Nahum 3

A further prophecie touching the destruction of the city of Nineve, and of the Assyrians after the example of the city of No, which was likewise destroyed for the like sins that Nineve committed, 8 the prophet adds thereunto, that her strength and great power, should availe them nothing, 12.

1. Wo- to the bloody city [Nineve, yet further spoke of here; compare Ezek. 22 on verse 2. Heb. City of bloods, so also Ezek. 24. on verse 9] which is altogether full of lies and tearings: [the Hebrew word hath properly reference to tearing and ravenous beasts, as Psalms 7:3] the prey ceaseth not. [Hebr. Turns not aside, as Exodus 33:11 and Isaiah 46:7. the meaning is, the Ninevites go on still in committing all manner of rapine and violence]

2. There is the clashing, [Hebr. The voice.] Of the whip, and the sound, [Heb. Voice, likewise] of the rumbling of the wheels. [Heb. Moving, or motion of the wheel] and the horses stamp, [or of the horses stamping the earth with the foot] and the churches jump up. [or jumping up in this verse there is set forth to the life, the approaching of a fierce and hostile army, by very fit and elegant expressions.]

3. The horsemen lifts on high as well the flaming sword, as the lightning spear; and there shall be the multitude of the slain, and an heavy quantity of dead carcasses, yea there shall be no end of the carcasses; they shall stumble over their dead bodies: [the meaning is, one shall not be able to walk or passé the streets without treading upon some dead body or other.]

4. Because of the great whoredoms [or, because of the great multitude of the whoredoms, understand here as well spiritual whoredome. i.e. idolatry, as carnall uncleannesse] of the very pleasant whore, [thus he termeth the city of Nineve. Heb. The whore good of favour] the mistresse [or abettresse, patronesse] of witchcraft, who with [or, by] her whoredoms hath sold nations, [i.e. enslaved them, reduced them into bondage] and slain them with her witchcrafts.

5. Behold, I will upon thee, [see above chapter 2 on verse 13 and Isaiah 47:3] saith the Lord of hosts, and I will uncover thy seams thy face, [that is, I will cause thy seams or borders of thy garment to be taken up and put over thy face; meaning, he would prostitute and shame them in the vilest manner. Compare Isaiah 47:3. Jeremiah 13:22 and verse 26 and Ezek. 16 on verse 37] and I will shew thy nakednesse to the heathen, and thy shame to the kingdoms.

6. And I will cast aborminable things upon thee, [dirt, filth mire, c. such things as people use to fling no base people punished with carting] and bring thee to shame; and I will make, and will make thee as a mirrour. [i.e. I will so punish and so utterly destroy you, that ye shall be a mirrour and example of warning to other people and nations; so that if they speak at any time of an extraordinary judgement upon a nation, they shall name, and alledge thee for an example.]

7. And it shall come to pass, that all that see thee, shall flee away from thee, [as, loathing and abhorring thee] and say: Nineve is destroyed, [i.e. ruined, laid waste, desolate] who shall pity her? [Compare Isa. 51 on verse 19 and Jeremiah 15:5.] From whence shall I seek comforters for thee?

8. Art thou better then no, [or, should it go better, shouldest thou fare better than no? this was the name of a city in Egypt, afterwards called Alexandria, Alexander the great having rebuilt, enlarged and amplified the same. See Jer. 46 on verse 25 and Ezekiel 30:14, 15, 16] the populous [compare Jeremiah 46:25. or the Nurse, i.e. shee that was as it were the nurse or foster mother of all Egypt, having been a very great, populous and mighty city for Trafique. Oth. That thriving city i.e. shee that by her great trade and traffiique, made many lands and nations to thrive and prosper. Oth. No Amon] situated in the river? [see Strabo.lib. 17 of Alexandria] which hath water round round about? Whose out wall is the sea? [or whose riches the sea is. Oth. Outwork fortresse] her wall is of [or subsist out of the] sea. [Understand the Egyptian sea, or the lake Mareias, or Mareotis.]

9. Ethopian and Egypt were their pwer, and thereof was no end; [that is, their confederate, and helpers were in a manner numberlesse] put and Lybia [that is, Africa or Mauritania. See Jer. 46 on verse 9] were for thy help. [the sense is, all these people did assist thee, o thou city of No, and they were not able to rescue or deliver thee out of the land of king Nebuchadnezzar.]

10. Nverthelesse she went captive: [i.e. her inhabitants were carried away captive. That is, they shall be carried into captivity and so throughout. This seemeth to have come to pass a time, when Nebuchadnezzar subdued Egypt. See Jer 46] also her children were dasht in pieces [see examples of like cruelty, 2 Kings 8:12. Psalms 137:9. Isaiah 13:16. Hosea 14:1] at the head [i.e. at the corners of every street] over their honoured ones [i.e. the worthiest, best reputed, worshipfull, honourable] they cast the lot, [viz. when they came to divide them as prisoners, among the shouldiers] and all their great ones bound in setters. [or chaines or bonds of iron.]

11. Also thou [o Nineve] shalt grow drunk, [viz, with the cup of Gods indignation. See Jer.25.15 and 27, c] thou shalt hide thy self; [to wit, for shame, shun and flie the face of the people, whereas formerly ye were wont to go with stretched-out neck, and elevated forehead. Compare Hos, chap 10 verse 8. Luke 23:30. Revelation 6:16. oth. Thou shalt be hid i.e. thou shalt be undone reduced to nothing,] thou also shalt seek a strong (place) because of the enemy. [i.e. thou mayest hide and shelter thy there against the enemy, or, to stay and stop his course]

12. As thy foretresses are fig trees [i.e. so weak that they shall fall into the enemies hands without any great trouble, as the figs from the tree being but shaken] with the first fruits, [oth. And the first fruits, which are not lasting] if they be shaken, they fall into the mouth of him that will eat them. [Heb. Of the eater i.e. of him, that hath a minde to eat them.]

13. Behold, thy people shall become women in the midst of thee; [i.e. grow saint hearted, cry and howle, like women, as not able to defend them selves. Compare Isaiah 3:12. Jer. 5.57 and chapter 51.30.] the gates of thy land shall be made wide opened. See above chapter 2 verse 6.] to thine enemy: the fire [either of Gods wrath, or the material fire, or, that of war] shall devour thy bars. [i.e. thy strong holds, thus the word bars is taken 1 Samuel 23:7. & 1 kings 4.13 and 2 Chro. 8. 5 chap 14.7 Psalms 147:13. Jeremiah 49:31 and 51.30. Lamentations 2:9 Amos 1:5. Job 2:7 and elsewhere]

14. Draw thee water for the siege, [or, pitwater; that is, get you provision of water, see ye have water in store, to make use of in time of need, when ye shall come to besieged. Ironically spoken, to mock their providings. Here also by water (as elsewhere by bread) there may be understand, all manner of sustenance for mans life] fortifie your strong places; go into the clay, and tread in the mortar, [i.e. prepare and get ready whatsoever is necessary for the rearing of walls and sorts] amend [Heb. Strengthen] the brick-kill. [see Neh. 3 on verse 4, &c the meaning is, burn brick a main, and get as much provision of as ye can to amend and repair or strengthen the walls and towers of your city.]

15. The fire [as above verse 13.] shall consume thee there: [to wit, in thy sorts and strong holds: or wholly thou shalt be busied with fortifying thy self] the sword shall destroy thee, [or, cut thee off] it shall eat thee up, as the caterpillars; [the meaning is, as the caterpillars in a short time do eat up the herbs of the field, so shall the enemies soon dispatch and destroy thee. Oth. Understand it, that God shall consume and destroy the Assyrians, as the caterpillars are destroyed by a great rain or cold tempest] multiply thy self like caterpillars, [here the prophet addresseth his speech to the king, the verb being used in the masculine gender] multiply thy self like grasse-hoppers. [Here the speech turns to the Ninevites, again the verb being feminine the sense may be completed thus. Multiply thy self O king, as the caterpillars; multiply thy self O Ninenve as the grasse-hoppers. i.e. Do all ye can, both king and people of Assyria and Nineve, it will be all in vain, your numerous armies, and multitude of men, will not be able to help you. Heb. Make your selves’ heavie i.e bring a heavy i.e mighty hoste into the field. Great armies are oft-times compared to grasse-hoppers and caterpillars: as Judges 6:5 and 7.12. Jeremiah 46:23.]

16. Thou hast more trders and Merchants, [which trade and traffick all the world over, or into the neighbouring countries. Hebr. Thou hast multiplied thy traders more] then there are stars in the heaven: the caterpillars shall fall in, and flee away. [The sense is, the souldiers shall invade and over spread your land as caterpillars for multitude, rob, and plunder, spoil and waste it and then pass away with the bootie. Others nevertheless understand it, that the merchants shall flee and seek to escape, hearing of those forein caterpillars approaching.]

17. Your crowned ones [thus the prophet alls the principal men and chief offices of the King of Assyria: oth. Thy haired ones, it having been the custom, that the great ones in those times wore long hait] are as the grasshoppers, [to wit, for number: that is, there are as many of them, they over-spread the land like so many grasshoppers] and thy commanders [see of the word here used. Jer. 51 on verse 27.] as the great caterpillars [Heb. As the caterpillars, as elsewhere: Lords, king of kings, people of people &c.] That camp themselves in the hedge-walks, in the cold of the days: [i.e. in a cold season, or time, that is, by night, when the sun is down; in the day of cold. i.e. when it is cold weather] when the sun riseth they flee away, [i.e. they suddenly depart out of the land. Thus the word fleeing is taken for hasty coming. Song of Solomon 8:14. see the annotate. There and they were.

18. thy herdmen [i.e. thy governours, as Isaiah 49:19. and 50.6.] shall slumber, [i.e. they shall be dull and careless, or, dead altogether, as Psalms 76:6.] o king of Assur, thine excellent ones [i.e. thy principal men and great commanders, princes, &c.] they shall lie down, [that is, tarry at home be defeated, and slain: or the meaning may be; they shall fit still, remain lying on their beds, careless how things go and minde nothing but their pleasure: or, they shall be buried. Compare Psalms 94:17.] thy people shall disperse themselves far abroad upon the mountains, [the sense is, thy people, being many in number, shall be scattered upon the mountains as sheep that have no shepherd] and none shall gather them: [for the shepherd them: [for the shepherd shall be either slothful and careless, or dead and perished.]

19. There is no drawing together of thy breach, [that is, there is no amendment. Thy breach. Thy breach or wound cannot be drawn together to be cured; it is past cure. When the wound begins to mend, it becometh drie: growing dry, it shrinks and draweth together, and so becomes whole again] thy plague is grievous: [see Jer. 14 on verse 17. so also Jeremiah 10:19. &c 30.12. Mich. 1.9. the meaning is, ye are so smitten, that there is no curing of you] all that shall hear report of thee, [Heb. All that hear thy hearing. i.e the same or newes or thy breach, that is, all they that shall come to hear of thy destruction and miserie] shall clap the hands on thee: [in token of joy and rejoicing at thy fall] for upon whom hath not thy wickedness past continually? [the meaning is. There is no people nor Nation, whom ye troubled and molested not, without ceasing, therefore they will all rejoice in thy destruction and praise God’s just judgement for it.]