§ 234.

THEIR LITERARY CHARACTER.

In the style of his discourse, Amos is, perhaps, the most regular of all the prophets. He loves what is uniform and measured.. (i. 2, ii. 16, iv. 6—11, vii. 1—6, ix. 2-4.) He loves detail. (iii. 3—6, vi. 4—6, 9, 10.) He is not without force and elevation. (iv. 13, v. 8, viii. 7, sqq., ix. 5, 6.) His figures are original and fresh. Jerome says, "Amos the prophet was a shepherd of the shepherds; a shepherd not in cultivated places set with. trees and vines, nor indeed among groves and green meadows, but in the wide wilderness of the desert, where lions display their fierceness, and the flocks are devoured, and he uses the language derived from his occupation." His rhythm is finished and periodical. Sometimes he writes in regular strophes. (i. ii.) He makes use of symbols with moderation and good taste. His language, with a few departures from the usual orthography, is pure and elegant."

a

and carried out with more art.

i. 2, is borrowed from Joel iv. 16.

, instead of ; vi. 8.

According to Credner, Amos refers to Joel: Chap. i. 3, 6, 9, sqq., confirm Joel's threats. Jerome on Amos, i. 2. Comp. ii. 13, iii. 4, 5, 12, iv. 1, vi. 12, vii. 1, 2. i, for i; v. 11. Jerome, Com. in Am., says, Imperitus sermone, [?] sed non scientia. [Eichhorn says, his chief merit, as a writer, is great power of delineation. His painting often speaks so clearly to the senses, that little groups proceed from his hands. Many passages seem as if selected from a collection of miniatures; and, if a painter were to copy them, the loveliest scenes would be produced:

"As if a man fled from a lion,

And a bear met him," &c. (v. 19, iv. 8, vi. 10, &c.)

He is the first among the old prophets who clothed his oracles in visions. The same power of painting individual scenes led to this choice. His imagination is sufficiently rich to enable him to paint several sides of the same

object, and each time with naturalness and fidelity, and thereby he is always new. Under what manifold forms does he represent tyranny, and the omnipotence of God! When he paints the golden age, how does one figure vie with the others in his delineation! In his hands every thing becomes local and individual; nothing is expressed generally, but all in the individual form. Many of his images and similes are derived from rural scenes; fields and vineyards, herds and droves, are ever present before him. His vocation of herdsman probably led him to use images derived from a dry and parched land, and proverbial expressions. He is not unhappy in the invention of new figures, though he commonly uses those of his predecessors. He makes a new application of the figure of the sun,-in the day of adversity, delaying to rise, and first appearing at noon. His graphic account of the extreme fertility of the land is new:

"The plougher shall draw near to the reaper,

And the treader of grapes to the sower of the seed." (ix. 13.)

Since the fulfilment of his prophecies was near at hand, they have a peculiar definiteness. He mentions the place to which the Syrians are to be transferred, namely, the River Kir. He describes the destiny of the Israelites definitely. All shall not be destroyed, but the best part of them shall return to their native land. Yet, here and there, he leaves obscurity still hanging over his oracles. The children of Israel shall go into a land beyond Damascus; but he leaves it indefinite what land it shall be. It is undecided whether the wanton woman of Israel shall be carried into Armenia, or into the harem of a foreign king. (iv. 3.) Eichhorn, § 566. Jerome has accused him of inexpertness in the use of language; but this only arises from the supposition that he was merely a shepherd, and a man of no literary education. But the same objections brought against him on account of his grammar and orthography, might be urged against the author of every book in the Old Testament. The opinion of Bishop Lowth seems to be more correct -"Let any person who has candor and perspicuity enough to judge, not from the man, but from his writings, open the volume of his predictions, and he will, I think, agree that our shepherd is not a whit behind the very chief of the prophets. He will agree that as in sublimity and magnificence he is almost equal to the greatest, so in splendor of diction and elegance of expression he is scarcely inferior to any. The same celestial Spirit, indeed, actuated Isaiah and Daniel in the court, and Amos in the sheepfold, constantly selecting such interpreters as were best adapted to the occasion, and sometimes from the mouth of babes and sucklings perfecting praise." See Lowth, lect. xxi. Also, Knobel, 1. c. vol. ii. p. 143–153.]

IV. OBADIAH."

§ 235.

CONTENTS, AND DATE OF HIS PROPHECY.

False combinations of 1 Kings xviii. 3, and 2 Ch. xvii. 7, have been made, in order to show that our prophet was mentioned in these passages. But his history is wholly unknown to us. Only a single oracle has come down from him, and that contains a censure and menace directed against the Edomites, who had been malicious and hostile to the Jews, at the destruction of Jerusalem. Compare Lam. iv. 21, 22, Ezek. XXXV. Ps. cxxxvii. 7.

The date of the composition of this book must be placed after the destruction of Jerusalem, and the captivity of the Jews; for "the captives of Israel" and "Jerusalem" are mentioned in verse 20.'

This prophecy is related to that in Jer. xlix. 7, sqq., and it is still matter of controversy which is the

Obad. Ebr. et Chald., &c. Auct. Joa. Leusden.

......

Aug. Pfeifferi Comm. in Obad. exhibens Vers. Lat. et Examen Coinmentarii Is. Abarbanelis, &c.; Viteb. 1666; ed. 2, 1670, 4to.

Der Prophet Obad. aus. d. bibl. u. weltl. Hist. erl. u. m. theol. Anmerkk. vers., von J. G. Schröer; Bresl. 1766.

J. B. Köhler, Anmerkk. ü. ein. St. im Obad. in Rep. vol. xv. p. 250, sqq. Chr. Fr. Schnurrer, Dissertatt. philol. in Obadiam, Tub. 1787, 4to., and Dissertatt., Goth. 1790, p. 383, sqq.

H. Venema Lectt. in Obad., mit Zusätzen von Verschuir u. Lohze, in Verschuir, Opusc. ed. Lohze; Ultraj. 1810.

Translated by Happach, Cob. 1779; Holzapfel, Rint. 1798.

See Jerome, ad Obad. 1. Carpzov, p. 332. [See C. L. Hendewerk, Obadja Prophetæ Oraculum in Idumæos, &c., (Regiomonti Program. 1836,) reviewed in Jahrbücher für wiss. Kritik. for 1836, vol. ii. p. 852, sqq.]

original and independent production." Obadiah mentions the captivity of the Jews, (verse 20,) and the malicious joy of the Edomites at the destruction of Jerusalem. (verses 11-14.) On the contrary, Jeremiah wrote his oracle in the fourth year of Jehoiakim." Jeremiah seems to have a definite expectation of the punishment of the Edomites by Nebuchadnezzar, (xlix. 19, sqq.,) which, it seems, never took place, while

The following writers believe that Jeremiah is the original author: Bertholdt, p. 1631; Von Cölln, A. L. Z. 1828; Erg. Blat. xvi. p. 122; Bib. Theol. vol. i. p. 55; Credner, Joel, p. 81; Knobel, vol. ii. p. 327; Hitzig, p. 341, sqq. The following favor the originality of Obadiah: Eichhorn, § 512, sqq.; Schnurrer, p. 427; Rosenmüller; Jäger, Ub. die Zeit. Obadjah, 1837; and Hendewerk.

Arguments may be found on both sides. Thus the difficult (Jer. verse 16) is omitted in Obad. verse 3. On the other hand, the unsuitable (Obad. verse 1) is exchanged for , (Jer. verse 14,) which may

be an easier substitute. In Obad. verse 2, is obscurer than 712, sc. 77, (Jer. verse 15;) so in Obad. verse 5, compared with Jer. verse 9. Obad. verse 17 is dependent on Joel iii. 5.

It is probable this, like the similar oracles of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, was never fulfilled. Josephus (Ant. x. 9, 7) says nothing of Edom's destruction, as Bertholdt maintains. (See Gesenius's introduction to chap. xxxiv., sq., of Isaiah, [and the valuable article of Dr. Robinson, on Ancient Idumea, or Edom, in Bib. Repository, vol. ii. p. 247, sqq.) Dr. R. differs from De Wette in regard to the fulfilment of this oracle, and says, (l. c. p. 258,) « The opinion that the Edomites, notwithstanding their alliance with the Chaldeans, escaped the lot of the Jews, and other surrounding nations, so as not to be brought under subjection to the proud monarch of Babylon, is not in itself probable; and there would seem, indeed, to be a direct allusion to such an event in Mal. i. 2, 3. But, however this may be," he adds, "they were, at least, not carried away captive." Gesenius (1. c. p. 906) justly thinks Edom was spared by Nebuchadnezzar; indeed, there seems to be no reason why he should make war with the Edomites, who had taken his side, and furnished him forces so early. (Obad. 11–15.)] Eichhorn's conjecture — that Nebuchadnezzar conquered Edom a few years after the destruction of Jerusalem is merely conjecture. [He thinks, also, the five last verses were interpolated into the text, in the time of Alexander Jannæus. But there appears no reason for the suspicion.]

See § 219, a. Verse 12 is to be judged according to xxv. 17, sqq.

Obadiah hopes only in general for a day of judgment from Jehovah, and the return of the exiles. (verses 15, 20.) Accordingly, Obadiah wrote later, and made use of Jeremiah from recollection. It is probable the book received its present place in the canon, on account of the reference to Edom, in Amos ix. 12.a

[It is difficult to determine the literary character of a prophet who has left us so few lines. However, he is not wanting in strength or vivacity. His language is pure, and his thoughts noble. Theocratic arrogance, and national antipathy towards foreign nations, are too obvious to be denied. Yet his hatred towards other nations is not so deep and deadly as that of some of his younger contemporaries. In style, he resembles the better and more elevated passages of Jeremiah and Zephaniah. Sometimes his figures are bold and striking. (verses 4, 18.) He is fond of questions; and, for the sake of emphasis, repeats a thought in a different form. (verses 12-14.)]

V. JONAH."

§ 236.

CHARACTER OF THE BOOK, JUDGING FROM ITS CONTENTS.

Among works which are prophecies, in the proper sense of the word, there is one small book in the collec

• See Schnurrer, 1. c. p. 432.

Jo. Gerhardi Annotatt. in Proph. Am. et Jon.

Jonas illustratus per paraph. Chald., Masoram m. et p. et per trium præ