Part 594 (1/2)

1:2. The Lord is a jealous G.o.d, and a revenger: the Lord is a revenger, and hath wrath: the Lord taketh vengeance on his adversaries, and he is angry with his enemies.

1:3. The Lord is patient, and great in power, and will not cleanse and acquit the guilty. The Lord's ways are in a tempest, and a whirlwind, and clouds are the dust of his feet.

1:4. He rebuketh the sea and drieth it up: and bringeth all the rivers to be a desert. Basan languisheth and Carmel: and the flower of Liba.n.u.s fadeth away.

1:5. The mountains tremble at him, and the hills are made desolate: and the earth hath quaked at his presence, and the world, and all that dwell therein.

1:6. Who can stand before the face of his indignation? and who shall resist in the fierceness of his anger? his indignation is poured out like fire: and the rocks are melted by him.

1:7. The Lord is good, and giveth strength in the day of trouble: and knoweth them that hope in him.

1:8. But with a flood that pa.s.seth by, he will make an utter end of the place thereof: and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

Of the place thereof... Viz., of Ninive.

1:9. What do ye devise against the Lord? he will make an utter end: there shall not rise a double affliction.

1:10. For as thorns embrace one another: so while they are feasting and drinking together, they shall be consumed as stubble that is fully dry.

1:11. Out of thee shall come forth one that imagineth evil against the Lord, contriving treachery in his mind.

Shall come forth one, etc... Some understand this of Sennacherib. But as his attempt against the people seems to have been prior to the prophecy of Nahum, we may better understand it of Holofernes.

1:12. Thus saith the Lord: Though they were perfect: and many of them so, yet thus shall they be cut off, and he shall pa.s.s: I have afflicted thee, and I will afflict thee no more.

Though they were perfect, etc... That is, however strong or numerous their forces may be, they shall be cut off; and their prince or leader shall pa.s.s away and disappear.

1:13. And now I will break in pieces his rod with which he struck thy back, and I will burst thy bonds asunder.

1:14. And the Lord will give a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name shall be sown: I will destroy the graven and molten thing out of the house of thy G.o.d, I will make it thy grave, for thou art disgraced.

Will give a commandment... That is, a decree, concerning thee, O king of Ninive, thy seed shall fail, etc.

1:15. Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, and that preacheth peace: O Juda, keep thy festivals, and pay thy vows: for Belial shall no more pa.s.s through thee again, he is utterly cut off.

Belial... The wicked one, viz., the a.s.syrian.

Nahum Chapter 2

G.o.d sends his armies against Ninive to destroy it.

2:1. He is come up that shall destroy before thy face, that shall keep the siege: watch the way, fortify thy loins, strengthen thy power exceedingly.

2:2. For the Lord hath rendered the pride of Jacob, as the pride of Israel: because the spoilers have laid them waste, and have marred their vine branches.

Hath rendered the pride of Jacob, etc... He hath punished Jacob for his pride; and therefore Ninive must not expect to escape. Or else, rendering the pride of Jacob means rewarding, that is, punis.h.i.+ng Ninive for the pride they exercised against Jacob.

2:3. The s.h.i.+eld of his mighty men is like fire, the men of the army are clad in scarlet, the reins of the chariot are flaming in the day of his preparation, and the drivers are stupified.

Of his mighty men, etc... He speaks of the Chaldeans and Medes sent to destroy Ninive.-Ibid. Stupefied... consopiti. That is, they drive on furiously like men intoxicated with wine.