use, that by the repentance the
execution of that sentence of punishment had been repealed. From the
nature of the case, and from that Mosaic regulation, it follows that
special announcements expressed absolutely must be fulfilled
absolutely; and not a single fact in the history of prophetism [Pg 470]
stands in contradiction to this truth. Jonah's announcement to Nineveh,
indeed, has been appealed to; but, in reply, we remark simply, that the
words of that announcement have not been communicated to us, while we
see from the result that it was conditional only. Such a decided
repentance would scarcely have been called forth by it among the
inhabitants of Nineveh, had repentance not been expressly declared in
it as a means of deliverance. 3. Micah everywhere goes hand in
hand with his contemporary Isaiah. But the latter always opposes
energetically the despondency of Judah in the face of Asshur, and
declares that his proud power would be broken at Jerusalem (as had been
already prophesied by Hosea in i. 4-7), and that, while the kingdom of
the ten tribes would be destroyed, Judah would experience the
protecting hand of the Lord. _Caspari_ contradicts himself in thus
making these two men of God to differ in so essential a point. For a
man like _Hitzig_, it may be quite befitting to say, "Micah did not
possess the firm, courageous faith which was displayed by Isaiah." 4.
It is quite impossible to get rid of the obvious parallelism of the
passage under consideration with Is. xxxix. 6, 7, where the rising of
the Babylonish empire, the destruction of the Davidic kingdom by it,
and the carrying away of Judah to Babylon, are clearly and distinctly
predicted. And in a number of other prophecies, Isaiah likewise
declares or supposes, that that which the Assyrians threatened in vain,
would at some future period, when the iniquity of the people had become
full, be carried out by Babylon with her Chaldeans. It is scarcely
conceivable how _Caspari_, acknowledging as he does the genuineness of
these prophecies of Isaiah, could think of dissevering from them the
prophecy now under consideration.--Declarations like that before us,
where, in clear and distinct outlines, a future event is foretold one
hundred and fifty years before it takes place, inflict a death-blow
upon the naturalistic view of the prophetic institution, as is
sufficiently evident from _Hitzig's_ embarrassment, and from his
efforts to free himself from the bands of this