lord of the vineyard: and the ordinary description of the prophets, under the old dispensation, is that

all through the reign of Rehoboam: 2 Kings xii. 22: 2 Chron. xi. 2; xii. 5. 7. 15.

In the reign of Asa, we meet with the name of Azariah, the son of Oded, the prophet, 2 Chron. xv. 1-8; and with that of Hanani, the seer, 2 Chron. xvi. 7.

In the first year of the reign of Baasha, king of Israel, we meet with the name of Jehu, the son of Hanani, as prophet; 1 Kings xvi. 1. 7-12; and he was prophesying down to the end of the reign of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah; 2 Chron. xix. 2; xx. 34.

The first mention of Elijah as prophet occurs, 1 Kings xvii. 1, soon after the beginning of the reign of Ahab; and he was still prophesying in the reign of Ahaziah his son ; 2 Kings i.3, &c.: and mention occurs of a writing sent in his name, to Jehoram king of Judah, even after the death of Ahijah; 2 Chron. xxi. 12—15.

The number of the prophets, in the reign of Ahab, before their destruction by Jezebel, may be inferred from the fact, that at the time of this destruction, one hundred of them were concealed by Obadiah, and screened from destruction, if not permanently, at least for a time; 1 Kings xviii. 4. 13. Nor is it probable they were less numerous at that time, than the prophets of Baal, four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the grove, four hundred, under the patronage of Jezebel, when these were destroyed by Elijah; 1 Kings xviii. 19-40. Cf. xvi. 33.

In the reign of Ahab, too, we meet with the mention of two, if not three prophets, 1 Kings xx. 13–22. 28. 35. 41. The last of these is described merely as a certain man of the sons of the prophets; but it is probable, that he was the same who is described chap. xxii. 8, and 2 Chron. xviii. 7, as Micaiah the son of Imlah, and said to be labouring under the king's displeasure at the time, as one who prophesied no good for him, but evil; and so Josephus understood it, Ant. Jud. viii. xiv. 5. This last expedition against the Syrians, recorded 1 Kings xxii., was only three years later than the particulars recorded before, xx. 28-43. At this time also, mention occurs of as many as four hundred prophets, xxii. 6; but it is clear from the context, and especially from the next verse, that these were not prophets of

of messengers who came to the people, and were sent in the name of the Lord. They appeared there

the Lord, properly so called, but false prophets of some kind or another. Jahaziel also, the son of Zechariah, a Levite, is mentioned as raised up to prophesy, in the reign of Jehoshaphat; and likewise Eliezer, the son of Dodavah ; both, after the death of Ahab, and in the reign of his son Ahaziah: 2 Chron. xx. 14. 20. 37.

Elisha is first mentioned as destined to be appointed to the prophetical office, instead of Elijah, 1 Kings xix. 16. 19-22: in the reign of Ahab. He succeeded accordingly, upon the ascension of Elijah, in the beginning of the reign of Jehoram, or at the end of the reign of Ahaziah, both of them his sons; 2 Kings ii. 9—15. The ministry of Elisha extended to the reign of Joash, or Jehoash, the grandson of Jehu, king of Israel, 2 Kings xiii. 14-25, through a period of nearly sixty years, at least. Through the whole of this time repeated allusions occur to the " sons of the prophets," as 2 Kings ii. 3. 5.7. 15, 16; iv. 1. 38; vi. 1; ix. 1—4.

Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, the high-priest, is to be reckoned with the prophets, when he was put to death, in the reign of Joash, king of Judah; 2 Chron. xxiv. 20-22. Cf. verse 19.

Mention occurs of one man of God, in the reign of Amaziah, king of Judah, 2 Chron. xxv. 7: and of another, called a prophet, ibid. 15.

In the reign of Jeroboam the second, king of Israel, Jonah the son of Amittai, of Gath-hepher, is mentioned, as prophet, either in that reign, or before it; 1 Kings xiv. 25; and with this mention of Jonah historically, begins the series or line of the prophets in succession, sixteen in number, whose writings make part of the canon of scripture. Of this number, Amos was prophesying in the reign of Jeroboam the second, king of Israel, and of Uzziah, king of Judah; Amos i. 1; vii. 9, 10, 11: and Hosea, in the reign of Jeroboam the second, and that of Uzziah also, down to the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah; Hosea i. 1; probably down to the sixth of his reign, when Samaria was taken by Shalmanezer, 2 Kings xviii. 10: for the kingdom of Israel was obviously yet in being, while Hosea was prophesying. Isaiah was prophesying in the reigns of Uzziah,

fore in the possession of a personal character, derived from their vicarious relation to the God of Israel.

Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, Isaiah i. 1; vi. 1; vii. 1; xiv. 28; xx. 1; xxxv. 1: Cf. 2 Kings xix. 2: 2 Chron. xxvi. 22; xxxii. 20. 32: and in the reign of Manasseh his son, by whom he is said to have been put to death. Zechariah is mentioned as one who had understanding in the visions of God, 2 Chron. xxvi. 5; and coming early in the reign of Uzziah, he was probably much more ancient than Isaiah. A prophet called Oded, likewise, was contemporary with the reign of Ahaz, king of Judah, and Pekah, king of Israel, 2 Chron. xxviii. 9. Micah also was prophesying in the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah; Micah i. 1; see also Jeremiah xxvi. 18. Prophets of the Lord are mentioned generally, as ministering in the discharge of their proper Divine commission, under Manasseh, 2 Kings xxi. 10. Jeremiah was ordained to the prophetical office in the thirteenth year of Josiah, and continued to prophesy, down to the captivity, in the eleventh of Zedekiah; and after that in Egypt also: Jeremiah, i. 2, 3; iii. 6; xxi. 1; xxii. 11. 24. 28; xxv. l. 3; xxvi. 1; xxvii. 20; xliii. &c.: Cf. 2 Chron. XXXV. 25; xxxvi. 21. Zephaniah also was prophesying in the days of Josiah Zephaniah i. 1. Huldah, the wife of Shallum, is mentioned as prophetess, in the eighteenth of Josiah, 2 Kings xxii. 3. 14: 2 Chron. xxxiv. 22. Urijah, the son of Shemaiah, prophesied in the reign of Jehoiakim, Jeremiah xxvi. 20-23.

With regard to those other four of the minor prophets, whose writings make part of the canon of scripture, Joel, Obadiah, Nahum, and Habakkuk, though the times when they were prophesying are not specified by their own testimony, it is certain that they all came before the captivity of the kingdom of Judah, and some of them probably before that of the kingdom of Israel. For the interval during the Babylonish captivity, the ministry of Ezekiel and Daniel carries on the order of prophetical succession without interruption; the former from the fifth of Jehoiachin's captivity, Ezek. i. 1, 2, down to the twenty-fifth, at least, Ezek. xl. 1: the latter, from the third of Jehoiakim, to the first of Cyrus, Daniel i. 1—21, which is in fact from B. C. 606, the beginning of the captivity, to B. C. 536, the close of it. Cf. also Daniel vi. 28; ix. 1; x. 1.

After

They were his ambassadors to his people, and like Moses and Joshua, his mediators, in all communi

After the return from Babylon, the succession is perpetuated in Haggai, who began to prophesy in the second of Darius Hystaspis, i. 1. 15; ii. 1. 10. 19, 20, and in Zechariah, who also began to prophesy in the second of Darius, Zechariah i. 1.7 and was prophesying at least in the fourth, afterwards; vii. 1: Cf. Ezra v. 1; vi. 14: Nehemiah viii. 2. 9; xii. 26. 36. Prophets existing and preaching at the time when the second temple began to be built, that is, directly with the return from captivity, are alluded to generally, Zech. viii. 9.

The mission of Ezra, after this, bears date from the seventh of Artaxerxes Longimanus, Ezra vii. 1. 7. 8: and Ezra must be numbered with the prophets. The book of Malachi, the last of the prophetical writings which forms a part of the canon, was by the Jewish church commonly ascribed to him. The mission of Nehemiah again bears date from the twentieth of the same reign; Nehemiah i. 1; ii. 1, and extends to the thirty-second, v. 14; xiii. 6: and Ezra and Nehemiah were contemporaries, viii. 2-9 and Nehemiah himself, as his history forms part of the sacred canon, must be numbered among the prophets. The existence of false prophets, at a given time, is a necessary argument of the still continued existence of true, at the same time; and false prophets, it appears from Nehemiah vi. 7. 14, there were still even in the time of Nehemiah; two of whom he mentions by name, Shemaiah a prophet (vi. 10) and Noadiah a prophetess, vi. 14. The book of Esther too, which closes the historical canon of scripture, must have been written by some one who possessed the authority of inspiration; and this book in my opinion belongs to the reign of Artaxerxes Ochus, and consequently brings down the succession of prophecy, or of inspiration, to within a few years of the transition of the Persian, into the Grecian empire.

Among the means provided for the perpetuity of the succession of the prophets, after their order had been established, one probably was the institution of the schools of the prophets. Upon the precise nature of these institutions, and the purposes to which they were devoted, it would be hazardous to pronounce a definite opinion; though it is most probable that they were

cations between himself and them. The authority of the prophetical office, as transferred from the

intended as schools to bring up and train in the study of the Law, and in the knowledge of their peculiar duties, the youth of the priests and the Levites, who by the appointment of the Law itself, were not only the officiating ministers in the service of the tabernacle, or temple, but the teachers and instructors of the rest of the people, and the administrators of justice too, in their behalf. But as to the time of their institution, and to what authority they are to be ascribed; there is no proof that they were in existence before the institution of the order of prophets, in the person of Samuel: but there is proof that they were already in being not long after his consecration to the prophetical office; and consequently it is most probable they were founded by him. Allusion occurs to Saul's being to meet a company of prophets, a little before his appointment to the dignity of king, under such circumstances as imply there was an establishment of them then, at Bethel in particular; or else at Gilgal; 1 Sam. x. 3. 5. 6—13. 8: (Cf. xi. 15, and xiii. 8.): and long after this, 1 Sam. xix. 18-24. there is evidence of the existence of such an institution as a school of the prophets, or a society of the prophets, at Naioth in Ramah, still in the lifetime of Samuel, though late in the reign of Saul. And from what is then said, of their being found by the messengers of Saul, sent to apprehend David, employed in prophesying, and Samuel's standing over them as appointed; verse 20—we may justly infer that they were under the superintendance and direction of the chief prophet, whosoever he was, and all their exercises, whatever they were, whether of prayer or praise to God, or of any other kind, were performed under his eye, and personal inspection.

It is not easy to trace the history of these establishments from the time of Samuel downwards, by the aid of such scanty notices as remain in respect to them. We may presume, however, that the prophets of the Lord, when spoken of collectively, and in any number at once, more especially when said to have been cut off at once, by any of the persecuting kings for the time being, (for example, 1 Kings xvii. 4. 13. 22; xix. 10. 14.) mean the members of these institutions; and that allusions to