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the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee.

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18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

15 Exod. 34. 6, 7.

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Verse 1. My soul desired the firstripe fruit.'-Harmer, chedek mesukah, occur in juxtaposition, but are thinks that the expression here used by the prophet may probably be understood by the assistance of a remark which Sir John Chardin has made upon this passage. He informs us, that the Persians and Turks are not only fond of almonds, plums, and melons in a mature state, but that they are remarkable for eating them before they are ripe. As soon as ever they approach to that state, they make use of them, the great dryness and temperature of the air preventing flatulence.

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separated in the passage before us. They intimate to us
that it was sometimes the practice to make fences of some
thorny shrub, to check the progress of aggressors.
little can with certainty be said of this as of the other
thorny plants mentioned in Scripture. The correspond-
ing Arabic word chadak or hadak is however applied in
the East to a species of Solanum; and although Rosen-
müller, who was aware of this, supposes it not to be suit-
able to the texts, Dr. Royle is of a different opinion, and
states that some species of solanum grow to a considerable
size, while others are among the most prickly plants of
the East, and are very common in dry and arid situations,

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NAHU M.

THIS prophet is described in the first verse as the Elkoshite,' but it has been disputed whether this description is derived from his parentage or the place of his birth. The latter seems the most probable conclusion. Jerome says that there was in his days a village called Helkesi. It was so much fallen to ruin that the traces of the old buildings could scarcely be distinguished; but it was known to the Jews, and was shewn to him by one who went about the country with him. This was in Galilee; and if this was the birth-place of Nahum, another instance is offered, in addition to that of Jonah, that the Jews were in the wrong in alleging that 'Out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.' It has been thought by some, however, that Nahum was of the captivity of Israel, and that the Elkosh of Nahum was a place of that name in Kurdistan (the ancient Assyria), on the east side of the Tigris, about three hours' journey to the north of Mosul, which lies on the same side of the river, opposite to Nunia, supposed to be the site of the ancient Nineveh. This place is now inhabited by Nestorian Christians, and is a place of great resort to Jewish pilgrims, who certainly believe it to be the birthplace and burial-place of Nahum, to whose tomb they pay especial respect. There is no intrinsic improbability in this; but it is now generally thought that the tradition which connects the name of Nahum with this place is of later date, and originated with the Jews or Nestorians, who imagined that he must have lived near the principal scene of his prophecy, and supposed that the name had been transferred by the Hebrew colonists to this place from the town so called in Palestine, just as our colonists gave the names of English towns to places in their settlements. Although Nahum was a native of Elkosh, it does not necessarily follow that he abode there at the time his prophecy was delivered. On this point we see no evidence. Familiar references to Lebanon, Carmel, and Bashan, do not, in the mouth of a Jew, prove actual residence in Palestine; and it would unnecessarily limit the distinctness of prophetic vision to assume that he was in or near Jerusalem from the graphic manner in which he describes the advance of Sennacherib's army (i. 9-12).

The prophecy is generally held to have been uttered in the latter half of the reign of Hezekiah, not long after the irruption of the Assyrians under Sennacherib into Judæa, and before its fatal termination, which he prophesies, and then stretches forth his prophetic vision into times then remote, when the Assyrian power should be utterly broken and proud Nineveh destroyedevents which occurred about a hundred years after the utterance of the predictions.

The style of Nahum is thus characterized by Bishop Lowth :- None of the minor prophets seem to equal Nahum in boldness, ardour, and sublimity. His prophecy, too, forms a regular and perfect poem; the exordium is not merely magnificent, it is truly majestic; the preparation for the destruction of Nineveh, and the description of its downfal and desolation, are expressed in the most lively colours, and are bold and luminous in the highest degree.' The testimony of De Wette is to the same effect in other words. Henderson characterizes Nahum as 'inferior to none of the minor prophets, and scarcely to Isaiah himself.'

The number of separate commentaries upon Nahum is considerable. Bibliandri Propheta Nahum juxta veritatem Ebraicam Latine redditus, cum exegesi, etc., Tiguri, 1534; Luther, Enarratio in Prophetam Nahum, Viteb., 1555-also in German; De la Heurga, Comm. in Prophetam Nahum, Lugd., 1538; Chytræi Explicatio P. Nahumi, Viteb., 1565; Pinti Comm. in Danielem, Nahum, et Lamentt. Jeremia, Conimbriæ, 1582; Gesneri Paraphrasis et Expositio in Nahum, Viteb., 1604; Crocii Comm. in Nahum, Bremæ, 1620; De Quiros, Comm. in Prophetas Nahum et Malachiam, Hispali, 1622; Ursini Hypomnemata in Obadiam et Nahum, Francof., 1652; Abarbanelis Commentarius Latino donatus a J. D. Sprechero, Helmstd., 1703; Van Holke, Explicatio Analytica Prophetarum sex posteriorum ex Minoribus, Lugd., 1709; Wildii Meditationes Sacræ in P. Nahum, etc., Francof., 1712; Wahl, Neu übersetzung des Gesanges, der uns vom P. Nahum übrig ist, Halle, 1790; Grimm, Nahum, neu übersetzt mit erklärenden Anmerkungen, Düsseldorf, 1790: Greve, Vaticinia Nahumi et Habacuci, Amstelod., 1793; Bodin Nahum Latine versus et Notis philologicis illustratus, Upsal, 1806; Fraehn, Curarum exegetico-criticarum in Nahumum P. specimen, Rostock, 1806; Neumann, Nahum, neu übersetzt und mit Anmerkungen, Breslau, 1808; Middledorpf, Nahum, aus dem Hebraischen übersetzt, 1808; Pareau, Nahumi Vaticinium philolo gice et critice Expositum, 1808; Justi, Nahum, neu übersetzt und erläutert, Leipz., 1820. [Otto Strauss, Nahumi De Nino Vaticinium explicavit ex Assyriis monumentis illustravit, 1853.]

CHAPTER I.

The majesty of God in goodness to his people, and severity against his enemies.

T

HE burden

of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. 2 'God is *jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the the LORD will take venge

ance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

3 The LORD is 'slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.

5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can "abide in the fierceness of his

anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.

7 The LORD is good, a 'strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

9 What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.

10 For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

11 There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, 'a wicked counsellor.

12 Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be 'cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee

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2 Exod. 20. 5.

3 Heb. that hath fury. 7 Heb. a counsellor of Belial.

4 Exod. 34, 6, 7.

1 Or, the LORD is a jealous God, and a revenger, &c. 5 Heb. stand up. 6 Or, strength. 8 Or, If they would have been at peace, so should they have been many, and so should they have been shorn, and he should have passed away. Heb. shorn. 10 Isa. 52. 7. Rom. 10. 15.

11 Heb. feast.

12 Heb. Belial.

Verse 10. While they are drunken. ... they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.'-In the ancient writers there is considerable discrepancy with respect to the names of the persons who acted the more prominent parts in that last scene of Assyrian history which is the subject of the present prophecy. They however substantially agree, in the circumstances of that great event, with one another, and with the inspired prophets. And as the circumstances are alone mentioned by the latter, without any names being given, and as circumstantial corroborations are of the most interest and importance, we shall limit our notices to them, without opening any discussion about the names of the principal persons. We shall follow the account of Diodorus, which is not only the most complete and connected which remains to us, but is proved to be generally accurate by the remarkable illustration which it affords to, and receives from, the prophecies of Scripture. In the present verse the prophet intimates that a great destruction should befal the Assyrians while they were in

a condition of drunkenness. Accordingly, Diodorus informs us, that on the advance of the allied forces of the Medes and Babylonians, the king of Assyria marched against them, and obtained signal victories over them in three successive battles. The revolted tributaries began to think of abandoning their enterprise in despair, when they received news of the advance of a powerful army out of Bactria to the king's assistance. This force, after some parleying, they succeeded in persuading to make common cause with themselves against the king whom they came to assist. Meanwhile the Assyrian monarch, ignorant of the revolt of the Bactrians, and elated by for. mer successes, abandoned himself to his revelry and sloth, and was chiefly intent on preparing wine and victuals in abundance to feast his army. The allied revolters being apprised by deserters of the intemperance and security of the adverse army, attacked their camp suddenly, in the night, in the midst of their revelry and drunkenness; and being in excellent order, while the camp was in the most

disordered and helpless condition imaginable, and altogether unprovided for defence, they easily broke into the camp, and made a prodigious slaughter of the Assyrians. The survivors were glad to escape with their king into the city. As this was the first great blow, in those closing

transactions, which the Assyrians received-and was indeed the severest of all that preceded the final overthrow -we may reasonably conclude it to be the same event to which the prophet refers.

[V. 14. House of thy gods.'-APPENDIX, No. 77.]

CHAPTER II.

The fearful and victorious armies of God against Nineveh.

'HE that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.

2 For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.

3 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with 'flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.

4 The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.

5 He shall recount his 'worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the "defence. shall be prepared.

6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be 'dissolved.

7 And Huzzab shall be "led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids

1 Or, The disperser, or, hammer. 5 Or, fiery torches.

shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.

8 But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.

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9 Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the "pleasant furniture.

10 She is empty, and void, and waste and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness.

11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's whelp, and none made them afraid?

12 The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.

13 Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard.

2 Isa. 10. 12. 3 Or, the pride of Jacob as the pride of Israe!. 4 Or, dyed scarlet. 6 Heb. their show. 7 Or, gallants. a Heb. covering, or, coverer. Or, molten. 10 Or, That which was established, or, there was a stand made. 11 Or, discovered. 12 Or, from the days that she hath been. 13 Or, cause them to turn. 14 Or, and their infinite store, &c. 15 Heb. vessels of desire. 16 Isa. 13. 7, 8.

Verse 5. The defence shall be prepared.'-In this and the two preceding verses we have a very animated description of the preparations for defence. In like manner, we find the defensive preparations particularly mentioned by Diodorus. When the king found himself shut up within the walls of the town, he was by no means discouraged, but took the most active and well-advised measures for the defence. The town was well stored with necessaries, and the lofty and strong walls seemed to defy any force the besiegers could bring to bear against them. Yet not feeling too confident or secure, the king sent off a great part of his treasures, together with his children, to the care of his intimate friend Cotta, the governor of Paphlagonia; and dispatched posts into all the provinces of the kingdom to raise soldiers and to procure every possible assistance. Having thus made every arrangement for the defence which prudence or courage could suggest, the king resolved to abide the siege till the expected aid from the provinces should arrive. So well were his measures taken, and such the strength and resources of the place, that nothing of any consequence was effected for two years by the besiegers, beyond the keeping the besieged confined

to the city, and making some abortive assaults upon the walls. But the end came at last, and in the manner which the prophet repeatedly declares.

6. The gates of the rivers shall be opened.'-Compare this with ch. i. 8. Both passages mark very distinctly the agency of an inundation in opening the way to the besiegers of Nineveh. And most remarkably was this accomplished. We are told by Diodorus that in his plans for the defence of the city, the king of Assyria was greatly encouraged by an ancient prophecy, That Nineveh should never be taken until the river became its enemy. But that after the allied revolters had besieged the city for two years without effect, there occurred a prodigious inundation of the Tigris, when the stream overflowed its banks, and rose up to the city, and swept away about twenty furlongs of its great wall. When the king heard this unexpected fulfilment of the old prediction, he was filled with consternation and despair; he gave up all for lost; and that he might not fall into the hands of his enemies, he caused a large pile of wood to be raised in his palace, and heaping thereon all his gold, silver, and apparel, and collecting his eunuchs and concubines, caused the pile to

be set on fire, whereby all these persons, with himself, his treasures, and his palace were utterly consumed.-It claims to be noticed that the prophet mentions fire, as well as water, among the agents employed in the destruction of Nineveh (ch. iii. 13, 15).

As Diodorus does not specify the time of the year in which the inundation of the Tigris took place, we are left in doubt by which of the causes which still periodically operate in swelling its stream, and which sometimes occasion it to overflow its bank in particular places, it was produced. In autumn it is swollen by rains, and in spring by the melting of the snows in the mountains of Armenia. As the latter cause, more abundantly than the former, replenishes the channel of the river, and more frequently occasions inundations, it was probably by this that the proud walls of Nineveh were thrown down. A similar circumstance occurred a few years since to the greatest city, Baghdad, that now exists on the same river. While the inhabitants were expecting a siege, the river overflowed its banks, producing one of the most extensive and destructive river-inundations that history records. In one night a large part of the city wall, with a great number of the houses, were overthrown by the irruption of the waters, thousands of the sleeping inhabitants being overwhelmed in the ruins. In this case, however, the extent of the inundation around the city, and the length of time which it took to subside, allowed opportunity for the repair of the wall before the hostile army could approach.

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7. Huzzab.'-This word (3) has been very differently understood. Of the numerous alternatives which have been suggested, the following are the principal :The queen of Nineveh; Nineveh itself represented as a queen; a female idol; the warriors; the host; the foundation; the fortress, etc. These diversities are obtained by alterations in, or additions to, the present reading; by derivations from different roots; and by reading in a different connection; as well as by different apprehensions of the word as it stands. The interpretation 'fortress,' which Newcome and Boothroyd prefer, requires the word to end verse 6 rather than to begin verse 7; and the last clause of the former and the first of the latter will then read thus: The palace shall be dissolved and the fortress. She shall be led away captive,' etc. As we are strongly

verse.

[B.C. 713. persuaded that verse 7 describes Nineveh as a captive queen brought before the conqueror, we do not object to the interpretation we have quoted, since it disposes of the doubtful word in verse 6, and leaves this conclusion open for verse 7, where we suppose a new circumstance to be taken up, only connected generally with the preceding The present description may then be understood to represent Nineveh as a queen (or, if we will, the queen of Nineveh), led before the conqueror, attended by her maidens, who are described as mourning like doves and smiting upon their breasts. The act of smiting is strongly expressed, as in our version by tabering,' from the action of a performer on the tabret. This remarkable expression has been duly noticed by various expositors, who have however overlooked two circumstances which add to the force of the allusion,-one is, that tambourines are used exclusively by females in the East; and the other, that such are the instruments employed by the women who wail for the dead. [The word Huzzab means here simply, it is determined. It is determined that is, that the following things shall happen to Nineveh.]

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Her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon her breasts.-The tabor, one of the few musical instruments of ancient times, was employed both in rejoicing and mourning. The latter use of it is referred to by the figurative phrases here employed, and appears to us to be strikingly illustrated by the following, from an old traveller (Biddulph), who writes, 'While we were at Sapheta (Saphet, in Palestine), many Turks departed thence towards Mecca in Arabia; and the same morning they went, we saw many women playing with timbrels as they went along the street, and made a yelling or shrieking noise as though they cried. We asked what they meant in so doing. It was answered us, that they mourned for the departure of their husbands, who were gone that morning on pilgrimage to Mecca, and they feared that they should never see them again, because it was a long way and dangerous, and many died there every year.'

9. Take ye the spoil of silver. ... of gold.'-Diodorus describes the conquerors of Nineveh as greatly enriched by the spoils of gold and silver, collected from the ashes of the funeral pile and the rubbish of the burnt palace of the Assyrian king.

CHAPTER III.

The miserable ruin of Nineveh.

1

WOE to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the prey departeth not;

2 The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots.

3 The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses:

4 Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.

5 Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the

1 Heb. city of bloods.

4 Isa. 47. 3. Ezek. 16. 37. 678

2 Ezek, 24. 9.

Hab. 2. 12. 5 Or, nourishing.

nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.

6 And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a gazingstock.

7 And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek comforters for thee?

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8 Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?

9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.

10 Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets : and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.

3 Heb. the flame of the sword, and the lightning of the spear.
Heb. No Amon.
7 Heb. in thy help.

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