Nahum 3:9 Kommentar

This chapter goes on with the burden of Nineveh, and concludes it. I. The sins of that great city are charged upon it, murder (Nah 3:1), whoredom and witchcraft (Nah 3:4), and a general extent of wickedness (Nah 3:19). II. Judgments are here threatened against it, blood for blood (Nah 3:2, Nah 3:3), and shame for shameful sins (Nah 3:5-7). III. Instances are given of the like desolations brought upon other places for the like sins (Nah 3:8-11). IV. The overthrow of all those things which they depended upon, and put confidence in, is foretold (Nah 3:12-19).

INTRODUCTION TO NAHUM 3 In this chapter is contained the prophecy of the destruction of Nineveh, and with it the whole Assyrian empire; the causes of which, besides those before mentioned, were the murders, lies, and robberies it was full of, Nah 3:1 for which it should be swiftly and cruelly destroyed, Nah 3:2 as also its whoredoms and witchcrafts, or idolatry, by which nations and families were seduced, Nah 3:4 and hence she should be treated as a harlot, her nakedness exposed, and she cast out with contempt, and mocked at by all, Nah 3:5 and all those things she placed her confidence in are shown to be of no avail; as her situation and fortresses, as she might learn from the case of No Amon, Nah 3:8 nor the number of her inhabitants, which were weak as women; nor even her merchants, captains, nobles, and king himself, Nah 3:13 nor the people she was in alliance with, who would now mock at her, her case being irrecoverable and incurable, Nah 3:19.

Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength,.... That is, the strength, support, protection, and defence of No, whether Alexandria, or Thebes, or Memphis: Egypt was, for these cities were in it, and subject to it; or, if this was a free city, as some think, yet in alliance with Egypt, and under its protection; and in like connection it was with Ethiopia, that is, Arabia, a country that lay near to it; and yet, though it was strengthened by such powerful neighbours and allies, it was not secure from the devastation of the enemy: and it was infinite; or there was "no end" (o); of its strength, or of the number of its allies, or the forces they were able to bring in its defence. The Ethiopians were very numerous, as may be learnt from Ch2 14:9 and so were the Egyptians, to whom some interpreters strictly connect this sentence. In the times of Amasis, as Mela (p) relates, there were twenty thousand cities inhabited in it; and Josephus (q) says there were in it seven hundred and fifty myriads of men; as Sethon, king of Egypt, and Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia, were about this time the allies of the Jews, in whom they trusted, no doubt they were confederate together, and so both the strength of this city; see Isa 36:6, Put and Lubim, were thy helpers; Put, or the Putim, were the people of the Moors, that dwelt in Mauritania; and Lubim were the Lybians that bordered on Egypt, and whose country is sometimes reckoned a part of it. The Jews (r) say Lybia is Egypt; see Act 2:10 these several people were the confederates of No; and helped them, not only by their commerce with them, but in time of war assisted them against their enemies; and yet, though so strengthened by alliances, were not safe and secure; and therefore Nineveh could not depend upon such helps and helpers. (o) "non est finis", Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Cocceius. (p) De Orbis Situ. l. 1. c. 9. (q) De Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 16. sect. 4. (r) T. Hieros. Celaim, c. 8. fol. 31. 3.

(Verse 8 and following) Are you better than Amon ((Vulgate: Alexandria of the nations)), who lived by the rivers? Her water was like a sea, her walls were like fortifications, Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and there was no end to her wealth; Africa and Libya were her allies. But she too was led into captivity, her young children were dashed to pieces at every street corner, her nobles were cast lots upon, and all her dignitaries were bound in chains. And so you will be intoxicated and despised; and you will seek your help from your enemies, all your fortresses like fig trees with their ripe fruit, if they are shaken, will fall into the mouth of the eater. LXX: Aptly did Ammon, who dwells in rivers, water surrounding it, whose beginning is the sea, and its water is a wall. Ethiopia is its strength and Egypt, and there is no end to your flight. Put and the Libyans have become its helpers, and it itself will go into exile, and its little ones will be dashed to pieces at the head of its roads, and they will cast lots over all its noble men, and all its princes will be bound in fetters; and you will be intoxicated and despised, and you will seek there to stand against your enemies; all your fortresses, like fig trees with ripe fruit, if they are shaken, will fall into the mouth of the eater. Because in the Septuagint it is read, Apta chordam, the part of Ammon; and the other interpreters have translated: Are you better than Amon? The Hebrew scholar who instructed me in the Scriptures asserted that it could be read as: Are you better than No, Amon? And he said, in Hebrew No is called Alexandria: but Amon means multitude, or peoples, and is the order of reading: Are you better than populous Alexandria, or the peoples that dwell by its rivers, with water surrounding it? Not because at that time it was called Alexandria, since it received its name long after Alexander the Great, the Macedonian; but because under its first name, that is, No, it was always the metropolis of Egypt and exceedingly populated. Finally, even those who recorded the deeds of Alexander believe that it was the chief city of Egypt. Moreover, the prophet Jeremiah, understanding by Amon or No Alexandria in his vision against Egypt, to which he says: Beautiful heifer Egypt, a destroyer comes from the north to her (Jer. 46:20), also adds more clearly: The daughter of Egypt is put to shame, given into the hand of the people of the north, says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel. Behold, I will visit upon Amon of Menno () , that is, upon the mound (or tomb) of Alexandria (Ibid., 24 ff.): For Amon, as we said, signifies peoples; But Men the preposition de signifies; And No signifies Alexandria. And he says, I will visit upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt, and upon its gods, and upon its kings, and upon Pharaoh, and upon those who hope in it; and I will give into the hand of those seeking their souls, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants. Therefore it is said to Nineveh: Are you richer or more powerful than Alexandria? And the location of Alexandria is described, which is situated on the Nile and the sea, surrounded by waters and rivers on both sides. Water surrounds it, the wealth of the sea; its walls are made of water: on one side by the Nile River, on the other side by Lake Mareotis, and on another side by the sea. The fact that Ethiopia and Egypt, and Africa, which is called Phut in Hebrew, and Libya are under its protection, demonstrates the location of the provinces and the city. And so, as the prophet says, this is how your speech describes it, will be captured by the Babylonian king, and he will be both your devastator and his. This is also recounted by Josephus, a writer of Jewish history, in his books. Her little ones will be dashed in the streets, her nobles will be divided by the lot of the victors, and the once mighty princes will be led away in chains. Therefore, as Alexandria suffers these things, you, O Nineveh, will drink from the same cup, and you will be intoxicated and despised while lying in a state of unconsciousness, and you will come to such great necessity that you will seek help from the Babylonians or against the Babylonians, from your enemies. All your firmaments and walls stretching high, and the heights of towers, which you now think are impregnable, and your strong men and warriors will be compared to primitive figs, which if shaken with a light touch, will fall and be devoured. For what is read in the Septuagint: 'Fit, or compose a chord,' is still said to Nineveh. And the meaning is: Your disorderly and unarranged, and discordant in different ways, is fitted to the likeness of chords, Nineveh, because your appearance and greatness, which you believe to be exceptional, will be of no use to you unless you fit yourself for singing. Consider then all the part of the lot of the sons of Ammon, and whatever possessions are considered good, how did they not defend them so that they would not go into captivity, and so that their little ones would not stumble in the ways? What good were the rivers near which the city of Ammon was situated? What, besides the rivers, did the multitude of wells and springs, beginning from the Dead Sea and surrounding its region, provide to it? What help did Ethiopia and Egypt, once its allies, provide to it? How then did the help of the allies not benefit her? In this way, Ninive, there will be no end to your fleeing, but you will be devastated here and there. What can I say of the Ethiopians, and of the Egyptians who were rulers of the descendants of Ammon, when even the Libyans were allied with her? And so she will be led into captivity, and her little ones, because they will not be able to enter, will be killed in the streets, lying prostrate before their parents' eyes, and all her wealth will perhaps be divided among the victors. And no one of the leaders will escape, for they will be bound with iron and shackles. And so, o Nineveh, you will be intoxicated, and once rich and beautiful, who had so many lovers, you will be despised by all, and while your enemies pursue you, you will seek rest and not find it. All your warriors and all your allies will be plundered by the enemy, and without any effort they will be captured like ripe figs, which when shaken do not fall to the ground, so that at least there is some small labor for those gathering, but they will immediately fall into the mouth of the devourer. Let these words be paraphrased according to the Septuagint interpreters: for we have once proposed to follow the Vulgate edition, so that we do not appear to have given any occasion for reprehending the excetrae and Sardanapalus. Moreover, the example of the overthrow of Nineveh does not seem to me to be sufficiently congruent with the sons of Lot, who are called Ammon. For first, it is said Ammon (Genesis X), not Amman; secondly, Ammana, which is now called Philadelphia, is not situated beside rivers, nor are its riches gathered from the sea, since it is inland, neither does it have Ethiopia and Egypt and Africa and Libya as allies, when all these things, both according to power and according to example, and according to the description of the place and region, and the friendly nations, are more suited to being compared to Alexandria; and never would the most powerful city of Nineveh, compared to the lesser Philadelphia, have heard from the prophet: Are you better? But to whom is it said: Are you not better? It is shown that you are lesser than the one you are compared to, and you should not bear it unworthily if it is captured, since it was overcome by the same enemy who is greater, stronger, and more powerful both in the nature of the place and in brave men. But since we have interpreted Nineveh and this world, it is commanded to him to tune and compose his strings, and to prepare himself for a mournful song: for indeed the part of the sons of Ammon, which was much better than Nineveh and had dwelt over the rivers, because it was found in error, paid the penalties for its own crime. First, according to the history of Alexandria, it must be said that 'Ammon' interprets the people, and the meaning is according to the laws of allegory: Consider the people of the Church who dwell upon the rivers of the prophets, and it has teachers in its vicinity, from whose womb rivers flow, with its beginning being the sea. From the reading of the Law, which is bitter without the wood of Christ, we arrive at the likeness of Myrrh to its mystery, which has Ethiopia in its strength: Ethiopia indeed shall stretch out her hands to God (Ps. 68) : and Egypt into which the Lord came in a light cloud: and the Libyans who formerly dwelt in barrenness, but afterwards became his helpers. And if she does not realize this and guard her heart with all diligence, she will be taken captive and will mourn for her children. Her little ones, who are still in the early stages of their journey and have not reached the middle of the road, will be stumbled in their own beginnings. And the most cruel enemies will hasten to divide among themselves the splendid things of hers, and they will drag into captivity the noble ones whom we can understand as the leaders and governors, bound in chains and hindered by the weight of the heaviest fetters. And so, Nineveh, you, infidel men, who adhere completely to the world, will feel punishment, and you will drink from my cup and fall into the same vice as those who were on my side and fell by their own fault. And you will despise me; you will seek an end between the vices and disturbances that oppress you, and yet you will not be able to find a stop and an end to your evils. And all your desires and pleasures, and worldly powers, and the doctrines that you thought you had so firmly, will be devoured by the one who eats, as Samson says in a parable: 'Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness' (Judges 14:14). For then, all your strong things and the sweet fruits that promised delights to the eyes of the beholders will fall into the mouth of the devouring devil with the first shaking of the tree, by whom Nineveh had always been tested and possessed. Furthermore, what we have omitted: And there is no end to your flight, because it is said to Nineveh, and among those things which are written about Ammon, it is placed, and it seems extraordinarily inserted in a foreign place, as if we refer to Nineveh by way of excess: And you will be intoxicated, and there is no end to your flight, and you will be despised, and the rest of the things that are said to Nineveh. And we will interpret that there is no end to the flight of Nineveh from God, because it always makes progress in fleeing, and never wants to stop, according to what we said above: And those who flee did not stand, and there was no one to look back. And we will say that Holy Scripture is interwoven with these difficulties, especially the prophets who are full of riddles, so that the difficulty of meaning also involves the difficulty of language: so that the holy things may not easily be revealed to dogs, and pearls to pigs, and sacred things to the profane. And if we wish to interpret Ammon as referring to the sons of Lot, let us say that Lot had two sons from his two daughters, Moab and Ammon, of whom the older, Moab, is interpreted as from the father or paternal water, but the younger, Ammon, may be understood as either the son of my generation or our people (Genesis XIX). And I consider how (or in what manner) he who was born from Judah, because of sin, is said to him: Seed of Canaan, and not Judah (Dan. XIII, 56). And in Ezekiel to Jerusalem, the sinner (or harlot): Your root and your generation are from the land of Canaan, your father is an Amorite (or Canaanite), and your mother is a Hittite (Ezek. XVI, 3): thus those who were from the former people, that is, the Jews; and from the latter, that is, from us, Moabites and Ammonites are figuratively called. And because they had turned away from their father (for the name Lot means 'turning away'), they will be subjected to punishment and will suffer all that we have mentioned above. But if even those who were once holy incur the severity of God, and she who dwelt among the rivers will be purged by the fire of Gehenna, how much more will Nineveh, which had no law before and did not receive the yoke of God's commandments, fall in the end into the devouring mouth because of its pride!

The prophet denounces a wo against Nineveh for her perfidy and violence. He musters up before our eyes the number of her chariots and cavalry; points to her burnished arms, and to the great and unrelenting slaughter which she spreads around her, Nah 3:1-3. Because Nineveh is a city wholly given up to the grossest superstition, and is an instructress of other nations in her abominable rites, therefore she shall come to a most ignominious and unpitied end, Nah 3:3-7. Her final ruin shall be similar to that of No, a famous city of Egypt, Nah 3:8-11. The prophet then beautifully describes the great ease with which the strong holds of Nineveh should be taken, Nah 3:12, and her judicial pusillanimity during the siege, Nah 3:13; declares that all her preparation, her numbers, opulence, and chieftains, would be of no avail in the day of the Lord's vengeance, Nah 3:14-17; and that her tributaries would desert her, Nah 3:18. The whole concludes with stating the incurableness of her malady, and the dreadful destruction consequently awaiting her; and with introducing the nations which she had oppressed as exulting at her fall, Nah 3:19.

Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength - The land of Cush, not far from Diospolis; for it was in Arabia, on the Red Sea. Put and Lubim - A part of Africa and Libya, which were all within reach of forming alliances with No-Ammon or Diospolis.

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. (Nah. 3:1-19) 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.

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 (Gen 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 (Ch2 12:3; Ch2 16:8; Act 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.

Nineveh's Sins and Inevitable Destruction - Nahum 3 The announcement of the destruction awaiting Nineveh is confirmed by the proof, that this imperial city has brought this fate upon itself by its sins and crimes (Nah 3:1-7), and will no more be able to avert it than the Egyptian No-amon was (Nah 3:8-13), but that, in spite of all its resources, it will be brought to a terrible end (Nah 3:14-19).