkosh or Elkosha, a village in Galilee. There is very great uncertainty concerning the precise time when he lived; some making him contemporary with Jotham, others with Manasseh, and others with Josiah. The most probable opinion is that which places him between the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities, about the year 715 before the Christian era; and, as the design of this prophet is to denounce ruin upon Nineveh and the Assyrians, for their cruel tyranny over the Israelites, and as the captivity of the ten tribes took place in the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel (2 Kings xvii. 6, &c. compared with 2 Kings xviii. 9-11.), it is most likely that Nahum prophesied against the Assyrians for the comfort of the people of God towards the close of Hezekiah's reign, and not long after the subversion of the kingdom of Israel by Shal maneser. [There is an Assyrian Elkosh not very far from Nineveh; and some suppose that Nahum, a Hebrew exile, dwelt there. But the 1 Dr. Hales, Analysis of Chronology, vol. ii. book i. pp. 462, 463., or pp. 423-426. (edit. 1830). [Hales's arrangement is hardly to be justified: his expressions also are somewhat extravagant. Comp. Henderson, Minor Prophets, note on v. 1.] 2 Lowth, Lectures, vol. ii. p. 98. See Kitto's Cycl. of Bibl. Lit. art. Micah. |