The dealings of the Lord with Jonah in the waters brought him to reflection, so that when the command came the second time to "go unto Ninevah," he was prepared by what he had seen and felt of the justice and mercy of the Lord to obey. He accordingly "arose and went," and proclaimed the message he was commissioned to deliver. Penitence so deep and effectual was felt by the people, that God reversed the sentence, and saved them.

What then thought the prophet?

His hasty and inconsiderate spirit was vexed that his prediction was not fulfilled.

He had more respect to his high sense of his own honor than he had of the goodness and mercy of the Lord. He appeared to care little whether six hundred and twenty thousand persons were destroyed or not, so he might not pass for a deceiver, or one that denounced a falsity.

His proud heart raised to the God of Heaven an impious prayer, to take his life from him, that he might be spared the mortification and disgrace of being thought a false prophet.

Thoughtless man! slow to learn the lessons of heavenly wisdom.

Some have thought the writings of Jonah a mere allegory; others that it is a parable, intending to point out God's jus tice and mercy, and how prevalent repentance is to turn aside the threatened stroke of Divine wrath.

But the appeal made to the main facts of this history by our Lord, proves that we are to admit of no allegorical exposition of these facts.

1. There was such a person as Jonah.

2. That he was swallowed by a sea monster, in whose belly he was miraculously preserved three days and three nights.

3. This same prophet preached to the Ninevites; and they repented, and turned from their sins under his ministry. This testimony puts an end to all mythological, allegorical and hypothetical interpretations of these great facts.

It has been said, that God left the example of Jonah on record, to show that an inconsiderate man is not fit to be

employed in his work; and he chose this one example that it might serve as an endless warning to his church to employ no man in the work of the ministry that is not scripturally acquainted with God's justice and mercy.

CHAPTER XXI.

Micah.

BREVITY OF WRITINGS ARISING FROM HIS CONSTANT ENGAGEMENT IN EXHORTING PUBLICLY; SUBLIMITY OF HIS PASSAGES; THE LORD'S

CONTROVERSY.

ICAH, the Morasthite, or of Moresa, a village near the city Eleutheropolis, in the southern part of Judah, is the sixth in order of the twelve minor prophets. He prophesied under Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, for about fifty years. Notwithstanding the length of time he exercised this office, no more of his prophesies have reached posterity than what are contained in his book, nor is there any evidence that any more was written. His time appears to have been spent chiefly in preaching and exhorting; and he was directed to write those parts only that were calculated to profit succeeding generations.

It has been observed that Micah was of the kingdom of Judah, as he only makes mention of kings who reigned over that country.

It is supposed that he prophesied farther on in the reign of Hezekiah than Hosea did; although chapter fifth of his book was written before the captivity of the ten tribes, which happened in the sixth year of this king. It is plain, however, from his writings, that he was sent both to Israel and Judah. The prophesy of Micah contains but seven chapters.

He foretells the calamities of Samaria, which was taken by Shalmaneser, and reduced to a heap of stones. Afterward he prophesies against Judah and declares the troubles that

Sennacherib should bring upon it, under the reign of Hezekiah. He speaks the captivity of the ten tribes, and their return into their own country. The third chapter contains a pathetic invective against the princes of the house of Jacob, and the judges of the house of Israel; which seems leveled against the chief of the kingdom of the former, the judges, the magistrates, the priests, the false prophets, &c.

He upbraids them with their avarice, their injustice and falsehood; and tells them they will be the occasion of Jerusalem being reduced to a "heap of rubbish," and the mountain of the temple as a forest.

We are told this prophecy was pronounced in the reign of Hezekiah; and that it saved Jeremiah from death.

After these terrible denunciations, Micah speaks of the reign of the Messiah, and of the establishment of the christian church. And as the peaceable times which succeeded the return from the Babylonish captivity, and which were a figure of the reign of Christ, were disturbed by a tempest of short continuance, he foretold it in such a manner as agrees very well with what Ezekiel says of the war of Gog against the Jews.

He speaks in particular of the birth of the Messiah; that he was to be born at Bethlehem; and that his dominion was to extend to the utmost parts of the earth.

He says that God should raise seven shepherds, who should reign by the sword over Assyria, and in the land of Nimrod; which Calmet explains of Darius, son of Hystaspes; and of the seven confederates that killed the magian, and who pos sessed the empire of the Persians, after the extinction of the family of Cyrus. The fifth chapter, from verse seventh to the end, describes the flourishing estate of the Jews in their own country, from the reign of Darius, and after the Maccabees; yet in such a manner, that he mingles several things in it that can apply only to the church of Jesus Christ.

First, in the two last chapters of his book, is a long invective against the iniquities of Samaria; then he foretells the fall of Babylon; the reëstablishment of the cities of Israel; the greatness of the country possessed by the Israelites; their

happiness; the graces wherewith God will favor them; and all this in such lofty terms, that they chiefly agree with the christian church.

Some of the prophecies of Micah are distinct and illustrious.

We may justly admire the elegance of his diction, his animation, strength of expression, and pathos. There are few beauties of composition, of which examples may not be found in this prophet.

For sublimity and impressiveness in several places, he is unrivaled.

The Lord's controversy is equal to any thing even in the prophet Isaiah, and is calculated to produce a powerful effect on every attentive reader.

Micah, as God's advocate, summons the people into judg ment, and makes an appeal to inanimate creation against them. He had spoken to the priests, to the princes, and to the people. He had done every thing that was necessary to make them wise, holy, and happy; they had uniformly disobeyed, and were ever ungrateful. It was not consistent either with the mercy or justice of God, to permit them to go on without reprehension and punishment. He calls them into judgment; and such was the nature of their crimes, that, to heighten the effect, and show what reason he had to punish such a people, he appeals to inanimate creation. Their ingratitude and rebellion are sufficient to make the mountains, the hills, and the strong foundations of the earth to hear, tremble, and give judgment against them. Thus did this prophet rebuke and exhort, calling upon God to witness to his fidelity and faithfulness.

CHAPTER XXII.

Nahum.

IMPERFECT KNOWLEDGE OF HIS PERSONAL HISTORY; DIVERS OPINIONS CONCERNING HIM; FORETELLS WITH ACCURACY THE FALL OF NINEVEH.

SAHUM, the seventh of the twelve minor prophets, was a native of Elkoshai, a little village of Galilee, whose ruins were still in being in the time of St. Jerome. However, there are some who think that Elkoshai is rather the name of his father, and that the place of his birth was Bethabor, or Bethabara, beyond Jordan.

They used to show the tomb of the prophet at a village called Beth-gabre, now called Gibbin, near Emmaus. The Chaldee calls him Nahum of Beth-koshi, or of Beth-kitsi; but the situation of this place is as much unknown as that of Elkoshai.

The particular circumstances of the life of Nahum are altogether unknown. His name signifies comforter; a very suitable one, as he was sent to comfort the people, by showing them that God was about to destroy their adversaries.

Opinions are divided as to the time in which he prophesied. Josephus will have it that he foretold the fall of Nineveh one hundred and fifteen years before it happened, which will bring the time of Nahum to that of king Ahaz.

The Jews say that he prophesied under Manasseh. It is the opinion of St. Jerome, that he foretold the destruction of Nineveh in the time of Hezekiah, and after the war of Sennacherib in Egypt, mentioned by Berosus.

Nahum speaks plainly of the taking of No-Ammon, a city of Egypt; of the haughtiness of Rabshakeh; of the defeat of Sennacherib; and he speaks of them as things that were past. He supposes that the Jews were still in their own country, and they there celebrated their festivals. He speaks