The prophets that have been before me— Namely, Joel, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habbakuk, and others. Jeremiah offers two reason's in defence of his own prophesies, and against those of Hananiah. First, That many other prophets agreed with him in prophesying evil against the Jews, and other neighbouring people; whereas, Hananiah being single in his predictions, nothing less than the perfect answering of the event could give him the authority of a true prophet. Secondly, That, considering the corruption of the people's manners, it was highly probable that God would punish their iniquities. This is one of the principles laid down by Maimonides, whereby to judge a true prophet: "He is a true prophet (says he) who is not deceived in foretelling things future:" and this principle is deduced from Jeremiah 28:9. See Deuteronomy 18:22 and Chandler's "Defence." Instead of prophesied, we may read, have prophesied; and instead of, the word of the prophet, in the next verse, the word of that prophet.

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