Nahum 1
DortA devision of the nature of God, that he is strong and severe against his own and peoples enemies, 2 but gracious towards the Godly and them that love him, 7, c. the prophet goeth on threatening the Ninevites with ruin, 8 and comforteth, foretelling them that their Enemy the King of Assyria would be defeated, 15.
1. The burden [this is the common title, or inscription of all the threatening prophets. See Isa. 13 on verse 1 and chapter 15.1 and chapter 17.1 and chapter 19 and 21.1, 11, 13. Jeremiah 23:33, 34. Habakkuk 1:1. Zach. 9.1. and chap 12.1. Malachi 1:1] of Nineve: [or over, upon against concerning the city of Nineve, which once was the chief city of all Assyria: and understand here by Nineve, not only that city itself, but also the whole kingdom of Assyria] the book of vision of Nahum, [i.e. the book in which the vision or the prophecie revealed to Nahum, is described] the Elkosite, [i.e. that was born at Elkos a village of Galilee: or some write, in the tribe of Simeon standing yet in Hieroms time: but no where else mentioned in the scripture. Others hold Elkos to be the name of Nahum’s familie]
2. A jealous God [i.e. God is jealous, to wit, of his honour. See Isa.9.6. not able to suffer any idol to be worshipped and invocated besides him] and an avenger is the LORD, [such a one as will not let the sin committed against his majestie go unpunished: not the Tyrannie practices upon his chosen people] an avenger is the LORD and very fierce: [being most highly offended with those that abuse or persecute his people. Hebr. A LORD, master or possessour of fierceness, or of hot anger. See Gen. 14 on verse 13.] an avenger the LORD is to his adversaries, and he keepeth (the anger) to his enemies. [see the annotate. Psalms 103 on verse 9 and Jer. 3 on verse 5 but on his elect he hath compassion, as a father on his children. See Psalms 103:8, 9, 10, &c]
3. The LORD is long-suffering [see Exod. 34 on verse 6 and Numbers 14:18.] but of great power: and he holds (the guilty) no wayes guiltless [see Exod. 34. on verse 7. others, he shall not hold them to wit, the enemies, guiltless] the LORD’s way is in (a) whirlwinde, and in tempest, the sense is, the Lord shew himself mighty, dreadful and terrible. See Psalms 18:8.] and the clouds are the dust of his feet. [compare Psalms 104:3]
4. He rebuketh the sea [here in this verse the prophet describeth the power which God hath over the seas, rivers and fields, whereof see examples, Exodus 14:22. Isa. 4 and 2 Kings 2. Psalms 66:6 and 106.9 and 107. Luke 8:24. the meaning is, he, that is able to do such things in the waters, and on the land, can likewise it please him, worke a change in the kingdom of Assyria] and maketh it dry, and he drieth up all rivers, [i.e. he is able to do it at his own pleasure] Basan and Carmel wail: [see of Basan, Psalms 22:13 and of Carmel, 2 Kings 19 on verse 23] also the flower of Libanon [i.e. the flowers growing on mount Libanon] wail [viz. because of his anger; or by reason of the great and long continued drought, which frustateth the coming forth of the fruits of the earth.]
5. The mountains tremble before him; and the hills melt away: [compare Mich. 14 and Amos 9:13] and the earth lifts up itself before his face [as the likes happeneth in earth-quakes. Others, the earth burneth before his face] and the world and all that dwell therein, [i.e. if it did please God he could as well destroy the whole world, as he did Sodom and Gomora; or he is able to burn the earth to ashes with extra-ordinary heats and droughts. See 2 Sam 5 on verse 21.]
6. Who shall [or can stand before his fierceness? And who shall [or can] subsist before the heat of his wrath? His indignation is poured forth as fire, and the rocks are bruised by him.
7. The LORD is good, [viz. to them that fear and serve him] he is a strength in the day of distress and he knoweth them that trust in him, [or that hope in him, that is, he doth love and protect and care or provide for as Psalms 1:6 those that betake themselves for refuge to, and trust in him.]
8. And he [to wit, the Lord] shall reduce her, place nothing, [meaning the city of Nineve it self. It being an usual scripture phrase, that the place of a thing is said to perish, when the thing it self perisheth, so Daniel 2:35. Revelation 12:8] with a thorow-passing stood: [i.e. by an hostile invasion, that shall over-run all, God shall utterly destroy it. Or and waiter-thorow-passing stood, he make her (to wit Nineve’s) place destruction i.e. he shall cause, that the place of Nineve, shall be or prove destruction itself, and be reduced to nothing, viz by the Medes and Chaldeans] and darknesse [that is, all kinde of great miseries and calamities, as Joel 2:2. Mich. 7.8 and elsewhere] shall persecute his enemies [viz. goods or his peoples and understand here, by enemies the Assyrians. Oth. He shall cause darknesse to persecute his enemies.
9. What do you divise [ye Assyrians] against [or, of] the Lord? [oth. What do ye imagine, or think of your selves, against [or of] the Lord? [oth. What do ye imagine, or think of your selves, against the Lord, as if he said, God shall not always suffer you, o thou King of Assyria and thou mighty city of Nineve, to bear sway and rage as ye do] he himself [see Jer. The annotate. On verse 27] shall make an utter end: [Heb. He maketh an accomplishment. The present tense is frequently taken for the time to come soon after, as Genesis 13:15 and 19.13, 14 and 48.21 and 50, 5, 24. Jonah 1:3. Matthew 3:10 and 17.11. Acts 27:6. and 1 Cor. 15.35.] the distress shall not rise up twice. [Or, shall not come the second time. The meaning is, God shall so take thee down, O Nineve, by this threatened invasion, that he shall not need to come the second time, or to do it over again; he shall destroy and cut thee off once for all. Others take it in this sense. He shall not suffer his people to be plagued all at once, or with utter destruction.]
10. Because they [the Assyrians] are an tangled one in another as thorns, [i.e. so leagued and combined with other kings and nations. The meaning is, it shall fare with them, as with thorns entangled together, which the husband man not being able to part or pull asunder, doth sling together into the fire, and burns the one with the other. Oth. For they are to the very thorns, i.e. so perplexed, that they betake themselves for refuge to the thornes, there to hide and shelter themselves: it is a token of great perplexity and strait indeed, when one is driven to flee for refuge, where one cannot chuse but be hurt and annoyed. Compare 1 Samuel 13:6] And are drunk, as they use to be drunk. [Heb. And are drunk after or according to their wine, or drunkenesse. Oth. And as being drunk (of) their wine. i.e. they are acted by a perverse spirit, which makes them giddy and reeling, as if were drunk, and this because of their long prosperity, having had all to their wil] therefore they are fully consumed, as dry stubble. [Or therefore they shall he consumed (Heb. Devoured, or eaten up) as whole, or fully dry, stubble]
11. From thee [or, out of thee, O Nineve] there is one gone forth [i.e. shall shortly come forth. See above verse 9] that thinketh evil against the LORD, [i.e. breatheth forth nothing but fire & flame against people of God] a consellour of Belial. [Understand hereby Sanherib and rabsake, who sought & thought to persward the people of God, that God should not be able to deliver them out of their hands. See 2 kings 18.35 and 2 chro. 23 and isa. 26 and of the word Belial, see Deut. 13 on verse 13.]
12. Thus saith the LORD: [Now the prophet turns his speech to those of Jerusalem, whom he comforteth, with the prophecy of the defeat and destruction of the Assyrians] are they prosperous, [Heb. Perfect, or having peace i.e. perfect in power, or prosperous] and so many, so also shall they be shorn, [the prophet Isaiah makes use of this same similitude, chap 7 verse 20. the meaning is, let them be never so powerfull and numerous, the LORD shall nevertheless by his Almighty hand easily pull down and destroy them.] and he shall pass away: [Sanherth namely, 2 kings 19. 25, 36, 37.] I have indeed pressed you, (but) I will presse you no more.
13. But [in this verse God continueth speaking to his people, as in the former verse] now break his [to wit, the king of Assyria his] yoke [i.e. slavery, bondage, servitude. See of the Hebr. Word Jer 27 on verse 2.] From you [Heb. Break up from you i.e. I will take it off broken from your necks, and deliver you from it] and I will tear your bonds [wherewith the king of Assyria is binding and keeping you in bondage] in pieces. [So that ye shall be no more subject and enslaved to him. Compare Psalms 2 verse 3 and see it fulfilled 2 Chro. 36.22 And Ezra 1:4.]
14. Yet against [Or of] thee [to wit, O Nineve, or yee Ninevites, or, O thou King of Assyria] the Lord hath commanded, [namely, to the king of the Medes and of Babylon, to destroy thee and thy people utterly. This God hath, so that it shall come to passé thus, and be executed upon thee and thy people] that there shall be none more sowen; [i.e. thou shalt so wholly and totally be extirpated, that after this, none shall bear so much as thy name any more. Or, that there shall be no further mention made of thee, such as hitherto was made] out of the house of thy God I will destroy the carved images, [i.e. thine idols, which thou didst worship there] (there) [viz in the house of thy God Nisroch. See the Fulfilling of this prophecy, 2 kings 19.37 and Isaiah 37:38.] I will make thee a grave when thou shalt have despiced [to wit, after that with great losse and shame thou shalt be fled out of the land of Juda, whereby thou wast come into great contempt among all nations.]
15. Behold, on the mountains, [Or, upon these these mountains viz. of the land of Juda, it being a mountainous country] the feet of him [or, of one] that bringeth good tidings [or, of an evangelist; understand this of the glad newes, of the great slaughter in the camp of the Assyrians, seconded by that of their kings death. However, this may also well be applied to the spirituall deliverance of the Jewes by Christ] that causeth to hear peace: [i.e. victory and prosperity] keep thy feast-dayes, O Juda, pay thy vowes, [as if he said; now ye people of Juda, may yee freely and publickly again attend your holy worship and give praise and thanks to your God, which for a long time you were hindred and interrupted to doe] for the Beltals (man) [see above verse 11] shall hence forth no more passé thorow you [i.e. he shall not dare any more to march into, nor through your land, with his destroying army as Joel 3:17.] he is wholly destroyed. [To wit his great army as Joel 3:17.] he is wholly destroyed. [To wit his great camp, whereof no lesse then 185000 men were smitten at once by the Angel, and himselfe soon after, by his own sons Adramelech and Saresar.]