18 Thy shepherds H7462 slumber, H5123 O king H4428 of Assyria: H804 thy nobles H117 shall dwell H7931 in the dust: thy people H5971 is scattered H6335 upon the mountains, H2022 and no man gathereth H6908 them.
And he said, H559 I saw H7200 all Israel H3478 scattered H6327 upon the hills, H2022 as sheep H6629 that have not a shepherd: H7462 and the LORD H3068 said, H559 These have no master: H113 let them return H7725 every man H376 to his house H1004 in peace. H7965
The stouthearted H47 H3820 are spoiled, H7997 they have slept H5123 their sleep: H8142 and none of the men H582 of might H2428 have found H4672 their hands. H3027 At thy rebuke, H1606 O God H430 of Jacob, H3290 both the chariot H7393 and horse H5483 are cast into a dead sleep. H7290
Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Behold, I will punish H6485 the king H4428 of Babylon H894 and his land, H776 as I have punished H6485 the king H4428 of Assyria. H804
And I will make drunk H7937 her princes, H8269 and her wise H2450 men, her captains, H6346 and her rulers, H5461 and her mighty men: H1368 and they shall sleep H3462 a perpetual H5769 sleep, H8142 and not wake, H6974 saith H5002 the King, H4428 whose name H8034 is the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
Come down, H3381 and sit H3427 in the dust, H6083 O virgin H1330 daughter H1323 of Babylon, H894 sit H3427 on the ground: H776 there is no throne, H3678 O daughter H1323 of the Chaldeans: H3778 for thou shalt no more H3254 be called H7121 tender H7390 and delicate. H6028
All ye beasts H2416 of the field, H7704 come H857 to devour, H398 yea, all ye beasts H2416 in the forest. H3293 His watchmen H6822 are blind: H5787 they are all ignorant, H3045 they are all dumb H483 dogs, H3611 they cannot H3201 bark; H5024 sleeping, H1957 lying down, H7901 loving H157 to slumber. H5123
Behold, the Assyrian H804 was a cedar H730 in Lebanon H3844 with fair H3303 branches, H6057 and with a shadowing H6751 shroud, H2793 and of an high H1362 stature; H6967 and his top H6788 was among the thick boughs. H5688 The waters H4325 made him great, H1431 the deep H8415 set him up on high H7311 with her rivers H5104 running H1980 round about H5439 his plants, H4302 and sent out H7971 her little rivers H8585 unto all the trees H6086 of the field. H7704 Therefore his height H6967 was exalted H1361 above all the trees H6086 of the field, H7704 and his boughs H5634 were multiplied, H7235 and his branches H6288 became long H748 because of the multitude H7227 of waters, H4325 when he shot forth. H7971 All the fowls H5775 of heaven H8064 made their nests H7077 in his boughs, H5589 and under his branches H6288 did all the beasts H2416 of the field H7704 bring forth their young, H3205 and under his shadow H6738 dwelt H3427 all great H7227 nations. H1471 Thus was he fair H3302 in his greatness, H1433 in the length H753 of his branches: H1808 for his root H8328 was by great H7227 waters. H4325 The cedars H730 in the garden H1588 of God H430 could not hide H6004 him: the fir trees H1265 were not like H1819 his boughs, H5589 and the chesnut trees H6196 were not like his branches; H6288 nor any tree H6086 in the garden H1588 of God H430 was like H1819 unto him in his beauty. H3308 I have made H6213 him fair H3303 by the multitude H7230 of his branches: H1808 so that all the trees H6086 of Eden, H5731 that were in the garden H1588 of God, H430 envied H7065 him. Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Because thou hast lifted up H1361 thyself in height, H6967 and he hath shot up H5414 his top H6788 among the thick boughs, H5688 and his heart H3824 is lifted up H7311 in his height; H1363 I have therefore delivered H5414 him into the hand H3027 of the mighty one H410 of the heathen; H1471 he shall surely H6213 deal H6213 with him: I have driven him out H1644 for his wickedness. H7562 And strangers, H2114 the terrible H6184 of the nations, H1471 have cut him off, H3772 and have left H5203 him: upon the mountains H2022 and in all the valleys H1516 his branches H1808 are fallen, H5307 and his boughs H6288 are broken H7665 by all the rivers H650 of the land; H776 and all the people H5971 of the earth H776 are gone down H3381 from his shadow, H6738 and have left H5203 him. Upon his ruin H4658 shall all the fowls H5775 of the heaven H8064 remain, H7931 and all the beasts H2416 of the field H7704 shall be upon his branches: H6288 To the end that none of all the trees H6086 by the waters H4325 exalt H1361 themselves for their height, H6967 neither shoot up H5414 their top H6788 among the thick boughs, H5688 neither their trees H352 stand up H5975 in their height, H1363 all that drink H8354 water: H4325 for they are all delivered H5414 unto death, H4194 to the nether parts H8482 of the earth, H776 in the midst H8432 of the children H1121 of men, H120 with them that go down H3381 to the pit. H953 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 In the day H3117 when he went down H3381 to the grave H7585 I caused a mourning: H56 I covered H3680 the deep H8415 for him, and I restrained H4513 the floods H5104 thereof, and the great H7227 waters H4325 were stayed: H3607 and I caused Lebanon H3844 to mourn H6937 for him, and all the trees H6086 of the field H7704 fainted H5969 for him. I made the nations H1471 to shake H7493 at the sound H6963 of his fall, H4658 when I cast him down H3381 to hell H7585 with them that descend H3381 into the pit: H953 and all the trees H6086 of Eden, H5731 the choice H4005 and best H2896 of Lebanon, H3844 all that drink H8354 water, H4325 shall be comforted H5162 in the nether parts H8482 of the earth. H776 They also went down H3381 into hell H7585 with him unto them that be slain H2491 with the sword; H2719 and they that were his arm, H2220 that dwelt H3427 under his shadow H6738 in the midst H8432 of the heathen. H1471 To whom art thou thus like H1819 in glory H3519 and in greatness H1433 among the trees H6086 of Eden? H5731 yet shalt thou be brought down H3381 with the trees H6086 of Eden H5731 unto the nether parts H8482 of the earth: H776 thou shalt lie H7901 in the midst H8432 of the uncircumcised H6189 with them that be slain H2491 by the sword. H2719 This is Pharaoh H6547 and all his multitude, H1995 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069
Asshur H804 is there and all her company: H6951 his graves H6913 are about H5439 him: all of them slain, H2491 fallen H5307 by the sword: H2719 Whose graves H6913 are set H5414 in the sides H3411 of the pit, H953 and her company H6951 is round about H5439 her grave: H6900 all of them slain, H2491 fallen H5307 by the sword, H2719 which caused H5414 terror H2851 in the land H776 of the living. H2416
He shall recount H2142 his worthies: H117 they shall stumble H3782 in their walk; H1979 they shall make haste H4116 to the wall H2346 thereof, and the defence H5526 shall be prepared. H3559 The gates H8179 of the rivers H5104 shall be opened, H6605 and the palace H1964 shall be dissolved. H4127
And G2532 the kings G935 of the earth, G1093 and G2532 the great men, G3175 and G2532 the rich men, G4145 and G2532 the chief captains, G5506 and G2532 the mighty men, G1415 and G2532 every G3956 bondman, G1401 and G2532 every G3956 free man, G1658 hid G2928 themselves G1438 in G1519 the dens G4693 and G2532 in G1519 the rocks G4073 of the mountains; G3735
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Nahum 3
Commentary on Nahum 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
Na 3:1-19. Repetition of Nineveh's Doom, with New Features; the Cause Is Her Tyranny, Rapine, and Cruelty: No-ammon's Fortifications Did Not Save Her; It Is Vain, Therefore, for Nineveh to Think Her Defenses Will Secure Her against God's Sentence.
1. the bloody city!—literally, "city of blood," namely, shed by Nineveh; just so now her own blood is to be shed.
robbery—violence [Maurer]. Extortion [Grotius].
the prey departeth not—Nineveh never ceases to live by rapine. Or, the Hebrew verb is transitive, "she (Nineveh) does not make the prey depart"; she ceases not to plunder.
2. The reader is transported into the midst of the fight (compare Jer 47:3). The "noise of the whips" urging on the horses (in the chariots) is heard, and of "the rattling of the wheels" of war chariots, and the "horses" are seen "prancing," and the "chariots jumping," &c.
3. horseman—distinct from "the horses" (in the chariots, Na 3:2).
lifteth up—denoting readiness for fight [Ewald]. Gesenius translates, "lifteth up (literally, 'makes to ascend') his horse." Similarly Maurer, "makes his horse to rise up on his hind feet." Vulgate translates, "ascending," that is, making his horse to advance up to the assault. This last is perhaps better than English Version.
the bright sword and the glittering spear—literally, "the glitter of the sword and the flash of the spear!" This, as well as the translation, "the horseman advancing up," more graphically presents the battle scene to the eye.
they stumble upon their corpses—The Medo-Babylonian enemy stumble upon the Assyrian corpses.
4. Because of the multitude of the whoredoms—This assigns the reason for Nineveh's destruction.
of the well-favoured harlot—As Assyria was not a worshipper of the true God, "whoredoms" cannot mean, as in the case of Israel, apostasy to the worship of false gods; but, her harlot-like artifices whereby she allured neighboring states so as to subject them to herself. As the unwary are allured by the "well-favored harlot's" looks, so Israel, Judah (for example, under Ahaz, who, calling to his aid Tiglath-pileser, was made tributary by him, 2Ki 16:7-10), and other nations, were tempted by the plausible professions of Assyria, and by the lure of commerce (Re 18:2, 3), to trust her.
witchcrafts—(Isa 47:9, 12). Alluding to the love incantations whereby harlots tried to dement and ensnare youths; answering to the subtle machinations whereby Assyria attracted nations to her.
selleth—deprives of their liberty; as slaves used to be sold: and in other property also sale was a usual mode of transfer. Maurer understands it of depriving nations of their freedom, and literally selling them as slaves to distant peoples (Joe 3:2, 3, 6-8). But elsewhere there is no evidence that the Assyrians did this.
families—peoples.
5. I will discover thy skirts upon thy face—that is, discover thy nakedness by throwing up thy skirts upon thy face (the greatest possible insult), pulling them up as as high as thy head (Jer 13:22; Eze 16:37-41). I will treat thee not as a matron, but as a harlot whose shame is exposed; her gaudy finery being lifted up off her (Isa 47:2, 3). So Nineveh shall be stripped of all her glory and defenses on which she prides herself.
6. cast abominable filth upon thee—as infamous harlots used to be treated.
gazing stock—exposed to public ignominy as a warning to others (Eze 28:17).
7. all … that look upon thee—when thou hast been made "a gazing stock" (Na 3:6).
shall flee from thee—as a thing horrible to look upon. Compare "standing afar off," Re 18:10.
whence shall I seek comforters for thee?—Compare Isa 51:19, which Nahum had before his mind.
8. populous No—rather, as Hebrew, "No-ammon," the Egyptian name for Thebes in Upper Egypt; meaning the portion or possession of Ammon, the Egyptian Jupiter (whence the Greeks called the city Diospolis), who was especially worshipped there. The Egyptian inscriptions call the god Amon-re, that is, Amon the Sun; he is represented as a human figure with a ram's head, seated on a chair (Jer 46:25; Eze 30:14-16). The blow inflicted on No-ammon, described in Na 3:10, was probably by the Assyrian Sargon (see on Isa 18:1; Isa 20:1). As Thebes, with all her resources, was overcome by Assyria, so Assyrian Nineveh, notwithstanding all her might, in her turn, shall be overcome by Babylon. English Version, "populous," if correct, implies that No's large population did not save her from destruction.
situate among the rivers—probably the channels into which the Nile here divides (compare Isa 19:6-8). Thebes lay on both sides of the river. It was famed in Homer's time for its hundred gates [Iliad, 9.381]. Its ruins still describe a circumference of twenty-seven miles. Of them the temples of Luxor and Karnak, east of the river, are most famous. The colonnade of the former, and the grand hall of the latter, are of stupendous dimensions. One wall still represents the expedition of Shishak against Jerusalem under Rehoboam (1Ki 14:25; 2Ch 12:2-9).
whose … wall was from the sea—that is, rose up "from the sea." Maurer translates, "whose wall consisted of the sea." But this would be a mere repetition of the former clause. The Nile is called a sea, from its appearance in the annual flood (Isa 19:5).
9. Ethiopia—Hebrew, Cush. Ethiopia is thought at this time to have been mistress of Upper Egypt.
Egypt—Lower Egypt.
her strength—her safeguard as an ally.
it was infinite—The resources of these, her allies, were endless.
Put—or Phut (Ge 10:6); descended from Ham (Eze 27:10). From a root meaning a bow; as they were famed as archers [Gesenius]. Probably west of Lower Egypt. Josephus [Antiquities, 1:6.2] identifies it with Mauritania (compare Jer 46:9, Margin; Eze 38:5).
Lubim—the Libyans, whose capital was Cyrene; extending along the Mediterranean west of Egypt (2Ch 12:3; 16:8; Ac 2:10). As, however, the Lubim are always connected with the Egyptians and Ethiopians, they are perhaps distinct from the Libyans. The Lubim were probably at first wandering tribes, who afterwards were settled under Carthage in the region of Cyrene, under the name Libyans.
thy—No's.
helpers—literally, "in thy help," that is, among thy auxiliaries.
10. Notwithstanding all her might, she was overcome.
cast lots for her honourable men—They divided them among themselves by lot, as slaves (Joe 3:3).
11. drunken—made to drink of the cup of Jehovah's wrath (Isa 51:17, 21; Jer 25:15).
hid—covered out of sight: a prediction remarkably verified in the state in which the ruins of Nineveh have been found [G. V. Smith]. But as "hid" precedes "seek strength," &c., it rather refers to Nineveh's state when attacked by her foe: "Thou who now so vauntest thyself, shalt be compelled to seek a hiding-place from the foe" [Calvin]; or, shalt be neglected and slighted by all [Maurer].
seek strength because of the enemy—Thou too, like Thebes (Na 3:9), shalt have recourse to other nations for help against thy Medo-Babylonian enemy.
12. thy strongholds—on the borders of Assyria, protecting the approaches to Nineveh: "the gates of thy land" (Na 3:13).
fig trees with the first ripe figs—expressing the rapidity and ease of the capture of Nineveh (compare Isa 28:4; Re 6:13).
13. thy people—thy soldiers.
women—unable to fight for thee (Isa 19:16; Jer 50:37; 51:30).
gates on thy land—the fortified passes or entrances to the region of Nineveh (compare Jer 15:7). Northeast of Nineveh there were hills affording a natural barrier against an invader; the guarded passes through these are probably "the gates of the land" meant.
fire shall devour thy bars—the "bars" of the fortresses at the passes into Assyria. So in Assyrian remains the Assyrians themselves are represented as setting fire to the gates of a city [Bonomi, Nineveh, pp. 194, 197].
14. Ironical exhortation to Nineveh to defend herself.
Draw … waters—so as not to be without water for drinking, in the event of being cut off by the besiegers from the fountains.
make strong the brick-kiln—or "repair" [Maurer]; so as to have a supply of bricks formed of kiln-burnt clay, to repair breaches in the ramparts, or to build new fortifications inside when the outer ones are taken by the foe.
15. There—in the very scene of thy great preparations for defense; and where thou now art so secure.
fire—even as at the former destruction; Sardanapalus (Pul?) perished with all his household in the conflagration of his palace, having in despair set it on fire, the traces of which are still remaining.
cankerworm—"the licking locust" [Henderson].
make thyself many as the locusts—"the swarming locusts" [Henderson]; that is, however "many" be thy forces, like those of "the swarming locusts," or the "licking locusts," yet the foe shall consume thee as the "licking locust" licks up all before it.
16. multiplied thy merchants—(Eze 27:23, 24). Nineveh, by large canals, had easy access to Babylon; and it was one of the great routes for the people of the west and northwest to that city; lying on the Tigris it had access to the sea. The Phœnicians carried its wares everywhere. Hence its merchandise is so much spoken of.
the cankerworm spoileth, and fleeth away—that is, spoiled thy merchants. The "cankerworm," or licking locust, answers to the Medo-Babylonian invaders of Nineveh [G. V. Smith]. Calvin explains less probably, "Thy merchants spoiled many regions; but the same shall befall them as befalls locusts, they in a moment shall be scattered and flee away." Maurer, somewhat similarly, "The licking locust puts off (the envelope in which his wings had been folded), and teeth away" (Na 2:9; compare Joe 1:4). The Hebrew has ten different names for the locust, so destructive was it.
17. Thy crowned—Thy princes (Re 9:7). The king's nobles and officers wore the tiara, as well as the king; hence they are called here "thy crowned ones."
as the locusts—as many as the swarming locusts.
thy captains—Tiphsar, an Assyrian word; found also in Jer 51:27, meaning satraps [Michaelis]; or rather, "military leaders" [Maurer]. The last syllable, sar means a "prince," and is found in Belshaz-zar, Nabopolas-sar, Nebuchadnez-zar.
as the great grasshoppers—literally, "as the locust of locusts," that is, the largest locust. Maurer translates, "as many as locusts upon locusts," that is, swarms of locusts. Hebrew idiom favors English Version.
in the hedges in the cold—Cold deprives the locust of the power of flight; so they alight in cold weather and at night, but when warmed by the sun soon "flee away." So shall the Assyrian multitudes suddenly disappear, not leaving a trace behind (compare Pliny, Natural History, 11.29).
18. Thy shepherds—that is, Thy leaders.
slumber—are carelessly secure [Maurer]. Rather, "lie in death's sleep, having been slain" [Jerome] (Ex 15:16; Ps 76:6).
shall dwell in the dust—(Ps 7:5; 94:17).
thy people is scattered—the necessary consequence of their leaders being laid low (1Ki 22:17).
19. bruit—the report.
clap the hands—with joy at thy fall. The sole descendants of the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians in the whole country are the Nestorian Christians, who speak a Chaldean language [Layard].
upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?—implying God's long forbearance, and the consequent enormity of Assyria's guilt, rendering her case one that admitted no hope of restoration.