java.lang.ExceptionInInitializationError in spring-test 4.2.3 - junit

Question

I am getting this java.lang.ExceptionInInitializationError when I use the 4.2.3.RELEASE version of spring-test. However, the code works fine with the 4.0.5.RELEASE. I'm using Junit 4.7. Can someone please help me figure out why the version change induces this error? All my other spring jars are on 4.2.3.RELEASE version
My test looks like this:
#RunWith(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.class)
#ContextConfiguration(locations={"classpath:/servlet-context.xml","classpath:root-context.xml"})
public class TestCarFactory {
#Autowired
private ICarFactory carFactory;
#Test
public void testCarFactory() {
String audiMName = carFactory.getCar("Audi").getCarManufacturer();
String lexusMName= carFactory.getCar("Lexus").getCarManufacturer();
String hondaMName = carFactory.getCar("Honda").getCarManufacturer();
assertEquals("Volkswagen", audiMName);
assertEquals("Toyota", lexusMName);
assertEquals("Honda", hondaMName);
}
}
The exception trace:
java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(NativeConstructorAccessorImpl.java:57)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.newInstance(DelegatingConstructorAccessorImpl.java:45)
at java.lang.reflect.Constructor.newInstance(Constructor.java:526)
at org.junit.internal.builders.AnnotatedBuilder.buildRunner(AnnotatedBuilder.java:31)
at org.junit.internal.builders.AnnotatedBuilder.runnerForClass(AnnotatedBuilder.java:24)
at org.junit.runners.model.RunnerBuilder.safeRunnerForClass(RunnerBuilder.java:57)
at org.junit.internal.builders.AllDefaultPossibilitiesBuilder.runnerForClass(AllDefaultPossibilitiesBuilder.java:29)
at org.junit.runners.model.RunnerBuilder.safeRunnerForClass(RunnerBuilder.java:57)
at org.junit.internal.requests.ClassRequest.getRunner(ClassRequest.java:24)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit4.runner.JUnit4TestLoader.createUnfilteredTest(JUnit4TestLoader.java:84)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit4.runner.JUnit4TestLoader.createTest(JUnit4TestLoader.java:70)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit4.runner.JUnit4TestLoader.loadTests(JUnit4TestLoader.java:43)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:444)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:675)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.run(RemoteTestRunner.java:382)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.main(RemoteTestRunner.java:192)
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalStateException: Failed to find class [org.junit.runners.model.MultipleFailureException]: SpringJUnit4ClassRunner requires JUnit 4.9 or higher.
at org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.<clinit>(SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.java:102)
... 17 more

Answer 1

This is a duplicate of this issue: Why the cryptic MultipleFailureException error message with the SpringJUnit4ClassRunner.withAfterClasses method
Perhaps more importantly, why did you not actually read the stack trace?!
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalStateException: Failed to find class [org.junit.runners.model.MultipleFailureException]: SpringJUnit4ClassRunner requires JUnit 4.9 or higher.
SpringJUnit4ClassRunner requires JUnit 4.9 or higher.
That says it all.