Biographies of the Prophets

Amos the prophet. He was born in Theku from the land of Zebulun. He is the father of Isaiah the prophet. However, Amaziah the priest of Bethel often beat him with a drum and mocked him in a seat; but finally, the son of Amaziah struck him down with a club upon the temple, because he was rebuking him concerning the two golden calves in the seat. Still breathing, he came to his own land; and he died and was buried there with his fathers.

Micaiah the prophet. He was born in Morath from the tribe of Ephraim. This man did much for Ahab, the king of Judah; but he is violently killed by Jehoram his son, having been struck down, because he rebuked him concerning his own ungodliness and that of his fathers which they had done. Having died, he was buried in Morath in his land alone, near the mighty man; and his tomb is well-known even to this present day.

Joel the prophet. He was from the village of Beth-hem in the land of Reuben; and he prophesied much concerning Jerusalem and the end of the nations. Seeing death, he died in peace and was buried gloriously in Beth-hem in his own land.

Abdiiah the prophet. He was from Sychem, from the village of Beth-hacchemam. He is the third fifty-man whom Elijah the Thespian appointed, and he went down and came to the king. After these things, having left his royal rank, he attached himself to the prophet Elijah and became his disciple; and he was saved through him by enduring much. Having died, he was buried in the village of Beth-hacchemam with his fathers.

Jonah the prophet. He was therefore from the land of Kiriath-jearim near the Greek city of Azotus by the sea. At that time, Elijah the prophet was rebuking Ahab the king of Samaria, and having called a great famine upon the land, he fled into the wilderness; and he was fed by the ravens, and he drank water from the brook. When the brook dried up, he thirsted. He went to Sarepta of the Sidonians to a poor widow, who was the mother of Jonah, and he entered her house; and he did to her as she commanded him. He ate and blessed her with grain and oil, and he stayed with her. For he was unable to stay, and having died the son, God raised Jonah alive through Elijah and gave him back living to his mother because of her hospitality.

When Jonah reached manhood, he was sent to Nineveh to the Assyrians. Jonah sought to depart from the Lord and was overcome by the desire to go to Tarshish; but having come out of the ship, he proclaimed the destruction of Nineveh. And the Ninevites repented toward God and received mercy. Jonah was grieved, and having turned back, he did not stay in his own land, but taking his mother...