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In order that we may be able to consider these times, let us go back a
little to earlier times. At the beginning of the book of the prophet
Hosea, who is placed first of twelve, it is written, "The word of
the Lord which came to Hoses in the days of Uzziah, Jothan,
Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah." Amos also writes that he
prophesied in the days of Uzziah, and adds the name of Jeroboam king
of Israel, who lived at the same time. Isaiah the son of Amos,
either the above-named prophet, or, as is rather affirmed, another
who was not a prophet, but was called by the same name, also puts at
the head of his book these four kings named by Hosea, saying by way of
preface that he prophesied in their days. Micah also names the same
times as those of his prophecy, after the days of Uzziah; for he
names the same three kings as Hosea named, Jotham, Ahaz, and
Hezekiah. We find from their own writings that these men prophesied
contemporaneously. To these are added Jonah in the reign of Uzziah,
and Joel in that of Jotham, who succeeded Uzziah. But we can find
the date of these two prophets in the chronicles, Dot in their own
writings, for they say nothing about it themselves. Now these days
extend from Procas king of the Latins. or his predecessor
Aventinus, down to Romulus king of the Romans, or even to the
beginning of the reign of his successor Numa Pompilius. Hezekiah
king of Judah certainly reigned till then. So that thus these
fountains of prophecy, as I may call them, burst forth at once during
those times when the Assyrian kingdom failed and the Roman began; so
that, just as in the first period of the Assyrian kingdom Abraham
arose, to whom the most distinct promises were made that all nations
should be blessed in his seed, so at the beginning of the western
Babylon, in the time of whose government Christ was to come in whom
these promises were to be fulfilled, the oracles of the prophets were
given not only in spoken but in written words, for a testimony that so
great a thing should come to pass. For although the people of Israel
hardly ever lacked prophets from the time when they began to have
kings, these were only for their own use, not for that of the
nations.
But when the more manifestly prophetic Scripture began to be formed,
which was to benefit the nations too, it was fitting that it should
begin when this city was founded which was to rule the nations.
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