rection. He prophesied "in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah,
kings of Judah." His prophetic activity began, therefore, soon after
that of Isaiah, and he was contemporary with him, as well as with Hosea
and Amos. His prophecies related to Samaria, the capital city of the
kingdom of Israel, and to Jerusalem (1:1). We find accordingly
denunciations against Samaria intermingled with his prophecies
concerning Judah and Jerusalem. The people, moreover, are spoken of
under the name of Jacob and Israel where, sometimes at least, as in
chap. 3:9, Judah must be included. It is generally thought that the book
of Micah contains only a summary of his prophecies, prepared perhaps in
the days of Hezekiah. But this is not certain; for the reference in
Jeremiah 26:18 obviously relates only to the particular prophecy quoted
there.

13. The book is commonly distributed into three sections: chaps. 1 and
2; chaps. 3, 4, and 5; and chaps. 6 and 7. Each of these opens with a
summons to hear God's message, and then proceeds with expostulations and
threatenings, which are succeeded by glorious promises. The second of
these sections, which is the largest and contains the most extended
promises, is addressed more particularly to the rulers of the people.
The style of Micah is bold, vehement, and abrupt. His sudden transitions
sometimes make his writings difficult of interpretation. He abounds in
striking images, taken to a great extent, like those of Amos, from
pastoral and rural life. Micah has one remarkable prophecy common to him
with Isaiah. Chap. 4:1-3 compared with Isaiah 2:2-4. From the connection
of the context the passage in Micah is generally thought to be the
original. Besides this there is a general agreement between the two
prophets in their representations; and especially in the manner in which
they perpetually mingle stern rebukes and threatenings with glorious
promises relating to the Messiah and his kingdom. The remarkable
prophecy concerning the Messiah's birth (chap. 5:2) is quoted with some
variations in Matt. 2:5, 6, and referred to in John 7:42. The Saviour's
words, as recorded in Matt. 10:35, 36; Mark 13:12; Luke 12:53 contain an
obvious reference to Micah 7:6.

VII. NAHUM.

14. Nahum is called "the Elkoshite," probably from Elkosh, a village of
Galilee, which Jerome (Introduction to Nahum) mentions as pointed out to
him by his guide. The tradition which assigns for the place of his birth
and residence the modern