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Nahum Chapter
One
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO NAHUM 1
This
chapter begins with the title of the book
showing the subject matter of it;
and describing the penman of it by his name and country
Nahum 1:1; which is
followed with a preface to the whole book; setting forth the majesty of a
jealous and revenging God; the power of his wrath and fury; of which instances
are given in exciting tempests; drying up the sea and the rivers; making the
most fruitful mountains barren
which tremble before him; yea
even the whole
world
and the inhabitants thereof
his indignation being intolerable; and yet
he is slow to anger
good to them that trust in him
whom he knows
and whose
protection he is in a time of trouble
Nahum 1:2. Next the
destruction of the Assyrian empire
and of the city of Nineveh
is prophesied
of; and is represented as an utter and an entire destruction
and which would
come upon them suddenly and unawares
while they were in their cups
Nahum 1:8. A
particular person among them is spoken of
described as a designing wicked man
an enemy to the Lord and his people
thought to be Sennacherib king of Assyria
Nahum 1:11; from
whose evil designs
yoke and bondage
the Jews should be delivered; and he and
his posterity be cut off
because of his vileness
Nahum 1:12; and the
chapter is concluded with tidings of joy to Judah
who are exhorted to keep
their feasts and perform their vows on this occasion
Nahum 1:15.
Nahum 1:1 The burden[a] against
Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
YLT
1Burden of Nineveh. The Book
of the Vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
The burden of Nineveh
.... Of the
city of Nineveh
and the greatness of it; see Gill on Jonah 1:2; See Gill
on Jonah 3:3; Jonah
was sent to this city to threaten it with ruin for its sins; at that time the
king and all his people humbled themselves and repented
and the threatened
destruction was averted; but they relapsing to their former iniquities
this
prophet foretells what would be their certain fate; very rightly therefore the
Targum
and some other Jewish writingsF13Tzemach David
fol. 15. 1.
observe
that Jonah prophesied against this city of old; and that Nahum
prophesied after him a considerable time
perhaps at a hundred years distance.
This prophecy is called a burden; it was taken up by the prophet at the command
of the Lord
and was carried or sent by him to Nineveh; and was a hard
heavy
grievous
and burdensome prophecy to that city
predicting its utter ruin and
desolation; and which
as JosephusF14Antiqu. l. 9. c. 11. sect. 3.
says
came to pass hundred fifteen years after this prophecy; and which event
is placed by the learned UsherF15Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 3378. in
the year of the world 3378 A.M.
and which was 626 B.C.; and by othersF16Universal
History
vol. 4. p. 331. in the year of the world 3403 A.M.
of the flood 1747
in 601 B.C.; but by Dean PrideauxF17 Connexion
&c. par. 1. B.
1. p. 47
48. and Mr. WhistonF18 Chronological Table
cent. 9.
in
612 B.C.;
the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite; no other
prophecy is called
a book but this
as Abarbinel observes; and gives this
reason for it
because the other prophets immediately declared their
prophecies
as Jonah; but Nahum never went to the Ninevites
but wrote his
prophecy in a book
and sent it to them. It is called "the book of the
vision"; what it contains being made known to him by the Lord in a vision
as was common; hence the prophets are called seers; and the prophet is
described by the place of his birth
an Elkoshite; though some think he is so
called from his father
whose name was Helkesi
and said to be a prophet too
as Jerom relates; and with this agrees the Targum
which calls him Nahum of the
house or family of Koshi; but Jarchi says that Elkosh was the name of his city;
Aben Ezra and Kimchi are in doubt which to refer it to
whether to his city
or
to his ancestors; but there seems no reason to doubt but that he is so called
from his native place; since JeromF19Proem. in Nahum. says
that
there was a village in Galilee called Helkesi in his days
and which he had
seen; though scarce any traces of the old buildings could be discerned
it was
so fallen to ruin
yet known
to the Jews; and was shown him by one that went
about with him; and which is
by HesychiusF20Apud Reland. Palestina
Illustrata
tom. 2. p. 748. the presbyter
placed in the tribe of Simeon. This
is another instance
besides that of Jonah
disproving the assertion of the
Jews
that no prophet rose out of Galilee
John 7:52.
Nahum 1:2 2 God is
jealous
and the Lord avenges; The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take
vengeance on His adversaries
And He reserves wrath for His enemies;
YLT
2A God zealous and avenging
[is] Jehovah
An avenger [is] Jehovah
and possessing fury. An avenger [is]
Jehovah on His adversaries
And He is watching for His enemies.
God is jealous
and
the Lord revengeth
.... He is jealous of his own honour and glory
and for his own
worship and ordinances; and will not give his glory to another
nor his praise
to graven images; and therefore will punish all idolaters
and particularly the
idolatrous Assyrians: he is jealous for his people
and cannot bear to see them
injured; and will avenge the affronts that are offered
and the indignities
done unto them:
the Lord revengeth
and is furious; or
is
"master of wrath"F21בעל חמה "dominus irae"
Calvin
Vatablus
Grotius;
"dominus excandescentiae"
Piscator
Tarnovius; "dominus irae
aestuantis
sive fervoris"
Burkius. ; full of it
or has it at his
command; can restrain it
and let it out as he pleases
which man cannot do; a
furious and passionate man
who has no rule over his spirit. The Lord's
revenging is repeated for the confirmation of it; yea
it is a third time
observed
as follows; which some of the Jewish writers think has respect to the
three times the king of Assyria carried the people of Israel captive
and for
which the Lord would be revenged on him
and punish him:
the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries; on all his
adversaries; particularly the Assyrians are here meant
who were both the
enemies of him and of his people. The Targum explains it
"that
hate his people:'
vengeance
belongs to the Lord
and he will repay it sooner or later; if not immediately
he will hereafter; for it follows:
and he reserveth wrath for his enemies: and them for
that; if not in this world
yet in the world to come; he lays it up among his
treasures
and brings it forth at his pleasure. The word "wrath" is
not in the text; it is not said what he reserves for the enemies of himself and
church; it is inconceivable and inexpressible.
Nahum 1:3 3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power
And will not at all
acquit the wicked. The Lord has His
way In the whirlwind and in the storm
And the clouds are the dust of
His feet.
YLT
3Jehovah [is] slow to anger
and great in power
And Jehovah doth not entirely acquit
In a hurricane and in
a tempest [is] His way
And a cloud [is] the dust of His feet.
The Lord is slow to
anger
.... He is not in haste to execute it; he takes time for it
and
gives men space for repentance. Nineveh had had a proof of this when it
repented at the preaching of Jonah
upon which the Lord deferred the execution
of his wrath; but lest they should presume upon this
and conclude the Lord
would always bear with them
though they had returned to their former
impieties; they are let to know
that this his forbearance was not owing to
want of power or will in him to punish: since he is
great in power
and will not at all acquit the wicked; he is able to
execute the wrath he threatens
and will by no means clear the guilty
or let
them go free and unpunished; though he moves slowly
as he may seem in the
execution of his judgments
yet they shall surely be brought on his enemies
and be fully accomplished:
the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm
and the
clouds are the dust of his feet; he spoke to Job out of
the whirlwind; he descended on Mount Sinai in a storm and tempest; and the
clouds are his chariots; in which he rides swiftly; and which
for their
appearance and number
are like the dust raised by a multitude of horsemen
riding full speed
The wrath of God may be compared to a whirlwind
and a
storm
which is sometimes hastily and suddenly executed upon men: respect seems
to be had to the armies of the Medes and Chaldeans against the Assyrians; who
as the Babylonians against the Jews
came up as clouds
and their chariots as
the whirlwind
Jeremiah 4:13; and
the figures beautifully describe the numbers of them
the force with which they
came; and in an elegant manner represent the vast quantity of dust raised by an
army in full march; at the head of which was the Lord himself
ordering
directing
and succeeding
before whom none can stand.
Nahum 1:4 4 He
rebukes the sea and makes it dry
And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and
Carmel wither
And the flower of Lebanon wilts.
YLT
4He is pushing against a
sea
and drieth it up
Yea
all the floods He hath made dry
Languishing [are]
Bashan and Carmel
Yea
the flower of Lebanon [is] languishing.
He rebuketh the sea
and
maketh it dry
.... As he did the Red sea
when the children of Israel passed
through it as on dry land; which shows his power and sovereignty over it; that
it is at his command
as a servant at his master's; and since the wind and sea
obey him
what is it he cannot do? see Isaiah 50:2;
and drieth up all the rivers; that is
he can do it if
he will; he divided the waters of Jordan
through the midst of which the
Israelites passed on dry ground; and will dry up the river Euphrates
to make
way for the kings of the east; and as for Tigris
on the banks of which the
city of Nineveh stood
of which the inhabitants boasted
and in which they
trusted for their security
he could dry up
and make way for the enemy to
enter in; or make that their enemy
and overflow them with it
as he did; see Nahum 1:8. By the
"sea" and "rivers" may be meant the whole Assyrian empire
and many nations and people
as Jarchi and Abarbinel interpret it
of whom it
consisted; see Jeremiah 51:36;
Bashan languisheth
and Carmel
and the flower of Lebanon
languisheth; when the Lord restrains the heavens from giving rain
then
Bashan
famous for its fat pastures and fruitful meadows
and Carmel for its
rich grain fields
and Lebanon for its tall shadowy cedars
these
and the
glory of all
wither and fade away
being parched and dried up for want of
moisture. These were places in the land of Israel
but may be put for like
flourishing and fruitful hills and countries in the land of Assyria
which
should become desolate; see Psalm 107:33.
Nahum 1:5 5 The
mountains quake before Him
The hills melt
And the earth heaves[b] at His
presence
Yes
the world and all who dwell in it.
YLT
5Mountains have shaken
because of Him
And the hills have been melted; And lifted up [is] the earth at
His presence
And the world and all dwelling in it.
The mountains quake at
him
and the hills melt
.... As Sinai of old did
when the Lord descended on it
Exodus 19:18.
Mountains figuratively signify kings and princes; and hills large countries
as
Jarchi and Abarbinel observe
and the inhabitants of them; particularly the
kingdoms and nations belonging to the Assyrian empire
which would tremble and
quake
and their hearts melt with fear
when they should hear of the
destruction of Nineveh their chief city; and of the devastation made by the
enemy there and in other parts
under the direction of the Lord of hosts; his
power and providence succeeding him:
and the earth is burnt at his presence; either when
he withholds rain from it
and so it be comes parched and burnt up with the
heat of the sun; or when he rains fire and brimstone on it
as he did on Sodom
and Gomorrah; or consumes any part of it with thunder and lightning
as he
sometimes does; nay
if he but touch the mountains
they smoke; see Psalm 104:32;
yea
the world
and all that dwell therein; as in the
last day
at the general conflagration
when the world
and all the wicked
inhabitants of it
will be burnt up; see 2 Peter 3:10.
Nahum 1:6 6 Who
can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His
anger? His fury is poured out like fire
And the rocks are thrown down by Him.
YLT
6Before His indignation who
doth stand? And who riseth up in the heat of His anger? His fury hath been
poured out like fire
And the rocks have been broken by Him.
Who can stand before his
indignation?.... No creature whatever; no man nor body of men; not Nineveh
and the inhabitants of it; nor the whole Assyrian empire:
and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? not the great
men of the earth; not kings or generals of armies; not kingdoms and nations
ever so numerous and powerful; but all must be consumed by him
who is a
consuming fire; see Jeremiah 10:10;
his fury is poured out like fire; or like metal that is
melted by fire
and poured out by the force of it; or like fire of lightning
poured out of the heavens
which is quick
powerful
and penetrating
and there
is no resisting it:
and the rocks are thrown down by him; by the Lord
by his wrath and fury; kingdoms that seemed as strong and immovable as rocks
and mountains are thrown down; as such have been by the force of fire bursting
from the midst of them
as Etna
Vesuvius
and others.
Nahum 1:7 7 The Lord is good
A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows
those who trust in Him.
YLT
7Good [is] Jehovah for a
strong place in a day of distress. And He knoweth those trusting in Him.
The Lord is good
.... To
Israel
as the Targum adds; to Hezekiah and his
people
that betook themselves
to him
and put their trust in him; whom he defended and preserved from the
king of Assyria
to whom he was dreadful and terrible
destroying his army in
one night by an angel; and so delivered the king of Judah and the inhabitants
of Jerusalem from that terror that had seized them
and that danger they were
exposed unto; and so the Lord is good in himself
in the perfections of his
nature
in the works of his hands
in all his persons to his people
that fear
him
trust in him
and seek him
and wait for him
and on him:
a strong hold in the day of trouble; or
he is "good for
a strong hold"F23טוב יהוה למעוז "bonus Dominus ad
robur"
Burkius; "bonus est Jehovah in arcem"
Cocceius.
&c. it was a day of trouble
rebuke
and blasphemy
with Hezekiah and his
people
when they were besieged by the army of Sennacherib king of Assyria
and
had received from Rabshakeh by his orders a railing and reproaching letter; and
then the Lord was a strong hold to them
to whom they betook themselves
and he
protected and defended them. The whole time of this life is a time of trouble
to the saints
though it is but a day
a short time; in which they meet with
much from their own corrupt hearts
and the sin that dwells in them; from Satan
and his temptations; from carnal professors
their principles and practices;
and from a profane and persecuting world; and from the Lord himself
who
sometimes lays his afflicting hand upon them
and hides his face from them; and
yet he is their rock and their refuge
their strong tower and place of defence;
where they find safety and plenty in all their times of distress and want:
and he knoweth them that trust in him; in his word
as the Targum; and they are such that know him
and are sensible of the vanity
of all other objects of trust; who betake themselves to him for shelter and
protection; lean and stay themselves upon him
and commit all unto him
and
expect all from him: these he knows
loves
and has the strongest affection
for; he approves of them
and commends their faith and confidence; he takes
notice of them
visits them
and makes himself known unto them
even in their
adversity; he owns and acknowledges them as his own
claims his right in them
now
and will confess them hereafter; and he takes care of them that they
perish not
whoever else do; see Psalm 1:6; he knows
the necessities of those that trust in him
as Jarchi; he knows them for their
good
takes care of them
provides for
them
and watches over them
as Kimchi.
The ancients formerly had their γνωστηρας
and μυνητας
"notores"F24Dannhaver
apud Burkium in loc. Vid. Turnebi
Adversar. l. 29. c. 36.
such as knew them
and were their patrons and
defenders; as when a Roman citizen was condemned to be whipped or crucified in
a province where he was not known
and claimed the Roman privileges
such
persons were his witnesses and advocates; and thus the Lord is represented as
one that knows his people
and is their patron and advocate. The goodness of
God expressed in this text is set off with a foil by the terribleness of his
wrath and vengeance against his enemies.
Nahum 1:8 8 But
with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place
And darkness will pursue His enemies.
YLT
8And with a flood passing
over
An end He maketh of its place
And His enemies doth darkness pursue.
But with an overrunning
flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof
.... Of
Nineveh
against whom this prophecy was
and upon whom it lay as a burden
Nahum 1:1; and now
though the Lord was good to them that trust in him
and a strong hold to them
in a time of trouble; yet he was determined to destroy their enemies the
Assyrians
and Nineveh their chief city; and that by the means of a powerful
army
which
like a flood or inundation of water breaking in
overruns and
carries all before it; and very fitly may the Medes and Babylonians
who joined
together in an expedition against Nineveh
be compared to such a flood for
their number and force; since
as the historian tellsF25Diodor.
Sicul. l. 2. p. 111. Ed. Rhodum. us
they were no less than four hundred
thousand men: though this may be literally understood; for as the same writerF26Ibid.
p. 113
114. observes
"there
was an oracle received by the Ninevites from their ancestors
that Nineveh
could never be taken by any
unless the river (on which it stood) first became
an enemy to it; and so it was
that
in the third year of the siege
the river
being swelled with continual rains
overflowed part of the city
and broke down
the wall for the space of two and half miles; hence the king concluded the
oracle was fulfilled
and gave up all hopes of safety; and through the breach
of the wall the enemy entered
and took the city;'
and
an "utter end" was made of it
and of the place of it
insomuch that
historians and geographers disagree about it; some say it was situated upon the
river Euphrates
others upon the river Tigris
which is the most correct; some
say on the east of that river
others on the west; some will have it to be
above the river Lycus
and others below it; so true is that of LucianF1 επισκοπ. sive
"contemplantes"
in fine.
that Nineveh is now entirely lost
and no
traces of it remain; nor can one easily say where it once was; and travellers
in general
both ancient and modern
agree that it lies wholly in ruins
and is
a heap of rubbish. Benjamin TudelensisF2Itinerarium
p. 62.
who
travelled into these parts in the twelfth century
relates
that between
Almozal or Mosul
and Nineveh
is only a bridge
and it (Nineveh) is a waste;
but there are villages
and many towers. Haitho
an ArmenianF3Apud
Bochart Phaleg. l. 4. c. 20. p. 255.
who wrote more than a hundred years
after the former
says
"this
city (Nineveh) at present is wholly destroyed; but
by what yet appears in it
it may be firmly believed that it was one of the greatest cities in the world.'
Monsieur
ThevenotF4Travels
par. 1. B. 1. c. 11. p. 52.
who was upon the
spot in the last century
observes
"on
the other side of the river (Tigris from that on which Mosul stands) at the end
of the bridge begins the place
where
in ancient times
stood the famous city
of Nineveh. --There is nothing of it
(adds he) now to be seen
but some
hillocks
which (they say) are its foundations
the houses being underneath;
and these reach a good way below the city of Mosul:'
and darkness shall pursue his enemies; the enemies
of God and his people
who would make such a devastation of Nineveh; even he
would cause all manner of calamities
often signified in Scripture by darkness
to follow and overtake them; so that they should be brought into the most
uncomfortable and distressed condition imaginable.
Nahum 1:9 9 What
do you conspire against the Lord? He will
make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time.
YLT
9What do we devise against
Jehovah? An end He is making
arise not twice doth distress.
What do ye imagine against
the Lord?.... O ye Ninevites or Assyrians; do you think you can frustrate
the designs of the Lord
resist his power
and hinder him from executing what
he has threatened and has determined to do? or what mischief is it you devise
against his people
which is the same as against himself? can you believe that
you shall prosper and succeed
and your schemes be carried into execution
when
he
the all wise and all powerful Being
opposes you?
he will make an utter end; of you
as before
declared
and will save his people; which may be depended on will certainly be
the case:
affliction shall not rise up the second time; either this
should be the last effort the Assyrians would make upon the Jews
which they
made under Sennacherib
and this the last time they would afflict them; or
rather their own destruction should be so complete that there would be no need
to repeat the stroke
or give another blow; the business would be done at once.
This seems to contradict a notion of some historians and chronologers
who
suppose that Nineveh was destroyed at two different times
and by different
persons of the same nations; and so the whole Assyrian empire was twice ruined
which is not likely in itself
and seems contrary to this passage; for though
some ascribe it to Arbaces the Mede
and Belesis the Babylonian as Diodorus
SiculusF5Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 110
111. ; and others to Cyaxares the
Mede as HerodotusF6L. 1. sive Clio
c. 106.
and to Nebuchadnezzar
the first
or Nabopolassar the Babylonian in a later period; so TobitF7Tobit 14:15. says
it was taken by Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasuerus
the same with the Cyaxares of
Herodotus; yet all seem to agree that it was taken by the conjunct forces of
the Medes and Babylonians; and there are some things similarF8See
the Universal History
vol. 4. c. 8. sect. 5. & vol. 5. p. 22. Margin
& Nicolai Abrami Pharus Vet. Test. l. 6. c. 19. p. 165. in all these
accounts
which show that there was but one destruction of Nineveh
and of the
Assyrian empire.
Nahum 1:10 10 For
while tangled like thorns
And while drunken like drunkards
They
shall be devoured like stubble fully dried.
YLT
10For while princes [are]
perplexed
And with their drink are drunken
They have been consumed as stubble
fully dried.
For while they be
folden together as thorns
.... Like them
useless
and unprofitable
harmful and pernicious
fit only for burning
and
being
bundled together
are prepared for it; and which is not only expressive of the
bad qualities of the Ninevites
and of the danger they were in
and what they
deserved; but of the certainty of their ruin
no more being able to save
themselves from it
than a bundle of thorns from the devouring fire:
and while they are drunken as drunkards; dead drunk
no more able to help themselves than a drunken man that is fallen; or who were
as easily thrown down as a drunken man is with the least touch; though there is
no need to have recourse to a figurative sense
since the Ninevites were
actually drunk when they were attacked by their enemy
as the historian relatesF9Diodor.
Sicul. l. 2. p. 112. ; that the king of Assyria being elated with his fortune
and thinking himself secure
feasted his army
and gave them large quantities
of wine; and while the whole army were indulging themselves
the enemy
having
notice of their negligence and drunkenness by deserters
fell upon them
unawares in the night
when disordered and unprepared
and made a great
slaughter among them
and forced the rest into the city
and in a little time
took it:
they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry; as easily
and as inevitably and irrecoverably.
Nahum 1:11 11 From
you comes forth one Who plots evil against the Lord
A wicked counselor.
YLT
11From thee hath come forth a
deviser of evil Against Jehovah -- a worthless counsellor.
There is one come
out of thee
.... That is
out of Nineveh
as the Targum explains it; meaning
Sennacherib
who had his royal seat and palace there; or Rabshakeh that was
sent from hence by him with a railing and blaspheming letter to the king of
Judah
and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This is said to be at the present time
of writing this prophecy
though it was after it
because of the certainty of
it
as is usual in prophetic language; unless it can be thought that this
prophecy was delivered out exactly at the time when Sennacherib had entered
Judea
and was before the walls of Jerusalem; but not yet discomfited
as after
predicted:
that imagineth evil against the Lord; against the
people of the Lord
as the Targum; formed a scheme to invade the land of Judea
take the fenced cities thereof
and seize upon Jerusalem the metropolis of the
nation
and carry the king
princes
and all the people captive as Shalmaneser
his father had carried away the ten tribes:
a wicked counsellor; or "a counsellor of
Belial"F11יועץ בליעל
"consulens"
Belijahai
Montanus; "consiliarius Belijaal"
Burkius. ; who
by Rabshakeh
advised Israel not to regard their king
nor
trust in their God but surrender themselves up to him
2 Kings 18:29.
Nahum 1:12 12 Thus
says the Lord: “Though they are safe
and likewise many
Yet in this
manner they will be cut down When he passes through. Though I have afflicted
you
I will afflict you no more;
YLT
12Thus said Jehovah: Though
complete
and thus many
Yet thus they have been cut off
And he hath passed
away. And I afflicted thee
I afflict thee no more.
Thus saith the Lord
though they be quiet
and likewise many
.... The Assyrian army
under Sennacherib before Jerusalem
though they were quiet and secure and
thought themselves out of all danger; not at all fearing that the besieged
would sally out against them they being so numerous
and therefore betook
themselves to sleep and rest:
yet thus shall they be cut down; or "shorn"F12נגוזו "tonsi"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
; as the wool is shorn off the back of a sheep with sheers; or grass or corn is
mowed with a scythe; or else as the hair of a man's head and beard are shaved
with a razor; which sometimes was done
not only in a way of ignominy and
contempt
as David's servants were served by Hanun
2 Samuel 10:4; but
as a token of servitude; hence those words of the poetF13 επειτα δητα δουλος ων κομην εχεις
Aristophanes in Avibus
p. 584.
"after
thou art a servant
dost thou let thy hair grow?'
upon
which it is observedF14Scholia Graec. in ib.
that it belongs to
freemen to let the hair grow; and so the philosopher saysF15Aristotel.
Rhetor. l. 1. c. 9.
to let the hair grow
or to nourish it
is commendable
with a Lacedemonian
for it is a sign of liberty; for it is not for him who
lets his hair grow to do any servile work; and it was usual with conquerors to
shave the conquered
and such as were carried captivesF16"Tonsa
comas imo Barathri claudere recessu"
Claudian in Ruffin. l. 1. prope
finem. Vid. Barthium in ib.
which some think is referred to in Deuteronomy 32:42;
and render the latter clause of that verse
"and
there shall be captivity
by reason of the head of nakedness of the enemy;'
that
is
there should be captives whose heads should be made bare
or shaved by the
enemy the conquerorF17Lydius de Re Militari
l. 6. c. 6. p. 237. ;
hence the king of Assyria
when a conqueror
is compared to a sharp razor
that
should shave the head
and feet
and beard
even all sorts of people
Isaiah 7:20; but
now he and his army should be shaved themselves; that is
conquered
slain
or
taken captives
and become slaves
and treated with contempt; all which may be
taken into the sense of this phrase
and serve to illustrate it:
when he shall pass through; when the angel should
pass through the camp of the Assyrians
then were they cut down by him in great
numbers
a hundred and fourscore and five thousand slain at once
2 Kings 19:35;
though I have afflicted thee
I will afflict thee no more: or "any
longer"F18לא עוד
"non ultra"
Pagninus
Montanus; "non amplius"
Junius
& Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius. ; though the Lord had afflicted the
people of the Jews by the Assyrian king
the rod of his anger
again and again
yet after this he would afflict them no more by him; for otherwise they were
afflicted afterwards
yet not by the Assyrians
but by the Babylonians
Syrians
and Romans
Some understand this
as before
of the Ninevites and
Assyrians
that should be utterly destroyed at once
and their affliction
should not be a second time; see Nahum 1:9; so
Abarbinel: or
"I will not hear thee any more"F19לא אענך עוד
"non exaudiam te amplius"
Burkius. ; as he did formerly
when they
repented at the preaching of Jonah.
Nahum 1:13 13 For
now I will break off his yoke from you
And burst your bonds apart.”
YLT
13And now I break his rod
from off thee
And thy bands I do draw away.
For now will I break his
yoke from off thee
.... The Assyrian yoke from off the Jews
who had been obliged to
pay tribute
or send presents to the king of Assyria
from the times of Ahaz;
and were in bondage
while shut up and besieged by his army
and the country
all around laid under contribution; from all which they were delivered when his
army was in that dreadful manner destroyed:
and will burst thy bonds in sunder; and set thee entirely
free from the bondage of the enemy
and all fear of it; a type of that freedom
from the yoke of sin
Satan
and the law
which the people of God have by Jesus
Christ.
Nahum 1:14 14 The
Lord has given a command concerning you: “Your name shall be perpetuated
no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and
the molded image. I will dig your grave
For you are vile.”
YLT
14And commanded concerning
thee hath Jehovah
`No more of thy name doth spread abroad
From the house of
thy gods I cut off graven and molten image
I appoint thy grave
for thou hast
been vile.
And the Lord hath given a
commandment concerning thee
.... This is directed to Sennacherib king of
Assyria
as the Targum expresses it; and so Jarchi and Kimchi; and signifies
the decree of God concerning him
what he had determined to do with him
and
how things would be ordered in Providence towards him
agreeably to his design
and resolution:
that no more of thy
name be sown; which is not to be understood that he should have no son and
heir to succeed him; for Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead
2 Kings 19:37; and
after him
according to Ptolemy's canon
Saosduchinus and Chyniladanus but the
memory of his name should no be spread in the earth; or the fame of it
with
any marks of honour and glory
but of shame and disgrace. So the Targum
"neither
shall be any memory of thy name any more:'
out of the house of thy gods will I cut of the graven image and
the molten image; called "the house of Nisroch his god"
2 Kings 19:37;
where he was slain; and some say that after that it ceased to be a place of
worship
being polluted with his blood. JosephusF20Antiqu. l. 10. c.
1. sect. 5. calls it his own temple
where he usually worshipped
for which he
had a peculiar regard
and for his god Nisroch; but who this deity was is not
certain. Selden saysF21De Dis Syris
Syntagm. 2. c. 10. p. 329.
he
knew nothing
nor had read anything of him
but what is mentioned in the
Scripture. Some of the Jewish writersF23Vid. Jarchi in Isaiam
c.
37
38. take it to be a plank of Noah's ark; and Mr. BasnageF24In
Calmet's Dictionary
in the word "Samaritans". is of opinion that it
is Janus represented by Noah's ark
who had two faces
before and behind; a fit
emblem of Noah
who saw two worlds
one before
and another after the flood.
Some say Dagon the god of the Philistines is meant
which is not likely; See
Gill on Isaiah 37:38; but
be he who he will
there were other idols besides him
both graven and molten
in this temple
as is here expressed; very probably here stood an image of
Belus or Pul
the first Assyrian monarch
and who; was deified; and perhaps
Adrammelech the god of the Sepharvites was another
since one of Sennacherib's
sons bore this name; and it was usual with the Assyrians
Chaldeans
and
Babylonians
to give the names of their gods to their princes
or insert them
in theirs: here also might be the Assyrian Venus
Derceto
Semiramis
and
others: fishes also were worshipped by the Assyrians
in honour of Derceto; and
doves in remembrance of Semiramis
said to be nourished by one in her infancy
and turned into one at her death; hence those creatures became sacred in
Assyria
and were not suffered to be touched and killed
as Philo observed at
Askelon; See Gill on Hosea 11:11; and
LucianF25De Dea Syria. at Hieropolis in Syria; where
he says
of
all birds
they think the dove most holy; so that they count it very unlawful
to touch them; and if by chance they do
they reckon themselves unclean that
whole day; hence you may see them frequently in their houses conversing
familiarly with them
generally feeding on the ground
without any fear; and he
also saysF26In Jupiter Tragoedus. the Assyrians sacrifice to a dove
and which he must have known
since he himself was an Assyrian
as he tells us;
but
whatever these graven and molten images were
it is here predicted they
should be utterly demolished. The sense is
that whereas Sennacherib's empire
should be destroyed
and his capital taken
the temple where he worshipped
would be defaced
and all his gods he gloried of
all his images
both graven
and molten
would be cut to pieces
falling into the conqueror's hands
as was
usual in such cases; these would not be able to defend him or his
or secure
them from the vengeance of God
whom he had blasphemed:
I will make thy grave
for thou art vile: the Targum
is
"there
will I put thy grave;'
that
is
in the house of thy god
as Aben Ezra
Jarchi
Kimchi
and Ben Melech
interpret it; where he was slain by two of his sons
as before observed; and
this judgment came upon him by the will of God
because he was a loose vile
creature; because he had vilified the true God
and reproached him
as unable
to deliver Hezekiah and his people out of his hands. The Targum paraphrases it
"because
this is easy before me;'
what
the Lord could easily do
make his idol temple his grave; or
however
take
away his life
and lay his honour in the dust: or it may be rendered
"I
will put upon thy grave that thou art vile"F1אשים קברך כי
קלות. ; he
who thought to have a superb monument
over his grave
and an epitaph inscribed on it to his immortal honour
as kings
used to have; this shall be the sepulchral inscription
"here
lies a vile
wicked
and contemptible man;'
so
Abarbinel. There was a statue of this king in an Egyptian temple
as HerodotusF2 εστ' εμε τις ορεων
ευσεβησ εστω.
Euterpe
sive l. 2. c. 141. relates
according
as many think
with this
inscription on it
"whosoever
looks on me
let him be religious;'
though
I rather think it was a statue of Sethon the priest of Vulcan
and last king of
Egypt. Here ends the first chapter in some Hebrew copies
and in the Syriac and
Arabic versions
and in Aben Ezra.
Nahum 1:15 15 Behold
on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings
Who proclaims peace! O
Judah
keep your appointed feasts
Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall
no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off.
YLT
15Lo
on the mountains the
feet of one proclaiming tidings
sounding peace! Celebrate
O Judah
thy
festivals
complete thy vows
For add no more to pass over into thee doth the
worthless
He hath been completely cut off!
Behold upon the mountains
.... Of the
land of Israel
as the Targum; or those about Jerusalem:
the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; see how they
come one after another with the news of the havoc and slaughter made in the
army of Sennacherib by an angel in one night; of his flight
and of the dealt
of him by the hands of his two sons; and
after that
of the destruction of
Nineveh
and of the whole Assyrian empire; all which were good tidings to the
Jews
to whom the Assyrians were implacable enemies
and whose power the Jews
dreaded; and therefore it must be good news to them to hear of their defeat and
ruin
and the messengers that brought it must be welcome to them:
that publisheth peace; to the Jewish nation
who might from hence hope for peaceable and prosperous times: like expressions
with these are used in Isaiah 52:7 on
account of the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity; and are
applied by the apostle to Gospel times and Gospel preachers
Romans 10:15 as
these may also
and express the good tidings of victory obtained by Christ over
sin
Satan
the world
hell and death; and of salvation wrought out
and peace
made by him; it being usual for the prophets abruptly and at once to rise from
temporal to spiritual and eternal things
particularly to what concern the
Messiah
and the Gospel dispensation; See Gill on Isaiah 52:7
O Judah
keep thy solemn feasts; of the passover
pentecost
and tabernacles; which had been interrupted or omitted through the
invasion of the land
and the siege of Jerusalem
by the enemy; but now
he
being gone and slain
they had full liberty
and were at leisure to attend
these solemnities:
perform thy vows; which they had made when in distress
when
the enemy was in their land
and before their city; promising what they would
do
if it pleased God to deliver them out of his hands
and now they were
delivered; and therefore it was incumbent on them to make good their promises
and especially to offer up their thanksgivings to God for such a mercy; see Psalm 50:14
for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut
off; or Belial
the counsellor of Belial
as in Nahum 1:11 the king
of Assyria; who
though he had passed through their land
had invaded it
and
made devastation in it
should do so no more; being dead
cut off in a judicial
way
through the just judgment of God
suffering his sons to take away his life
while in the midst of his idolatrous worship; and this may reach
not only to
him
and his seed after him
being wholly cut off
but to the whole Assyrian
empire
who should none of them ever give any further trouble to Judah.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)