{"commentary":{"id":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","website":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamieson-Fausset-Brown_Bible_Commentary","licenseUrl":"https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/","licenseNotes":null,"licenseNotice":null,"englishName":"Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary","language":"eng","textDirection":"rtl","sha256":"db3d4c8b3c1f32ef9d1430a57392e02bda3a17aac1f9bbe398461de021a3cb13","availableFormats":["json"],"listOfBooksApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/books.json","listOfProfilesApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/profiles.json","numberOfBooks":66,"totalNumberOfChapters":1187,"totalNumberOfVerses":17056,"totalNumberOfProfiles":0,"languageName":"English","languageEnglishName":"English"},"book":{"id":"NAM","commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","name":"Nahum","commonName":"Nahum","introduction":"NAHUM means \"consolation\" and \"vengeance\"; symbolizing the \"consolation\" in the book for God's people, and the \"vengeance\" coming on their enemies. In the first chapter the two themes alternate; but as the prophet advances, vengeance on the capital of the Assyrian foe is the predominant topic. He is called \"the Elkoshite\" (Nah 1:1), from Elkosh, or Elkesi, a village of Galilee, pointed out to JEROME [Preface in Nahum] as a place of note among the Jews, having traces of ancient buildings. The name Capernaum, that is, \"village of Nahum,\" seems to take its name from Nahum having resided in it, though born in Elkosh in the neighborhood. There is another Elkosh east of the Tigris, and north of Mosul, believed by Jewish pilgrims to be the birthplace and burial place of the prophet. But the book of Nahum in its allusions shows a particularity of acquaintance with Palestine (Nah 1:4), and only a more general knowledge as to Nineveh (Nah 2:4-6; Nah 3:2-3).\n\nHis graphic description of Sennacherib and his army (Nah 1:9-12) makes it not unlikely that he was in or near Jerusalem at the time: hence the number of phrases corresponding to those of Isaiah (compare Nah 1:8-9, with Isa 8:8; Isa 10:23; Nah 2:10, with Isa 24:1; Isa 21:3; Nah 1:15, with Isa 52:7). The prophecy in Nah 1:14 probably refers to the murder of Sennacherib twenty years after his return from Palestine (Isa 37:38). The date of his prophecies, thus, seems to be about the former years of Hezekiah. So JEROME thinks. He plainly writes while the Assyrian power was yet unbroken (Nah 1:12; Nah 2:11-13 Nah 3:15-17). The correspondence between the sentiments of Nahum and those of Isaiah and Hezekiah, as recorded in Second Kings and Isaiah, proves the likelihood of Nahum's prophecies belonging to the time when Sennacherib was demanding the surrender of Jerusalem, and had not yet raised the siege (compare Nah 1:2, &c., with Kg2 19:14-15; Nah 1:7, with Kg2 18:22; Kg2 19:19, Kg2 19:31; Ch2 32:7-8; Nah 1:9, Nah 1:11, with Kg2 19:22, Kg2 19:27-28; Nah 1:14, with Kg2 19:6-7; Nah 1:15; Nah 2:1-2, with Kg2 19:32-33; Nah 2:13, with Kg2 19:22-23). The historical data in the book itself are the humiliation of Israel and Judah by Assyria (Nah 2:2); the invasion of Judah (Nah 1:9, Nah 1:11); and the conquest of No-ammon, or Thebes, in Upper Egypt (Nah 3:8-10). Tiglath-pileser and Shalmaneser had carried away Israel. The Jews were harassed by the Syrians, and impoverished by Ahaz' payments to Tiglath-pileser (2Ch. 28:1-27; Isa 7:9). Sargon, Shalmaneser's successor, after the reduction of Phœnicia by the latter, fearing lest Egypt should join Palestine against him, undertook an expedition to Africa (Isa 20:1-6), and took Thebes; the latter fact we know only from Nahum, but the success of the expedition in general is corroborated in Isa 20:1-6. Sennacherib, Sargon's successor, made the last Assyrian attempt against Judea, ending in the destruction of his army in the fourteenth year of Hezekiah (713-710 B.C.). As Nahum refers to this in part prophetically, in part as matter of history (Nah 1:9-13; Nah 2:13), he must have lived about 720-714 B.C., that is, almost a hundred years before the event foretold, namely, the overthrow of Nineveh by the joint forces of Cyaxares and Nabopolassar in the reign of Chyniladanus, 625 or 603 B.C.\n\nThe prophecy is remarkable for its unity of aim. Nahum's object was to inspire his countrymen, the Jews, with the assurance that, however alarming their position might seem, exposed to the attacks of the mighty Assyrian, who had already carried away the ten tribes, yet that not only should the Assyrian (Sennacherib) fail in his attack on Jerusalem, but Nineveh, his own capital, be taken and his empire overthrown; and this, not by an arbitrary exercise of Jehovah's power, but for the iniquities of the city and its people. His position in the canon is seventh of the minor prophets in both the Hebrew and Greek arrangement. He is seventh in point of date.\n\nHis style is clear, elegant, and forcible. Its most striking characteristic is the power of representing several phases of an idea in the briefest sentences, as in the majestic description of God in the commencement, the conquest of Nineveh, and the destruction of No-ammon [EICHORN]. DE WETTE calls attention to his variety of manner in presenting ideas, as marking great poetic talent. \"Here there is something sonorous in his language there something murmuring; with both these alternates something that is soft, delicate, and melting, as the subject demands.\" Excepting two alleged Assyrian words (Nah 3:17), English Version, \"crowned,\" or princes, and English Version, \"captains,\" or satraps (used by Jer 51:27), the language is pure. These two, doubtless, came to be known in Judea from the intercourse with Assyria in the eighth and seventh centuries B.C. \n\n\n\nNext: Nahum Chapter 1\n\n","order":34,"numberOfChapters":3,"sha256":"2d2a5242673e140611e927f514853b31db889e7aee88582d24647e72095ba625","firstChapterNumber":1,"firstChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/NAM/1.json","firstChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"NAM","chapter":1},"lastChapterNumber":3,"lastChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/NAM/3.json","lastChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"NAM","chapter":3},"totalNumberOfVerses":44},"chapter":{"number":2,"content":[{"type":"verse","number":2,"content":["For the Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob--that is, the time for Nineveh's overthrow is ripe, because Jacob (Judah) and Israel (the ten tribes) have been sufficiently chastised. The Assyrian rod of chastisement, having done its work, is to be thrown into the fire. If God chastised Jacob and Israel with all their \"excellency\" (Jerusalem and the temple, which was their pre-eminent excellency above all nations in God's eyes, Psa 47:4; Psa 87:2; Eze 24:21; see on Amo 6:8), how much more will He punish fatally Nineveh, an alien to Him, and idolatrous? MAURER, not so well, translates, \"restores,\" or \"will restore the excellency of Jacob.\" \n\nemptiers--the Assyrian spoilers. \n\nhave emptied them out--have spoiled the Israelites and Jews (Hos 10:1). Compare Psa 80:8-16, on \"vine branches,\" as applied to Israel.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":3,"content":["his mighty men--the Medo-Babylonian generals mighty men attacking Nineveh. \n\nmade red--The ancients dyed their bull's-hide shields red, partly to strike terror into the enemy, chiefly lest the blood from wounds which they might receive should be perceived and give confidence to the foe [CALVIN]. G. V. SMITH conjectures that the reference is to the red reflection of the sun's rays from shields of bronze or copper, such as are found among the Assyrian remains. \n\nin scarlet--or crimson military tunics (compare Mat 27:28). XENOPHON mentions that the Medes were fond of this color. The Lydians and Tyrians extracted the dye from a particular worm. \n\nchariots . . . with flaming torches--that is, the chariots shall be like flaming torches, their wheels in lightning-like rapidity of rotation flashing light and striking sparks from the stones over which they pass (compare Isa 5:28). English Version supposes a transposition of the Hebrew letters. It is better to translate the Hebrew as it is, \"the chariots (shall be furnished) with fire-flashing scythes\" (literally, \"with the fire,\" or glitter, of iron weapons). Iron scythes were fixed at right angles to the axles and turned down, or parallel to it, inserted into the felly of the wheel. The Medes, perhaps, had such chariots, though no traces of them are found in Assyrian remains. On account of the latter fact, it may be better to translate, \"the chariots (shall come) with the glitter of steel weapons\" [MAURER and G. V. SMITH]. \n\nin the day of his preparation--JEHOVAH'S (Isa 13:3). Or, \"Medo-Babylonian commander's day of preparation for the attack\" (Nah 2:1). \"He\" confirms this, and \"his\" in this verse. \n\nthe fir trees--their fir-tree lances. \n\nterribly shaken--branded so as to strike terror. Or, \"shall be tremulous with being brandished\" [MAURER].\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":4,"content":["rage--are driven in furious haste (Jer 46:9). \n\njustle one against another--run to and fro [MAURER]. \n\nin the broad ways-- (Ch2 32:6). Large open spaces in the suburbs of Nineveh. \n\nthey shall seem like torches--literally, \"their (feminine in Hebrew) appearance (is)\": namely, the appearance of the broad places is like that of torches, through the numbers of chariots in them flashing in the sun (Pro 8:26, Margin). \n\nrun like the lightnings--with rapid violence (Mat 24:27; Luk 10:18).\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":5,"content":["The Assyrian king. The Assyrian preparations for defense. \n\nshall recount his worthies-- (Nah 3:18). Review, or count over in his mind, his nobles, choosing out the bravest to hasten to the walls and repel the attack. But in vain; for \n\nthey shall stumble in their walk--\"they shall stumble in their advance\" through fear and hurry. \n\nthe defence shall be prepared--rather, the covering machine used by besiegers to protect themselves in advancing to the wall. Such sudden transitions, as here from the besieged to the besiegers, are frequent (compare Eze 4:2), [MAURER]. Or, used by the besieged Assyrians [CALVIN].\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":6,"content":["The gates of the rivers . . . opened--The river wall on the Tigris (the west defense of Nineveh) was 4,530 yards long. On the north, south, and east sides, there were large moats, capable of being easily filled with water from the Khosru. Traces of dams (\"gates,\" or sluices) for regulating the supply are still visible, so that the whole city could be surrounded with a water barrier (Nah 2:8). Besides, on the east, the weakest side, it was further protected by a lofty double rampart with a moat two hundred feet wide between its two parts, cut in the rocky ground. The moats or canals, flooded by the Ninevites before the siege to repel the foe, were made a dry bed to march into the city, by the foe turning the waters into a different channel: as Cyrus did in the siege of Babylon [MAURER]. In the earlier capture of Nineveh by Arbaces the Mede, and Belesis the Babylonian, DIODORUS SICULUS, [1.2.80], states that there was an old prophecy that it should not be taken till the river became its enemy; so in the third year of the siege, the river by a flood broke down the walls twenty furlongs, and the king thereupon burnt himself and his palace and all his concubines and wealth together, and the enemy entered by the breach in the wall. Fire and water were doubtless the means of the second destruction here foretold, as of the first. \n\ndissolved--by the inundation [HENDERSON]. Or, those in the palace shall melt with fear, namely, the king and his nobles [GROTIUS].\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":7,"content":["Huzzab--the name of the queen of Nineveh, from a Hebrew root implying that she stood by the king (Psa 45:9), [VATABLUS]. Rather, Nineveh personified as a queen. She who had long stood in the most supreme prosperity. Similarly CALVIN. MAURER makes it not a proper name, and translates, \"It is established,\" or \"determined\" (compare Gen 41:32). English Version is more supported by the parallelism. \n\nled away captive--The Hebrew requires rather, \"she is laid bare\"; brought forth from the apartments where Eastern women remained secluded, and is stripped of her ornamental attire. Compare Isa 47:2-3, where the same image of a woman with face and legs exposed is used of a city captive and dismantled (compare Nah 3:5), [MAURER]. \n\nbrought up--Her people shall be made to go up to Babylon. Compare the use of \"go up\" for moving from a place in Jer 21:2. \n\nher maids . . . as . . . doves--As Nineveh is compared to a queen dethroned and dishonored, so she has here assigned to her in the image handmaids attending her with dove-like plaints (Isa 38:14; Isa 59:11. The image implies helplessness and grief suppressed, but at times breaking out). The minor cities and dependencies of Nineveh may be meant, or her captive women [JEROME]. GROTIUS and MAURER translate, for \"lead her,\" \"moan,\" or \"sigh.\" \n\ntabering--beating on their breasts as on a tambourine.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":8,"content":["But--rather, \"Though\" [G. V. SMITH]. \n\nof old--rather, \"from the days that she hath been\"; from the earliest period of her existence. Alluding to Nineveh's antiquity (Gen 10:11). \"Though Nineveh has been of old defended by water surrounding her, yet her inhabitants shall flee away.\" GROTIUS, less probably (compare Nah 3:8-12), interprets, the \"waters\" of her numerous population (Isa 8:7; Jer 51:13; Rev 17:15). \n\nStand, stand, shall they cry--that is, the few patriotic citizens shall cry to their fleeing countrymen; \"but none looketh back,\" much less stops in flight, so panic-stricken are they.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":9,"content":["silver . . . gold--The conquerors are summoned to plunder the city. Nineveh's riches arose from the annual tribute paid by so many subject states, as well as from its extensive merchandise (Nah 3:16; Eze 27:23-24). \n\nstore--accumulated by the plunder of subject nations. It is remarkable, that while small articles of value (bronze inlaid with gold, gems, seals, and alabaster vases) are found in the ruins of Nineveh, there are is none of gold and silver. These, as here foretold, were \"taken for spoil\" before the palaces were set on fire. \n\nglory out of all the pleasant furniture--or, \"there is abundance of precious vessels of every kind\" [MAURER].\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":10,"content":["Literally, \"emptiness, and emptiedness, and devastation.\" The accumulation of substantives without a verb (as in Nah 3:2), the two first of the three being derivatives of the same root, and like in sound, and the number of syllables in them increasing in a kind of climax, intensify the gloomy effectiveness of the expression. Hebrew, Bukah, Mebukah, Mebullakah (compare Isa 24:1, Isa 24:3-4; Zep 1:15). \n\nfaces of all gather blackness--(See on Joe 2:6). CALVIN translates, \"withdraw (literally, 'gather up') their glow,\" or flush, that is grow pale. This is probably the better rendering. So MAURER.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":11,"content":["dwelling of . . . lions--Nineveh, the seat of empire of the rapacious and destructive warriors of various ranks, typified by the \"lions,\" \"young lions,\" \"old lion\" (or lioness [MAURER]), \"the lion's whelp.\" The image is peculiarly appropriate, as lions of every form, winged, and sometimes with the head of a man, are frequent in the Assyrian sepulchres. It was as full of spoils of all nations as a lion's den is of remains of its prey. The question, \"Where,\" &c., implies that Jehovah \"would make an utter end of the place,\" so that its very site could not be found (Nah 1:8). It is a question expressing wonder, so incredible did it then seem.\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":12,"content":["prey . . . ravin--different kinds of prey. Compare Isa 3:1, \"the stay and the staff.\"\n\n"]},{"type":"verse","number":13,"content":["burn . . . in the smoke--or (so as to pass) \"into smoke,\" that is, \"entirely\" [MAURER], (Psa 37:20; Psa 46:9). CALVIN, like English Version, explains, As soon as the flame catches, and the fire smokes, by the mere smoke I will burn her chariots. \n\ncut off thy prey from the earth--Thou shalt no more carry off prey from the nations of the earth. \n\nthe voice of thy messengers . . . no more . . . heard--No more shall thy emissaries be heard throughout thy provinces conveying thy king's commands, and exacting tribute of subject nations.\n\n\n\n\nNext: Nahum Chapter 3\n\n"]}],"introduction":"THE ADVANCE OF THE DESTROYING FORCES AGAINST NINEVEH, AFTER IT WAS USED AS GOD'S ROD FOR A TIME TO CHASTISE HIS PEOPLE: THE CAPTURE OF THAT LION'S DWELLING, ACCORDING TO THE SURE WORD OF JEHOVAH. (Nah 2:1-13)\n\nHe that dasheth in pieces--God's \"battle axe,\" wherewith He \"breaks in pieces\" His enemies. Jer 51:20 applies the same Hebrew term to Nebuchadnezzar (compare Pro 25:18; Jer 50:23, \"the hammer of the whole earth\"). Here the Medo-Babylonian army under Cyaxares and Nabopolassar, that destroyed Nineveh, is prophetically meant. \n\nbefore thy face--before Nineveh. Openly, so that the work of God may be manifest. \n\nwatch the way--by which the foe will attack, so as to be ready to meet him. Ironical advice; equivalent to a prophecy, Thou shalt have need to use all possible means of defense; but use what thou wilt, all will be in vain. \n\nmake thy loins strong--The loins are the seat of strength; to gird them up is to prepare all one's strength for conflict (Job 40:7). Also gird on thy sword (Sa2 20:8; Kg2 4:29).\n\n"},"thisChapterLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/NAM/2.json","thisChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"NAM","chapter":2},"nextChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/NAM/3.json","nextChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"NAM","chapter":3},"previousChapterApiLink":"/api/c/jamieson-fausset-brown/NAM/1.json","previousChapterReference":{"commentaryId":"jamieson-fausset-brown","book":"NAM","chapter":1},"numberOfVerses":12}