The Pulpit Commentary — Nahum — Section 6

there shall be no repetition of Senno.oherib's sion used to introduce n. solemn dcclarn.tion, inv11Bion. Beptungint, Ob,c /,ca,,cf,cr.. 6b Though they (the Assyria.us) be quiet. ,,,.,,.. 0 au.-b lv 611.l,i, .. : Non vindicabit biB in Shalem has this meaning elsewhere, as i,lipBUm (Jerome). From thie text the Gen. xxxiv. 21; bnt this is UDRuito.ble here, Fa.there take occo.sion to diecues the questionwhere it must be translated, "in full how it ie thnt God doee not punish twice strength," "unimpaired," "complete," like for tho ea.me sin. the thorn-hedge in ver. 10. Vulge.te, Si Ver. 10.-While they be folden together perfecti fuerint. Though they be un hroken ne thorns. m strength, and likewise (on that account) The clo.use is conditiono.l: •• Though they bE! interwined as thorns." many in number. Septuagint, Td.o, ,._,...1« Though the Aesyrinus present nn impene- K6p,os, ,ca-rd.pxr,,v 6od..-o,v 1ro11.11.wv, "Thus saith trable front, which seems to defy o.ttack. (For the Lord, ruling over mi.ny waters." So the comparison of o. hostile army to briers the Syrio.c and Arabic. Jerome interprets and thorns, see Isa. x. 17; xxvii. 4; Hen- "the waters" to mean the heavenly powers derson.) And while they are drunken ae (Pe. cxlviii. 4). Yet thu (tbongh such is drunkards ; and though they be drunken with their state) shall they be cut down. The their drink, regarding themselves ne in- verb is used of the mowing of a field or the vincible, o.nd drenched with wine, o.nd shearing of sheep, and implies complete given up to luxury and excess. There des traction. When he shall pll.88 through; mo.y be o.n allusion to the legend current better, and he Bhall pass away. The number concerning the destruction of Nineveh. is changed, but the same persons are meant, Diodorus (ii. 26) relates that, after the spoken of as one to &bow their insignificance enemy ho.d been thrice repulsed, the King and complete annihilation. Septuagint, of Nineveh we.a so elated that he gave him- "Thus shall they be dispersed [01«cr.-a11.1\- self up to 'fe'stivity, and o.llowed a.II hie crov.-a., ; dividenlur, Jerome], and tbe report o.rmy to indulge in the utmost licence, and of thee shall no more be heard therein." t.hat it was while they were occupied in The following clause is not translated. drunkenness and feasting they were sur- Though I have afflicted thee. The Lord prised by the Medes under Cye.xe.res, and o.drlresses J ude.h. referring to the oppression their city taken. An account of such a of J udma by the Assyrians in the times of feast, accompanied with sketches from the Abaz and Hezekiah (2 Kings xvi. 18; 2 monuments, is given in Bonomi, 'Nineveh Chron. x.xvtii. 20, etc. ; xxxii. ). I will and its Discoveries,' p. 187, eto. We may e.fliict thee no more; according to the promise compare the fate of Belsh11.zze.r (Dan. v. 1, in ver. 9. This is further confirmed in what etc.). TIiey shall be devoured as stubble follows. fully dry; like worthless refuse, fit only for Ver. 13.-Ri.s yoke. The yoke of Assyria, burning (Exod. xv. 7; Isa. v. 24; Joel ii. probably referri:u.g to the vassalage of Judah 5; Obad. 18). The LXX. renders this (2 Kings xviii. 14; 2 Chron. xxxiii. 11). verse differently, "Because to it~ founda- (For the metaphor of "yoke" denotin" tion it she.II be dried up (x•pcro,Bf,cr,.-ri,: redi- subjugation. coiap. Lev. xxvi. 13; Jer. xxvi~ gentur in vepres, Jerome), o.n<l as bind-weed 2; Ezek. xxxiv. 27.) Jeremiah (xxx. 8) (crµi.\an intertwined it she.II be devoured, seems to use these words of Nahum to i.nd as stubble fully dry." announce the deliverance of Israel from Ver. 11.--The reason of the destruction captivity. Burst thy bonds in sunder; by and of the punishment is told. There is one . the fini.l overthrow of the Assyrian power oome out of thee, Nineveh is e.ddresijed; (Pe. ii. 3 ; J er. ii. 20). and we need not. refer the words entirely to Ver. 14.~onoerning thee. The propliet Sennacherib and hie impious threats, but o.drlresses the Assyrian, and announces Gou's may take them generally us expressing the purpose concerning him. That no moro of 1moge.nt impiety of the Aseyrio.ns and their thy name be sown. There is no speci ..l &ttitude towards Jehovo.h. A wicked coun- reference to Sennacherib in this or the next sellor; literally,' a counsellor of Belial; i.e.clause, but the prophet means tbat tbe of worthlessness. The expression, perhaps Assyrian people and name she.II become prim1Lri!y applied to Sennacherib, also extinct. Oat of the house of thy gods rega1·de the plans prepared by the-Assyrhms (Isa. xxxvii. 38, where the murder of Sen- for dc~trnying the people of God, a type of nacherib iu the temple of Nisroch is men- the world arrayed e.g11.inst piety. tioned). An account of the religion or the Assyrio.ns will be found in Lo.yard,' Ninen,h Vers. 12-15.-§ 4. The destruction of o.n,l its Remains,' vol. ii. eh. 7. Gravzn Ninei·eh iB emphatically a1111ounced, and Zioll image; carved out of wood or stouc. Molten; is dr,p/cted as rejoicing at the news of its cast in meta.I. The two termsc~mprise ,·,·ery rni11, a11d celebrating her feasts in safety. kind of idol, as in Dout. xxvii. 15; J u,lg. xvii. 3. 'l'ho Assyri1ms used to destn,y tbA Vor. 12 -Thus ao.ith the Lord. An exprrs- iwa 0cs of tho gods worijhippccl by conc1ncred  THE BOOK OF NAROM. [oil:. t. 1-16.